Are You A Better General Than Agamemnon?

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         The winds are finally blowing, and the Achaian fleet is at long last preparing to set sail for distant Ilios. There was some ruckus in the camp earlier, something about Agamemnon not wanting to allow the sacrifice that the seer Calchas demanded, but you didn't quite catch all the details. Evidently, he either changed his mind, or the gods did. (Or maybe the weather just shifted on its own. You've never been sure just how much faith to put in the notion of such fickle, human-like gods. Shouldn't gods have a little more dignity?)          Suddenly, as you're getting your things ready to be carried to your ship, you're surprised to see Menelaos, King of Lacedaemon, enter your tent. "Ah, there you are, Creon," he says. "I suppose you've heard about my brother."          "Ah..." you start to say, not entirely wishing to admit to your ignorance.          "Terrible thing, the whole business," Menelaos continues, shaking his head. "Anyway, as you might expect, he won't be coming with us now. And the other kings felt that I might be a little too...*involved*...to be a proper general over such a mixed assembly." He coughs, looking annoyed. You wonder if you're being expected to say something to the contrary, but then he continues without waiting for you to speak. "In any event, since you've done such an excellent job ruling over...um...Thebes? Or was it Corinth...?"          "(cycling-link: bind $home, "...", "Corinth", "Thebes", "Iolcos")" you say, a little worried by the fact that he doesn't even know where you rule.          "Well, wherever it is, you've done such a good job there that the others all agreed that you should take over for Agamemnon. If you're willing."          [["How could I do such a thing when I am so uninvolved?"->Instant Game Over]]          [["I am flattered by the assembly's trust in my abilities. I will do my best to live up to their faith."->Year1Event1]]

         For the most part, this game should be self-explanatory, but just in case...          The game opens in the Greek port of Aulis, shortly after the winds once again begin to blow, allowing the fleet of a thousand ships (give or take a few) to sail for Troy at long last. You are playing Creon, the king of an unspecified domain in Greece, and for reasons not fully explained to you, the reins of power over the combined Greek army have been handed to you.          It took Agamemnon ten years to tear down the walls of Troy, and he lost many of his best warriors in the process.          Can you do better?          (Spoiler alert: yes, you can. *If* you make the right choices. You can also do worse. ***Much*** worse. Like, you can--no, I'll let you find out for yourself just how much worse things can go.)          You can save those who were fated to die, or you can get killed those who were fated to survive. It all depends on your decisions.          You can, of course, also just follow the canonical version of the myth (to what small extent any myth can truly be said to *have* a canonical version), but I would recommend against doing so, particularly in Year Nine, because then you'd just be getting my paltry summary of the *Iliad*, and you're better off reading the real thing, 'cause I'm no Homer, y'know?          So, you are currently playing the updated version (let's call it 1.1 to be all fancy-schmancy about it), which includes a ***Glossary!!!***          Unfortunately, the Glossary is about 17,000 words long, so it *will* take a few seconds to load it. Sorry about that. Also, the way I ended up coding it, you can only see each entry once without having to leave the Glossary and come back. Sorry about that, as well. (I didn't want to spend too long diving too deep into the possible coding options, and this way seemed better because it let me put the names in columns, making the list take less time to scroll through.)          *However*! I can assure you that this is not the final form of the game. I will be returning to this game to make it what I'd like it to be, though I cannot say exactly when. (I hope sometime in 2021, but I make no promises.) The later version will keep track of stats--at least numbers of troops and amount of food, if nothing else--and will offer a less monotonous, less random process through Years 3-8. (I hope.) I'm also hoping to be able to have the battles a tinge more RPG-like, even if they're still outside player control. (If you're familiar with the super-awesome original Playstation games *Suikoden* and *Suikoden II*, what I'd like to do, ideally, is have each battle in this game play out in a manner similar to each individual skirmish in the pitched battles in those games. (Which involved tiny little warriors running at each other amid some effects art, and then some of them floating off into the sky with wings as they died. Both cute and horrible at the same time.) But as that would require obtaining sprites based on Mycenaean and Hittite soldiers, I can't guarantee anything even remotely like that will happen. It's just what I'd *like* to make happen.) [[Start Game]] [[Title Screen->Title Screen]] --------------------- (link-undo:"Go back")

Written by Charlotte Benton (PyrrhaIphis) Made in TWINE2 Font is Playfair Display by Claus Eggers Sørensen via Google Fonts. Basic UI formatting based on the "Simple Visual Novel Template for Twine" by Sun Labyrinth. The Attic red-figure Kylix used on the sidebars was made by Sosias (potter; painter's name uncertain) c. 500 BCE. The photograph I used came from Wikimedia Commons. The marble slab photograph used as the background is also from Wikimedia Commons. The photograph of a (very, very heavily) reconstructed Mycenaean fresco of a boat also came from Wikimedia Commons. The scan of an artist's faithful rendition of a reconstructed Mycenaean fresco of a woman can also be found at Wikimedia Commons. (All links to these images can be found in a devlog at the game's itch.io page.) The title was translated into Homeric Greek by Joel Christensen (sententiaeantiquae.com) and then very badly hand-written by me in clay with a toothpick, rendering it basically illegible. :( Also, I received the idea of having a certain character headbutt Ares from my brother. ;) [[Start Game]] [[Title Screen]] --------------------- (link-undo:"Go back") [[test]]

Well! I wasn't expecting ***that*** outcome! Why did you even play this game, then? Game Over, man. [[Try again?->Title Screen]]

<img src="YearOne.jpg" width="600" height="539">          Given your new position as the general of this massive sailing to rescue (if that is indeed the word) the Queen of Sparta from her prison (elopement?) in distant Troy, you find messenger after messenger reporting to you to inform you of each group of ships setting sail. This allows you to refresh in your mind the names and homelands of all the most important of the Achaian princes and kings accompanying you on this strange quest.          With 30 ships are the Minyans, led by Ascalaphos of Orchomenos, a son of Ares. (set: $Ascalaphos to 'alive')          With 40 ships are the Locrians, led by Aias, son of Oileus, the current King of Locris. (set: $AiasL to 'alive')          Though Salamis contributed only 12 ships, you are told firmly not to discount the island's gift to the war effort, because they are led by the son of King Telamon, Aias of the towering shield. He is often known as the greater Aias, being in every way (except the size of his fleet) a bigger and better man than the other Aias. Aias is also accompanied by his half-brother Teukros, who you are told is one of the greatest archers in all of Hellas. (set: $AiasS to 'alive') (set: $Teukros to 'alive')          Proud Argos provides a stunning 80 ships, led by the Argive king, Diomedes, son of Tydeus. Diomedes, you are told, is as much favored by the goddess Athene as his late father was, and it was doubtless due to her aid that Diomedes and the other Epigoni were able to successfully conquer Thebes. (if: $home is 'Thebes')[You aren't sure if you feel a debt of gratitude to Diomedes for installing your predecessor on the throne, or if you feel threatened by him, since you did rather usurp his friend's son when you took power...] (set: $Diomedes to 'alive')          (if: $home is 'Thebes')[As King of Thebes, you yourself are in charge of 50 ships of men, as well as having gained control of the 100 ships Agamemnon had provided.] (else:)[In your position as Agamemnon's successor in this endeavor, you have direct control over the 100 ships he had provided.]          The cuckolded Menelaos was only able to provide 60 ships, but you're not sure if that's merely representative of the smaller size of Laconia, or if perhaps some of the Spartan men aren't willing to fight and die to recover their allegedly adulterous queen. (Though, really, they *ought* to be. After all, without Helen, what right has Menelaos to the throne? It belongs to *her* family, not his.) (set: $Menelaos to 'alive')          Messenia has provided 90 ships, guided by the aged Nestor, king of sandy Pylos. You are glad to be informed that Nestor is accompanied by his youngest son, Antilochos, who everyone expects will do the majority of the fighting, while his father merely dispenses wisdom. (set: $Antilochos to 'alive')          Another island, Ithaca, has provided only 12 ships, but again you are warned not to take the island's contribution lightly, for its wily king, Odysseus, is the favorite of Athene, and his schemes will prove themselves far more useful to the expedition than a thousand spears. (set: $Odysseus to 'alive')(set: $Palamedes to 'alive')          The island of Crete, on the other hand, has provided a massive 80 ships, led by the island's king, Idomeneus, grandson of Minos. (set: $Idomeneus to 'alive') (set: $Meriones to 'alive')          Only 50 ships of Myrmidons from Phthia accompany the mighty warrior Achilleus, son of Thetis, most powerful of the Nereids. According to rumor, the war was doomed to failure without Achilleus' participation. There were rumors in the camp that his mother imparted some power of invulnerability upon him as well as giving him her beauty, but you are quite certain you saw him with a nicked cheek from shaving, so you don't give much credence to the rumors. (You also don't think much of a man grown past the years of youth who prefers to be beardless. Who is he trying to stay pretty for?) (set: $Achilles to 'alive') (set: $AchillesMadness to 0) (set: $Patroclos to 'alive')          From Phylacos, Protesilaos brings 40 ships, and fills them all with his moaning about having to leave his bride's side after having been married such a short span of time. (set: $Protesilaos to 'alive')          Meliboia and its surrounding region have only provided 7 ships, but they have also provided Philoctetes, who carries the unfailing Bow of Heracles. You hope it will prove just as effective against the Trojans as it did in the hands of its original owner, who tore down the walls of windy Ilios when Priam was still but a youth. (set: $Philoctetes to 'alive')          Podaleirios and Machaon, the sons of Asclepios, have brought 30 ships of troops. More importantly, they have also brought along their father's gift of healing, which you hope will allow them to save many men from the clutches of death. (set: $Podaleirios to 'alive') (set: $Machaon to 'alive') (set: $Thersites to 'alive')          [[Sail onwards, towards the Anatolian coast!->Year1Event1pt2]]

         As you sail across the wine-dark sea, you are filled in on all the details that you had not needed to know as a mere warrior-king. You knew there had been a first attempt to retrieve Helen, soon after her abduction, when Achilleus actually was the beardless youth he still pretends to be, which ended in a miserable failure and hasty retreat. The tale you have always heard was that the initial sailing ended up in Mysia instead of the Troad, and that upon the fleet's departure from Mysia, they consulted an oracle and were informed that only with the guidance of a son of King Priam could they reach Troy. The story had always rung rather oddly in your ears, considering the city is a major trading hub and really cannot be missed unless you are ***spectacularly*** incompetent at navigation.          The truth, you learn now, is very different and entirely more believable. That first (much smaller) sailing reached the Troad all right, and was soundly put to rout by a massive army sent by the Great King of Hatti, to whom Priam owes his allegiance as a vassal. The reason for the timing of this second sailing--ten whole years later!--is that the Great King whose army defeated the earlier fleet recently died. Soon after his death, his heir, Mursili, came to seek shelter at the Spartan court, explaining as he did that his uncle had just usurped his throne. With such turmoil inside the empire, how could Hatti have any attention or troops to spare to defend one border city, no matter how wealthy? There was no doubt in Menelaos' mind--nor had there been in Agamemnon's--that this was the only time when they would successfully be able to take the city.          It is now late at night, and you expect to reach the Anatolian coast early tomorrow morning. Already, you have gotten bad news. The message you got when your men last went ashore on a nearby island for fresh water was brief, but it seems something happened to Philoctetes already, and he is no longer with the fleet. (set: $Philoctetes to 'marooned') You hope he wasn't holding his bow when he fell overboard. (Or whatever happened to him.)          More concerning still is the rumor that Thetis herself rose from the ocean's waters to warn her son not to be the first to disembark at Troy, for the first to disembark will be the first to die. Now scuttlebutt is flurrying, not only worrying that Achilleus will prefer not to land at all, but hinting that no man will have the nerve to disembark first, knowing it will be his death knell.(set: $TrojanGenerals to 7)          [[He is a grown man: his first duty is to his general, not his mother. Tell Achilleus that he is to disembark first.->Year1Event1choice1]]          [[I'll show you how little I fear meaningless prophecy! I'll go first!->Year1Event1choice2]]          [[It's probably just Thetis being overprotective. Let whoever arrives at the shore first disembark first.->Year1Event1choice3]]          [[I'm sure she just meant that if Achilleus disembarks first, he'll die first. But just in case, have Aias of Locris disembark first. No one will miss him if it does turn out to be true.->Year1Event1choice4]]          [[Let Aias of Salamis disembark first. No Trojan could be powerful enough to kill that mountain of a man!->Year1Event1choice5]]          [[Maybe we shouldn't entirely dismiss the idea. Have Odysseus go first; surely the gray-eyed goddess is powerful enough to protect her favorite against the pessimistic prophecy of Thetis.->Year1Event1choice6]]          [[We can't take the risk of losing a man of value, but someone has to go first! Here, what's the name of that bandy-legged commoner who's always insulting the kings? Send him first!->Year1Event1choice7]]

         Obedient to your will, Achilleus is the first to leap from the ships onto the sandy soil of the Trojan beach. It takes only a few swings of his double-tipped spear to scatter the few locals who had gathered in a futile attempt to drive us off. About half a dozen of them are killed, while the rest flee from him as mice from a weasel.          For a brief while, Achilleus and the other warriors chase after the rabble of farmers, until they spot the advancing Trojan forces headed in their direction. Drawing back, they form ranks as a proper contingent of warriors.          The Trojans are being led by a godlike man in magnificent armor. The seer Calchas informs you that he is Prince Hector, heir to the throne (though you have no idea how *Calchas* knows that). As the Trojans approach the assembled Achaians, Achilleus suddenly bursts forward out of ranks, headed straight for Hector.          The two of them clash again and again, their spears soon discarded in favor of swords, which cause such loud ringing against shield and sword alike that all other combat on the beach stops as everyone else present has to cover his ears against the sound.          The contest has lasted for hours when Hector's shield suddenly slips, giving Achilleus an opportunity to plunge his blade down into the opening between his enemy's corselet and his neck. Yet even as he does so, Hector's sword swings towards Achilleus' own throat, severing it to the bone.          Both champions fall lifeless to the ground in a single heap. (set: $Achilles to 'dead')(set: $Hector to 'dead')(set: $TrojanGenerals to it - 1)(set: $AchillesDeath to 'FirstDay')          It is with heavy hearts that [[you prepare to face the next challenge this war will lay before you.->Year1Event2]]

         Determined to be the hero that the other kings discerned you to be, you leap down from the ship as soon as it gets close enough to the beach.          You have no trouble dispatching the rabble the locals were able to mobilize against us. "Is this all Troy has on offer?" you ask, laughing at the fleeing peasants. "This will be no war--this will be a gift from the gods!"          As if the gods were punishing you for your hubris, a line of true defenders of Troy appear in the near distance, with a magnificent man in the center who appears almost more divine than human.          You turn to your allies for support, but find that you have so far outpaced them in pursuing those first few enemies that the Trojan horses are upon you long before you can reach them.          The godlike man skewers you with his spear as if he was a hunter and you were a boar. =><= **Game Over** <= [[Return to the Title Screen->Title Screen]]

         The many dark ships plow their way up through the thin surf and beach themselves, but for a long, tense moment no one leaps down onto the soil, their fear trembling in their hearts. Then, finally, with a loud battle roar, Protesilaos leaps down, already wielding his spear with zeal as he approaches the light force of Phrygian farmers and peasants assembled to meet us.          As Protesilaos is killing his fourth foe among the rabble of barely armed locals, the thundering sounds of hooves begins in the distance. The rest of the men begin to disembark, but they cannot reach Protesilaos before the advancing Trojan forces do. By the time any of the other Achaians are ready to fight, Protesilaos is already locked in combat with a godlike man in fine armor.          It is a brief combat only, as the Trojan defender has very little trouble killing Protesilaos.          The surviving local peasants let up a cheer for the might of Prince Hector, heir to the throne of Troy. Protesilaos' killer barely even acknowledges their cheers as he advances on his next opponent. (set: $Protesilaos to 'dead')(set: $Hector to 'alive')(set: $ProtesilaosDeath to 'FirstDay')          [[There is no time to grieve for Protesilaos or feel pity for his distant bride. More foes are approaching.->Year1Event2]]

         As his ship approaches the beach, Aias of Locris fires off half a dozen arrows, slaying a number of the barely armed locals who are waiting for us. Only then does he leap down off the ship with a rallying cry to his own men. His men are not slow to follow the son of Oileus, and soon the battle has been enjoined on all sides.          Our men are fighting brilliantly, and the peasants have soon all fallen before them. But even as Aias is declaring this his own personal victory, a line of horses and men appear over a small hill, riding down on us at breakneck speed.          Realizing that these are the true defenders of Troy, a fear pulses through every heart on the beach, particularly those who were present for the first sailing. (Even you tremble inwardly, worrying that these might be Hatti soldiers after all, rather than troops from Ilios itself.)          While most of the Trojans leap from their horses to join the fray, their leader charges forward still on his horse, lashing about him with his spear. The bronze blade quickly finds the lesser Aias, slicing through his face and leaving him bleeding his life out into the mud, even as his troops cheer for the great might of the heir to the throne of Troy, Prince Hector. (set: $AiasL to 'dead')(set: $Hector to 'alive')(set: $AiasLDeath to 'FirstDay')          [[No heart wastes time mourning the Locrian prince. The enemy is upon us, and we must fight them off if we are to survive.->Year1Event2]]

         The ships have barely reached the beach when gigantic Aias Telamoniades hurls himself down into the sand and the surf, his massive shield held before him to deflect the puny projectiles of the Trojan farmers who can do little more than hurl pebbles at him. Despite being burdened down by such a massive shield, he has no difficulty in routing these few peasant defenders of the coastline. As the other troops begin to disembark, his cousin Achilleus laughs and says that he would have defeated the rabble in half the time if he had been given the opportunity. The son of Telamon has only begun to retort in his slow speech when the alarum is sounded that more enemies are approaching.          As the line of horsemen draws near, it is clear to all that these new foes are the ones we will be fighting for the duration of this war. They are proper warriors in gleaming bronze corselets, and their helmets have beautifully nodding horsehair crests. The man in the center of the line has the finest armor of all, and as the other riders come to a halt a few horse-lengths away from our defensive line, he rides forward a bit further towards us.          "What is the meaning of this invasion of Trojan soil?" he demands. "How dare you bring these ships of war and slaughter these innocents?"          "I have come to get my wife back," Menelaos informs him. "By force if need be."          The central man frowns. "My brother Alexandros considers her to be *his* wife now," he says. "He refuses to be parted from her, and our father will go to any lengths to safeguard his happiness in penitence for all that he suffered in his childhood. Therefore, your errand is in vain, and you must leave this land. I cannot allow you to remain on this beach and set up a camp."          "A duel," Aias of Salamis interrupts. "Let there be a duel to earn the right to safely set up camp."          The Trojan prince pauses, looking at the enormous man uncertainly. "What sort of duel?"          "You and me," Aias replies. "A battle between us. If I win, you allow us to disembark and camp. If you win, we will depart without the queen."          "I cannot agree to that!" Menelaos shouts, but the Trojan prince is already dismounting from his horse.          "Very well," the Trojan says, "a duel between us. You have the word of Hector, son of Priam, that the results of the duel will be honored."          Aias nods, and the two briefly debate the rules of the duel. It is to be settled with swords alone, as the towering shield of Aias renders spear throws futile. The two champions draw their swords, and begin to fight as the two assembled armies watch.          They are evenly matched, and the fight goes on for many long hours, with only the barest nicks and scrapes to either party. The longer it goes on, the longer Achilleus begins to pace back and forth in frustration. At first he only mutters, and his muttering is easily quieted by his comrade Patroclos, but when his mutters turn to grumbles, they are not so easily quelled, and when the grumbles turn to complaints, they cannot be silenced. Eventually, he bursts free of the older man's restraints and shouts towards Aias "Stop stalling and kill him already! You're unworthy of our grandfather Aiakos if you can't even dispatch one measly Trojan prince!"          With an annoyed look on his face, Aias glances over his shoulder at Achilleus. The momentary distraction is all the opening Hector needs, and his sword is soon plunging towards Aias' throat. Aias returns the blow and decapitates Hector in one swift motion, but not in time to prevent Hector's sword from severing his own throat.          As the two bodies fall lifeless to the sandy shore, both armies stare in uncertainty and confusion. A raging debate begins as to how to decide which side 'won' and how to interpret the conditions of the duel in such a bizarre case. At the appearance of Trojan reinforcements, the debate is abandoned in favor of renewed hostilities. (set: $AiasS to 'dead')(set: $Hector to 'dead')(set: $TrojanGenerals to it - 1)(set: $AiasSDeath to 'FirstDay')          Aias' half brother Teukros and a few of the Salaminian troops hastily recover his body to protect it and his armor from the Trojans, [[even as the rest of the army prepares to fight the new enemies.->Year1Event2]]

         When his ship reaches land, Odysseus rapidly fires so many arrows at the waiting crowd of antagonistic locals that they are all dead before he casually jumps down off the ship's bow. Whether by accident or by intention, he lands on the nearest corpse, and--much to your surprise and distaste--he continues to walk only on the dead bodies until others have landed and set their feet on the Trojan soil.          Odysseus is already supervising as his men begin to build huts along the shore by the time a line of armed horsemen appear on the horizon. He turns to you and says "Let me handle this," then approaches the horsemen, unarmed. "Greetings, noble gentlemen," he says to them as they come to a stop in front of him.          "Who are you?" the leader of the Trojan riders asks, glaring down at Odysseus. "How dare you bring this band of warriors and slaughter so many innocents?"          "We are no band of warriors, I assure you," Odysseus replies. "We are refugees fleeing the destruction in our homeland. Vicious invaders from Hyperborea have come to ravage our lands, burning and pillaging. We come seeking shelter and a new homeland."          "Oh really." The lead Trojan is not the least bit convinced. "And you killed these men because...?"          "They attacked us," Odysseus replies, shaking his head. "What choice had we but to defend ourselves?"          The man on horseback scowls for a moment, then dismounts. "Perhaps in Hellas people are stupid enough to fall for such ludicrous tales," he says, drawing his sword, "but Hector, son of Priam, is not such a fool."          So saying, he slashes his sword towards Odysseus. But Odysseus is almost as fleet of foot as Achilleus, and he is able to retreat from the blow with ease, dashing back towards our own lines, where he is just able to recover his sword and shield before Hector is once more upon him. They fight furiously, but Odysseus is at least ten years older than Hector, and his skill is with his brain and his bow, not his blade. A massive blow from Hector's iron blade drives straight through Odysseus' bronze corselet, and Odysseus only has the strength to drive his sword deep into Hector's unprotected thigh before his limbs are unstrung and he falls to the ground.          As some of his men help the wounded Hector back onto his horse, a shout passes across the battlefield. (set: $Odysseus to 'dead')(set: $Hector to 'wounded2')(set: $OdysseusDeath to 'FirstDay')          [[There is no time to mourn for Odysseus. More foes are upon us.->Year1Event2]]

         There is silence for a moment after the ships arrive, then an angry voice loudly calls "Why me?! I'm barely even a warrior!" A few moments later, the bandy-legged Thersites is roughly hurled from his ship, landing on his egg-shaped head in the sand below. Only after he rights himself and begins hurling abuse back up at whoever threw him do the others begin to disembark from the ships.          You have not long disembarked when the Trojan defenders ride up towards you. The battle is quickly enjoined, and you notice that Thersites is the first to fall (possibly because he hadn't even gotten his armor on before being tossed off the ship). His killer, a godlike man addressed by his comrades as Prince Hector, barely even notices him.          The battle against these Trojan foes is difficult, but not unwinnable. At least, it does not seem that way until you hear the thunder of more approaching hoof beats. (set: $Hector to 'alive')(set: $Thersites to 'dead')(set: $ThersitesDeath to 'FirstDay')          [[What further enemies await us, you wonder with trepidation.->Year1Event2]]

         The new foes are being led by the most surprising man you have ever seen on a battlefield. He is not only without armor, he isn't even wearing any clothes beyond a simple loincloth. (if: $Hector is 'alive')[Prince Hector calls out a greeting to the new arrival: "Welcome, Cycnos! I knew we could count on Colonai to support us against these vicious Danaan dogs!"](else:)[A shout goes up through the rejoicing Trojan troops at the arrival of this army from Colonai, led by their king, Cycnos.]          Cycnos dismounts from his horse and strides forward onto the field of battle, laughing as a spear thrown by one of your allies bounces off his bare chest. "My father Poseidon has made my skin impenetrable!" he exclaims. "Let my enemies die in rout and despair!" With that, he accepts a spear from one of his men and sets upon the terrified Achaian troops.          You look around you, wondering what you should do about this terrifying foe, and decide to send one of the princes you see nearest to you. (if: $Achilles is 'alive')[         [[Send Achilleus.->Year1Event2choice1]] ](if: $AiasS is 'alive')[         [[Send Aias of Salamis.->Year1Event2choice2]] ]         [[Send Diomedes.->Year1Event2choice3]]          [[Send Menelaos.->Year1Event2choice4]] (if: $Odysseus is 'alive')[         [[Send Odysseus.->Year1Event2choice5]] ]         [[Send Nestor.->Year1Event2choice6]]

         You probably didn't even *need* to order Achilleus to fight this unnatural foe. He's already rushing towards Cycnos even before you can finish saying his name. Cycnos laughs at the sight of Achilleus running towards him while all the other soldiers flee from his bizarre, half-naked self.          "You're a fool to approach me so brazenly, boy," Cycnos bellows. "Do you wish to enter the house of Hades so eagerly?"          "You'll be the one dying today," Achilleus promises, thrusting forward with his double-tipped spear. Both bronze tips are repelled by Cycnos' skin, just as the weapons of lesser men were, making Cycnos laugh heartily. Achilleus does not appear discouraged, however, merely letting out a deep sigh. "Fine, so this will be a challenge. I'm not worried."          "I think a son of Poseidon is plenty to worry about, Achilleus," his loyal Patroclos says as he hurries up behind his prince. (You're not entirely sure what Patroclos' position is, precisely, or his relationship to Achilleus. Some say he's the younger man's cousin, others say his retainer, and most say that he's also his lover. Attached to his side is what he is, you think, regardless of any of those other factors.)          "He has to have a weakness," Achilleus responds. "everyone does."          "You may have any number of weaknesses, mortal, but I have none!" Cycnos bellows in response, cutting a gash across Achilleus' cheek.          Surprisingly, this only makes Achilleus laugh. "Sorry, but I'm not quite mortal, either. I may not be invulnerable, but I heal *fast*." He glances over his shoulder at his companion. "Watch my back, Patroclos. I'll find some way to deal with him."          "No matter how quickly you heal, you'll still die if I cut you up enough," Cycnos says, tightening his grip on his spear.          "Then I'll just have to prevent you from cutting me, won't I?" Achilleus replies cockily, pairing his words with a blow aimed at Cycnos' eye.          It seemed a wise place to try to strike--it's not *skin*, after all--but his spear rebounds off the surface of the large man's eye just as it had off his chest, making Cycnos laugh and launch a return blow so hard that Achilleus is pressed backwards by the impact when he raises his shield to intercept the spear.          Achilleus strikes out again with his spear, this time baffling both you and (from the look on his face) Cycnos by aiming at the man's *foot*. That blow, too, is turned aside by the invulnerability that Poseidon granted to this terrifying son. Surprisingly, Achilleus discards his spear in response, and throws a punch at Cycnos' face before the other man can react.          From the way he shakes his hand out afterwards, you get the feeling that Achilleus is perhaps regretting having done so. But Cycnos looks as though he, too, felt some pain from the punch. Certainly he seems to want to end the fight immediately, as he promptly directs his spear towards Achilleus' throat.          Rather than block the blow with his shield, Achilleus dodges to the side, and grabs the shaft of the spear. "Here, let go of that!" Cycnos shouts, but Achilleus does not comply, and a brief tugging war plays out between the two of them, until Achilleus manages to wrest the spear away from Cycnos, discarding it by his own, and then dropping his shield on top of both weapons.          "This is more fair, don't you think?" Achilleus quips with a laugh.          Cycnos actually looks worried. "Here, perhaps we don't have to fight each other," Cycnos says, his voice almost shaking. "I gave my word to King Priam that I would defend Ilios, as he was my late wife's father, but...you know, she is dead, after all, so...maybe I don't *have* to drive you off. Or you, personally, don't have to lay down your life for--"          "What are you afraid of, coward?" Achilleus mocks, moving in closer to the enormous son of Poseidon.          "Coward?!" Cycnos repeats in a bellow, swinging a meaty fist at Achilleus' face.          Achilleus dodges the blow, and wraps his lanky fingers around Cycnos' throat. You almost wince away from the sight of a man being strangled on the field of battle--so dishonorable a death for a warrior!--and yet you cannot tear your eyes away until the gigantic son of Poseidon finally falls dead to the ground.          And yet, he does not stay on the ground: the instant Achilleus has released his throat and stepped away, Cycnos' body begins to shrivel up until it has transformed into that of a beautiful white swan. The swan lets out a trumpeting cry and launches itself into the sky, flying away to the south, towards Colonai.          The sight of Cycnos' bizarre transformation sets both his own people and the Trojans fleeing the battlefield in horror. (set: $Cycnos to 'dead')          [[You order the men to build a temporary camp beside the seashore and gather up the dead and wounded.->Year1Event3]]

         With a grim determination, Aias approaches the monstrous son of Poseidon as he slaughters his way through our troops. Cycnos laughs when he sets eyes on him. "You're a big fellow, but don't think that will help you against me! No matter how strong you are, your weapons will never penetrate my skin."          Surprisingly, Aias chuckles in response to Cycnos' words. "My father sailed on the *Argo*," he says, causing a distinctly confused expression to appear on the other man's face. "He was good friends with Heracles."          "I really don't care one iota about your father," Cycnos tells him with narrowed eyes.          "Heracles taught me much when I was child," Aias continues, dropping his massive shield and his spear. "Including how to fight an invulnerable opponent."          Cycnos bites his lip for a moment, then takes one hesitant step backwards as Aias steps towards him again. Then he seems to think the better of such cowardice, and launches himself forward into combat against the mighty son of Telamon, striking with his spear.          Aias dodges the spear strike with a nimbleness that seems impossible in combination with his sheer bulk. Cycnos is left lurching towards empty space, and Aias takes advantage of this, moving around behind him and striking him in the back of the head, sending the foe falling face-down into the soft sand. Aias strikes him again and again, keeping him down on the ground, finally resting his entire weight on the man's back, shoving his face downwards with both hands. Cycnos struggles to rise up, but in vain, as the son of Telamon weighs far too much for even the son of Poseidon to throw him off. Between the crushing weight of Aias and his heavy bronze corselet crushing his torso and his face being pressed down into the sand and preventing him from breathing, Cycnos soon ceases to struggle as the life leaves his body.          As Aias rises up from off the corpse of his victim, the body suddenly begins to shrivel up until it has transformed into that of a beautiful white swan. The swan lets out a trumpeting cry and launches itself into the sky, flying away to the south, towards Colonai.          The sight of Cycnos' bizarre transformation sets both his own people and the Trojans fleeing the battlefield in horror. (set: $Cycnos to 'dead')          [[You order the men to build a temporary camp beside the seashore and gather up the dead and wounded.->Year1Event3]]

         Much to your astonishment, as soon as you give Diomedes the order to face this unnatural foe, the son of Tydeus turns away from the battle, and runs over to the nearest ship. You're about to reprimand him for showing such cowardice when you see him cut the lines leading to the ship's anchor stone. Perplexed, you decide not to interfere, at least not until you can figure out what he's up to.          Diomedes drags the anchor stone across the shore until he's near enough to the murdering Cycnos that he can heft the stone and hurl it directly at Cycnos' head. The stone strikes the massive son of Poseidon and knocks him off his feet.          However, he rises again, and glares death at Diomedes. "What kind of coward are you, to be so base as to throw a rock at me?!" he demands, before lifting the stone in a single hand and hurling it back again.          Diomedes dodges the incoming projectile, and shrugs his shoulders. "A wise man will take any opportunity to fell his opponent, even if it might seem cowardly to others," he replies, before lifting the stone and throwing it once more at Cycnos.          Cycnos attempts to dodge the stone, but it still strikes him in the face. He is bleeding from his nose when he lifts it again and once more hurls it towards Diomedes. By now, most of the rest of the combat has ceased, and everyone stares in confusion and awe at this bizarre display.          On and on, back and forth the anchor stone flies, every time striking Cycnos in the head, chest or both, and every time missing Diomedes. With every strike, Cycnos seems more and more bloodied and beaten. Diomedes, too, is clearly tiring, but he is still unwounded when the son of Poseidon falls to his knees after a particularly heavy blow to his head.          Seeing his opportunity, Diomedes rushes over to the foe and picks up the anchor stone one more time, lifting it above his head and bringing it down heavily upon Cycnos' head, which seems to collapse within, even though its skin is still unbroken. As Cycnos falls forward onto the ground, Diomedes discards the stone and walks back over to the rest of the Achaian forces.          Diomedes has no more than mentioned the pain in his arms from such an unusual and strenuous activity when Cycnos' body begins to shrivel up until it has transformed into that of a beautiful white swan. The swan lets out a trumpeting cry and launches itself into the sky, flying away to the south, towards Colonai.          The sight of Cycnos' bizarre transformation sets both his own people and the Trojans fleeing the battlefield in horror. (set: $Cycnos to 'dead')          [[You order the men to build a temporary camp beside the seashore and gather up the dead and wounded.->Year1Event3]]

         You think you see a momentary look of betrayal on Menelaos' face when you ask him to deal with this new foe, but he does not hesitate to approach the son of Poseidon. "There's no need for this slaughter," Menelaos tells him, even as he aims his spear at the unarmored Cycnos. "I only want my wife returned to me."          "And yet you come with an army," Cycnos retorts, slashing at Menelaos with his spear. "You come for King Priam's treasure house."          "That may be the others' goal, but it is not mine," Menelaos insists. "I only want Helen back."          "If she wanted to be with you, she would have stayed in her father's palace instead of coming here to be with Alexandros," Cycnos says, coupling it with another blow which Menelaos only barely manages to intercept with his shield.          For every blow they exchange, they trade back and forth more and more pointless, fruitless words regarding Helen's true home and happiness. Every time that Cycnos' words find a way past Menelaos' logic, his spear also finds its way past the Spartan's shield.          All too soon, poor Menelaos falls, his limbs unstrung and his life bleeding out into the sand.          Word passes quickly across the battlefield of the death, and soon everyone--enemy and ally alike--is looking at you for guidance. And what can you say?          "Without Menelaos, what point is there to this battle--or this war? He is the only party who was wounded by the actions of the prince of Troy. With his death, there is no purpose to continuing. Leave off the battle. We sail back home in the morning." =><= **GAME OVER** <=          [[Try Again?->Title Screen]]

         Wily Odysseus frowns at your command. "I think one of our younger companions might have been a better choice to face this foe, but I will do as you request, no matter what it may cost me." So saying, he turns to the nearest archer, and requests from the man his bow and quiver.          With these unusual weapons in hand, Odysseus departs from your company, heading towards a position on the prow of one of the ships, where he can safely fire at Cycnos. However, no matter where he aims on the gigantic son of Poseidon, his arrows only bounce off again.          After more than a dozen arrows have struck him, Cycnos stops slaughtering our men and shakes his fist in Odysseus' direction. "Coward!" he yells. "Come and face me yourself, if you're a man!" As he continues to scream abuse at the king of Ithaca, Odysseus fires again, and the arrow hits Cycnos directly in his open mouth.          Cycnos pulls the arrow back out of his mouth, spitting out blood as he does so. Then he clamps his mouth firmly shut, and begins stalking towards Odysseus, glaring death at him. Odysseus laughs as he hops back down off the ship. "Can't blame me for trying," he says, as if that will calm Cycnos down.          You expect to see Odysseus discard the bow in favor of a sword or spear as Cycnos approaches him, but instead he keeps it tightly held in both hands. Cycnos stabs at Odysseus with his spear, but the smaller man dodges the blow and moves around behind him.          Before Cycnos can turn to face Odysseus, the other has looped his bow over Cycnos' head and is pulling back on it, pressing the bowstring tight against the son of Poseidon's throat. Cycnos scrabbles at the string with his fingers, but is unable to pull it away from his throat. As he collapses to his knees from lack of air, he strikes blindly with his spear, lacerating Odysseus with its tip in several places, but the son of Laertes does not relent until Cycnos has finally fallen forward onto his face.          As Odysseus steps away from it, Cycnos' body begins to shrivel up until it has transformed into that of a beautiful white swan. The swan lets out a trumpeting cry and launches itself into the sky, flying away to the south, towards Colonai.          The sight of Cycnos' bizarre transformation sets both his own people and the Trojans fleeing the battlefield in horror. Machaon examines Odysseus' injuries and says that his life does not seem to be in any danger, but that he may not be able to fight for many months to come. (set: $Cycnos to 'dead')(set: $Odysseus to 'wounded2')          [[You order the men to build a temporary camp beside the seashore and gather up the dead and wounded.->Year1Event3]]

         Nestor smiles at you, then calmly walks over to Cycnos, who regards him warily. "You should keep your hoary head off the battlefield if you don't want it hewn from your shoulders, old man," Cycnos says to him.          "Let us speak to one another as reasonable men," Nestor replies. "No, not just as men, but as kinsmen."          "What makes you think you are kin to me?" Cycnos asks.          "My father, Neleus, was also a son of Poseidon," Nestor informs him. "Are you aware of the sorrowful tale of my father's life?"          "I...am not...?"          "It is a true tragedy," Nestor assures Cycnos. "My grandmother Tyro, daughter of Salmoneus, was married against her will to her father's brother, Cretheus. Her heart lay with another, not a human man, but the river god Enipeus." Nestor shakes his head sadly. "However, Enipeus refused her no matter how often she pursued him. Eventually, her actions caught the notice of great Poseidon, and he took the form of Enipeus to lie with her. It was from that union that my father Neleus and his twin brother Pelias were born. Ah, such tragic lives they both had in store for them! I am sure you have heard of the fate met by my uncle Pelias," Nestor adds, in the tone of an aside.          "Well, yes, of course," Cycnos says, clearly uncertain as to what in the world is even happening.          "My father had little better luck in life, I am saddened to say," Nestor goes on. "After his quarrel with Pelias over the throne of Iolcos, my father ended up an exile, and settled in Messenia. As the King of Pylos, he reigned in wisdom and plenty, and had many fine sons. But the day came when he made a fatal mistake. Heracles came to Pylos seeking to be cleansed of blood-guilt, and my father refused him. In vengeance, Heracles later returned and burned the city to the ground, killing my father and all my brothers; I alone lived."          "That's awful," Cycnos says, burying the tip of his spear in the sand so he can lean his weight against it. "I had no idea such a great hero could be so cruel."          "Even the greatest of men can make such mistakes of judgment, but I would beg that you not join in his mistake," Nestor says, holding his empty hand out towards Cycnos. "As my kin--my uncle, despite your youth--I beg you to reconsider your place in this turmoil. We represent the side of honor in this quarrel. Prince Alexandros visited Lacedaemon as the guest of King Menelaos, who acted in every way with perfect faith as a host, and yet what did Alexandros do when Menelaos was forced to rush away to his grandfather's funeral games? He stole not only nearly everything in the treasury, but the queen as well, leaving her tiny daughter behind to wail inconsolably without her mother. If such a vile betrayal of the friendship between guest and host--that sacred relationship defined by Zeus himself--is to go unpunished, how long can society endure before all is madness and cruelty and no man can trust any but himself?"          Cycnos frowns. "I understand what you are saying, but I did give my word to King Priam that I would lend my spear to Troy's protection. My late wife was his daughter, after all..."          "By his own actions condoning his son's trespasses, he invites the same judgments upon himself as justice demands upon Alexandros," Nestor replies. "And must I remind you of the vile injustice that Priam's father Laomedon committed against our common divine ancestor? After Laomedon was blessed enough to have his city's walls built by two gods, what did he do but refuse to pay them the agreed upon price? Blue-haired Poseidon fights on our side in this war, and I am certain he would be most saddened to see his son choose to support his enemies."          For a moment, all the battlefield is silent, holding its breath to see how Cycnos will respond. "You know," he finally says, "I believe you're right." He turns to look at his troops and raises one arm above his head to get their attention. "Men of Colonai, from this day forth, we fight to aid the Achaians in restoring the Queen of Sparta to her husband!" (if: $Hector is 'alive')[He turns to look at the godlike son of Priam. "I am sorry, Prince Hector, but this is how it must be. I must side with my own kin. Please let your father know that I regret breaking my word to him, and hope that he will soon relent and release Queen Helen from his son's bedchamber."](else:)[He turns to face the astonished Trojan forces. "Inform your king that I must side with my own kin, and I regret breaking my word to him."] (set: $Cycnos to 'ally')          Astonished and terrified, the Trojan forces turn to flee the battlefield. Some of your men begin chasing after them, but you call them back, [[ordering them to see to the dead and wounded, and begin erecting a camp on the beach.->Year1Event3]]

         Once the camp is set up and the wounded have been seen to, preparations are made for a funeral for the dead men, followed by a small feast. After the feast, the kings and princes all assemble in the open area before your tent.          "If the battle on the beach makes one thing clear," Menelaos says, "it is that we cannot count on the Trojans simply handing Helen back to me on seeing how mighty our army is. But King Priam is supposed to be an honorable man. Surely if I speak to him personally and make him understand what a dastardly crime Alexandros perpetrated, then he will force his son to return my wife."          (unless: $Odysseus is 'dead')["It is quite naive of you to believe King Priam will be so easy to convince," Odysseus says. "It will take the most dedicated brilliance to win him over to your cause."](else:)["I would recommend caution if you attempt any such thing," Phoinix says, displaying the rational mind and calm temper that he must have needed many times over when he was training the young Achilleus. "If you plan on making such a journey, you should not go alone, or I fear for your safety."]          After considerable mutterings among the other princes, you nod. "Yes, it seems the best idea. Tomorrow, you can go speak your cause to Priam's court, but you should not go alone. You must take someone else with you."          "I'm sure you're right," Menelaos agreed. "I will certainly feel safer if there is someone there to watch my back."          "I hate to be...a nay-sayer...to such wise counsel," Diomedes says, frowning, "but I wonder if getting her back peaceably is even a good idea? All those men who have followed us here," he gestures towards the other tents, "they expect a share of the valuables from Priam's treasure houses. They may prove disagreeable if we return with the queen but no treasure."          You frown, unsure what to do or say to that. Diomedes makes a good point, but today's battle was only the beginning, and many more men will die if there is truly to be a war. Worst of all, you have heard mutterings that a seer predicted Troy would fall in the tenth year of war. While you hope that means the tenth year since the first battle (which was now ten years ago), the prospect of spending the next ten years here in the middle of absolutely nowhere laying siege to a nearly impregnable fortress with so many avenues of supply that you cannot completely cut them off from reinforcements and shipments of food.... (set: $Deiphobos to 'alive')(set: $Helenos to 'alive')(set: $Sarpedon to 'alive')(set: $Glaucos to 'alive') (if: $Odysseus is 'alive')[         [[Send Odysseus with him.->Y1E3Odysseus]] ]         [[Send Nestor with him.->Y1E3Nestor]] (if: $Achilles is 'alive')[         [[Send Achilleus with him.->Y1E3Achilles]] ]         [[Send Idomeneus with him.->Y1E3Idomeneus]] (if: $AiasS is 'alive')[         [[Send Teukros with him.->Y1E3Teukros]] ](if: $Cycnos is 'ally')[         [[Send Cycnos with him.->Y1E3Cycnos]] ](if: $AiasL is 'alive')[         [[Send Aias of Locris with him.->Y1E3Aias]]]

         As Menelaos and Odysseus prepare to depart, you call Agamemnon's herald Talthybios over and instruct him to attend upon them in their errand. He swears to report to you immediately upon his return to the camp and faithfully relate everything that should happen in the city.          They are gone overnight--as you were expecting, given how long it would take them to reach Ilios on foot from camp--and it is late in the day when Talthybios finally returns to your tent.          "We have returned from the city, Lord Creon," the herald informs you.          "So I can see. I do not hear any jubilation in the camp, so I assume the mission did not succeed?"          "Indeed not, my lord. We arrived at the city gates shortly before nightfall, and were admitted into the home of Antenor, one of King Priam's trusted advisors. First thing in the morning, he accompanied us to see the king, and Menelaos stated his case, requesting the return of his wife, and promising to do without the gold that was stolen along with her, in recompense for the lives taken on the beach. Odysseus went further, urging the king to respect Zeus and the importance of guest-friendship, reminding the court that any one of them would be every bit as outraged and desirous of revenge should a guest mistreat them as Alexandros mistreated Menelaos." Talthybios frowned. "We were told to return to Antenor's house then while the Trojan elders debated the question. According to Antenor, Alexandros himself appeared during their debate and intervened, urging them to respect his marriage bed, and even produced Helen to work her magic upon them."          "Is she really *that* beautiful that her very presence is magical?"          "She is," Talthybios assures you. "As her brother-in-law's herald, I saw her many times before her abduction, and I can assure you that her beauty is beyond that of any mortal woman. When you first set eyes on her, it is as though Aphrodite herself was made flesh before you." He sighs sadly. "Whatever her effect on the Trojan elders, the outcome was that they decided to murder us in our sleep. Antenor refused to be as a host what Alexandros was as a guest, and he helped us escape before the dire deed could be performed."          "Then there will be no avoiding a true and open war," you surmise.          "Unfortunately not."          [["We will need to build a proper camp, then, one that can last through the long siege ahead of us."->Year1Event4]]

         As Menelaos and Nestor prepare to depart, you call Agamemnon's herald Talthybios over and instruct him to attend upon them in their errand. He swears to report to you immediately upon his return to the camp and faithfully relate everything that should happen in the city.          They are gone overnight--as you were expecting, given how long it would take them to reach Ilios on foot from camp--but they are also gone for a second night before Talthybios finally returns to your tent amidst a raucous noise from outside.          "We have returned from the city, Lord Creon," the herald informs you.          "So I can see. Is that rejoicing or anguish I hear from outside?"          "A little of both, my lord. We arrived at the city gates shortly before nightfall, and were admitted into the home of Antenor, one of King Priam's trusted advisors. First thing in the morning, he accompanied us to see the king, and Menelaos stated his case, requesting the return of his wife, and promising to do without the gold that was stolen along with her, in recompense for the lives taken on the beach. Upon the completion of his statement, aged Nestor approached the equally aged King Priam and began to explain all the reasons that the king should promptly return the Queen of Sparta, with or without the consent of Alexandros." Talthybios hesitates.          "Yes? What could possibly make you hesitate so?"          Talthybios clears his throat uncomfortably. "To be honest, sir, I fell asleep while Nestor was speaking. More than once," he admits, with a red face. "It was early in the morning when Nestor began his speech, and the sun had long since set by the time King Priam finally surrendered to his words."          "Surrendered? Then he returned the queen?"          "Yes, sir, and the gold as well. Many of the men are frustrated not to have the chance to sack Troy and all the Troad, but many more are rejoicing to be able to go home so soon and safe." He chuckles slightly. "Many are also overwhelmed by the sight of the fair-armed Helen.(if: $Achilles is 'alive')[ I believe Achilleus is having to be restrained by no less than four or five of his comrades to keep from attempting to take her for himself.]"          (if: $Achilles is 'alive')[Sadly, that does not surprise you, from everything you have heard of the red-haired son of Peleus. "I'll have a word with Menelaos and convince him to set sail as soon as the tide turns. ](else:)["]You may go ahead and join the celebrations, if you'd like."          Talthybios thanks you, and leaves the tent, shortly before you yourself step outside to find some of the men already drinking heavily to congratulate themselves for the easy victory, while others nurse hostility over the lack of treasure and glory to be had.          Over the next two days, you supervise the return of the fleet in waves, keeping a close watch on the malcontents so that they do not go raiding the land of your Trojan hosts. =><= ***Congratulations!!*** You not only restored Queen Helen to her husband and daughter, you prevented the entire war! Pat yourself on the back: you deserve it! (Though you *did* get (if: $Achilles is 'dead')[Achilleus killed. But so did Agamemnon...in the tenth year of the war.](else_if: $AiasS is 'dead')[Aias of Salamis killed. But at least it was honorable death in battle instead of suicide, so this is probably better...sort of.](else_if: $Protesilaos is 'dead')[Protesilaos killed, but so did Agamemnon, in exactly the same way.](else_if: $AiasL is 'dead')[Aias of Locris killed, but let's be honest, that's an improvement.](else_if: $Odysseus is 'dead')[Odysseus killed. Under Agamemnon, he lived throughout the whole war and had a whole big adventure (or possibly lied through his teeth about having said adventure) on his ten year journey home.](else:)[Thersites killed. But he died under Agamemnon, too. Though in that case he was actually killed by Achilleus...]) <=          Or, if you actually *wanted* to fight the war, you can always [[try again->Start Game]]

         As Menelaos and Achilleus prepare to depart, you call Agamemnon's herald Talthybios over and instruct him to attend upon them in their errand. He swears to report to you immediately upon his return to the camp and faithfully relate everything that should happen in the city.          They are gone overnight--as you were expecting, given how long it would take them to reach Ilios on foot from camp--but it is three long nights before you hear any word of their expedition, when Talthybios finally enters your tent once more.          "We have returned from the city, Lord Creon," the herald informs you.          "So I can see. What is this chaos in the camp I hear? It does not sound like celebration..."          "Indeed not, my lord. Quite the opposite, in fact. We arrived at the city gates shortly before nightfall, and were admitted into the home of Antenor, one of King Priam's trusted advisors. First thing in the morning, he accompanied us to see the king, and Menelaos stated his case, requesting the return of his wife, and promising to do without the gold that was stolen along with her, in recompense for the lives taken on the beach. When asked what he was doing with us, being neither the aggrieved party nor a herald like myself, Achilleus openly threatened the Trojans, saying that he was the demi-god who had been prophesied as the one who would tear down the walls of their illustrious city."          "Ah, I had not expected even *he* would speak so rashly." (if: $AiasL is 'alive')[If you had wanted that sort of language, you would have sent Aias of Locris.]          "Nor had we, my lord," Talthybios agreed. "The Trojans looked quite taken aback by his words, and we were soon sent back to Antenor's house to await the decision of the Trojan elders. Antenor returned not long after to inform us that the council's decision had been to obey Alexandros' treacherous suggestion that we should all be murdered while we waited unwitting at Antenor's home."          "Just the sort of vile and cowardly behavior I would expect of Alexandros."          "Yes. But Antenor did not wish to see his guests harmed, so he returned and proposed to help us escape before the sons of King Priam could arrive to kill us." He sighs sadly. "Menelaos was amenable to the suggestion, but Achilleus baldly refused it. He laid in wait by the door and slaughtered the first prince to set foot in the house, (if: $Hector is 'alive')[the redoubtable Hector himself. His brother Deiphobos followed him in and soon met the same fate, slain upon Achilleus' blade.](else:)[the second most powerful of Priam's sons, Deiphobos.] Alexandros himself was there to take part in the murders, but he fled upon the sight of Achilleus with a bloodied blade in his hand. Achilleus attempted to pursue him, but soon ran into such a large patrol of Trojan guards that he had to return and hide within the home of Antenor." Talthybios seems to tremble. "It was...my lord, the Trojans were more wroth than you can imagine. They laid siege to the house, cutting off all avenues of entrance or exit. And today they lit it on fire, slaughtering all who fled the burning building. I alone was spared that fate, as heralds are sacred."          "They even slaughtered Achilleus?" you ask, astonished. It is hard for you to imagine ordinary mortals achieving such a task.          "No, my lord. When the rest of us one by one fled the house in fear, Achilleus remained behind. He was still within when the burning building collapsed upon him." He shakes his head. "If he is truly as near-invulnerable as some of the soldiers whisper, perhaps he survived, but I have trouble imagining that anyone, even a true god, could survive having that inferno fall upon their head."          "This is grave and horrifying news," you say. "Are the troops mustering outside to avenge them?"          "They prepare to sail home, sir. With Menelaos dead, what point is there in fighting now?" Talthybios replies. "Though the Myrmidons intend to remain and beg permission from the Trojans to search through the ruins of Antenor's house in the hope that their prince still lives."          "Ah. Well...I wish them all the luck they will need," you say, feeling your stomach roil at the realization that you came so far only to louse up spectacularly so soon after your arrival. =><= ***GAME OVER*** <=          [[Try again?->Title Screen]]

         As Menelaos and Idomeneus prepare to depart, you call Agamemnon's herald Talthybios over and instruct him to attend upon them in their errand. He swears to report to you immediately upon his return to the camp and faithfully relate everything that should happen in the city.          They are gone overnight--as you were expecting, given how long it would take them to reach Ilios on foot from camp--and it is late in the day when Talthybios finally returns to your tent.          "We have returned from the city, Lord Creon," the herald informs you.          "So I can see. I do not hear any jubilation in the camp, so I assume the mission did not succeed?"          "Indeed not, my lord. We arrived at the city gates shortly before nightfall, and were admitted into the home of Antenor, one of King Priam's trusted advisors. First thing in the morning, he accompanied us to see the king, and Menelaos stated his case, requesting the return of his wife, and promising to do without the gold that was stolen along with her, in recompense for the lives taken on the beach. Idomeneus also spoke, as Menelaos' kinsman, and he who had been host to the funeral games that had given Alexandros the opportunity to thus rob Menelaos of gold and wife. His words were measured, just and wise, and I was certain they would sway the Trojan court to agree to Menelaos' requests." He sighs sadly. "We were sent back to the home of Antenor to await Priam's decision. Much time later, Antenor returned, full of worry. He reported to us that Alexandros arrived in the council chamber with Helen at his side, and that the prince's honeyed words convinced the Trojan elders to turn on us with a murderous attack. Antenor came to warn us and help us escape the city alive."          "And?" you prompt, when he does not seem to want to continue.          "Idomeneus said that he felt a measure of blame for what Alexandros had done. If he had followed what his deceased uncle would likely have desired, and not invited the sons of Aerope to his funeral games, then Helen could not have been stolen away. So he did not wish to run, but to stay and fight. Menelaos did not want to see his kinsman risk his life, and they argued long enough that we could hear the approaching princes in the street. Antenor urged us to flee at once, and Idomeneus insisted that Menelaos and I leave, while he remained to delay the enemy, promising he would escape on his own as soon as he was able. (if: $Hector is 'alive')[Alas, though we waited long in hiding outside the city walls, he did not emerge. Antenor sent word by one of his children that Prince Hector, though grievously wounded by Idomeneus, succeeded in killing the Cretan king."(set: $Hector to 'wounded2')(set: $Idomeneus to 'dead')](else:)[After we waited in hiding quite a long while, Idomeneus finally emerged from the city, supported by one of Antenor's sons. He is badly wounded, but he proudly reported that he had killed Deiphobos, the second most powerful of Priam's sons."(set: $Idomeneus to 'wounded2')(set: $Deiphobos to 'dead')(set: $TrojanGenerals to it -1)]          "This is dire news in several ways," you say, frowning. "There will be no avoiding a true and open war now," you surmise.          "Unfortunately not."          [["We will need to build a proper camp, then, one that can last through the long siege ahead of us."->Year1Event4]]

         As Menelaos and Teukros prepare to depart, you call Agamemnon's herald Talthybios over and instruct him to attend upon them in their errand. He swears to report to you immediately upon his return to the camp and faithfully relate everything that should happen in the city.          They are gone overnight--as you were expecting, given how long it would take them to reach Ilios on foot from camp--and it is late in the day when Talthybios finally returns to your tent.          "We have returned from the city, Lord Creon," the herald informs you.          "So I can see. I do not hear any jubilation in the camp, so I assume the mission did not succeed?"          "Indeed not, my lord. We arrived at the city gates shortly before nightfall, and were admitted into the home of Antenor, one of King Priam's trusted advisors. First thing in the morning, he accompanied us to see the king, and Menelaos stated his case, requesting the return of his wife, and promising to do without the gold that was stolen along with her, in recompense for the lives taken on the beach. Then Teukros stepped forward and began to plead with King Priam for his understanding and compassion, explaining that he was the son of Telamon, King of Salamis, by his enslaved concubine, Priam's own sister Hesione, captured by Telamon and Heracles when they threw down the walls of the previous Troy, when Priam's father and all his brothers were slain. He spoke passionately about how fondly his mother has always spoken of her homeland, and how much he has always wanted to see windy Ilios, and he spoke eloquently of his great love for his own homeland of Salamis, of what a great man his father is, and how much more great still is his half-brother Aias, bound by an unbreakable oath to fight to defend Menelaos' rights as Helen's husband. He said that he could not bear the idea of fighting his cousins, and yet he could never abandon the brother he loves so dearly, and he begged King Priam to return Helen so that he would never be forced to raise his weapon against his mother's home and family." Talthybios smiles sadly. "The king was greatly moved by his words, and I could see tears glistening on his cheeks. His council of elders did not seem as moved, and requested that we return to Antenor's home to await their decision."          "And what was their decision?"          "At the demands of Prince Alexandros, the elders wanted to see us murdered while we slept a second night at Antenor's home, but King Priam refused to agree to any such vile action against his own nephew. Antenor brought us back to the court so that the king could himself explain that nothing can make him part his son from the woman he considers to be his wife. He allowed us to leave the city unhindered, and asked Teukros to bow out of the war, that neither side would be guilty of the killing of a kinsman."          "Does he plan on doing so?" you ask, wondering what you'll do with him if he does, as it would not be prudent to waste a ship and so many men at the oars to send him back to Salamis.          "He assured us repeatedly on the walk back to the camp that he will never abandon his brother. And I believe him. There are few men in this camp as loyal and true as Teukros."          You nod, as you have also heard rumors of the man's constancy. "Still, if they will not return the queen, I suppose there is no avoiding a true and open war," you surmise.          "That would seem to be the case," the herald agrees.          [["We will need to build a proper camp, then, one that can last through the long siege ahead of us."->Year1Event4]]

         As Menelaos and Cycnos prepare to depart, you call Agamemnon's herald Talthybios over and instruct him to attend upon them in their errand. He swears to report to you immediately upon his return to the camp and faithfully relate everything that should happen in the city.          They are gone overnight--as you were expecting, given how long it would take them to reach Ilios on foot from camp--and it is late in the day when Talthybios finally returns to your tent.          "We have returned from the city, Lord Creon," the herald informs you.          "So I can see. Is that rejoicing or anguish I hear from outside?"          "A little of both, my lord. We arrived at the city gates shortly before nightfall, and were admitted into the home of Antenor, one of King Priam's trusted advisors. First thing in the morning, he accompanied us to see the king, and Menelaos stated his case, requesting the return of his wife, and promising to do without the gold that was stolen along with her, in recompense for the lives taken on the beach. Upon the completion of his statement, Cycnos of Colonai stepped up before King Priam and apologized for abandoning his oath to protect Troy as the king's former son-in-law, and expressed in the most appallingly blunt terms just how far he was now willing to go in pursing his father's generation-old grudge against that same city." Talthybios shook his head. "I don't know if it was fear of his wrath or merely of his invulnerable skin, but the aged king succumbed to Cycnos' words and agreed to return both the queen and Menelaos' gold."          "Well, those are certainly glad tidings!"          "Yes, sir, and yet many of the men are frustrated not to have the chance to sack Troy and all the Troad. Still, many more are rejoicing to be able to go home so soon and safe." He chuckles slightly. "Many are also overwhelmed by the sight of the fair-armed Helen.(if: $Achilles is 'alive')[ I believe Achilleus is having to be restrained by no less than four or five of his comrades to keep from attempting to take her for himself.]"          (if: $Achilles is 'alive')[Sadly, that does not surprise you, from everything you have heard of the red-haired son of Peleus. "I'll have a word with Menelaos and convince him to set sail as soon as the tide turns. ](else:)["]You may go ahead and join the celebrations, if you'd like."          Talthybios thanks you, and leaves the tent, shortly before you yourself step outside to find some of the men already drinking heavily to congratulate themselves for the easy victory, while others nurse hostility over the lack of treasure and glory to be had.          Over the next two days, you supervise the return of the fleet in waves, keeping a close watch on the malcontents so that they do not go raiding the land of your Trojan hosts. =><= ***Congratulations!!*** You not only restored Queen Helen to her husband and daughter, you prevented the entire war! Pat yourself on the back: you deserve it! (Though you *did* get (if: $Achilles is 'dead')[Achilleus killed. But so did Agamemnon...in the tenth year of the war.](else_if: $AiasS is 'dead')[Aias of Salamis killed. But at least it was honorable death in battle instead of suicide, so this is probably better...sort of.](else_if: $Protesilaos is 'dead')[Protesilaos killed, but so did Agamemnon, in exactly the same way.](else_if: $AiasL is 'dead')[Aias of Locris killed, but let's be honest, that's an improvement.](else_if: $Odysseus is 'dead')[Odysseus killed. Under Agamemnon, he lived throughout the whole war and had a whole big adventure (or possibly lied through his teeth about having said adventure) on his ten year journey home.](else:)[Thersites killed. But he died under Agamemnon, too. Though in that case he was actually killed by Achilleus...]) <=          Or, if you actually *wanted* to fight the war, you can always [[try again->Title Screen]]

         Since the war looks like it will be a long one, you assemble all the kings and princes, and inform them that it will be necessary to build a proper camp, with huts rather than tents, something in which the whole army will be able to live for some time.          You spend a long time discussing it with them all, mentioning all of the things it will need: in addition to huts for all the current men (individual ones for the nobles, and group huts for the commoners), there must also be pens in which to hold captured livestock, large empty huts to hold prisoners of war captured as slaves, large huts to hold rations and other supplies, and smaller empty huts to hold captured treasure.          In the meantime, some handful of men must go explore the countryside and get an idea of the lay of the land, where the most ripe towns for conquest lie, and where the most hazardous regions are. You will have to set men to be in charge of each task. (if: $Achilles is 'alive' and $AiasS is 'alive')[         [[Put Achilleus and Aias of Salamis in charge of setting up the camp. Have Patroclos and Teukros go explore the area.->Y1E4a]] ](if: $Achilles is 'alive' and $Odysseus is 'alive')[         [[Put Odysseus and Diomedes in charge of setting up the camp. Have Achilleus and Patroclos go explore the area.->Y1E4b]] ]         [[Put Diomedes and Antilochos in charge of setting up the camp. Have Teukros and Meriones go explore the area.->Y1E4c]] (if: $AiasS is 'alive' and $Idomeneus is 'alive')[         [[Put Aias of Salamis and Teukros in charge of setting up the camp. Have Idomeneus and Meriones go explore the area.->Y1E4d]] ](if: $Protesilaos is 'alive' and $Cycnos is 'ally')[         [[Put Menelaos and Protesilaos in charge of setting up the camp. Have Cycnos go refresh his memory about the lay of the land by himself.->Y1E4e]] ](set: $Palamedes to 'alive')         [[Put Palamedes and Phoinix in charge of setting up the camp. Have Meriones and Antilochos go explore the area.->Y1E4f]]

         As Menelaos and Aias prepare to depart, you call Agamemnon's herald Talthybios over and instruct him to attend upon them in their errand. He swears to report to you immediately upon his return to the camp and faithfully relate everything that should happen in the city.          They are gone overnight--as you were expecting, given how long it would take them to reach Ilios on foot from camp--and it is late in the day when Talthybios finally returns to your tent.          "We have returned from the city, Lord Creon," the herald informs you.          "So I can see. I do not hear any jubilation in the camp, so I assume the mission did not succeed?"          "Indeed not, my lord. We arrived at the city gates shortly before nightfall, and were admitted into the home of Antenor, one of King Priam's trusted advisors. First thing in the morning, he accompanied us to see the king, and Menelaos stated his case, requesting the return of his wife, and promising to do without the gold that was stolen along with her, in recompense for the lives taken on the beach." He clears his throat uncomfortably.          "Out with it," you order.          Talthybios has to take and hold a deep breath before he can speak. "Following Menelaos' words, one of the elders asked Aias Oileades who he was and what he did there, as he was not bearing any herald's emblem. He was so rude to them that (if: $Hector is 'alive')[Prince Hector](else:)[Prince Deiphobos] slew him on the spot before he could even arm himself."          You are momentarily at a loss for words. "What...happened then...?"          "The prince and some of the younger statesmen laid their hands on Menelaos, taking him prisoner. They are holding him to ransom now."          "What do they want for him?" you ask, already understanding that you have lost the war before it could even begin.          "They want us to sail away and never return. Only after the fleet has left these shores will they release Menelaos."          "Do you suppose there's any chance they really will release him, or do you think Alexandros has already murdered him?"          "I fear there is a strong chance that Alexandros will slaughter the king as soon as he is able, but I doubt he has had any opportunity yet. I intend to ask to remain with him after I take your answer back to King Priam. If I am present, perhaps Alexandros will think twice about committing such a heinous act."          "I certainly hope so," you answer, before giving an order hateful to you. "Tell the men to pack up the camp. We leave as soon as we are able."          Sparta will never have her queen back, and poor little Hermione will never know her mother. Perhaps she will never see her father again, either.          You have failed quite spectacularly, and so quickly! You shall hate yourself to the end of your days over this dishonor. =><= ***GAME OVER*** <=          [[Try again?->Title Screen]]

         While the camp is being erected under the supervision of Achilleus and Telamonian Aias, Patroclos and Teukros ride out to see how the land lies.          Achilleus and Aias quickly begin to compete to see who can do the best job the fastest, causing the camp to be erected in what must be record time (if anyone keeps such records) without any significant loss in quality.          Many hours later, Patroclos and Teukros return with detailed information as to the layout of the local terrain, and with the (somewhat uneasy) support of a local goatherd who is able to give you precise information about all the local towns, cities and even the neighboring kingdoms. (set: $pos to 1)(set: $AchillesMadness to it + 1) (set: $y1evs to (shuffled: 'Tenedos','Methymna','Lemnos1','Battle1a','Battle1b','Colonai'))          Filled with resolution, you prepare for the next step in the war.(click-goto: "Filled with resolution, you prepare for the next step in the war.", $y1evs's 1st)

         Odysseus and Diomedes begin the process of setting up the camp by drawing countless diagrams in the sandy soil, trying to decide the best possible layout. You are worried that the camp will not be ready for months, but consoled that it will be an excellent camp once it is completed.          Achilleus and Patroclos set out riding into the countryside on the immortal horses that were a wedding gift to Achilleus' father. They return mere hours later, not only with detailed information on the local land, but with a lovesick local girl perched on the back of Achilleus' horse. She is the daughter of a local farmer, Patroclos explains to you, who they encountered drawing water at a well. She was so immediately smitten by Achilleus' lovely face that she could not be dissuaded from accompanying them back to the camp. While this is certainly useful as a way to gain information about the surrounding population centers, you're a little worried that the other men will become annoyed that Achilleus already has a girl to keep his bed warm even before any towns have been sacked. (But Patroclos also informs you, in a quiet voice, that there is no point in trying to discourage her, as this happens all the time with Achilleus. However, he also tells you that Achilleus tires of such girls within a day or two, so at least you figure that the other men won't have to be jealous for long.)          By nightfall, construction on the camp has already begun, and it is looking to be a truly magnificent camp, well worthy of housing so many great lords. Odysseus and Diomedes assure you that the construction should be completed--if the men continue to cooperate--within a day, or two at the most. (set: $pos to 1) (set: $y1evs to (shuffled: 'Tenedos','Methymna','Lemnos1','Battle1a','Battle1b','Colonai'))          Filled with resolution, you prepare for the next step in the war.(click-goto: "Filled with resolution, you prepare for the next step in the war.", $y1evs's 1st)

         As you watch Diomedes and Antilochos work on supervising the construction of the camp, you feel you have made the right choice. Diomedes is clever and driven, and Antilochos is wise beyond his young years, and both are popular with the other nobles and the commoners alike. Every order they give seems to be the right one, and is met with cheerful compliance. (if: $Thersites is 'alive')[Except from Thersites, but from what his commanding officer tells you, that man is never cheerful about anything except insulting his betters.]          Teukros and Meriones, armed only with their bows, set off riding into the surrounding territory, looking for information. They return about nightfall, with two more horses than they had when they left. On one of the new horses sits an uneasy young man from a local farm, and across the other are slung the bodies of a number of game animals the two skilled archers shot while they were out. The young farmer reluctantly agrees to inform you about the towns and kingdoms of the Troad and provide you with food from his farm, provided that you protect his family and his lands from both bandits and Trojan repercussions over his treachery. Despite his reluctance, he seems likely to be a very useful source of information, as well as a provider of at least some meager amount of food. (Nowhere near enough for an army of the size you are leading, but enough to feed a few of the kings and princes.) (set: $pos to 1) (set: $y1evs to (shuffled: 'Tenedos','Methymna','Lemnos1','Battle1a','Battle1b','Colonai'))          Filled with resolution, you prepare for the next step in the war.(click-goto: "Filled with resolution, you prepare for the next step in the war.", $y1evs's 1st)

         As the two sons of Telamon begin the arduous task of erecting the permanent camp, you are surprised to see just how much of the hardest labor Aias is taking upon himself. But given his enormous strength, perhaps that means the camp will be finished quite quickly!          Idomeneus and his nephew Meriones set out riding directly on a pair of fine horses, and return about nightfall, driving several bulls ahead of them, and with a captive local draped across the back of Meriones' horse. The Cretan king explains that they have captured these bulls to sacrifice to Zeus, and that they captured this man--the farmer who raised the bulls--to provide them with much more information than two riders could ever obtain in a mere day or two of exploration.          You have to admit to being very grateful for the bulls! Anything that will encourage the gods to look favorably upon this expedition must be seen as a great blessing indeed, and the meat will be well received by the men. (set: $pos to 1) (set: $y1evs to (shuffled: 'Tenedos','Methymna','Lemnos1','Battle1a','Battle1b','Colonai'))          Filled with resolution, you prepare for the next step in the war.(click-goto: "Filled with resolution, you prepare for the next step in the war.", $y1evs's 1st)

         Since this entire war is purely for his benefit, it only seems appropriate for Menelaos to do some of the most important work, and thankfully he seems to agree, as he makes no complaint about being asked to take part in such drudgery. Protesilaos, on the other hand, is complaining non-stop, but mostly about how he already misses his beautiful wife, with whom he had such a brief span of bliss before being pulled away to fulfill his oath from his earlier foolish mistake of having once sought the hand of the heiress of Sparta.          Cycnos laughs as he departs, and he returns in the mid-afternoon, having ridden high up the nearest mountain to get a look at the landscape and refresh his memory. He is able to draw a map for you, depicting each of the major population centers, each with glyphs beside them to show you whether you may find oxen, sheep, goats or only slaves in the town. The map promises to be most useful indeed as you know you will have to spend a great deal of time raiding smaller towns to keep your army fed while you lay siege to the high walls of Troy. (set: $pos to 1) (set: $y1evs to (shuffled: 'Tenedos','Methymna','Lemnos1','Battle1a','Battle1b','Colonai'))          Filled with resolution, you prepare for the next step in the war.(click-goto: "Filled with resolution, you prepare for the next step in the war.", $y1evs's 1st)

         As the island of Tenedos is one of the closest bastions of civilization to your camp, you decide to deal with it as quickly as possible, lest its king, Tenes, attack the camp while the army is off fighting the Trojans. (if: $Cycnos is 'ally')[         "Here, Creon, let me handle Tenedos," Cycnos says to you. "Tenes is my son. The malice of his stepmother--my second wife--put a rift between us, but I don't want to see him or his people slain. Let me reason with him, and I'm sure he'll join our side." [[Agree to send Cycnos.->TenedosCycnos]] (if: $Achilles is 'alive')[[[Refuse and send Achilleus.->TenedosAchilles]] ](if: $AiasS is 'alive')[[[Refuse and send Aias of Salamis.->TenedosAias]] ](if: $Diomedes is 'alive')[[[Refuse and send Diomedes.->TenedosDiomedes]] ](if: $Ascalaphos is 'alive')[[[Refuse and send Ascalaphos.->TenedosAscalaphos]]]](else:)[         "Some say that their king, Tenes, is the son of Apollo," Phoinix informs you, "but according to our informants, he's actually the son of the late Cycnos of Colonai."          "Then he may already be opposed to us for having killed his father," you conclude. "Yes, we need to deal with him immediately." (if: $Achilles is 'alive')[[[Send Achilleus.->TenedosAchilles]] ](if: $AiasS is 'alive')[[[Send Aias of Salamis.->TenedosAias]] ](if: $Diomedes is 'alive')[[[Send Diomedes.->TenedosDiomedes]] ](if: $Ascalaphos is 'alive')[[[Send Ascalaphos.->TenedosAscalaphos]]]]

         You have only to take a position on a high hill to realize that it is not far by sea from the camp to the island of Lesbos. Though the island was settled by the sons of Helios (it is said), it is at present entirely a possession of the Great King in Hatti, and therefore its people are your natural enemies.          Therefore, their possessions (and persons) are yours for the taking.          You call up the assembly and inform them that you have decided that some of the fleet should be mobilized to take one of the cities on Lesbos. There is some argument as to which one to go after, but eventually the nearer (if smaller) settlement of Methymna is decided upon.          Who will you put in charge of the operation? (if: $Achilles is 'alive')[         [[Achilleus->MethymnaAchilles]] ](if: $AiasS is 'alive')[         [[Aias of Salamis->MethymnaAiasS]] ](if: $Cycnos is 'ally')[         [[Cycnos->MethymnaCycnos]] ](if: $Odysseus is 'alive')[         [[Odysseus->MethymnaOdysseus]] ](if: $Diomedes is 'alive')[         [[Diomedes->MethymnaDiomedes]] ](if: $Ascalaphos is 'alive')[         [[Ascalaphos->MethymnaAscalaphos]] ](if: $AaisL is 'alive')[         [[Aias of Locris->MethymnaAiasL]] ](if: $Idomeneus is 'alive')[         [[Idomeneus->MethymnaIdomeneus]] ](if: $Menelaos is 'alive')[         [[Menelaos->MethymnaMenelaos]] ](if: $Protesilaos is 'alive')[         [[Protesilaos->MethymnaProtesilaos]]]

(if: $pos is 1) [         Belatedly, you realize that you really should have set up arrangements with a nearby friendly port where you could trade off unnecessary captives (and failing those, gold) in order to obtain food, weapons, and any other supplies you can't obtain by raiding the Phrygian coastline.          You decide to send one of the lesser men to take care of sailing to Lemnos to make arrangements with the son of Jason.](else:)[         You decide now is as good a time as any to send a boat with some of the excess local booty to Lemnos to trade it for supplies, and to make sure there is a solid arrangement with the son of Jason to ensure that no matter how long this war lasts, you will always be able to trade slaves and other unneeded spoils of war for precious food and weapons.]          Fortunately, the voyage to Lemnos will take at most a day, so the chances of the men being needed before their return are very slim. Still, best to put one of the lesser nobles in charge. Just in case. (if: $Patroclos is 'alive')[         [[Send Patroclos.->Lemnos1Patroclos]] ](if: $Teukros is 'alive')[         [[Send Teukros.->Lemnos1Other]] ](if: $Meriones is 'alive')[         [[Send Meriones.->Lemnos1Other]] ](if: $Antilochos is 'alive')[         [[Send Antilochos.->Lemnos1Other]] ](if: $Podaleirios is 'alive')[         [[Send Podaleirios.->Lemnos1Other]] ](if: $Machaon is 'alive')[         [[Send Machaon.->Lemnos1Other]]]

         The alarum sounds through the camp, informing everyone that the Trojans are preparing a sortie. Men scramble to arm themselves and get in position in their chariots, and soon the battle lines are assembling on the field before the wide walls of fair Ilios.          As the chariots form up into ranks, you have to decide who to give the central position in the line. (if: $Achilles is 'alive')[         [[Put Achilleus in the center.->Battle1Achilles]] ](if: $AiasS is 'alive')[         [[Put Aias of Salamis in the center.->Battle1AiasS]] ](if: $Diomedes is 'alive')[         [[Put Diomedes in the center.->Battle1Diomedes]] ](if: $Odysseus is 'alive')[         [[Put Odysseus in the center.->Battle1Odysseus]] ](if: $Idomeneus is 'alive')[         [[Put Idomeneus in the center.->Battle1Idomeneus]] ](if: $Ascalaphos is 'alive')[         [[Put Ascalaphos in the center.->Battle1Ascalaphos]] ](if: $Cycnos is 'ally')[         [[Put Cycnos in the center.->Battle1Cycnos]] ](if: $Menelaos is 'alive')[         [[Put Menelaos in the center.->Battle1Menelaos]] ](if: $Protesilaos is 'alive')[         [[Put Protesilaos in the center.->Battle1Protesilaos]] ](if: $Antilochos is 'alive')[         [[Put Nestor in the center.->Battle1Nestor]]]

         You decide that it is high time you acted like you were really here to conquer the Trojan citadel, and order the men to prepare for a pitched battle. They hurry into their arms and armor, and prepare the chariots for war.          As the chariots form up into ranks, you have to decide who to give the central position in the line. (if: $Achilles is 'alive')[         [[Put Achilleus in the center.->Battle1Achilles]] ](if: $AiasS is 'alive')[         [[Put Aias of Salamis in the center.->Battle1AiasS]] ](if: $Diomedes is 'alive')[         [[Put Diomedes in the center.->Battle1Diomedes]] ](if: $Odysseus is 'alive')[         [[Put Odysseus in the center.->Battle1Odysseus]] ](if: $Idomeneus is 'alive')[         [[Put Idomeneus in the center.->Battle1Idomeneus]] ](if: $Ascalaphos is 'alive')[         [[Put Ascalaphos in the center.->Battle1Ascalaphos]] ](if: $Cycnos is 'ally')[         [[Put Cycnos in the center.->Battle1Cycnos]] ](if: $Menelaos is 'alive')[         [[Put Menelaos in the center.->Battle1Menelaos]] ](if: $Protesilaos is 'alive')[         [[Put Protesilaos in the center.->Battle1Protesilaos]] ](if: $Antilochos is 'alive')[         [[Put Nestor in the center.->Battle1Nestor]]]

         (if: $Cycnos is 'ally')[Though the idea of asking an invulnerable (and possibly immortal?) son of Poseidon for anything fills you with a certain and understandable amount of dread, you know you can't put it off any longer, and you go to see Cycnos in his hut. "Could I ask you for a favor, as the leader of the forces you have promised to aid?" you ask him, hoping your voice isn't trembling.          From anyone else, you would expect some sort of protestation of that being the very nature of service. From Cycnos, you get only a brusque "What is it?" and consider yourself lucky.          "You have already lent your own might, and the services of your army, to our cause, but I was hoping you would also have the generosity to provide some supplies of food to keep our soldiers from starving." Honestly, you want to ask him for weapons as well, but you're afraid of making him angry.          "Hmm. Sounds reasonable enough, I suppose." Cycnos frowns, rubbing his chin. "I don't know how much we have to spare, though. Let me return home and see what my palace stores are looking like."          [[You eagerly agree, and send the herald Talthybios with him to aid in the task.->ColonaiCycnos]]](else_if: $Cycnos is 'pissed')[Though the notion terrifies you, you know you have no choice. "We need to do something about Cycnos," you tell the assembled princes. "I was fool enough to cost us such a valuable ally, and now we run the risk of him attacking us at any moment. We must either win him back, or face him in combat outside his own walls, before he can come to attack us."          "I do not think I will be able to win him over again," Nestor says, frowning at you. "He is very proud."          You nod sadly. "Then I must apologize, or we must fight to kill him." (if: $Achilles is 'alive')[         [[Send Achilleus to fight Cycnos.->ColonaiAchilles]] ](if: $AiasS is 'alive')[         [[Send Aias of Salamis to fight Cycnos.->ColonaiAias]] ]         [[Go apologize to Cycnos.->ColonaiGameOver]]](else:)[You face the assembly of princes. "We need to deal with Colonai," you tell them. "Their king may be dead, but the city still stands, and it likely bristles with spears eager to avenge him. More importantly, it contains supplies we will need if we are to be able to sustain our war.          The princes all agree, and each begins to make his suggestions as to who should lead the attack. (if: $Achilles is 'alive')[         [[Have Achilleus lead the attack.->ColonaiAchilles]] ](if: $AiasS is 'alive')[         [[Have Aias Telamoniades lead the attack.->ColonaiAias]] ](if: $Diomedes is 'alive')[         [[Have Diomedes lead the attack.->ColonaiDiomedes]] ](if: $Ascalaphos is 'alive')[         [[Have Ascalaphos lead the attack.->ColonaiAscalaphos]] ](if: $Menelaos is 'alive')[         [[Have Menelaos lead the attack.->ColonaiMenelaos]]]]

(set: $pos to 1) (set: $y2evs to (shuffled: 'Lyrnessos','Troilos','Mytilene','Pedasos','Farming2','Lemnos2','Battle2a','Battle2b','Battle2c')) With the extra food supplies from Dardania on hand to feed the men, you prepare for the next stage in the war.(click-goto: "you prepare for the next stage in the war.", $y2evs's 1st) (set: $pos to it + 1) (if: $pos < 10)[         Filled with resolution, you prepare for the next step in the war.(click-goto: "Filled with resolution, you prepare for the next step in the war.", $y1evs's ($pos))](if: $pos is 10)[         [[Filled with resolution, you prepare for the next step in the war.->Oops]]] note to self, cap level for $AchillesMadness is 7. When it reaches 6, he tells you that you'll be sorry if you push him any further. And so then if you push him further (and no, taking Briseis away from him does not advance his madness level), then he kills you, no matter what the...or, wait, was I going to have him just take his toys and go home so long as Patroclos is still alive? Hmm...I'll see what feels natural when I get there.

         Palamedes and Phoinix spend half the morning discussing how best to erect the camp. Once they are finally in agreement on all things, only then do they begin issuing orders to the men as to how to proceed. As they are both rather older men, they do not do any of the physical labor themselves, but no one is complaining.(if: $Thersites is 'alive')[..except Thersites, but does he ever do anything *else* but complain?]          Meriones and Antilochos set off riding into the countryside while Palamedes and Phoinix are still talking, and do not return until nightfall, when the camp is already half-completed. They come bearing a local shepherd taken prisoner on the slopes of Mount Ida, and a few of his sheep as well. The shepherd proves a very useful source of information, as he is terrified of being killed, and he agrees to remain in the camp to tend any animals captured alive in raids, so long as he is not considered a slave, and is left in peace when the army finally leaves. You are glad to agree to the shepherd's terms, and ask Phoinix to see to it that a small hut is built for him beside the enclosures for the animals.          The camp should be completed by tomorrow afternoon, by which time you expect to have learned much of importance from the shepherd. (set: $pos to 1) (set: $y1evs to (shuffled: 'Tenedos','Methymna','Lemnos1','Battle1a','Battle1b','Colonai'))          Filled with resolution, you prepare for the next step in the war.(click-goto: "Filled with resolution, you prepare for the next step in the war.", $y1evs's 1st)

         You allow Cycnos complete liberty to direct the expedition against Tenedos. He commands from a flagship--one of those that had belonged to Agamemnon--and orders ten fully armed ships full of men to accompany him. You ride on the flagship with him as this small fleet sails to the nearby island of Tenedos. Upon arrival at the port, you are met by an armed contingent of the locals, led by their king, as radiant and golden as Apollo himself.          "What is the meaning of this?" Tenes demands, staring at his father through narrowed eyes. "Do you think you can win my forgiveness in combat when you could not do so with words?"          "Be reasonable, boy," Cycnos says, shaking his head. "It was your stepmother's rancor that drove you away, but she's gone now. I have apologized once for trusting her word over yours, and I will do so again if need be, but it is unreasonable for you to hold onto your grudge any further than that."          "If you came here to apologize, why did you bring so many ships of war with you? And treacherous Achaian ships, at that!"          "It's something of a long story," Cycnos says with an uncomfortable laugh, "but I have opted to side with the Achaians in their war. My father does, after all."          "And what? You'll kill me if I don't agree to turn traitor as you have?" Tenes demands, setting his hand on the hilt of the sword hanging at his belt.          "Don't you give me any of your lip, boy!" Cycnos roars, scaring many of your men into dropping their weapons. "I don't want to hurt you or your people. But if we allow this island to remain allied to Priam, it could cost us all our lives."          Tenes snorts derisively. "I doubt anyone on either side of the war could kill *you*." He shakes his head. "But I cannot ally myself with the invaders seeking my grandfather's head."          Cycnos frowns. "Right, wasn't thinking about that." He sighs. "Here, Creon, you lot aren't actually looking to *kill* Priam, are you?"          "Certainly not!" you assure him. "We only want him to return Helen to Menelaos. If he would only do so, there would be no need for conflict at all. I am sure Menelaos wishes to see Alexandros put to the sword, but I doubt he has any desire to see such a venerable monarch slain."          "There, see?" Cycnos grins at his son. "Let us come to an arrangement, then. You agree to be neutral in this fight and we promise not to harm King Priam. That's fair, isn't it?"          "I don't know that 'fair' is at all an appropriate word," Tenes sighs, "but I suppose you have no intention of allowing me to refuse?"          "Naturally," Cycnos replies, with a cold grimace that causes your insides to clench in terror.          "Then I suppose I have little choice," Tenes concludes. "Having avoided death at my father's hands once, I would be a fool to seek it out now, especially when it would take so many innocents with me." He turns to look at you. "My people and I will remain neutral in your war against my grandfather, so long as no harm comes to his aged head. But if even one white hair on that head should be damaged, I will avenge him with every ounce of power at my disposal."          "You have my word that Priam will be spared any harm by my men," you say, bowing low before him. "We are most grateful for your understanding."          With that task settled so easily--and peacefully!--you return to camp in high spirits, (set: $pos to it + 1)(if: $pos < 7)[ready to face the next challenge.(click-goto: "ready to face the next challenge.", $y1evs's ($pos))](if: $pos is 7)[[[ready to face the next challenge.->YearTwo]]]

(if: $Cycnos is 'ally')[         "You will regret this treachery!" Cycnos shouts, before taking his men and returning to Colonai. You sense you just made a very large mistake. (set: $Cycnos to 'pissed')          Worried that Cycnos might reach Tenedos before you and warn his son of your coming, you](else:)[         You] decide to accompany the ships on their way to the island of Tenedos. Perhaps it is mere chance, or perhaps it is some mysterious action of the Nereid Thetis, but a heavy mist rolls in, and you can barely see in front of the boats for half of the journey. In fact, half the ships end up beached in the shallows rather than properly landing.          Achilleus seems entirely undaunted by this problem, however, and charges ashore without a moment's hesitation, his faithful Patroclos running close behind him, followed by his seemingly endless Myrmidons, who swarm across the beach like ants. You follow in their wake, but as the lot of you reach the city and the chaos of battle ensues in the unprepared streets, the battle formation fractures as men run in every direction in pursuit of terrified enemies, soldiers and civilians alike.          As you are making your own way through the streets, slaughtering enemy soldiers and letting the civilians alone (for the moment), you are suddenly aware of a woman shrieking in terror. You run towards the sound, and find Achilleus laying his hands on a beautiful girl with flowing golden locks. Before you can approach your lust-addled ally and his terrified captive, you hear a man's voice shouting over the chaos in the streets.          "Unhand my sister, villain!" Following the sound of the voice, you see a radiant man with hair just the same golden color as the girl's. He wears expensive-looking armor decorated with gold; you are certain he must be King Tenes himself.          "Wait your turn," Achilleus retorts with a laugh. "I'll get to you when I'm finished with her."          "You would dare speak thus to a son of mighty Apollo?!" the blond man demands, drawing his sword. As radiant as he is, you can believe he really could be the son of Phoibos himself, and as such you are about to open your mouth to tell Achilleus to release his sister.          "Is that supposed to impress me?" Achilleus retorts, turning to face the newcomer, while still holding onto his sister with one hand. "My mother is a goddess, and my mortal my grandparents were a son of Zeus and the daughter of the centaur Cheiron. You think your puny heritage from a treasonous god like Apollo will frighten me?"          "Treasonous?!" Tenes roars in fury. "You will pay for your disrespect, you Achaian villain!"          He swings his sword at Achilleus, forcing him to release the terrified girl in order to defend himself. While the fight rages between them, the girl runs away to take shelter in a doorway near where you stand. Concerned, you make your way to her, and quietly instruct her to flee into the hills; this raid is only on the city, not the whole island. If she, like her brother, was fathered by Apollo, you do not want to draw the god's wrath by allowing Achilleus--or anyone else--to violate her.          By the time you are sure the girl has safely escaped, the sounds of combat are flagging behind you. You turn just in time to see Achilleus drive his sword through a narrow gap in the glorious armor Tenes is wearing. As the unfortunate son of Apollo crumples to the ground, Achilleus turns and looks around. "Where did the girl go?" he asks, seeing you.          "I don't know," you say, shaking your head. "I was watching your fight, in case you might need assistance."          "In what kind of world could I ever need help from the likes of *you*?" Achilleus retorts, looking at you as though you were overripe dung. "You should have been watching the girl. I was going to make her my prize."          "I'll remember that next time," you assure him, while inwardly vowing never again to accompany Achilleus on another raid.          You make your way back to the ships, not wanting anything else to happen that might turn Achilleus against you. You are not waiting on board the ships long before the conflict is over, and the troops begin to return, carrying so many supplies, treasures and slaves that it is fortunate Tenedos has many ships of its own for your men to make part of your fleet.(set: $Apollo to 'pissed')          With Tenedos now under your control, the fleet returns to camp (set: $pos to it + 1)(if: $pos < 7)[ready to face the next challenge.(click-goto: "ready to face the next challenge.", $y1evs's ($pos))](if: $pos is 7)[[[ready to face the next challenge.->YearTwo]]]

         You watch as Cycnos and Talthybios depart for Colonai in a single fast chariot. While they are gone, all you can do is wait for their return to learn what--if any--further support you can count on from Cycnos.          It is late the next day when Talthybios returns alone. "King Cycnos is preparing the wagons to bring us much needed supplies," Talthybios explains to you with a smile on his face. "He is only able to spare one storeroom's worth of fruits and grains, but he is also bringing two wagons of sheep and goats, and has promised that in the next harvest, all that is not needed by the people of his city will be directed to our war effort."          "That is marvelous news indeed!" you exclaim. "We shall have to give him a fine share of the treasures at the war's end to thank him for his great generosity."          With that task settled so easily--and peacefully!--you find yourself in high spirits, (set: $pos to it + 1)(if: $pos < 7)[ready to face the next challenge.(click-goto: "ready to face the next challenge.", $y1evs's ($pos))](if: $pos is 7)[[[ready to face the next challenge.->YearTwo]]]

         You watch (if: $Cycnos is 'pissed')[with a heavy heart as] the foot soldiers and chariots as they head off towards Colonai. Achilleus is of course at the center of the line of chariots, with Patroclos holding the reins of the immortal horses that will only obey those two men out of all the men in the Achaian forces. (if: $Cycnos is 'pissed')[         You cannot help but pace back and forth in anguish the entire time they are gone, and in fact find yourself wishing you had gone with them. Will Achilleus be able to defeat Cycnos, or will Cycnos lay waste to the entire force that accompanied him? Phoinix attempts to calm you, assuring you that if there is anyone who can dispatch Cycnos, it is most surely Achilleus. However, nothing will abate your worries until you can hear for yourself the outcome of the battle. ]         When you see a lone chariot returning half a day later, you nearly feel your heart stop. Can something have gone wrong? You rush out of the camp so that you may hear the news immediately.          The chariot comes to a halt just outside the camp, and a smiling man steps lightly out. You vaguely recognize him as a Messenian herald, though you're not sure why Achilleus took one of Nestor's heralds with him. The herald bows before you. "Victory is ours, Lord Creon," he assures you. "(if: $Cycnos is 'pissed')[Achilleus was able to strangle Cycnos before the son of Poseidon could deal him any injury. ]The people of Colonai, now without a king, surrendered without (if: $Cycnos is 'pissed')[further](else:)[a] fight, and our men immediately set about taking everything they can of the city's valuables and supplies without leaving the people unable to feed themselves."          "Ah, that is a great relief! Thank you, good herald."          With that (if: $Cycnos is 'pissed')[potential disaster(set: $Cycnos to 'pissed/dead')](else:)[task] successfully resolved, you find yourself in high spirits, (set: $pos to it + 1)(if: $pos < 7)[ready to face the next challenge.(click-goto: "ready to face the next challenge.", $y1evs's ($pos))](if: $pos is 7)[[[ready to face the next challenge.->YearTwo]]]

         You watch (if: $Cycnos is 'pissed')[with a heavy heart as] the foot soldiers and chariots as they head off towards Colonai. Aias is of course at the center of the line of chariots, with his brother Teukros accompanying him as charioteer. (if: $Cycnos is 'pissed')[         You cannot help but pace back and forth in anguish the entire time they are gone, and in fact find yourself wishing you had gone with them. Will Aias be able to defeat Cycnos, or will Cycnos lay waste to the entire force that accompanied him? Nestor attempts to calm you, assuring you that if there is anyone who can dispatch Cycnos, it is most surely Aias. However, nothing will abate your worries until you can hear for yourself the outcome of the battle. ]         When you see a lone chariot returning half a day later, you nearly feel your heart stop. Can something have gone wrong? You rush out of the camp so that you may hear the news immediately.          The chariot comes to a halt just outside the camp, and a smiling man steps lightly out. You vaguely recognize him as a Messenian herald, though you're not sure why Aias took one of Nestor's heralds with him. The herald bows before you. "Victory is ours, Lord Creon," he assures you. "(if: $Cycnos is 'pissed')[Aias was able to strangle Cycnos before the son of Poseidon could deal him any injury. ]The people of Colonai, now without a king, surrendered without (if: $Cycnos is 'pissed')[further](else:)[a] fight, and our men immediately set about taking everything they can of the city's valuables and supplies without leaving the people unable to feed themselves."          "Ah, that is a great relief! Thank you, good herald."          With that (if: $Cycnos is 'pissed')[potential disaster(set: $Cycnos to 'pissed/dead')](else:)[task] successfully resolved, you find yourself in high spirits, (set: $pos to it + 1)(if: $pos < 7)[ready to face the next challenge.(click-goto: "ready to face the next challenge.", $y1evs's ($pos))](if: $pos is 7)[[[ready to face the next challenge.->YearTwo]]]

         Despite the insistence of your men, you set out alone to apologize to Cycnos, accompanied only by the herald Talthybios. If things go badly, only a herald will be spared Cycnos' wrath, so how can you risk anyone else's life?          When you arrive at Colonai, you find the gates to the city shut tight, and guarded from above. "I wish to speak to your king," you call up to the guards. "I am King Creon of (if: $home is '...')[the Achaian forces](else:)[(print: $home)], and I have come to apologize to him for my reckless actions."          One of the guards disappears from the top of the wall, and soon the gates are opened just far enough for Cycnos himself to emerge onto the plain before the city. He stares at you blankly as you step out of the chariot and approach him.          "I am truly sorry for all that I did and said," you tell him, kneeling before him in the dust. "It was a grievous error and insult to ignore your words and feelings."          "Tell me one thing," Cycnos says, his voice level. "Did the man you sent to Tenedos kill my son?"          You swallow heavily, and wish you could look away from his piercing stare. "...yes..." you are barely able to force yourself to say.          Cycnos moves with the speed of a tidal wave, grabbing your entire throat in one meaty hand. As he begins to choke the life out of you, you can just barely hear the chariot taking off at full speed back to the camp.          Moments before you die, you wonder if the war will still continue without you, or if you have doomed it forever. Either way, you shall never know now... =><= ***GAME OVER*** <=          [[Try again?->Title Screen]]

         You watch the foot soldiers and chariots as they head off towards Colonai. Diomedes is of course at the center of the line of chariots.          When you see a lone chariot returning half a day later, you nearly feel your heart stop. Can something have gone wrong? You rush out of the camp so that you may hear the news immediately.          The chariot comes to a halt just outside the camp, and a smiling man steps lightly out. You vaguely recognize him as an Argive herald. The herald bows before you. "Victory is ours, Lord Creon," he assures you. "The people of Colonai, now without a king, surrendered without a fight, and our men immediately set about taking everything they can of the city's valuables and supplies without leaving the people unable to feed themselves."          "Ah, that is a great relief! Thank you, good herald."          With that task successfully resolved, you find yourself in high spirits, (set: $pos to it + 1)(if: $pos < 7)[ready to face the next challenge.(click-goto: "ready to face the next challenge.", $y1evs's ($pos))](if: $pos is 7)[[[ready to face the next challenge.->YearTwo]]]

         You watch the foot soldiers and chariots as they head off towards Colonai. Ascalaphos is of course at the center of the line of chariots.          When you see a lone chariot returning half a day later, you nearly feel your heart stop. Can something have gone wrong? You rush out of the camp so that you may hear the news immediately.          The chariot comes to a halt just outside the camp, and a smiling man steps lightly out. You vaguely recognize him as a Messenian herald, though you're not sure why Ascalaphos took one of Nestor's heralds with him. The herald bows before you. "Victory is ours, Lord Creon," he assures you. "The people of Colonai, now without a king, surrendered without a fight, and our men immediately set about taking everything they can of the city's valuables and supplies without leaving the people unable to feed themselves."          "Ah, that is a great relief! Thank you, good herald."          With that task successfully resolved, you find yourself in high spirits, (set: $pos to it + 1)(if: $pos < 7)[ready to face the next challenge.(click-goto: "ready to face the next challenge.", $y1evs's ($pos))](if: $pos is 7)[[[ready to face the next challenge.->YearTwo]]]

         You watch the foot soldiers and chariots as they head off towards Colonai. Menelaos is of course at the center of the line of chariots.          When you see a lone chariot returning half a day later, you nearly feel your heart stop. Can something have gone wrong? You rush out of the camp so that you may hear the news immediately.          The chariot comes to a halt just outside the camp, and a smiling man steps lightly out. You vaguely recognize him as a Spartan herald. The herald bows before you. "Victory is ours, Lord Creon," he assures you. "The people of Colonai, now without a king, surrendered without a fight, and our men immediately set about taking everything they can of the city's valuables and supplies without leaving the people unable to feed themselves."          "Ah, that is a great relief! Thank you, good herald."          With that task successfully resolved, you find yourself in high spirits, (set: $pos to it + 1)(if: $pos < 7)[ready to face the next challenge.(click-goto: "ready to face the next challenge.", $y1evs's ($pos))](if: $pos is 7)[[[ready to face the next challenge.->YearTwo]]]

         Even from your vantage point on the walls of the camp, you can see the two lines of chariots as they careen towards each other and turn about for a second pass. After a few passes, the lines become hopelessly muddled, and the foot soldiers have entered the fray, giving you a sight mostly of dust and chaos. (if: $Patroclos is 'alive')[(if: (random: 1,100) is 100)[(set: $Achilles to 'wounded1')](if:(random:1,25) is 25)[(set: $Patroclos to 'wounded1')]          Eventually, the dust clears, and you can clearly make out both sides returning home again. There have been many casualties among the common men, but no one of note on either side met his end, (if: $Achilles is 'wounded1')[(if: $Patroclos is 'wounded1')[though unfortunately both Achilleus and his companion Patroclos were lightly injured.](else:)[though Achilleus did suffer a slight injury.]](else_if: $Patroclos is 'wounded1')[though sadly Patroclos did receive a slight injury.](else:)[or even serious injury.] You were lucky today, but you are certain that luck stemmed largely from the presence of the son of Thetis in the center of your formation, inspiring your troops and frightening the enemy.] (else:)[(if: (random: 1,100) is 100)[(set: $Achilles to 'wounded1')]          Eventually, the dust clears, and you can clearly make out both sides returning home again. There have been many casualties among the common men, but no one of note on either side met his end, (if: $Achilles is 'wounded1')[though Achilleus did suffer a slight injury.](else:)[or even serious injury.] You were lucky today, but you are certain that luck stemmed largely from the presence of the son of Thetis in the center of your formation, inspiring your troops and frightening the enemy.]          With the battle behind you, you prepare for tomorrow, (set: $pos to it + 1)(if: $pos < 7)[ready to face the next challenge.(click-goto: "ready to face the next challenge.", $y1evs's ($pos))](if: $pos is 7)[[[ready to face the next challenge.->YearTwo]]]

         Even from your vantage point on the walls of the camp, you can see the two lines of chariots as they careen towards each other and turn about for a second pass. After a few passes, the lines become hopelessly muddled, and the foot soldiers have entered the fray, giving you a sight mostly of dust and chaos. (if: $Teukros is 'alive')[(if: (random: 1,50) is 50)[(set: $AiasS to 'wounded1')](if:(random:1,15) is 15)[(set: $Teukros to 'wounded1')]          Eventually, the dust clears, and you can clearly make out both sides returning home again. There have been many casualties among the common men, but no one of note on either side met his end, (if: $AiasS is 'wounded1')[(if: $Teukros is 'wounded1')[though unfortunately both Aias and his brother Teukros were lightly injured.](else:)[though Aias did suffer a slight injury.]](else_if: $Teukros is 'wounded1')[though sadly Teukros did receive a slight injury.](else:)[or even serious injury.] You were lucky today, but you are sure that luck was largely due to your decision to place the mighty son of Telamon at the center of the formation.] (else:)[(if: (random: 1,50) is 50)[(set: $AiasS to 'wounded1')]          Eventually, the dust clears, and you can clearly make out both sides returning home again. There have been many casualties among the common men, but no one of note on either side met his end, (if: $AiasS is 'wounded1')[though Aias did suffer a slight injury.](else:)[or even serious injury.] You were lucky today, but you are sure that luck was largely due to your decision to place the mighty son of Telamon at the center of the formation.]          With the battle behind you, you prepare for tomorrow, (set: $pos to it + 1)(if: $pos < 7)[ready to face the next challenge.(click-goto: "ready to face the next challenge.", $y1evs's ($pos))](if: $pos is 7)[[[ready to face the next challenge.->YearTwo]]]

         Even from your vantage point on the walls of the camp, you can see the two lines of chariots as they careen towards each other and turn about for a second pass. After a few passes, the lines become hopelessly muddled, and the foot soldiers have entered the fray, giving you a sight mostly of dust and chaos. (if: $Meriones is 'alive')[(if: (random: 1,6) is 6)[(set: $Idomeneus to 'wounded1')](if:(random:1,15) is 15)[(set: $Meriones to 'wounded1')]          Eventually, the dust clears, and you can clearly make out both sides returning home again. There have been many casualties among the common men, but no one of note on either side met his end, (if: $Idomeneus is 'wounded1')[(if: $Meriones is 'wounded1')[though unfortunately both Idomeneus and his nephew Meriones were lightly injured.](else:)[though Idomeneus did suffer a slight injury.]](else_if: $Meriones is 'wounded1')[though sadly Meriones did receive a slight injury.](else:)[or even serious injury.] You were lucky today, and you wonder if that luck was because of the divine favor shown to the indomitable Cretan king.](else:)[(if: (random: 1,6) is 6)[(set: $Idomeneus to 'wounded1')]          Eventually, the dust clears, and you can clearly make out both sides returning home again. There have been many casualties among the common men, but no one of note on either side met his end, (if: $Idomeneus is 'wounded1')[though Idomeneus did suffer a slight injury.](else:)[or even serious injury.] You were lucky today, and you wonder if that luck was because of the divine favor shown to the indomitable Cretan king.]          With the battle behind you, you prepare for tomorrow, (set: $pos to it + 1)(if: $pos < 7)[ready to face the next challenge.(click-goto: "ready to face the next challenge.", $y1evs's ($pos))](if: $pos is 7)[[[ready to face the next challenge.->YearTwo]]]

         Achilleus leads a fleet of a dozen ships to the island of Lesbos to assail the fortress city of Methymna on the island's eastern side. The voyage to Lesbos takes about a day, you're assured, so you expect to see the ships return sometime the day after tomorrow, or perhaps later still if the battle should be a difficult one.          The ships return three days later, laden down with spoils in gold, food, weapons, livestock and slaves. Surprisingly, Achilleus is in a foul humor when he comes ashore, and he goes straight into his hut to sulk. Astonished that a victory could leave a warrior in such a terrible mood, you draw Patroclos aside and ask him what has his young friend so upset.          Patroclos hesitates to answer at first, and you have to press him several times before he finally does explain. "We were only beginning the siege when the gates were suddenly opened from within." He bites his lip. "Evidently, the king's daughter saw Achilleus from the walls of the city and immediately fell madly in love with him."          You stare at him blankly. "Really?"          "That is what she said when she explained why she had opened the gates," Patroclos answers, shaking his head. "I don't know if it was true, but I can't imagine why she would lie about it."          "But what does that put Achilleus in such a terrible state? Shouldn't he be glad to have a willing concubine?" Not that you saw any girls taken to his hut, but surely under the circumstances...          "He was so outraged to be robbed of a good battle that he ordered the men to stone her," Patroclos informs you. "A bit extreme, but...well, she did commit treason against her people."          "Ah...I...see...?" Just what sort of man *is* Achilleus, anyway? (if: (history:) contains "TenedosAchilles")[He would force himself on unwilling girls, but has a girl killed who is so desperate for his love that she would betray her own people for it?]          While you stand there flummoxed by Achilleus' behavior, Patroclos leaves you and enters the hut he shares with his prince.          With the battle behind you, no matter how unsettling its results were, you return to your hut to get some rest, (set: $pos to it + 1)(if: $pos < 7)[ready to face the next challenge.(click-goto: "ready to face the next challenge.", $y1evs's ($pos))](if: $pos is 7)[[[ready to face the next challenge.->YearTwo]]]

         Aias leads a fleet of a dozen ships to the island of Lesbos to assail the fortress city of Methymna on the island's eastern side. The voyage to Lesbos takes about a day, you're assured, so you expect to see the ships return sometime the day after tomorrow, or perhaps later still if the battle should be a difficult one.          The ships return three days later, laden down with spoils in gold, food, weapons, livestock and slaves. Aias reports that it was an entirely routine battle, hardly worth his time.          With that task settled, you are in high spirits, (set: $pos to it + 1)(if: $pos < 7)[ready to face the next challenge.(click-goto: "ready to face the next challenge.", $y1evs's ($pos))](if: $pos is 7)[[[ready to face the next challenge.->YearTwo]]]

         Cycnos leads a fleet of a dozen ships to the island of Lesbos to assail the fortress city of Methymna on the island's eastern side. The voyage to Lesbos takes about a day, you're assured, so you expect to see the ships return sometime the day after tomorrow, or perhaps later still if the battle should be a difficult one.          The ships return three days later, laden down with spoils in gold, food, weapons, livestock and slaves. With a laugh, Cycnos informs you that it was so easy a conquest that he actually sent his troops back to the ship after a while so he could fight alone in order to have at least a little challenge.          With that task settled, you are in high spirits, (set: $pos to it + 1)(if: $pos < 7)[ready to face the next challenge.(click-goto: "ready to face the next challenge.", $y1evs's ($pos))](if: $pos is 7)[[[ready to face the next challenge.->YearTwo]]]

         Odysseus leads a fleet of a dozen ships to the island of Lesbos to assail the fortress city of Methymna on the island's eastern side. The voyage to Lesbos takes about a day, you're assured, so you expect to see the ships return sometime the day after tomorrow, or perhaps later still if the battle should be a difficult one.          The ships return three days later, laden down with spoils in gold, food, weapons, livestock and slaves. Odysseus reports that it was an entirely routine battle, hardly worth his time.          With that task settled, you are in high spirits, (set: $pos to it + 1)(if: $pos < 7)[ready to face the next challenge.(click-goto: "ready to face the next challenge.", $y1evs's ($pos))](if: $pos is 7)[[[ready to face the next challenge.->YearTwo]]]

         Diomedes leads a fleet of a dozen ships to the island of Lesbos to assail the fortress city of Methymna on the island's eastern side. The voyage to Lesbos takes about a day, you're assured, so you expect to see the ships return sometime the day after tomorrow, or perhaps later still if the battle should be a difficult one.          The ships return three days later, laden down with spoils in gold, food, weapons, livestock and slaves. Diomedes reports that it was an entirely routine battle, hardly worth his time.          With that task settled, you are in high spirits, (set: $pos to it + 1)(if: $pos < 7)[ready to face the next challenge.(click-goto: "ready to face the next challenge.", $y1evs's ($pos))](if: $pos is 7)[[[ready to face the next challenge.->YearTwo]]]

         Ascalaphos leads a fleet of a dozen ships to the island of Lesbos to assail the fortress city of Methymna on the island's eastern side. The voyage to Lesbos takes about a day, you're assured, so you expect to see the ships return sometime the day after tomorrow, or perhaps later still if the battle should be a difficult one.          The ships return three days later, laden down with spoils in gold, food, weapons, livestock and slaves. Ascalaphos reports that it was an entirely routine battle, hardly worth his time.          With that task settled, you are in high spirits, (set: $pos to it + 1)(if: $pos < 7)[ready to face the next challenge.(click-goto: "ready to face the next challenge.", $y1evs's ($pos))](if: $pos is 7)[[[ready to face the next challenge.->YearTwo]]]

         Idomeneus leads a fleet of a dozen ships to the island of Lesbos to assail the fortress city of Methymna on the island's eastern side. The voyage to Lesbos takes about a day, you're assured, so you expect to see the ships return sometime the day after tomorrow, or perhaps later still if the battle should be a difficult one.          The ships return three days later, laden down with spoils in gold, food, weapons, livestock and slaves. Idomeneus reports that it was an entirely routine battle, hardly worth his time.          With that task settled, you are in high spirits, (set: $pos to it + 1)(if: $pos < 7)[ready to face the next challenge.(click-goto: "ready to face the next challenge.", $y1evs's ($pos))](if: $pos is 7)[[[ready to face the next challenge.->YearTwo]]]

         Menelaos leads a fleet of a dozen ships to the island of Lesbos to assail the fortress city of Methymna on the island's eastern side. The voyage to Lesbos takes about a day, you're assured, so you expect to see the ships return sometime the day after tomorrow, or perhaps later still if the battle should be a difficult one.          The ships return three days later, laden down with spoils in gold, food, weapons, livestock and slaves. Menelaos reports that it was an entirely routine battle, hardly worth his time.          With that task settled, you are in high spirits, (set: $pos to it + 1)(if: $pos < 7)[ready to face the next challenge.(click-goto: "ready to face the next challenge.", $y1evs's ($pos))](if: $pos is 7)[[[ready to face the next challenge.->YearTwo]]]

         Protesilaos leads a fleet of a dozen ships to the island of Lesbos to assail the fortress city of Methymna on the island's eastern side. The voyage to Lesbos takes about a day, you're assured, so you expect to see the ships return sometime the day after tomorrow, or perhaps later still if the battle should be a difficult one.          The ships return four days later, laden down with spoils in gold, food, weapons, livestock and slaves. Protesilaos reports that it was not the easiest battle he had ever fought, but not truly difficult, either.          With that task settled, you are in high spirits, (set: $pos to it + 1)(if: $pos < 7)[ready to face the next challenge.(click-goto: "ready to face the next challenge.", $y1evs's ($pos))](if: $pos is 7)[[[ready to face the next challenge.->YearTwo]]]

(if: $Achilles is 'dead')[         You watch as the lone ship sails off to the west towards Lemnos early in the morning. It returns late the next day, with reports of a successful voyage. The son of Jason now ruling in Lemnos was entirely cooperative, and is looking forward to seeing a large share of slaves and other booty as the war at Troy progresses. ](else:)[(set: $AchillesMadness to it + 1)          You watch as the lone ship sails off to the west towards Lemnos early in the morning, but you watch it with far less interest than Achilleus does. (if: $AchillesMadness is 2)[As far as you can tell, Achilleus barely moves the whole time Patroclos is away, just standing there staring at the spot on the horizon where the ship vanished from his sight.] Patroclos and his crew return late the next day, with reports of a successful voyage. The son of Jason now ruling in Lemnos was entirely cooperative, and is looking forward to seeing a large share of slaves and other booty as the war at Troy progresses.]          With that task settled, you are in high spirits, (set: $pos to it + 1)(if: $pos < 7)[ready to face the next challenge.(click-goto: "ready to face the next challenge.", $y1evs's ($pos))](if: $pos is 7)[[[ready to face the next challenge.->YearTwo]]]

(if: $Odysseus is 'wounded1')[(set: $Odysseus to 'alive')](else_if: $Odysseus is 'wounded2')[(set: $Odysseus to 'wounded1')](if: $Hector is 'wounded2')[(set: $Hector to 'wounded1')](if: $Idomeneus is 'wounded1')[(set: $Idomeneus to 'alive')](else_if: $Idomeneus is 'wounded2')[(set: $Idomeneus to 'wounded1')](if: $Achilles is 'wounded1')[(set: $Achilles to 'alive')](if: $Patroclos is 'wounded1')[(set: $Patroclos to 'alive')](if: $AiasS is 'wounded1')[(set: $AiasS to 'alive')](if: $Teukros is 'wounded1')[(set: $Teukros to 'alive')](if: $Diomedes is 'wounded1')[(set: $Diomedes to 'alive')](if: $Ascalaphos is 'wounded1')[(set: $Ascalaphos to 'alive')](if: $Menelaos is 'wounded1')[(set: $Menelaos to 'alive')](if: $Protesilaos is 'wounded1')[(set: $Protesilaos to 'alive')](if: $Antilochos is 'wounded1')[(set: $Antilochos to 'alive')] <img src="YearTwo.jpg" width="600" height="525">          [[Begin your second year running the Achaian forces at Troy.->Year2Event1]]

         You watch as the lone ship sails off to the west towards Lemnos early in the morning. It returns late the next day, with reports of a successful voyage. The son of Jason now ruling in Lemnos was entirely cooperative, and is looking forward to seeing a large share of slaves and other booty as the war at Troy progresses.          With that task settled, you are in high spirits, (set: $pos to it + 1)(if: $pos < 7)[ready to face the next challenge.(click-goto: "ready to face the next challenge.", $y1evs's ($pos))](if: $pos is 7)[[[ready to face the next challenge.->YearTwo]]]

         As you begin to plan out your campaign strategy for the coming year, one point becomes very fully lodged in your mind: not only is your daily struggle going to be keeping your troops fed, it must also be about taking food from the mouths of the enemy.          To that end, you decide to look for the local sources of food headed into the city. You know you'll never be able to block all incoming ships from reaching Troy with supplies, but if you can at least remove as many of their local sources of food as possible, that will have to weaken them.          Based on all the reconnaissance and local informants at your disposal, you decide to start with a raid on the town of Dardania. It will be a difficult raid, since the town is to the far side of windy Ilios, at the base of Mount Ida, but it is a major source of food for the city, particularly by means of the many head of cattle being raised there. If you can obtain those herds for your own camp, your men will have a fine supply of milk and meat for at least a year, if not for the duration of the war, and the Trojan troops will have that much more trouble feeding themselves.          While you don't expect the battle itself to be difficult (given its distance from your camp, you doubt it's guarded at all, in fact), you do expect the raiding party will face assault both on the way to Dardania and on the way back again. Therefore, you want to send one of your most trusted generals to oversee the operation... (if: $Achilles is 'alive')[         [[Send Achilleus.->DardaniaAchilles]] ](if: $AiasS is 'alive')[         [[Send Aias of Salamis.->DardaniaAias]] ](if: $Diomedes is 'alive')[         [[Send Diomedes.->DardaniaDiomedes]] ](if: $Odysseus is 'alive')[         [[Send Odysseus.->DardaniaOdysseus]] ](if: $Idomeneus is 'alive')[         [[Send Idomeneus.->DardaniaIdomeneus]] ](if: $Cycnos is 'ally')[         [[Send Cycnos.->DardaniaCycnos]]]

         Knowing the attack forces are being led by Achilleus, you aren't worried as they ride off along their long path to Dardania.          And your confidence is justified, because they return two days later driving massive herds of cattle, sheep, goats and slaves. While Achilleus is being showered with praise by the rest of the troops at the sight of all the food his raid has acquired, Patroclos oversees the proper placement of the herds (and the slaves) in their correct holding areas.          Once you are able to get past the celebrating soldiers, you ask Achilleus if he has anything to report about the battle.          "Not really," he says. "There were a few soldiers stationed there, led by a real weakling who fled with his tail tucked between his legs."          While Achilleus is laughing at his enemy's cowardice, Patroclos comes over and frowns at his pretty young friend. "You shouldn't be so dismissive of him, Achilleus," he says. "The man identified himself as Aineias, and claimed he was the son of Aphrodite," he tells you. "Achilleus was able to rout him fairly easily, but he had slain a number of our troops before we reached him. I'd say he's nearly as good as Hector. Definitely someone we need to be wary of." (set: $Aineias to 'alive')          You thank Patroclos for the information, even as Achilleus continues to insist that this Aineias is no one worth worrying about. (set: $pos to 1) (set: $y2evs to (shuffled: 'Lyrnessos','Troilos','Mytilene','Pedasos','Farming2','Lemnos2','Battle2a','Battle2b','Battle2c'))          With the extra food supplies from Dardania on hand to feed the men, you prepare for the next stage in the war.(click-goto: "you prepare for the next stage in the war.", $y2evs's 1st)

         Knowing the attack forces are being led by the mighty Aias of Salamis, you aren't worried as they ride off along their long path to Dardania.          And your confidence is justified, because they return two days later driving massive herds of cattle, sheep, goats and slaves. While Aias is being showered with praise by the rest of the troops at the sight of all the food his raid has acquired, Teukros oversees the proper placement of the herds (and the slaves) in their correct holding areas.          Once you are able to get past the celebrating soldiers, you ask Aias if he has anything to report about the battle.          "Not much," he says, his speech as slow as always. "There were few defenders." He pauses, frowning. "Their leader was not as good as Hector. But he was dangerous to lesser men."          You wait a moment to see if he's going to continue, but he doesn't seem to intend to do so. "Anything else about this fellow? Did you find out who he was?"          Aias nods. "His name is Aineias. He claims Aphrodite is his mother." He laughs. "I don't believe it. He is not pretty enough." Aias lets out a sigh. "But his father is a relative of Priam. And his skill rivals the princes. We should be cautious around him."(set: $Aineias to 'alive')          You thank Aias for the information, and assure him that you'll be sure to send a powerful warrior like himself whenever there is a risk of Aineias showing up. (set: $pos to 1) (set: $y2evs to (shuffled: 'Lyrnessos','Troilos','Mytilene','Pedasos','Farming2','Lemnos2','Battle2a','Battle2b','Battle2c'))          With the extra food supplies from Dardania on hand to feed the men, you prepare for the next stage in the war.(click-goto: "you prepare for the next stage in the war.", $y2evs's 1st)

         Knowing the attack forces are being led by Diomedes, you aren't worried as they ride off along their long path to Dardania.          And your confidence is justified, because they return two days later driving massive herds of cattle, sheep, goats and slaves. While Diomedes is being showered with praise by the rest of the troops at the sight of all the food his raid has acquired, his men oversee the proper placement of the herds (and the slaves) in their correct holding areas.          Once you are able to get past the celebrating soldiers, you ask Diomedes if he has anything to report about the battle.          Diomedes nods, frowning. "Yes, I suppose I do. While not heavily guarded, Dardania had one particularly determined defender. He was not a challenge for *me*, but he had already slain many of my troops before I was able to drive him off." Diomedes lets out a miserable sigh. "The man claimed to be the son of Aphrodite herself, though I'm not certain I believe him. No matter the identity of his mother, he said his father is from a branch of the Trojan royal family, and one of King Priam's close advisors. *That* I believe wholeheartedly."          "So he's dangerous, then? This...whoever he is?" you ask.          "He called himself Aineias," Diomedes tells you. "And yes, he's dangerous. Nearly as skilled as Hector, in my opinion, lacking only the polish of a few years being ground down on the battlefield."(set: $Aineias to 'alive')          You thank Diomedes for the information, and assure him that you'll be sure to send a powerful warrior like himself whenever there is a risk of Aineias showing up. (set: $pos to 1) (set: $y2evs to (shuffled: 'Lyrnessos','Troilos','Mytilene','Pedasos','Farming2','Lemnos2','Battle2a','Battle2b','Battle2c'))          With the extra food supplies from Dardania on hand to feed the men, you prepare for the next stage in the war.(click-goto: "you prepare for the next stage in the war.", $y2evs's 1st)

         Knowing the attack forces are being led by the wily Odysseus, you aren't worried as they ride off along their long path to Dardania.          And your confidence is justified, because they return two days later driving massive herds of cattle, sheep, goats and slaves. While Odysseus is being showered with praise by the rest of the troops at the sight of all the food his raid has acquired, a few of his men oversee the proper placement of the herds (and the slaves) in their correct holding areas.          Once you are able to get past the celebrating soldiers, you ask Odysseus if he has anything to report about the battle.          From the proud way he smiles, you know Odysseus must have quite a story to tell in his own praise. "Not particularly," he claims, in a self-effacing tone that is so false it grates on your ears. Much to your surprise, however, he does not immediately continue.          "Really?" you prompt. "Nothing unusual happened?"          "It was a relatively simple affair," Odysseus insists. "They didn't have very many defenders." A very pregnant pause. "Oh, but there is one of the captured slaves we'll need to keep a very close watch on until he can be taken to Lemnos."          "Oh? Why? Who is he?"          "He calls himself Aineias, and claims to be the son of Aphrodite," Odysseus tells you. "I don't know about that part, but his father, Anchises, is a relation of King Priam's."          "Surely we ought to ransom him rather than take him to Lemnos as a slave, then," you comment.          "No, he's much too skilled a warrior; we don't want to give him back to the enemy."          "If he's so skilled, how did you capture him alive?" you ask.          Long before Odysseus has finished his tale, you admit to yourself that asking him that question was a mistake. You should have asked one of his men, who would not spend hours in self-congratulatory and frankly implausible narrative. If Odysseus' story is true (which you doubt), then he spent nearly an hour in an even duel with Aineias before outwitting him with a number of guiles, eventually capturing him as the man was trying to escape. You suspect he actually came upon him by stealth while he slept and never fought a single blow against Aineias or any of Dardania's other defenders, but you don't want to risk angering Odysseus by asking anyone about what *really* happened.          In any event, when you go to have a look at this prisoner, you admit that he looks very strong, and it's probably best not to let him return to the field of battle as an enemy. You set a guard to watching him until he can be taken to Lemnos with the other slaves.(set: $Aineias to 'enslaved')(set: $TrojanGenerals to it -1) (set: $pos to 1) (set: $y2evs to (shuffled: 'Lyrnessos','Troilos','Mytilene','Pedasos','Farming2','Lemnos2','Battle2a','Battle2b','Battle2c'))          With the extra food supplies from Dardania on hand to feed the men, you prepare for the next stage in the war.(click-goto: "you prepare for the next stage in the war.", $y2evs's 1st)

         Knowing the attack forces are being led by Idomeneus, you aren't worried as they ride off along their long path to Dardania.          And your confidence is justified, because they return two days later driving massive herds of cattle, sheep, goats and slaves. While Idomeneus is being showered with praise by the rest of the troops at the sight of all the food his raid has acquired, his nephew Meriones oversees the proper placement of the herds (and the slaves) in their correct holding areas.          Once you are able to get past the celebrating soldiers, you ask Idomeneus if he has anything to report about the battle.          Idomeneus nods, frowning. "Yes, I'm afraid so. The number of guards set to protect the town was small, but they were led by a particularly difficult foe who I would say is second only to Hector. It was only with difficulty that Meriones and I were able to drive him away."          "That's alarming news," you say. "Who is he? Did you find out anything about him?"          "He introduced himself as Aineias, son of Anchises and Aphrodite."          "Aphrodite?" you repeat, astonished. You rarely ever hear of goddesses deigning to share their beds with mortal men. Gods and mortal maids, sure, that happens all the time, but goddesses and mortal men? Aside from the odd case of Peleus and Thetis, you can't even come up with another instance.          "That's what he said," Idomeneus assures you, "though I don't know if it's true or not. I believe Anchises is a member of one of the lesser branches of the Trojan royal family, so this Aineias is potentially an heir to the throne if we should exterminate all of Priam's sons. I don't know if that makes him more of a threat, or a potential ally, someone who might be willing to turn traitor in exchange for the removal of those standing between him and the kingship."(set: $Aineias to 'alive')          "We'll have to keep all that in mind whenever we might end up facing him in the future," you agree. (set: $pos to 1) (set: $y2evs to (shuffled: 'Lyrnessos','Troilos','Mytilene','Pedasos','Farming2','Lemnos2','Battle2a','Battle2b','Battle2c'))          With the extra food supplies from Dardania on hand to feed the men, you prepare for the next stage in the war.(click-goto: "you prepare for the next stage in the war.", $y2evs's 1st)

         Knowing the attack forces are being led by the invulnerable Cycnos, you aren't worried as they ride off along their long path to Dardania.          And your confidence is justified, because they return two days later driving massive herds of cattle, sheep, goats and slaves. While Cycnos is being showered with praise by the rest of the troops at the sight of all the food his raid has acquired, some of his men oversee the proper placement of the herds (and the slaves) in their correct holding areas.          Once you are able to get past the celebrating soldiers, you ask Cycnos if he has anything to report about the battle.          "Not really," he says. "They had no defenders to speak of." Cycnos laughs. "The best man they had was some lad calling himself Aineias. Said he was the son of some minor goddess or other." He shrugs. "He was fairly skilled, I suppose, but I made short work of him. He won't be bothering us again."(set: $Aineias to 'dead')(set: $TrojanGenerals to it -1)          You thank Cycnos for all his hard work, then help supervise the distribution of the booty from the raid. (set: $pos to 1) (set: $y2evs to (shuffled: 'Lyrnessos','Troilos','Mytilene','Pedasos','Farming2','Lemnos2','Battle2a','Battle2b','Battle2c'))          With the extra food supplies from Dardania on hand to feed the men, you prepare for the next stage in the war.(click-goto: "you prepare for the next stage in the war.", $y2evs's 1st)

         Going further afield in order not only to obtain more supplies and slaves but also to prevent the Trojans from receiving reinforcements seems to be a necessity if this war is to be concluded successfully. The whole council agrees on this, and it is soon decided that some raids on neighboring kingdoms will be staged by boat, using the captive Methymna as a launching-off point.          You decide this time to send the fleet off to Lyrnessos, which stands at the foot of a mountain to the north of Mysia. It is not an especially large city, but it should be easily taken, and if left garrisoned with a handful of strong (but not particularly important) soldiers, it should be able to stop any reinforcements from Mysia or other points south from arriving to aid the Trojans.          You will have to send a commander strong enough that he will not be at risk on his return journey after leaving behind a number of his troops. (if: $Achilles is 'alive')[         [[Send Achilleus.->LyrnessosAchilleus]] ](if: $AiasS is 'alive')[         [[Send Aias of Salamis.->LyrnessosAias]] ](if: $Diomedes is 'alive')[         [[Send Diomedes.->LyrnessosDiomedes]] ](if: $Cycnos is 'ally')[         [[Send Cycnos.->LyrnessosCycnos]] ]         [[Go yourself.->LyrnessosCreon]] (if: $Odysseus is 'alive')[         [[Send Odysseus.->LyrnessosOdysseus]]]

         The seer Calchas comes to see you in your hut to inform you of a dire new portent. "There is, among King Priam's sons, a lad named Troilos," he tells you.          "So?" you retort, annoyed. "Priam's said to have a hundred children. If we bothered over every single one of the sons--"          "Troilos is no ordinary son of Priam," Calchas informs you sharply. "He is only half Priam's son."          "Uh, what?" You're pretty sure that's not possible...          "On the same night that Priam went in to his wife, Queen Hecabe, so too did my lord Apollo in the guise of the king."          "Ah." So that's how it was, eh? Like the stories about Theseus being fathered by both Aegeus and Poseidon. "And?" you ask. "Are we expected to do something about him? Or to let him escape the city in order to curry favor with Apollo?"          "As a priest in Apollo's service, it pains me to say this, but Troilos must be killed if the war is to be won," Calchas tells you. "If he reaches full manhood, the city can never fall."          "How long will that be?" you ask. If he's only a tiny child, then...          "We have a year or two at the most," Calchas says. "According to the omens I have seen."          It is not the news you want to hear, but you reflect that it could have been worse. "I will send spies to learn how best we can accomplish this unpleasant task," you say. "Thank you for letting me know about this."          The priest leaves, and you send your best spies to learn what they can about Troilos. Their reports several days later sum up the most important points. The boy has recently hit puberty, entering that liminal state between a boy and a man, having attained his full height, but being not yet old enough to grow a beard. As such, he is now allowed out on his own, and often accompanies his sister Polyxena to Thymbria to fetch water from the sacred spring beside the temple of Apollo. They are always alone, just the two of them, with no troops and no elder brothers to protect them.          It is uncomfortably like sacrilege to send one of your men to ambush a youth in the precincts of a temple, but what can you do? Such a location should give the warrior plenty of places to lay in wait for the unwitting royal pair. You will just have to make sure that whoever goes takes the boy well away from the temple before killing him... (if: $Achilles is 'alive')[         [[Send Achilleus.->TroilosAchilles]] ](if: $AiasS is 'alive')[         [[Send Aias of Salamis.->TroilosAiasS]] ](if: $Diomedes is 'alive')[         [[Send Diomedes.->TroilosDiomedes]] ](if: $AiasL is 'alive')[         [[Send Aias of Locris.->TroilosAiasL]] ](if: $Cycnos is 'ally')[         [[Send Cycnos.->TroilosCycnos]] ](if: $Odysseus is 'alive')[         [[Send Odysseus.->TroilosOdysseus.]]]

         Going further afield in order not only to obtain more supplies and slaves but also to prevent the Trojans from receiving reinforcements seems to be a necessity if this war is to be concluded successfully. The whole council agrees on this, and it is soon decided that some raids on neighboring kingdoms will be staged by boat, using the captive Methymna as a launching-off point.          Perhaps the most important destination by boat, you realize, should be Mytilene, the largest city on the island of Lesbos, which is still in the hands of a vassal of Hatti.          It shouldn't be a challenging battle in its own right, but the inhabitants are probably on alert, since they know what happened in Methymna. You should send someone skilled to lead the attack. (if: $Achilles is 'alive')[         [[Send Achilleus.->MytileneAchilles]] ](if: $AiasS is 'alive')[         [[Send Aias of Salamis.->MytileneAliasS]] ](if: $Odysseus is 'alive')[         [[Send Odysseus.->MytileneOdysseus]] ](if: $Diomedes is 'alive')[         [[Send Diomedes.->MytileneDiomedes]] ](if: $AiasL is 'alive')[         [[Send Aias of Locris.->MytileneAiasL]] ]         [[Go yourself.->MytileneCreon]] (if: $Cycnos is 'ally')[         [[Send Cycnos.->MytileneCycnos]]]

         To the south of camp, directly in between the camp and the island of Lesbos by land, is Pedasos, an ally of the Trojans. Given its location, it could be a threat both to the camp and to your grip over Methymna on Lesbos. It must be dealt with as soon as possible, and the whole council agrees on this.          You decide to send a large force to deal with Pedasos immediately. (if: $Achilles is 'alive')[[[Send Achilleus.->PedasosAchilleus]] ](if: $AiasS is 'alive')[[[Send Aias of Salamis.->PedasosAiasS]] ](if: $Diomedes is 'alive')[[[Send Diomedes.->PedasosDiomedes]] ](if: $Cycnos is 'ally')[[[Send Cycnos.->PedasosCycnos]] ](if: $Ascalaphos is 'alive')[[[Send Ascalaphos.->PedasosAscalaphos]] ](if: $Odysseus is 'alive')[[[Send Odysseus.->PedasosOdysseus]] ](if: $AaisL is 'alive')[[[Send Aias of Locris.->PedasosAiasL]]]

         As much as you hate to admit it, you can't just depend on raiding the local villages for food, or on trading slaves to Lemnos.          You're going to have to set some of your troops to growing food themselves.          Admittedly, many of the common troops are farmers at home anyway, but it's still a humiliating thought.          You decide you'd better put a less important nobleman in charge, just in case the troops involved begin to balk after a while. Unfortunately, that means they won't be able to join in the battle for some months to come, but...sometimes these things are just unavoidable! (On reflection, you decide that a more important or powerful warrior who is currently too wounded for battle would also be able to handle this task, since he certainly wouldn't be doing the farming himself.) (if: $Achilles is 'wounded1')[         Have Achilleus supervise.(click: "Have Achilleus supervise.")[(set: $Achilles to 'farming')(goto: "Farming2Other")] ](if: $AiasS is 'wounded1')[         Have Aias of Salamis supervise.(click: "Have Aias of Salamis supervise.")[(set: $AiasS to 'farming')(goto: "Farming2Other")] ](if: $Odysseus is 'wounded1')[         Have Odysseus supervise.(click: "Have Odysseus supervise.")[(set: $Odysseus to 'farming')(goto: "Farming2Other")] ](if: $Diomedes is 'wounded1')         [Have Diomedes supervise.(click: "Have Diomedes supervise.")[(set: $Diomedes to 'farming')(goto: "Farming2Other")] ](if: $AiasL is 'wounded1')[         Have Aias of Locris supervise.(click: "Have Aias of Locris supervise.")[(set: $AiasL to 'farming')(goto: "Farming2Other")] ](if: $Idomeneus is 'wounded1')[         Have Idomeneus supervise.(click: "Have Idomeneus supervise.")[(set: $Idomeneus to 'farming')(goto: "Farming2Other")] ](if: $Ascalaphos is 'wounded1')[         Have Ascalaphos supervise.(click: "Have Ascalaphos supervise.")[(set: $Ascalaphos to 'farming')(goto: "Farming2Other")] ](if: $Menelaos is 'wounded1')         [Have Menelaos supervise.(click: "Have Menelaos supervise.")[(set: $Menelaos to 'farming')(goto: "Farming2Other")] ](if: $Protesilaos is 'wounded1')[         Have Protesilaos supervise.(click: "Have Protesilaos supervise.")[(set: $Protesilaos to 'farming')(goto: "Farming2Other")] ][         Have Patroclos supervise.(click: "Have Patroclos supervise.")[(set: $Patroclos to 'farming')(goto: "Farming2Patroclos")]] [         Have Meriones supervise.(click: "Have Meriones supervise.")[(set: $Meriones to 'farming')(goto: "Farming2Other")]] [         Have Teukros supervise.(click: "Have Teukros supervise.")[(set: $Teukros to 'farming')(goto: "Farming2Other")]] [         Have Antilochos supervise.(click: "Have Antilochos supervise.")[(set: $Antilochos to 'farming')(goto: "Farming2Other")]]          [[Have Phoinix supervise.->Farming2Other]] (if: $Thersites is 'alive')[         [[He's not really suitable for it, but you decide to put the commoner Thersites to the task...because that way you won't have to listen to him run his mouth off for several months to come.->Farming2Other]]]

         You decide now is as good a time as any to send a boat with some of the excess slaves to Lemnos to trade them for supplies.          Fortunately, the voyage to Lemnos will take at most a day, so the chances of the men being needed before their return are very slim. Still, best to put one of the lesser nobles in charge. Just in case. (if: $Patroclos is 'alive')[         [[Send Patroclos.->Lemnos2Patroclos]] ](if: $Teukros is 'alive')[         [[Send Teukros.->Lemnos2Other]] ](if: $Meriones is 'alive')[         [[Send Meriones.->Lemnos2Other]] ](if: $Antilochos is 'alive')[         [[Send Antilochos.->Lemnos2Other]] ](if: $Podaleirios is 'alive')[         [[Send Podaleirios.->Lemnos2Other]] ](if: $Machaon is 'alive')[         [[Send Machaon.->Lemnos2Other]]]

         You decide that it is high time you acted like you were really here to conquer the Trojan citadel, and order the men to prepare for a pitched battle. They hurry into their arms and armor, and prepare the chariots for war.          As the chariots form up into ranks, you have to decide who to give the central position in the line. (if: $Achilles is 'alive')[         [[Put Achilleus in the center.->Battle2Achilles]] ](if: $AiasS is 'alive')[         [[Put Aias of Salamis in the center.->Battle2AiasS]] ](if: $Diomedes is 'alive')[         [[Put Diomedes in the center.->Battle2Diomedes]] ](if: $Odysseus is 'alive')[         [[Put Odysseus in the center.->Battle2Odysseus]] ](if: $Idomeneus is 'alive')[         [[Put Idomeneus in the center.->Battle2Idomeneus]] ](if: $Ascalaphos is 'alive')[         [[Put Ascalaphos in the center.->Battle2Ascalaphos]] ](if: $Cycnos is 'ally')[         [[Put Cycnos in the center.->Battle2Cycnos]] ](if: $Menelaos is 'alive')[         [[Put Menelaos in the center.->Battle2Menelaos]] ](if: $Protesilaos is 'alive')[         [[Put Protesilaos in the center.->Battle2Protesilaos]] ](if: $Antilochos is 'alive')[         [[Put Nestor in the center.->Battle2Nestor]] ](if: $AiasL is 'alive')[         [[Put Aias of Locris in the center.->Battle2AiasL]] ](if: $Podaleirios is 'alive')[         [[Put Podaleirios in the center.->Battle2Podaleirios]]]

         The alarum sounds through the camp, informing everyone that the Trojans are preparing a sortie. Men scramble to arm themselves and get in position in their chariots, and soon the battle lines are assembling on the field before the wide walls of fair Ilios.          As the chariots form up into ranks, you have to decide who to give the central position in the line. (if: $Achilles is 'alive')[         [[Put Achilleus in the center.->Battle2Achilles]] ](if: $AiasS is 'alive')[         [[Put Aias of Salamis in the center.->Battle2AiasS]] ](if: $Diomedes is 'alive')[         [[Put Diomedes in the center.->Battle2Diomedes]] ](if: $Odysseus is 'alive')[         [[Put Odysseus in the center.->Battle2Odysseus]] ](if: $Idomeneus is 'alive')[         [[Put Idomeneus in the center.->Battle2Idomeneus]] ](if: $Ascalaphos is 'alive')[         [[Put Ascalaphos in the center.->Battle2Ascalaphos]] ](if: $Cycnos is 'ally')[         [[Put Cycnos in the center.->Battle2Cycnos]] ](if: $Menelaos is 'alive')[         [[Put Menelaos in the center.->Battle2Menelaos]] ](if: $Protesilaos is 'alive')[         [[Put Protesilaos in the center.->Battle2Protesilaos]] ](if: $Antilochos is 'alive')[         [[Put Nestor in the center.->Battle2Nestor]] ](if: $AiasL is 'alive')[         [[Put Aias of Locris in the center.->Battle2AiasL]] ](if: $Podaleirios is 'alive')[         [[Put Podaleirios in the center.->Battle2Podaleirios]]]

         You decide that it is high time you acted like you were really here to conquer the Trojan citadel, and order the men to prepare for a pitched battle. They hurry into their arms and armor, and prepare the chariots for war.          As the chariots form up into ranks, you have to decide who to give the central position in the line. (if: $Achilles is 'alive')[         [[Put Achilleus in the center.->Battle2Achilles]] ](if: $AiasS is 'alive')[         [[Put Aias of Salamis in the center.->Battle2AiasS]] ](if: $Diomedes is 'alive')[         [[Put Diomedes in the center.->Battle2Diomedes]] ](if: $Odysseus is 'alive')[         [[Put Odysseus in the center.->Battle2Odysseus]] ](if: $Idomeneus is 'alive')[         [[Put Idomeneus in the center.->Battle2Idomeneus]] ](if: $Ascalaphos is 'alive')[         [[Put Ascalaphos in the center.->Battle2Ascalaphos]] ](if: $Cycnos is 'ally')[         [[Put Cycnos in the center.->Battle2Cycnos]] ](if: $Menelaos is 'alive')[         [[Put Menelaos in the center.->Battle2Menelaos]] ](if: $Protesilaos is 'alive')[         [[Put Protesilaos in the center.->Battle2Protesilaos]] ](if: $Antilochos is 'alive')[         [[Put Nestor in the center.->Battle2Nestor]] ](if: $AiasL is 'alive')[         [[Put Aias of Locris in the center.->Battle2AiasL]] ](if: $Podaleirios is 'alive')[         [[Put Podaleirios in the center.->Battle2Podaleirios]]]

         You watch with only minor concern as a large segment of the fleet sails off under Achilleus' leadership to conquer Lyrnessos. You have no doubts in his abilities to conquer the town; you only worry about what will happen if the Trojans should attack the camp while he and so many other men are gone.          Fortunately, no attack comes before Achilleus and his fleet return more than a week later. The fleet is heavy with spoils, and Achilleus proudly shows off the best of his trophies, including Briseis, the young widow of King Mynes, who Achilleus killed personally. (if: $Aineias is 'alive')[He also reports that he encountered Aineias among the defenders of Lyrnessos, and put him to flight with humorous ease(if: (history:) contains "DardaniaAchilles")[, again].]          The poor frightened widow is given to her husband's killer as a concubine, a fate that you are sure will give her a short and miserable life. (Patroclos, on the other hand, is convinced that she will quickly come to enjoy her position in Achilleus' bed, as women seem to be unable to resist the pretty face of the son of the Nereid for long.)(set: $Briseis to 'Achilles')          While you feel sorry for the former queen, you are pleased with the overall results of the raid. Men were left behind to garrison the town and prevent the Trojans from gaining reinforcements, and to ensure that the townspeople continue to grow food, of which a large percentage will be sent directly to feed your army. On top of that, much gold was taken and shared among the princes, and a great many extra weapons are in the camp's armory, and many new slaves await their turn to be traded away on Lemnos. (set: $pos to it + 1)(if: $pos < 10)[         Filled with resolution, you prepare for the next step in the war.(click-goto: "Filled with resolution, you prepare for the next step in the war.", $y2evs's ($pos))](if: $pos is 10)[         [[Filled with resolution, you prepare for the next step in the war.->YearThree]]]

         You watch with only minor concern as a large segment of the fleet sails off under Aias' leadership to conquer Lyrnessos. You have no doubts in his abilities to conquer the town; you only worry about what will happen if the Trojans should attack the camp while he and so many other men are gone.          Fortunately, no attack comes before Aias and his fleet return more than a week later. The fleet is heavy with spoils, and Aias proudly shows off the best of his trophies, including Briseis, the young widow of King Mynes, who Aias killed personally. (if: $Aineias is 'alive')[He also reports that he encountered Aineias among the defenders of Lyrnessos, and put him to flight.]          The poor frightened widow is--after some debate among the princes--given to the sons of Asclepios to serve one of them as a concubine, as neither of them yet has one, and their gifts of healing are more precious than a thousand swords on the field of battle. Not the fate she might have wanted, but Podaleirios and Machaon are both excellent men with kind hearts who will surely treat her well.(set: $Briseis to 'Machaon')          You are quite pleased with the results of the raid. Men were left behind to garrison the town and prevent the Trojans from gaining reinforcements, and to ensure that the townspeople continue to grow food, of which a large percentage will be sent directly to feed your army. On top of that, much gold was taken and shared among the princes, and a great many extra weapons are in the camp's armory, and many new slaves await their turn to be traded away on Lemnos. (set: $pos to it + 1)(if: $pos < 10)[         Filled with resolution, you prepare for the next step in the war.(click-goto: "Filled with resolution, you prepare for the next step in the war.", $y2evs's ($pos))](if: $pos is 10)[         [[Filled with resolution, you prepare for the next step in the war.->YearThree]]]

         You watch with only minor concern as a large segment of the fleet sails off under Diomedes' leadership to conquer Lyrnessos. You have no doubts in his abilities to conquer the town; you only worry about what will happen if the Trojans should attack the camp while he and so many other men are gone.          Fortunately, no attack comes before Diomedes and his fleet return more than a week later. The fleet is heavy with spoils, and Diomedes proudly shows off the best of his trophies, including Briseis, the young widow of King Mynes, who Diomedes killed personally. (if: $Aineias is 'alive')[He also reports that he encountered Aineias among the defenders of Lyrnessos, and put him to flight.]          The poor frightened widow is--after some debate among the princes--given to the sons of Asclepios to serve one of them as a concubine, as neither of them yet has one, and their gifts of healing are more precious than a thousand swords on the field of battle. Not the fate she might have wanted, but Podaleirios and Machaon are both excellent men with kind hearts who will surely treat her well.(set: $Briseis to 'Machaon')          You are quite pleased with the results of the raid. Men were left behind to garrison the town and prevent the Trojans from gaining reinforcements, and to ensure that the townspeople continue to grow food, of which a large percentage will be sent directly to feed your army. On top of that, much gold was taken and shared among the princes, and a great many extra weapons are in the camp's armory, and many new slaves await their turn to be traded away on Lemnos. (set: $pos to it + 1)(if: $pos < 10)[         Filled with resolution, you prepare for the next step in the war.(click-goto: "Filled with resolution, you prepare for the next step in the war.", $y2evs's ($pos))](if: $pos is 10)[         [[Filled with resolution, you prepare for the next step in the war.->YearThree]]]

         You watch with only minor concern as a large segment of the fleet sails off under Cycnos' leadership to conquer Lyrnessos. You have no doubts in his abilities to conquer the town; you only worry about what will happen if the Trojans should attack the camp while he and so many other men are gone.          Fortunately, no attack comes before Cycnos and his fleet return more than a week later. The fleet is heavy with spoils, and Cycnos proudly shows off the best of his trophies, including Briseis, the young widow of King Mynes, who Cycnos killed personally. (if: $Aineias is 'alive')[He also reports that he encountered Aineias among the defenders of Lyrnessos, and put him to flight.]          The poor frightened widow is--after some debate among the princes--given to the sons of Asclepios to serve one of them as a concubine (since Cycnos refuses to take a concubine), as neither of them yet has one, and their gifts of healing are more precious than a thousand swords on the field of battle. Not the fate she might have wanted, but Podaleirios and Machaon are both excellent men with kind hearts who will surely treat her well.(set: $Briseis to 'Machaon')          You are quite pleased with the results of the raid. Men were left behind to garrison the town and prevent the Trojans from gaining reinforcements, and to ensure that the townspeople continue to grow food, of which a large percentage will be sent directly to feed your army. On top of that, much gold was taken and shared among the princes, and a great many extra weapons are in the camp's armory, and many new slaves await their turn to be traded away on Lemnos. (set: $pos to it + 1)(if: $pos < 10)[         Filled with resolution, you prepare for the next step in the war.(click-goto: "Filled with resolution, you prepare for the next step in the war.", $y2evs's ($pos))](if: $pos is 10)[         [[Filled with resolution, you prepare for the next step in the war.->YearThree]]]

         Desiring to prove that you deserve the position of leadership of such a fine army, you set out to conquer Lyrnessos yourself, taking a third of the fleet and troops with you. Although you are a little worried about what will happen if the Trojans attack while you are gone, you did leave supervision of the camp in the capable hands of Nestor and Phoinix, so you do your best not to worry.          Lyrnessos is a picturesque town, and you're glad that your plans do not involve burning it down. The town's defenses are quite light, likely because it's so far away from windy Ilios that its king, Mynes, surely thought that the war would never reach his walls. He finds out the hard way just how wrong he was when one of your men kills him in front of the gates of his palace.          (if: $Aineias is 'alive')[You yourself are injured by the young man calling himself the son of Aphrodite, though your guards drive him away before he can finish you off. It's a pity that Aineias got away, you reflect, as you look upon the spoils of the battle, but in all other respects](else:)[As you look upon the spoils of the day, you reflect that] the results of this conquest were quite ideal. Men are left behind to garrison the town and prevent the Trojans from gaining reinforcements, and to ensure that the townspeople continue to grow food, of which a large percentage will be sent directly to feed your army. On top of that, much gold has been taken to be shared among the princes, and a great many extra weapons to be added in the camp's armory, and many new slaves to await their turn to be traded away on Lemnos.          Among the slaves on board your ship as you sail back to the camp is the lovely Briseis, widow of Mynes. After you arrive back in your (thankfully unmolested!) camp, the frightened widow is--after some debate among the princes--given to the sons of Asclepios to serve one of them as a concubine, as neither of them yet has one, and their gifts of healing are more precious than a thousand swords on the field of battle. Not the fate she might have wanted, but Podaleirios and Machaon are both excellent men with kind hearts who will surely treat her well.(set: $Briseis to 'Machaon') (set: $pos to it + 1)(if: $pos < 10)[         Filled with resolution, you prepare for the next step in the war.(click-goto: "Filled with resolution, you prepare for the next step in the war.", $y2evs's ($pos))](if: $pos is 10)[         [[Filled with resolution, you prepare for the next step in the war.->YearThree]]]

         You watch with only minor concern as a large segment of the fleet sails off under Odysseus' leadership to conquer Lyrnessos. You have no doubts in his abilities to conquer the town; you only worry about what will happen if the Trojans should attack the camp while he and so many other men are gone.          Fortunately, no attack comes before Odysseus and his fleet return more than a week later. The fleet is heavy with spoils, and Odysseus proudly shows off the best of his trophies, including the captive king and queen, who he suggests will bring in an impressive ransom. (if: $Aineias is 'alive')[He also reports that he encountered Aineias among the defenders of Lyrnessos, and put him to flight.](set: $Briseis to 'ransomed')          You are quite pleased with the results of the raid. Men were left behind to garrison the town and prevent the Trojans from gaining reinforcements, and to ensure that the townspeople continue to grow food, of which a large percentage will be sent directly to feed your army. On top of that, much gold was taken and shared among the princes, and a great many extra weapons are in the camp's armory, and many new slaves await their turn to be traded away on Lemnos. (set: $pos to it + 1)(if: $pos < 10)[         Filled with resolution, you prepare for the next step in the war.(click-goto: "Filled with resolution, you prepare for the next step in the war.", $y2evs's ($pos))](if: $pos is 10)[         [[Filled with resolution, you prepare for the next step in the war.->YearThree]]]

         Even from your vantage point on the walls of the camp, you can see the two lines of chariots as they careen towards each other and turn about for a second pass. After a few passes, the lines become hopelessly muddled, and the foot soldiers have entered the fray, giving you a sight mostly of dust and chaos. (if: $Patroclos is 'alive')[(if: (random: 1,100) is 100)[(set: $Achilles to 'wounded1')](if:(random:1,25) is 25)[(set: $Patroclos to 'wounded1')]          Eventually, the dust clears, and you can clearly make out both sides returning home again. There have been many casualties among the common men, but no one of note on either side met his end, (if: $Achilles is 'wounded1')[(if: $Patroclos is 'wounded1')[though unfortunately both Achilleus and his companion Patroclos were lightly injured.](else:)[though Achilleus did suffer a slight injury.]](else_if: $Patroclos is 'wounded1')[though sadly Patroclos did receive a slight injury.](else:)[or even serious injury.] You were lucky today, but you are certain that luck stemmed largely from the presence of the son of Thetis in the center of your formation, inspiring your troops and frightening the enemy.] (else:)[(if: (random: 1,100) is 100)[(set: $Achilles to 'wounded1')]          Eventually, the dust clears, and you can clearly make out both sides returning home again. There have been many casualties among the common men, but no one of note on either side met his end, (if: $Achilles is 'wounded1')[though Achilleus did suffer a slight injury.](else:)[or even serious injury.] You were lucky today, but you are certain that luck stemmed largely from the presence of the son of Thetis in the center of your formation, inspiring your troops and frightening the enemy.]          With the battle behind you, you prepare for tomorrow, (set: $pos to it + 1)(if: $pos < 10)[filled with resolution, you prepare for the next step in the war.(click-goto: "filled with resolution, you prepare for the next step in the war.", $y2evs's ($pos))](if: $pos is 10)[[[filled with resolution, you prepare for the next step in the war.->YearThree]]]

         Even from your vantage point on the walls of the camp, you can see the two lines of chariots as they careen towards each other and turn about for a second pass. After a few passes, the lines become hopelessly muddled, and the foot soldiers have entered the fray, giving you a sight mostly of dust and chaos. (if: $Teukros is 'alive')[(if: (random: 1,50) is 50)[(set: $AiasS to 'wounded1')](if:(random:1,15) is 15)[(set: $Teukros to 'wounded1')]          Eventually, the dust clears, and you can clearly make out both sides returning home again. There have been many casualties among the common men, but no one of note on either side met his end, (if: $AiasS is 'wounded1')[(if: $Teukros is 'wounded1')[though unfortunately both Aias and his brother Teukros were lightly injured.](else:)[though Aias did suffer a slight injury.]](else_if: $Teukros is 'wounded1')[though sadly Teukros did receive a slight injury.](else:)[or even serious injury.] You were lucky today, but you are sure that luck was largely due to your decision to place the mighty son of Telamon at the center of the formation.] (else:)[(if: (random: 1,50) is 50)[(set: $AiasS to 'wounded1')]          Eventually, the dust clears, and you can clearly make out both sides returning home again. There have been many casualties among the common men, but no one of note on either side met his end, (if: $AiasS is 'wounded1')[though Aias did suffer a slight injury.](else:)[or even serious injury.] You were lucky today, but you are sure that luck was largely due to your decision to place the mighty son of Telamon at the center of the formation.]          With the battle behind you, you prepare for tomorrow, (set: $pos to it + 1)(if: $pos < 10)[filled with resolution, you prepare for the next step in the war.(click-goto: "filled with resolution, you prepare for the next step in the war.", $y2evs's ($pos))](if: $pos is 10)[         [[Filled with resolution, you prepare for the next step in the war.->YearThree]]]

         Even from your vantage point on the walls of the camp, you can see the two lines of chariots as they careen towards each other and turn about for a second pass. After a few passes, the lines become hopelessly muddled, and the foot soldiers have entered the fray, giving you a sight mostly of dust and chaos. (if: $Meriones is 'alive')[(if: (random: 1,6) is 6)[(set: $Idomeneus to 'wounded1')](if:(random:1,15) is 15)[(set: $Meriones to 'wounded1')]          Eventually, the dust clears, and you can clearly make out both sides returning home again. There have been many casualties among the common men, but no one of note on either side met his end, (if: $Idomeneus is 'wounded1')[(if: $Meriones is 'wounded1')[though unfortunately both Idomeneus and his nephew Meriones were lightly injured.](else:)[though Idomeneus did suffer a slight injury.]](else_if: $Meriones is 'wounded1')[though sadly Meriones did receive a slight injury.](else:)[or even serious injury.] You were lucky today, and you wonder if that luck was because of the divine favor shown to the indomitable Cretan king.](else:)[(if: (random: 1,6) is 6)[(set: $Idomeneus to 'wounded1')]          Eventually, the dust clears, and you can clearly make out both sides returning home again. There have been many casualties among the common men, but no one of note on either side met his end, (if: $Idomeneus is 'wounded1')[though Idomeneus did suffer a slight injury.](else:)[or even serious injury.] You were lucky today, and you wonder if that luck was because of the divine favor shown to the indomitable Cretan king.]          With the battle behind you, you prepare for tomorrow, (set: $pos to it + 1)(if: $pos < 10)[filled with resolution, you prepare for the next step in the war.(click-goto: "filled with resolution, you prepare for the next step in the war.", $y2evs's ($pos))](if: $pos is 10)[[[filled with resolution, you prepare for the next step in the war.->YearThree]]]

         Achilleus sets out with a fleet of almost two dozen ships towards Lesbos. The plan you agreed upon with him is that he shall land his fleet in Methymna, where his men will rest for one night, before half of them sail onwards to Mytilene as the rest walk there, capturing the city in a pincer between land and sea forces. No matter how much the residents of Mytilene may have tried to prepare themselves, surely they will be easily overwhelmed by such a massive force!          Indeed, when the fleet returns five days later, Achilleus is able to deliver to you the good news that everything went perfectly according to plan. Along with also delivering food, weapons, slaves and treasure.          All in all, a well-planned and well-executed raid! (set: $pos to it + 1)(if: $pos < 10)[         Filled with resolution, you prepare for the next step in the war.(click-goto: "Filled with resolution, you prepare for the next step in the war.", $y2evs's ($pos))](if: $pos is 10)[         [[Filled with resolution, you prepare for the next step in the war.->YearThree]]]

         Aias sets out with a fleet of almost two dozen ships towards Lesbos. The plan you agreed upon with him is that he shall land his fleet in Methymna, where his men will rest for one night, before half of them sail onwards to Mytilene as the rest walk there, capturing the city in a pincer between land and sea forces. No matter how much the residents of Mytilene may have tried to prepare themselves, surely they will be easily overwhelmed by such a massive force!          Indeed, when the fleet returns five days later, Aias is able to deliver to you the good news that everything went perfectly according to plan. Along with also delivering food, weapons, slaves and treasure.          All in all, a well-planned and well-executed raid! (set: $pos to it + 1)(if: $pos < 10)[         Filled with resolution, you prepare for the next step in the war.(click-goto: "Filled with resolution, you prepare for the next step in the war.", $y2evs's ($pos))](if: $pos is 10)[         [[Filled with resolution, you prepare for the next step in the war.->YearThree]]]

         Odysseus sets out with a fleet of almost two dozen ships towards Lesbos. The plan you agreed upon with him is that he shall land his fleet in Methymna, where his men will rest for one night, before half of them sail onwards to Mytilene as the rest walk there, capturing the city in a pincer between land and sea forces. No matter how much the residents of Mytilene may have tried to prepare themselves, surely they will be easily overwhelmed by such a massive force!          Indeed, when the fleet returns five days later, Odysseus is able to deliver to you the good news that everything went perfectly according to plan. Along with also delivering food, weapons, slaves and treasure.          All in all, a well-planned and well-executed raid! (set: $pos to it + 1)(if: $pos < 10)[         Filled with resolution, you prepare for the next step in the war.(click-goto: "Filled with resolution, you prepare for the next step in the war.", $y2evs's ($pos))](if: $pos is 10)[         [[Filled with resolution, you prepare for the next step in the war.->YearThree]]]

         Diomedes sets out with a fleet of almost two dozen ships towards Lesbos. The plan you agreed upon with him is that he shall land his fleet in Methymna, where his men will rest for one night, before half of them sail onwards to Mytilene as the rest walk there, capturing the city in a pincer between land and sea forces. No matter how much the residents of Mytilene may have tried to prepare themselves, surely they will be easily overwhelmed by such a massive force!          Indeed, when the fleet returns five days later, Diomedes is able to deliver to you the good news that everything went perfectly according to plan. Along with also delivering food, weapons, slaves and treasure.          All in all, a well-planned and well-executed raid! (set: $pos to it + 1)(if: $pos < 10)[         Filled with resolution, you prepare for the next step in the war.(click-goto: "Filled with resolution, you prepare for the next step in the war.", $y2evs's ($pos))](if: $pos is 10)[         [[Filled with resolution, you prepare for the next step in the war.->YearThree]]]

         Tired of merely sitting in the camp while the other men do all the work, you set out with a fleet of almost two dozen ships towards Lesbos. The plan you decided upon with your advisors is that you shall land the fleet in Methymna, where your men will rest for one night, before half of them (yourself included) sail onwards to Mytilene as the rest walk there, capturing the city in a pincer between land and sea forces. No matter how much the residents of Mytilene may have tried to prepare themselves, surely they will be easily overwhelmed by such a massive force!          Indeed, it all goes precisely to plan, and you return to camp five days later, your ships low in the water due to all of the food, weapons, slaves and treasure you won in Mytilene.          All in all, a well-planned and well-executed raid! (set: $pos to it + 1)(if: $pos < 10)[         Filled with resolution, you prepare for the next step in the war.(click-goto: "Filled with resolution, you prepare for the next step in the war.", $y2evs's ($pos))](if: $pos is 10)[         [[Filled with resolution, you prepare for the next step in the war.->YearThree]]]

         Cycnos sets out with a fleet of almost two dozen ships towards Lesbos. The plan you agreed upon with him is that he shall land his fleet in Methymna, where his men will rest for one night, before half of them sail onwards to Mytilene as the rest walk there, capturing the city in a pincer between land and sea forces. No matter how much the residents of Mytilene may have tried to prepare themselves, surely they will be easily overwhelmed by such a massive force!          Indeed, when the fleet returns five days later, Cycnos is able to deliver to you the good news that everything went perfectly according to plan. Along with also delivering food, weapons, slaves and treasure.          All in all, a well-planned and well-executed raid! (set: $pos to it + 1)(if: $pos < 10)[         Filled with resolution, you prepare for the next step in the war.(click-goto: "Filled with resolution, you prepare for the next step in the war.", $y2evs's ($pos))](if: $pos is 10)[         [[Filled with resolution, you prepare for the next step in the war.->YearThree]]]

         You really did hate to ask a warrior to supervise farmers going about the tasks of raising food, but you find you're sleeping better at night regardless, now that you know there will be some food for the troops that isn't dependent on winning in battle. (set: $pos to it + 1)(if: $pos < 10)[         Filled with resolution, you prepare for the next step in the war.(click-goto: "Filled with resolution, you prepare for the next step in the war.", $y2evs's ($pos))](if: $pos is 10)[         [[Filled with resolution, you prepare for the next step in the war.->YearThree]]]

         You watch as the lone ship sails off to the west towards Lemnos early in the morning. It returns late the next day, with reports of a successful voyage and plentiful new supplies, including fine new weapons. (set: $pos to it + 1)(if: $pos < 10)[         Filled with resolution, you prepare for the next step in the war.(click-goto: "Filled with resolution, you prepare for the next step in the war.", $y2evs's ($pos))](if: $pos is 10)[         [[Filled with resolution, you prepare for the next step in the war.->YearThree]]]

         Achilleus departs with enough men to take a city twice the size of Pedasos, to ensure that the battle will not be a difficult one. According to you scouts, it is a day and a half's march (at minimum) to Pedasos, so you expect you will probably see the force return in a week, perhaps only six days, and you hope that the Trojans will not attack the camp in the meantime.          The gods have favored you with good fortune, as it turns out, because there is no battle before the return of Achilleus and his men, leading behind them livestock, slaves, and wagons full of the spoils of war.          Achilleus reports a completely successful battle, with no men of note being killed or even injured. (set: $pos to it + 1)(if: $pos < 10)[         Filled with resolution, you prepare for the next step in the war.(click-goto: "Filled with resolution, you prepare for the next step in the war.", $y2evs's ($pos))](if: $pos is 10)[         [[Filled with resolution, you prepare for the next step in the war.->YearThree]]]

         Aias departs with enough men to take a city twice the size of Pedasos, to ensure that the battle will not be a difficult one. According to you scouts, it is a day and a half's march (at minimum) to Pedasos, so you expect you will probably see the force return in a week, perhaps only six days, and you hope that the Trojans will not attack the camp in the meantime.          The gods have favored you with good fortune, as it turns out, because there is no battle before the return of Aias and his men, leading behind them livestock, slaves, and wagons full of the spoils of war.          Aias reports a completely successful battle, with no men of note being killed or even injured. (set: $pos to it + 1)(if: $pos < 10)[         Filled with resolution, you prepare for the next step in the war.(click-goto: "Filled with resolution, you prepare for the next step in the war.", $y2evs's ($pos))](if: $pos is 10)[         [[Filled with resolution, you prepare for the next step in the war.->YearThree]]]

         Diomedes departs with enough men to take a city twice the size of Pedasos, to ensure that the battle will not be a difficult one. According to you scouts, it is a day and a half's march (at minimum) to Pedasos, so you expect you will probably see the force return in a week, perhaps only six days, and you hope that the Trojans will not attack the camp in the meantime.          The gods have favored you with good fortune, as it turns out, because there is no battle before the return of Diomedes and his men, leading behind them livestock, slaves, and wagons full of the spoils of war.          Diomedes reports a completely successful battle, with no men of note being killed or even injured. (set: $pos to it + 1)(if: $pos < 10)[         Filled with resolution, you prepare for the next step in the war.(click-goto: "Filled with resolution, you prepare for the next step in the war.", $y2evs's ($pos))](if: $pos is 10)[         [[Filled with resolution, you prepare for the next step in the war.->YearThree]]]

         Cycnos departs with enough men to take a city twice the size of Pedasos, to ensure that the battle will not be a difficult one. According to you scouts, it is a day and a half's march (at minimum) to Pedasos, so you expect you will probably see the force return in a week, perhaps only six days, and you hope that the Trojans will not attack the camp in the meantime.          The gods have favored you with good fortune, as it turns out, because there is no battle before the return of Cycnos and his men, leading behind them livestock, slaves, and wagons full of the spoils of war.          Cycnos reports a completely successful battle, with no men of note being killed or even injured. (set: $pos to it + 1)(if: $pos < 10)[         Filled with resolution, you prepare for the next step in the war.(click-goto: "Filled with resolution, you prepare for the next step in the war.", $y2evs's ($pos))](if: $pos is 10)[         [[Filled with resolution, you prepare for the next step in the war.->YearThree]]]

         Ascalaphos departs with enough men to take a city twice the size of Pedasos, to ensure that the battle will not be a difficult one. According to you scouts, it is a day and a half's march (at minimum) to Pedasos, so you expect you will probably see the force return in a week, perhaps only six days, and you hope that the Trojans will not attack the camp in the meantime.          The gods have favored you with good fortune, as it turns out, because there is no battle before the return of Ascalaphos and his men, leading behind them livestock, slaves, and wagons full of the spoils of war.          Ascalaphos reports a completely successful battle, with no men of note being killed or even injured. (set: $pos to it + 1)(if: $pos < 10)[         Filled with resolution, you prepare for the next step in the war.(click-goto: "Filled with resolution, you prepare for the next step in the war.", $y2evs's ($pos))](if: $pos is 10)[         [[Filled with resolution, you prepare for the next step in the war.->YearThree]]]

         Odysseus departs with enough men to take a city twice the size of Pedasos, to ensure that the battle will not be a difficult one. According to you scouts, it is a day and a half's march (at minimum) to Pedasos, so you expect you will probably see the force return in a week, perhaps only six days, and you hope that the Trojans will not attack the camp in the meantime.          The gods have favored you with good fortune, as it turns out, because there is no battle before the return of Odysseus and his men, leading behind them livestock, slaves, and wagons full of the spoils of war.          Odysseus reports a completely successful battle, with no men of note being killed or even injured. (set: $pos to it + 1)(if: $pos < 10)[         Filled with resolution, you prepare for the next step in the war.(click-goto: "Filled with resolution, you prepare for the next step in the war.", $y2evs's ($pos))](if: $pos is 10)[         [[Filled with resolution, you prepare for the next step in the war.->YearThree]]]

         Given Achilleus' great skill--and the rumors that numerous portents and prophecies indicated the necessity of his involvement for the war to be won--you feel less than no concern as he rides out to ambush the boy Troilos outside the temple of Apollo.          You are quite alarmed, therefore, when he returns many hours later, covered in blood. When you ask him what happened, he snarls at you. "You told me to kill that boy, and he's dead! What more do you want from me?!" Without another word, he storms into his hut, and you haven't the courage to follow him.          You send for Talthybios, and ask him to go learn what happened at the temple. No matter how things may have gone awry, even the Trojans wouldn't dare break the sacred laws against harming a herald.          Talthybios returns some time later, and asks to speak to you alone in your hut. You send away the counselors, servants and slaves so that the herald may speak in privacy. "Surely Achilleus did not fail in his objective?" you ask.          Talthybios shakes his head. "No, Troilos is most assuredly dead, but..." He pauses, then lets out an uncomfortable breath. "According to the local shepherd who witnessed the entire affair, when Achilleus leapt from his hiding place to attack Troilos, he stopped his hand before striking, and instead took hold of the youth's arm, uttering words of desire."          "He tried to *seduce* him?" You're quite surprised by such a turn of events (has he suddenly tired of Patroclos as a lover?), but even more perplexed by the overall outcome of the day. "How did the boy end up dead, then? Did his brothers kill him for betraying them?"          "I would prefer if I could honestly say that is what happened, but alas, no. The boy rejected Achilleus' advances, even after he explained that he had been sent to kill Troilos, and that only by accepting his love and protection could he survive the war. When Troilos continued to reject him, Achilleus became enraged. His fury enabled the boy to slip out of his grasp, whereupon he ran into the temple to seek shelter from his assailant, and Achilleus followed him inside."          "I...surely he was not fool enough to spill blood *inside* a temple? Please tell me he did not so callously outrage a god who is already siding with our enemy."          "The shepherd I spoke to did not see what happened within the temple," Talthybios admitted, "but when the elder princes arrived from Troy--either summoned by their fleeing sister or called by the prophetic powers Prince Helenos is said to have--they advanced on the temple only to be stopped by--" The herald's voice suddenly stops in a choked-off sound.          "Stopped by what?" you prompt when he does not continue.          "As they approached the temple, or so I was told, their younger brother's head was thrown at them, stunning them long enough for Achilleus to flee the scene of the slaughter." Talthybios shakes his head. "Then, or so the shepherd said, the mourning princes put more priority in recovering their brother's body than in pursuing his murderer."          You slump onto a nearby chair looted from...wherever it was looted from. "Gods above, what is wrong with the man?" You bite your lip a moment before looking back at the herald. "Is there any chance that the shepherd was lying to you, knowing you were one of Achilleus' allies?"          "I do not know," Talthybios admits. "I *hope* that was the case, but I fear it was not."          After sitting there in an astonished silence for a little too long, you wave your hand to dismiss the herald. "Let us pray Achilleus did not go so far in...in anything that he did this day. And let us not speak of this again."          Talthybios nods, and leaves your hut.          As you try to calm your nerves, you hope that this is the worst atrocity any man under your command will ever commit.(set: $Apollo to 'pissed')          (set: $pos to it + 1)(if: $pos < 10)[Filled with dread, you prepare for the next step in the war.(click-goto: "Filled with dread, you prepare for the next step in the war.", $y2evs's ($pos))](if: $pos is 10)[[[Filled with dread, you prepare for the next step in the war.->YearThree]]]

         As Aias is one of your strongest warriors and one of the most steady of heart and mind, you feel less than no concern as he rides out to ambush the boy Troilos outside the temple of Apollo.          His successful return some hours later proves that you were right not to worry. Not only does Aias return to tell the tale of a simple and easy slaying of a young man unexpecting attack and unable to defend himself, but he also returns with a pair of very fine horses which had belonged to the young prince and his sister.          "I tried to take the girl as well," Aias tells you in his slow, measured tones, "but she escaped into the temple. I did not wish to drag her out again."          "You did the right thing," you assure Aias. "She'll end up in our hands after the city falls, after all, and *without* any need to defile a temple. These horses are quite magnificent," you add. "They will serve you well in battle, and help to shake the heart of the enemy when they recognize them." (set: $pos to it + 1)(if: $pos < 10)[         Filled with resolution, you prepare for the next step in the war.(click-goto: "Filled with resolution, you prepare for the next step in the war.", $y2evs's ($pos))](if: $pos is 10)[         [[Filled with resolution, you prepare for the next step in the war.->YearThree]]]

         As Diomedes is both one of your strongest warriors and one of the most clever, you feel less than no concern as he rides out to ambush the boy Troilos outside the temple of Apollo.          His successful return some hours later proves that you were right not to worry. Not only does Diomedes return to tell the tale of a simple and easy slaying of a young man unexpecting attack and unable to defend himself, but he also returns with a pair of very fine horses which had belonged to the young prince and his sister.          "I'm just sorry I couldn't bring back the sister as well," Diomedes says, shaking his head. "Quite a pretty little thing; would have made a wonderful concubine. But she took shelter in the temple, clinging to the god's statue, and...who can afford to anger the gods that far?"          "You did the right thing," you assure Diomedes. "She'll end up in our hands after the city falls, after all, and *without* any need to defile a temple. These horses are quite magnificent," you add. "They will serve you well in battle, and help to shake the heart of the enemy when they recognize them." (set: $pos to it + 1)(if: $pos < 10)[         Filled with resolution, you prepare for the next step in the war.(click-goto: "Filled with resolution, you prepare for the next step in the war.", $y2evs's ($pos))](if: $pos is 10)[         [[Filled with resolution, you prepare for the next step in the war.->YearThree]]]

         As Aias rides out to ambush the boy Troilos outside the temple of Apollo, you cannot shake a feeling of dread from your heart. Why did you entrust this task to a man like Aias Oileades? That he has the necessary skill to kill a boy on the cusp of manhood you do not doubt, and yet...you feel certain that you made the wrong choice.          His return some hours later proves your premonition to be entirely accurate. Aias returns with a weeping girl sitting before him on his horse, her gown torn and bloodied. He explains that she is his new concubine, Polyxena, daughter of Priam. Overlooking the fact that Aias of Locris is in no way important enough to merit a daughter of Priam as his concubine (and that he already *has* a concubine), you demand a full explanation of what happened on the expedition.          To your great surprise, Polyxena bursts away from Aias and falls to the ground before you, clutching your knees and begging you to help her. She explains that Aias burst out of the woods near the Thymbrian well, and pursued her into the temple, where he forced himself upon her even as she clung to the statue of Apollo for succor.          Disgustingly, Aias does not look the least bit ashamed of his actions, and merely demands that you return the girl to him. "Did you do as she says?" you ask him.          "What of it? She's a Trojan barbarian. I can do what I want to barbarian girls."          "What about your mission?" you ask, straining against the fury that wants to erupt forth from you. "What about Troilos?"          "Oh. Forgot about him." Aias shrugs. "He's just a boy. He'll be easy to kill any time."          By the time you manage to calm your ire at Aias' words and actions, half the camp knows what happened. A meeting is called of all the most important men to discuss what to do.          "Apollo's temple has been defiled," Calchas says. "He will not forgive us while the defiler lives."          "Apollo has his way with unwilling maidens all the time," Aias says with a laugh. "He's probably just jealous that I got to her first!" (if: $Achilles is 'alive')[          The girl quivers and whimpers, hiding behind Achilleus, who eagerly shelters her in his arms. ]          "Apollo is our enemy anyway," Menelaos comments. "I wonder if this even changes anything?"          "It is a vile desecration of sacred space," Nestor says. "It must not go unpunished."          "I hesitate to suggest we harm one of our own," Phoinix comments. "Perhaps we should return the girl to her family, and send him along as a prisoner for the Trojans to do with as they feel is just."          "They'd kill me!" Aias objects.          "Apollo might kill us all if we don't do something," Meriones says. "But perhaps we could simply exile him, sending him back to Locris?"          You feel all eyes on you, and realize that you have to make a decision. Worse still, you fear there is no right decision to make.          [[Return the girl to her family and give them Aias to punish as they see fit.->AiasAftermath1]]          [[We cannot turn on one of our own. Apollo is already our enemy. What is the worst that could happen?->AiasAftermath2]]

         After you explain the task to Cycnos, he frowns at you and remains motionless for a surprisingly long time. Eventually, he shakes his head. (if: $Achilles is 'alive')[         "I won't do it," he says. "I won't lie in wait to murder a boy who hasn't yet grown into his first beard. If you ask me to do this terrible thing, you will find me your enemy once again."          "There's no need for that," you assure him hastily. "There are plenty of other warriors in this camp. I'll ask one of them to do it. I apologize for even mentioning such an awful deed to you."          Cycnos nods, and leaves your hut. [[Sighing, you decide to ask Achilleus to do the job instead.->TroilosAchilles]]](else:)[         "I won't do it," he says. "I won't lie in wait to murder a boy who hasn't yet grown into his first beard. I'll capture him for you, but I won't kill him."          "That's more than enough," you assure Cycnos eagerly. "Once he's our captive, Calchas can consult the omens again. Perhaps it will be sufficient simply to keep him away from the city, rather than having to kill him. The notion of killing such a young lad offends me, as well."          Cycnos nods, and leaves the camp. A few hours later, he returns with an unconscious youth tossed over his shoulder like a sack of grain. The youth is very fair of face--making the claim of descent from Apollo far more believable--and it pains you to think that you might have to order his death.          Calchas reads the signs again, and once again announces that it is a certainty that Troilos must die if Troy is to fall. However, the death need not be a violent one, he adds. With that in mind, you order that the young man be bound, and then abandoned on a deserted island off the coast, near enough that you will be able to see it from the camp if anyone should attempt to rescue him, but far enough that you will not have to watch him die.          Even though you avoided having the boy's blood directly on your hands--or those of any of your men--you still feel tainted by the entire affair. (set: $pos to it + 1)(if: $pos < 10)[Filled with despair, you prepare for the next step in the war.(click-goto: "Filled with despair, you prepare for the next step in the war.", $y2evs's ($pos))](if: $pos is 10)[[[Filled with despair, you prepare for the next step in the war.->YearThree]]]]

         As Odysseus is probably the most clever man in the camp as well as being a skilled warrior, you feel less than no concern as he walks out to ambush the boy Troilos outside the temple of Apollo.          His successful return some hours later proves that you were right not to worry. While he had left on foot, Odysseus returns on horseback, accompanied by a beautiful young girl mounted on a matching horse.          "Permit me to introduce you to the princess Polyxena," Odysseus says, gesturing towards his captive, before ordering one of his men to take her to the enclosure where slaves await allotment or trade. "I did not have to reveal myself in order to slay her brother," he explains, patting the bow slung over his shoulder, "so by the time she understood what was happening, he was already dead, and I was nearly upon her. She did attempt to hide in the temple, but I caught her before she could get there."          "Most impressive," you agree, though you feel a bit disconcerted by the level of pride Odysseus is exhibiting over such an ignominious act as slaying a man while entirely hidden from sight. "Were you expecting her to become your concubine?" you ask, hearing the suspicion in your mind as it enters your voice. Odysseus already *has* a concubine, and he is hardly important enough to receive a daughter of King Priam, surely!          "I had no such thoughts," Odysseus claims, with a particularly unconvincing smile. "We might wish to allow her parents to ransom her, in fact. She is rather too young for any of the princes in our company, except perhaps Antilochos."          You nod, not quite sure what to think. "I will call a meeting of the other princes and see what the majority view is as to what should be her fate." Though you are fairly sure that several of the younger princes, particularly Achilleus, will want to claim her for themselves, you are more partial to the idea of allowing her parents to ransom her... (set: $pos to it + 1)(if: $pos < 10)[         Filled with resolution, you prepare for the next step in the war.(click-goto: "Filled with resolution, you prepare for the next step in the war.", $y2evs's ($pos))](if: $pos is 10)[         [[Filled with resolution, you prepare for the next step in the war.->YearThree]]]

(if: $Odysseus is 'wounded1' or 'farming')[(set: $Odysseus to 'alive')](if: $Hector is 'wounded1')[(set: $Hector to 'alive')](if: $Idomeneus is 'wounded1' or 'farming')[(set: $Idomeneus to 'alive')](if: $Achilles is 'wounded1' or 'farming')[(set: $Achilles to 'alive')](if: $Patroclos is 'wounded1' or 'farming')[(set: $Patroclos to 'alive')](if: $AiasS is 'wounded1' or 'farming')[(set: $AiasS to 'alive')](if: $Teukros is 'wounded1' or 'farming')[(set: $Teukros to 'alive')](if: $Diomedes is 'wounded1' or 'farming')[(set: $Diomedes to 'alive')](if: $Ascalaphos is 'wounded1' or 'farming')[(set: $Ascalaphos to 'alive')](if: $Menelaos is 'wounded1' or 'farming')[(set: $Menelaos to 'alive')](if: $Protesilaos is 'wounded1' or 'farming')[(set: $Protesilaos to 'alive')](if: $Antilochos is 'wounded1' or 'farming')[(set: $Antilochos to 'alive')](if: $AiasL is 'wounded1' or 'farming')[(set: $AiasL to 'alive')](if: $Podaleirios is 'wounded1' or 'farming')[(set: $Podaleirios to 'alive')](if: $Thersites is 'farming')[(set: $Thersites to 'alive')] <img src="YearThree.jpg" width="600" height="534">          You wake one morning realizing that two full years have passed since you were given control over this army. [[The realization is galling. How has this war taken so long?->YearThreeMomentOfZen]]

         You send the herald Talthybios to return Polyxena to her parents along with a trussed Aias.          Talthybios returns the next day and reports to you that the Trojans decided to hang Aias upside down by his privates and stone him to death.          You call a meeting of the other princes and divide up Aias' belongings, setting some aside to be sent to his father, splitting the rest up among yourselves. His unfortunate concubine is given her freedom to apologize for having ever made her share the bed of such an unpleasant man.          Afterwards, you hope that this is the worst atrocity any man under your command will ever commit.(set: $Troilos to 'alive')(set: $AiasL to 'dead')(set: $AiasLDeath to 'stoned') (set: $pos to it + 1)(if: $pos < 10)[         Filled with dread, you prepare for the next step in the war.(click-goto: "Filled with dread, you prepare for the next step in the war.", $y2evs's ($pos))](if: $pos is 10)[         [[Filled with dread, you prepare for the next step in the war.->YearThree]]]

         As night falls, Apollo begins to make his wrath known. You can hear the coughing even before you fall asleep.          The plague has taken half the camp by the time you rise in the morning, and you are woken by the stench of the funeral pyres as some of the more panicky men seem to think that if they burn the corpses right away, the sickness will be burned away with them.          By the dawn of the second day, the only one left alive in the camp is Polyxena. =><= ***GAME OVER*** <=          [[Try again?->Title Screen]]

         Gripped by malaise, you rise with the dawn, and climb aboard the ship that brought you here, turning your gaze back towards your homeland in distant (if: $home is '...')[Hellas](else:)[$home]. How did you come to this strange fate?          Well, you came to it by courting (and failing to win) the fair Helen, of course. (if: $Odysseus is 'dead')[(At least the vile oath Odysseus schemed into existence has gotten the blighter killed!)] With the singularly depressing fact that you were dismissed from your courtship so early on that you never even got to lay eyes upon her! At least you'll get to see her when (if?) you win the war, but only after her beauty has been dimmed by some twenty years or more. Though if the rumors are true, perhaps her beauty doesn't fade; she's supposed to have been born on the same day as the Dioscuri, though they were heroes of your father's generation!          As you turn away from the sea to look at the camp, you feel a gnawing sensation in your gut. Whatever happened at Aulis to prevent Agamemnon from sailing to Troy (you have heard varying rumors over the past two years ranging from mourning the sudden death of a child to *his own* sudden death), it has left you in a position of supreme power that you were never born to wield. You hope you have been doing the job well, but sometimes you worry if you really are.          How many men have died on these fertile Phrygian fields since your fleet first landed? (if: $Achilles is 'dead')[You have already gotten Achilleus killed, even though a prophecy allegedly said the war could not be won without him; would he still be alive if Agamemnon was leading the battle in your place? Or was it his unexpected death on the beach that was necessary for the war's successful outcome all along, like a sacrifice to some vicious god?](if: $AiasS is 'dead')[Would Agamemnon have gotten the mighty son of Telamon killed, or would Aias still be protecting his fellow Achaians if Atreides was leading this war?] The fact that you can neither name nor number all the Hellenic dead whose blood has watered these fields alarms you, though you try to tell yourself that Agamemnon would be no more certain of their names or number than you are.          As much as you wish you could go home to your nice, comfortable home and your nice, comfortable wife (who you pray has not found a nice, comfortable lover in your absence), you know that you have no choice but to press forward. Having started this war, you must see it to its completion, or you will forever be branded a pathetic coward. Worse still, no Achaian man will ever again be taken seriously by his foreign guests if you back down, and all the sacred practices of guest-friendship will fall into mockery and abuse. There will be no peace again if Troy does not fall to your forces. (set: $pos to 1) (set: $y3evs to (shuffled: 'Palamedes','Troilos2','Farming3','Sacking3','Sacking3','Battle3a','Battle3b','Battle3a','Battle3b','Lemnos3'))          Having come to that grim and sobering realization, you return to the camp, ready to forge ahead, no matter what the Fates have in store.(click-goto: "ready to forge ahead, no matter what the Fates have in store.", $y3evs's 1st)

(if: $Odysseus is 'dead')[(goto: "Battle3b")](else:)[         One morning, Palamedes, son of Nauplios of Euboia comes before you with a suggestion. "We need better and more steady sources of food," he tells you. "Our best bet is to arrange regular shipments from an allied port. One that will not be as greedy for slaves as Lemnos is."          "Sounds good to me," you agree. "Did you have something in mind?"          "I have connections at the royal court in Chios to the south," he tells you. "I believe I can convince them to send us aid regularly for a very slight repayment in gold, unlike the slaves demanded in Lemnos."          "It's not like we have anything else to do with the slaves..."          "Continuing to enslave the entire population of every town we raid will only make us appear to be villains without a shred of decency or morality. How can we claim the gods favor us if we act in such an unforgivable manner?"          "I hadn't looked at it that way," you admit. "Fine, take a ship and speak with their king. Our army will be useless if we can't feed it."          Palamedes thanks you for your understanding, and sets out with a single ship. It's not a long trip, at most two days in each direction, just short enough not to engender any concern, and just long enough to forget about the entire expedition by the morning of the fourth day, when Odysseus comes to see you in your hut, dragging a badly battered local youth with him as he does so.          "What is going on?" you ask, looking at the young man with some concern. Odysseus isn't the type to beat someone just for the fun of it, but many of the other men *are*...          "I caught this Trojan spy sneaking into the camp last night," Odysseus tells you. "He says he has come here to obtain information on our plans from a traitor who has been paid off with Priam's gold."          For a moment, you don't know how to react. "Is that true?" you ask, looking at the young man. But he just looks back at you blankly. "Doesn't he speak our language?" you ask, looking back at Odysseus.          "He doesn't," Odysseus says. "Only the Hatti dialect of the Trojan court." He smiles. "I had my concubine translate."          There is much about his story that you find highly suspect, but you go ahead and call a meeting of the other princes regardless. Teukros can speak the tongue of Hatti (thanks to his Trojan mother, he explains), and he speaks to the captured spy for some time before finally announcing that the young man's words accord with those of Odysseus: "He says he came here last night to pick up a message from the traitor to take back to his king."          "What sort of message?" Phoinix asks. "And who is the traitor?"          "He said he doesn't know the name or even the appearance of the man he was to meet with, only the place to look for the message," Teukros answers. "Apparently, it was to be left under a pile of rocks beside the well."          Half a dozen of the princes rush out to the well, yourself included, and you are all soon overturning every rock in its vicinity. Beneath one small pile of them, Menelaos uncovers a hinged message tablet of the sort often used in Hatti, but rarely seen in Hellas. Inside, carved into the soft wax, is a message in Achaian script. "Are there any scribes in the camp?" you ask, realizing that you have no idea what the message says.          Talthybios the herald is sent for, as it turns out he knows how to read. He looks at the message uncertainly for a long time. "The man who wrote this is not accustomed to writing," he announces. "It is hard to make out what it means...but I believe it is information on our numbers, along with the names of our most important men and their weaknesses."          Calls immediately go up to find the traitor and punish him. Odysseus interrupts by saying that surely the traitor must have his hut in the vicinity of the well, and a search party is quickly made up, going through every hut in that section of camp.          It doesn't take long before Meriones appears before you, ashen-faced. "I believe I found something," he tells you, before leading you to Palamedes' hut. There, in a shallow hole in the floor, is a bag of golden rings, beads and other trinkets. "When I looked underneath his pallet, I found a spot of recently disturbed earth," Meriones explains. "When I investigated there..." He pauses, looking at you uncomfortably. "There has to be some mistake," he says. "Palamedes is my kin--his mother was a daughter of Catreus, and sister of Menelaos' mother. I cannot believe he would do such a thing."          You hesitate to say anything in response. It does seem implausible at best that Palamedes would turn on everyone, and yet you have no doubts that Palamedes is one of the few princes in the camp who is able to interpret letters without the aid of a scribe, and he is certainly clever enough that if he *was* a traitor, he would want the spy to retrieve his message while he was safely away from the camp to look innocent. And yet, you are *also* certain that Odysseus, too, is capable of reading and writing without the services of a scribe, and you have often noticed that those two do not get along...          You take the bag into custody as evidence, and call back the rest of the assembly, telling them what was found. "We will do nothing for now," you say, "and when Palamedes returns we will all convene to learn the truth of the matter. Until then, keep the Trojan spy locked up and away from all other people."          [[You are not looking forward to Palamedes' return, and almost find yourself wishing he will be lost at sea.->Trial]]]

(if: $Troilos is 'alive')[         Calchas sends for you one morning, a fact which you find deeply irritating, since he's only a priest while you are (if: $home is '...')[a king](else:)[the King of $home], not to mention that you are the general leading this unprecedented force of kings and princes.          But you still go see him anyway, because who can afford to anger the gods? You find him peering into the entrails of a recently sacrificed animal. "Look at this," Calchas says, indicating the entrails. "What do you see there?"          "I see that we don't feed our chickens very well," you say, trying not to be quite as disgusted by the sight as you actually are.          Calchas looks at you in much the same way you were just looking at the entrails. "The omens portend disaster for the war," he tells you. "Because you did not heed my advice and have Prince Troilos killed."          "No, that's not my fault!" you insist. "I sent one of our men to kill him, but he was a perverted louse that decided to rape the boy's sister instead of--"          "But then you never sent another expedition to kill Troilos," Calchas reminds you.          "Well...that's true," you admit. "It just felt..." Your voice trails off as you realize you can't provide any decent excuse. You didn't try a second time to have Troilos killed because you were terrified of what the *next* man might do if you did. And it never quite came up again as a subject...          "He must be dealt with *soon*, or we might as well leave right now," Calchas tells you. "He already begins to grow his first beard. According to these signs, he will ride out with his brothers in the next sortie. If he survives that day, the city will never fall."          You let out a sigh of relief. "Is that all? Not to worry. He won't survive the fight, no matter how his brothers try to protect him." You feel certain of this, as certain as you are that the sun will rise in the morning. (if: $Achilles is 'alive')[         [[Send Achilleus.->Troilos2Achilles]] ](if: $AiasS is 'alive')[         [[Send Aias of Salamis.->Troilos2AiasS]] ](if: $Diomedes is 'alive')[         [[Send Diomedes.->Troilos2Diomedes]] ](if: $Cycnos is 'ally')[         [[Send Cycnos.->Troilos2Cycnos]]]] (else:)[(goto: "Battle3a")]

         You decide now is as good a time as any to send a boat with some of the excess slaves to Lemnos to trade them for supplies.          Fortunately, the voyage to Lemnos will take at most a day, so the chances of the men being needed before their return are very slim. Still, best to put one of the lesser nobles in charge. Just in case. (if: $Patroclos is 'alive')[         [[Send Patroclos.->Lemnos3Patroclos]] ](if: $Teukros is 'alive')[         [[Send Teukros.->Lemnos3Other]] ](if: $Meriones is 'alive')[         [[Send Meriones.->Lemnos3Other]] ](if: $Antilochos is 'alive')[         [[Send Antilochos.->Lemnos3Other]] ](if: $Podaleirios is 'alive')[         [[Send Podaleirios.->Lemnos3Other]] ](if: $Machaon is 'alive')[         [[Send Machaon.->Lemnos3Other]]]

         You decide that it is high time you acted like you were really here to conquer the Trojan citadel, and order the men to prepare for a pitched battle. They hurry into their arms and armor, and prepare the chariots for war.          As the chariots form up into ranks, you have to decide who to give the central position in the line. (if: $Achilles is 'alive')[         [[Put Achilleus in the center.->Battle3Achilles]] ](if: $AiasS is 'alive')[         [[Put Aias of Salamis in the center.->Battle3AiasS]] ](if: $Diomedes is 'alive')[         [[Put Diomedes in the center.->Battle3Diomedes]] ](if: $Odysseus is 'alive')[         [[Put Odysseus in the center.->Battle3Odysseus]] ](if: $Idomeneus is 'alive')[         [[Put Idomeneus in the center.->Battle3Idomeneus]] ](if: $Ascalaphos is 'alive')[         [[Put Ascalaphos in the center.->Battle3Ascalaphos]] ](if: $Cycnos is 'ally')[         [[Put Cycnos in the center.->Battle3Cycnos]] ](if: $Menelaos is 'alive')[         [[Put Menelaos in the center.->Battle3Menelaos]] ](if: $Protesilaos is 'alive')[         [[Put Protesilaos in the center.->Battle3Protesilaos]] ](if: $Antilochos is 'alive')[         [[Put Nestor in the center.->Battle3Nestor]] ](if: $AiasL is 'alive')[         [[Put Aias of Locris in the center.->Battle3AiasL]] ](if: $Podaleirios is 'alive')[         [[Put Podaleirios in the center.->Battle3Podaleirios]]]

         The alarum sounds through the camp, informing everyone that the Trojans are preparing a sortie. Men scramble to arm themselves and get in position in their chariots, and soon the battle lines are assembling on the field before the wide walls of fair Ilios.          As the chariots form up into ranks, you have to decide who to give the central position in the line. (if: $Achilles is 'alive')[         [[Put Achilleus in the center.->Battle3Achilles]] ](if: $AiasS is 'alive')[         [[Put Aias of Salamis in the center.->Battle3AiasS]] ](if: $Diomedes is 'alive')[         [[Put Diomedes in the center.->Battle3Diomedes]] ](if: $Odysseus is 'alive')[         [[Put Odysseus in the center.->Battle3Odysseus]] ](if: $Idomeneus is 'alive')[         [[Put Idomeneus in the center.->Battle3Idomeneus]] ](if: $Ascalaphos is 'alive')[         [[Put Ascalaphos in the center.->Battle3Ascalaphos]] ](if: $Cycnos is 'ally')[         [[Put Cycnos in the center.->Battle3Cycnos]] ](if: $Menelaos is 'alive')[         [[Put Menelaos in the center.->Battle3Menelaos]] ](if: $Protesilaos is 'alive')[         [[Put Protesilaos in the center.->Battle3Protesilaos]] ](if: $Antilochos is 'alive')[         [[Put Nestor in the center.->Battle3Nestor]] ](if: $AiasL is 'alive')[         [[Put Aias of Locris in the center.->Battle3AiasL]] ](if: $Podaleirios is 'alive')[         [[Put Podaleirios in the center.->Battle3Podaleirios]]]

         Supplies are not great. The entire council of princes agrees that the best thing to do is to find some local town and raid it for food, weapons, and slaves to trade on Lemnos for more food and weapons.          Who will you put in charge of the raid? (if: $Achilles is 'alive')[         [[Achilleus->Sacking3Achilles]] ](if: $AiasS is 'alive')[         [[Aias of Salamis->Sacking3AiasS]] ](if: $Diomedes is 'alive')[         [[Diomedes->Sacking3Diomedes]] ](if: $Odysseus is 'alive')[         [[Odysseus->Sacking3Odysseus]] ](if: $Idomeneus is 'alive')[         [[Idomeneus->Sacking3Idomeneus]] ](if: $Ascalaphos is 'alive')[         [[Ascalaphos->Sacking3Ascalaphos]] ](if: $Cycnos is 'ally')[         [[Cycnos->Sacking3Cycnos]] ](if: $Menelaos is 'alive')[         [[Menelaos->Sacking3Menelaos]] ](if: $Protesilaos is 'alive')[         [[Protesilaos->Sacking3Protesilaos]] ](if: $Antilochos is 'alive')[         [[Nestor->Sacking3Nestor]] ](if: $AiasL is 'alive')[         [[Aias of Locris->Sacking3AiasL]]]

         As much as you hate to admit it, you can't just depend on raiding the local villages for food, or on trading slaves to Lemnos.          You're going to have to set some of your troops to growing food themselves.          Admittedly, many of the common troops are farmers at home anyway, but it's still a humiliating thought.          You decide you'd better put a less important nobleman in charge, just in case the troops involved begin to balk after a while. Unfortunately, that means they won't be able to join in the battle for some months to come, but...sometimes these things are just unavoidable! (On reflection, you decide that a more important or powerful warrior who is currently too wounded for battle would also be able to handle this task, since he certainly wouldn't be doing the farming himself.) (if: $Achilles is 'wounded1')[         Have Achilleus supervise.(click: "Have Achilleus supervise.")[(set: $Achilles to 'farming')(goto: "Farming3Other")] ](if: $AiasS is 'wounded1')[         Have Aias of Salamis supervise.(click: "Have Aias of Salamis supervise.")[(set: $AiasS to 'farming')(goto: "Farming3Other")] ](if: $Odysseus is 'wounded1')[         Have Odysseus supervise.(click: "Have Odysseus supervise.")[(set: $Odysseus to 'farming')(goto: "Farming3Other")] ](if: $Diomedes is 'wounded1')[         Have Diomedes supervise.(click: "Have Diomedes supervise.")[(set: $Diomedes to 'farming')(goto: "Farming3Other")] ](if: $AiasL is 'wounded1')[         Have Aias of Locris supervise.(click: "Have Aias of Locris supervise.")[(set: $AiasL to 'farming')(goto: "Farming3Other")] ](if: $Idomeneus is 'wounded1')[         Have Idomeneus supervise.(click: "Have Idomeneus supervise.")[(set: $Idomeneus to 'farming')(goto: "Farming3Other")] ](if: $Ascalaphos is 'wounded1')[         Have Ascalaphos supervise.(click: "Have Ascalaphos supervise.")[(set: $Ascalaphos to 'farming')(goto: "Farming3Other")] ](if: $Menelaos is 'wounded1')[Have Menelaos supervise.(click: "Have Menelaos supervise.")[(set: $Menelaos to 'farming')(goto: "Farming3Other")] ](if: $Protesilaos is 'wounded1')[         Have Protesilaos supervise.(click: "Have Protesilaos supervise.")[(set: $Protesilaos to 'farming')(goto: "Farming3Other")] ][         Have Patroclos supervise.(click: "Have Patroclos supervise.")[(set: $Patroclos to 'farming')(goto: "Farming3Patroclos")]] [         Have Meriones supervise.(click: "Have Meriones supervise.")[(set: $Meriones to 'farming')(goto: "Farming3Other")]] [         Have Teukros supervise.(click: "Have Teukros supervise.")[(set: $Teukros to 'farming')(goto: "Farming3Other")]] [         Have Antilochos supervise.(click: "Have Antilochos supervise.")[(set: $Antilochos to 'farming')(goto: "Farming3Other")]]          [[Have Phoinix supervise.->Farming3Other]] (if: $Thersites is 'alive')[         [[He's not really suitable for it, but you decide to put the commoner Thersites to the task...because that way you won't have to listen to him run his mouth off for several months to come.->Farming3Other]]]

         Even from your vantage point on the walls of the camp, you can see the two lines of chariots as they careen towards each other and turn about for a second pass. After a few passes, the lines become hopelessly muddled, and the foot soldiers have entered the fray, giving you a sight mostly of dust and chaos. (if: $Patroclos is 'alive')[(if: (random: 1,100) is 100)[(set: $Achilles to 'wounded1')](if:(random:1,25) is 25)[(set: $Patroclos to 'wounded1')]          Eventually, the dust clears, and you can clearly make out both sides returning home again. There have been many casualties among the common men, but no one of note on either side met his end, (if: $Achilles is 'wounded1')[(if: $Patroclos is 'wounded1')[though unfortunately both Achilleus and his companion Patroclos were lightly injured.](else:)[though Achilleus did suffer a slight injury.]](else_if: $Patroclos is 'wounded1')[though sadly Patroclos did receive a slight injury.](else:)[or even serious injury.] You were lucky today, but you are certain that luck stemmed largely from the presence of the son of Thetis in the center of your formation, inspiring your troops and frightening the enemy.] (else:)[(if: (random: 1,100) is 100)[(set: $Achilles to 'wounded1')]          Eventually, the dust clears, and you can clearly make out both sides returning home again. There have been many casualties among the common men, but no one of note on either side met his end, (if: $Achilles is 'wounded1')[though Achilleus did suffer a slight injury.](else:)[or even serious injury.] You were lucky today, but you are certain that luck stemmed largely from the presence of the son of Thetis in the center of your formation, inspiring your troops and frightening the enemy.]          With grim determination, you prepare yourself, (set: $pos to it + 1)(if: $pos < 11)[ready to forge ahead, no matter what the Fates have in store.(click-goto: "ready to forge ahead, no matter what the Fates have in store.", $y3evs's ($pos))](if: $pos is 11)[[[ready to forge ahead, no matter what the Fates have in store.->YearFour]]]

         Even from your vantage point on the walls of the camp, you can see the two lines of chariots as they careen towards each other and turn about for a second pass. After a few passes, the lines become hopelessly muddled, and the foot soldiers have entered the fray, giving you a sight mostly of dust and chaos. (if: $Teukros is 'alive')[(if: (random: 1,50) is 50)[(set: $AiasS to 'wounded1')](if:(random:1,15) is 15)[(set: $Teukros to 'wounded1')]          Eventually, the dust clears, and you can clearly make out both sides returning home again. There have been many casualties among the common men, but no one of note on either side met his end, (if: $AiasS is 'wounded1')[(if: $Teukros is 'wounded1')[though unfortunately both Aias and his brother Teukros were lightly injured.](else:)[though Aias did suffer a slight injury.]](else_if: $Teukros is 'wounded1')[though sadly Teukros did receive a slight injury.](else:)[or even serious injury.] You were lucky today, but you are sure that luck was largely due to your decision to place the mighty son of Telamon at the center of the formation.] (else:)[(if: (random: 1,50) is 50)[(set: $AiasS to 'wounded1')]          Eventually, the dust clears, and you can clearly make out both sides returning home again. There have been many casualties among the common men, but no one of note on either side met his end, (if: $AiasS is 'wounded1')[though Aias did suffer a slight injury.](else:)[or even serious injury.] You were lucky today, but you are sure that luck was largely due to your decision to place the mighty son of Telamon at the center of the formation.]          With grim determination, you prepare yourself, (set: $pos to it + 1)(if: $pos < 11)[ready to forge ahead, no matter what the Fates have in store.(click-goto: "ready to forge ahead, no matter what the Fates have in store.", $y3evs's ($pos))](if: $pos is 11)[[[ready to forge ahead, no matter what the Fates have in store.->YearFour]]]

         Even from your vantage point on the walls of the camp, you can see the two lines of chariots as they careen towards each other and turn about for a second pass. After a few passes, the lines become hopelessly muddled, and the foot soldiers have entered the fray, giving you a sight mostly of dust and chaos. (if: $Meriones is 'alive')[(if: (random: 1,6) is 6)[(set: $Idomeneus to 'wounded1')](if:(random:1,15) is 15)[(set: $Meriones to 'wounded1')]          Eventually, the dust clears, and you can clearly make out both sides returning home again. There have been many casualties among the common men, but no one of note on either side met his end, (if: $Idomeneus is 'wounded1')[(if: $Meriones is 'wounded1')[though unfortunately both Idomeneus and his nephew Meriones were lightly injured.](else:)[though Idomeneus did suffer a slight injury.]](else_if: $Meriones is 'wounded1')[though sadly Meriones did receive a slight injury.](else:)[or even serious injury.] You were lucky today, and you wonder if that luck was because of the divine favor shown to the indomitable Cretan king.](else:)[(if: (random: 1,6) is 6)[(set: $Idomeneus to 'wounded1')]          Eventually, the dust clears, and you can clearly make out both sides returning home again. There have been many casualties among the common men, but no one of note on either side met his end, (if: $Idomeneus is 'wounded1')[though Idomeneus did suffer a slight injury.](else:)[or even serious injury.] You were lucky today, and you wonder if that luck was because of the divine favor shown to the indomitable Cretan king.]          With grim determination, you prepare yourself, (set: $pos to it + 1)(if: $pos < 11)[ready to forge ahead, no matter what the Fates have in store.(click-goto: "ready to forge ahead, no matter what the Fates have in store.", $y3evs's ($pos))](if: $pos is 11)[[[ready to forge ahead, no matter what the Fates have in store.->YearFour]]]

(if: $Odysseus is 'wounded1' or 'farming')[(set: $Odysseus to 'alive')](if: $Hector is 'wounded1')[(set: $Hector to 'alive')](if: $Idomeneus is 'wounded1' or 'farming')[(set: $Idomeneus to 'alive')](if: $Achilles is 'wounded1' or 'farming')[(set: $Achilles to 'alive')](if: $Patroclos is 'wounded1' or 'farming')[(set: $Patroclos to 'alive')](if: $AiasS is 'wounded1' or 'farming')[(set: $AiasS to 'alive')](if: $Teukros is 'wounded1' or 'farming')[(set: $Teukros to 'alive')](if: $Diomedes is 'wounded1' or 'farming')[(set: $Diomedes to 'alive')](if: $Ascalaphos is 'wounded1' or 'farming')[(set: $Ascalaphos to 'alive')](if: $Menelaos is 'wounded1' or 'farming')[(set: $Menelaos to 'alive')](if: $Protesilaos is 'wounded1' or 'farming')[(set: $Protesilaos to 'alive')](if: $Antilochos is 'wounded1' or 'farming')[(set: $Antilochos to 'alive')](if: $AiasL is 'wounded1' or 'farming')[(set: $AiasL to 'alive')](if: $Podaleirios is 'wounded1' or 'farming')[(set: $Podaleirios to 'alive')] <img src="YearFour.jpg" width="600" height="533">          [[Begin your fourth year in the war against holy Ilios.->YearFourIntro]]

         Achilleus leads a large force of men and chariots towards one of the nearby minor settlements. The troops are all in good cheer, enthusiastic about the battle that awaits them.          They are still cheerful upon their return, leading captured livestock along with wagons filled with food, gold, weapons and slaves. You notice that gold and weapons seem to be the preponderance of the spoils. (if: $Patroclos is 'alive')[(if: (random: 1,100) is 100)[(set: $Achilles to 'wounded1')](if:(random:1,25) is 25)[(set: $Patroclos to 'wounded1')]          Achilleus reports that the allied casualties were few and no men of note perished, (if: $Achilles is 'wounded1')[(if: $Patroclos is 'wounded1')[though unfortunately both he and Patroclos were lightly injured.](else:)[though he himself did suffer a slight injury.]](else_if: $Patroclos is 'wounded1')[though sadly Patroclos did receive a slight injury.](else:)[or were wounded.]] (else:)[(if: (random: 1,100) is 100)[(set: $Achilles to 'wounded1')]          Achilleus reports that the allied casualties were few and no men of note perished, (if: $Achilles is 'wounded1')[though he himself did suffer a slight injury.](else:)[or were wounded.]] Overall, it was a very successful raid.          With grim determination, you prepare yourself, (set: $pos to it + 1)(if: $pos < 11)[ready to forge ahead, no matter what the Fates have in store.(click-goto: "ready to forge ahead, no matter what the Fates have in store.", $y3evs's ($pos))](if: $pos is 11)[[[ready to forge ahead, no matter what the Fates have in store.->YearFour]]]

         Aias leads a large force of men and chariots towards one of the nearby minor settlements. The troops are all in good cheer, enthusiastic about the battle that awaits them.          They are still cheerful upon their return, leading captured livestock along with wagons filled with food, gold, weapons and slaves. You notice that food and weapons seem to be the preponderance of the spoils. (if: $Teukros is 'alive')[(if: (random: 1,50) is 50)[(set: $AiasS to 'wounded1')](if:(random:1,15) is 15)[(set: $Teukros to 'wounded1')]          Aias reports that the allied casualties were few and no men of note perished, (if: $AiasS is 'wounded1')[(if: $Teukros is 'wounded1')[though unfortunately both he and his brother Teukros were lightly injured.](else:)[though he himself did suffer a slight injury.]](else_if: $Teukros is 'wounded1')[though sadly his brother Teukros did receive a slight injury.](else:)[or were wounded.]] (else:)[(if: (random: 1,50) is 50)[(set: $AiasS to 'wounded1')]          Aias reports that the allied casualties were few and no men of note perished, (if: $AiasS is 'wounded1')[though he himself did suffer a slight injury.](else:)[or were wounded.]] Overall, it was a very successful raid.          With grim determination, you prepare yourself, (set: $pos to it + 1)(if: $pos < 11)[ready to forge ahead, no matter what the Fates have in store.(click-goto: "ready to forge ahead, no matter what the Fates have in store.", $y3evs's ($pos))](if: $pos is 11)[[[ready to forge ahead, no matter what the Fates have in store.->YearFour]]]

         Diomedes leads a large force of men and chariots towards one of the nearby minor settlements. The troops are all in good cheer, enthusiastic about the battle that awaits them.          They are still cheerful upon their return, leading captured livestock along with wagons filled with food, gold, weapons and slaves. No one type of loot seems especially greater in number than the others. (if: (random: 1,50) is 50)[(set: $Diomedes to 'wounded1')]          Diomedes reports that the allied casualties were few and no men of note perished, (if: $Diomedes is 'wounded1')[though he himself did suffer a slight injury.](else:)[or were wounded.] Overall, it was a very successful raid.          With grim determination, you prepare yourself, (set: $pos to it + 1)(if: $pos < 11)[ready to forge ahead, no matter what the Fates have in store.(click-goto: "ready to forge ahead, no matter what the Fates have in store.", $y3evs's ($pos))](if: $pos is 11)[[[ready to forge ahead, no matter what the Fates have in store.->YearFour]]]

         Odysseus leads a large force of men and chariots towards one of the nearby minor settlements. The troops are all in good cheer, enthusiastic about the battle that awaits them.          They are still cheerful upon their return, leading captured livestock along with wagons filled with food, gold, weapons and slaves. No one type of loot seems especially greater in number than the others. (if: (random: 1,10) is 10)[(set: $Odysseus to 'wounded1')]          Odysseus reports that the allied casualties were few and no men of note perished, (if: $Odysseus is 'wounded1')[though he himself did suffer a slight injury.](else:)[or were wounded.] Overall, it was a very successful raid.          With grim determination, you prepare yourself, (set: $pos to it + 1)(if: $pos < 11)[ready to forge ahead, no matter what the Fates have in store.(click-goto: "ready to forge ahead, no matter what the Fates have in store.", $y3evs's ($pos))](if: $pos is 11)[[[ready to forge ahead, no matter what the Fates have in store.->YearFour]]]

         Idomeneus leads a large force of men and chariots towards one of the nearby minor settlements. The troops are all in good cheer, enthusiastic about the battle that awaits them.          They are still cheerful upon their return, leading captured livestock along with wagons filled with food, gold, weapons and slaves. You notice that food and livestock seem to be the preponderance of the spoils. (if: $Meriones is 'alive')[(if: (random: 1,6) is 6)[(set: $Idomeneus to 'wounded1')](if:(random:1,15) is 15)[(set: $Meriones to 'wounded1')]          Idomeneus reports that the allied casualties were few and no men of note perished, (if: $Idomeneus is 'wounded1')[(if: $Meriones is 'wounded1')[though unfortunately both he and his nephew Meriones were lightly injured.](else:)[though he himself did suffer a slight injury.]](else_if: $Meriones is 'wounded1')[though sadly his nephew Meriones did receive a slight injury.](else:)[or were wounded.]] (else:)[(if: (random: 1,6) is 6)[(set: $Idomeneus to 'wounded1')]          Idomeneus reports that the allied casualties were few and no men of note perished, (if: $Idomeneus is 'wounded1')[though he himself did suffer a slight injury.](else:)[or were wounded.]] Overall, it was a very successful raid.          With grim determination, you prepare yourself, (set: $pos to it + 1)(if: $pos < 11)[ready to forge ahead, no matter what the Fates have in store.(click-goto: "ready to forge ahead, no matter what the Fates have in store.", $y3evs's ($pos))](if: $pos is 11)[[[ready to forge ahead, no matter what the Fates have in store.->YearFour]]]

         Ascalaphos leads a large force of men and chariots towards one of the nearby minor settlements. The troops are all in good cheer, enthusiastic about the battle that awaits them.          They are still cheerful upon their return, leading captured livestock along with wagons filled with food, gold, weapons and slaves. You notice that weapons seem overrepresented among the spoils. (if: (random: 1,10) is 10)[(set: $Ascalaphos to 'wounded1')]          Ascalaphos reports that the allied casualties were few and no men of note perished, (if: $Ascalaphos is 'wounded1')[though he himself did suffer a slight injury.](else:)[or were wounded.] Overall, it was a very successful raid.          With grim determination, you prepare yourself, (set: $pos to it + 1)(if: $pos < 11)[ready to forge ahead, no matter what the Fates have in store.(click-goto: "ready to forge ahead, no matter what the Fates have in store.", $y3evs's ($pos))](if: $pos is 11)[[[ready to forge ahead, no matter what the Fates have in store.->YearFour]]]

         Cycnos leads a large force of men and chariots towards one of the nearby minor settlements. The troops are all in good cheer, enthusiastic about the battle that awaits them.          They are still cheerful upon their return, leading captured livestock along with wagons filled with food, gold, weapons and slaves. No one type of loot seems especially greater in number than the others.          Cycnos reports that the allied casualties were few and no men of note perished, or were wounded. Overall, it was a very successful raid.          With grim determination, you prepare yourself, (set: $pos to it + 1)(if: $pos < 11)[ready to forge ahead, no matter what the Fates have in store.(click-goto: "ready to forge ahead, no matter what the Fates have in store.", $y3evs's ($pos))](if: $pos is 11)[[[ready to forge ahead, no matter what the Fates have in store.->YearFour]]]

         Menelaos leads a large force of men and chariots towards one of the nearby minor settlements. The troops are all in good cheer, enthusiastic about the battle that awaits them.          They are still cheerful upon their return, leading captured livestock along with wagons filled with food, gold, weapons and slaves. No one type of loot seems especially greater in number than the others. (if: (random: 1,6) is 6)[(set: $Menelaos to 'wounded1')]          Menelaos reports that the allied casualties were few and no men of note perished, (if: $Menelaos is 'wounded1')[though he himself did suffer a slight injury.](else:)[or were wounded.] Overall, it was a very successful raid.          With grim determination, you prepare yourself, (set: $pos to it + 1)(if: $pos < 11)[ready to forge ahead, no matter what the Fates have in store.(click-goto: "ready to forge ahead, no matter what the Fates have in store.", $y3evs's ($pos))](if: $pos is 11)[[[ready to forge ahead, no matter what the Fates have in store.->YearFour]]]

         Protesilaos leads a large force of men and chariots towards one of the nearby minor settlements. The troops are all in good cheer, enthusiastic about the battle that awaits them.          They are still cheerful upon their return, leading captured livestock along with wagons filled with food, gold, weapons and slaves. No one type of loot seems especially greater in number than the others. (if: (random: 1,6) is 6)[(set: $Protesilaos to 'wounded1')]          Protesilaos reports that the allied casualties were few and no men of note perished, (if: $Protesilaos is 'wounded1')[though he himself did suffer a slight injury.](else:)[or were wounded.] Overall, it was a very successful raid.          With grim determination, you prepare yourself, (set: $pos to it + 1)(if: $pos < 11)[ready to forge ahead, no matter what the Fates have in store.(click-goto: "ready to forge ahead, no matter what the Fates have in store.", $y3evs's ($pos))](if: $pos is 11)[[[ready to forge ahead, no matter what the Fates have in store.->YearFour]]]

         Accompanied by his son Antilochos, Nestor leads a large force of men and chariots towards one of the nearby minor settlements. The troops are all in good cheer, enthusiastic about the battle that awaits them.          They are still cheerful upon their return, leading captured livestock along with wagons filled with food, gold, weapons and slaves. You notice that livestock and food seem to be the preponderance of the spoils. (if: (random: 1,10) is 10)[(set: $Antilochos to 'wounded1')]          Nestor reports that the allied casualties were few and no men of note perished, (if: $Antilochos is 'wounded1')[though his son Antilochos did suffer a slight injury.](else:)[or were wounded.] Overall, it was a very successful raid.          With grim determination, you prepare yourself, (set: $pos to it + 1)(if: $pos < 11)[ready to forge ahead, no matter what the Fates have in store.(click-goto: "ready to forge ahead, no matter what the Fates have in store.", $y3evs's ($pos))](if: $pos is 11)[[[ready to forge ahead, no matter what the Fates have in store.->YearFour]]]

         You watch as the lone ship sails off to the west towards Lemnos early in the morning. It returns late the next day, with reports of a successful voyage and plentiful new supplies, including fine new weapons.          With grim determination, you prepare yourself, (set: $pos to it + 1)(if: $pos < 11)[ready to forge ahead, no matter what the Fates have in store.(click-goto: "ready to forge ahead, no matter what the Fates have in store.", $y3evs's ($pos))](if: $pos is 11)[[[ready to forge ahead, no matter what the Fates have in store.->YearFour]]]

         You really did hate to ask a warrior to supervise farmers going about the tasks of raising food, but you find you're sleeping better at night regardless, now that you know there will be some food for the troops that isn't dependent on winning in battle.          With grim determination, you prepare yourself, (set: $pos to it + 1)(if: $pos < 11)[ready to forge ahead, no matter what the Fates have in store.(click-goto: "ready to forge ahead, no matter what the Fates have in store.", $y3evs's ($pos))](if: $pos is 11)[[[ready to forge ahead, no matter what the Fates have in store.->YearFour]]]

(if: $Achilles is 'dead')[         You really did hate to ask a warrior to supervise farmers going about the tasks of raising food, but you find you're sleeping better at night regardless, now that you know there will be some food for the troops that isn't dependent on winning in battle.](else:)[(set: $AchillesMadness to it + 1)(if: $AchillesMadness < 3)[         You really did hate to ask a warrior to supervise farmers going about the tasks of raising food, but you find you're sleeping better at night regardless, now that you know there will be some food for the troops that isn't dependent on winning in battle...though the way in which you keep finding Achilleus pacing in front of your hut while Patroclos is off supervising the farming does somewhat cancel out any comfort you should be deriving from the knowledge that crops are being grown to feed the men.](else_if: $AchillesMadness is 3)[         On the second morning in which Patroclos is watching over the farmers at their task, you find that the son of Peleus is waiting for you when you leave your hut. "Do you have something against me?" he demands of you.          You splutter uncertainly for a moment before finding your words. "Of course not, Achilleus," you assure him. "You are one of the most important parts of this war effort."          He scowls at you, then stalks off without another word, leaving you feeling deeply unsettled, but unsure what you did wrong, or how in the world to mend the situation.](else_if: $AchillesMadness is 4)[         The very same day you give the order to Patroclos to watch over the farmers, Achilleus barges into your hut, his face almost as red as his hair. "If you don't stop these acts of tyranny..." he starts in a threatening voice.          "I...I don't understand," you admit. "What have I done wrong?"          "Patroclos is *my*--he belongs with *me*. Stop sending him to do things without me!" Without waiting for you to respond, he leaves again in a huff.          You are left stunned by the entire scene, and decide to think about it most carefully next time before giving Patroclos any orders.](else_if: $AchillesMadness is 5)[You are walking through the camp a few days later when you unexpectedly come across Achilleus in a narrow passage between two huts. Without warning, he suddenly slams you back against one of them, his hand on the hilt of his sword as he snarls wordlessly in your face. He eventually growls some kind of warning at you, but his anger distorts his words to the point that you cannot make them out. Then he simply stalks off again, leaving you in a state of desperate terror for several minutes.](else_if: $AchillesMadness is 6)[Promptly after you give the order to send Patroclos to oversee the growing of the crops, Achilleus drags you into an empty storage shed filled with weapons. "Do you think me a fool?!" he demands of you. "Do you think I'm a helpless child?!"          "Of-of course not! I protest this treatment!" you exclaim in as loud a voice as you can muster, in the hopes that someone will hear and come to your aid.          "You won't get away with it," he promises, glaring into your eyes. "One more time. One more *chance*. That's it. You cross me again, and you won't live to regret it!"          With that, he is gone, and you crumple into a trembling heap on the floor, ashamed to realize you could be so frightened by a man so many years younger than yourself.]]          With grim determination, you prepare yourself, (set: $pos to it + 1)(if: $pos < 11)[ready to forge ahead, no matter what the Fates have in store.(click-goto: "ready to forge ahead, no matter what the Fates have in store.", $y3evs's ($pos))](if: $pos is 11)[[[ready to forge ahead, no matter what the Fates have in store.->YearFour]]]

         "Should've just sent *me* to begin with," Achilleus grumbles when you explain the situation to him. "Why would you have sent *that* Aias when I was here?"          You can't explain why you ever chose Aias of Locris for that (or anything else), particularly now that you understand so fully just what sort of man he was. You make a pathetic excuse, which only makes Achilleus laugh.          "Well, forget it. It's over with now. I'll kill the boy for you."          It is only the next day when the sortie takes place. You watch nervously from the walls of the camp, but there was no call for nervousness. From a long way off, Achilleus throws his spear towards Troilos. It flies over the heads of the Trojan troops and the elder princes, and imbeds itself deeply in the young prince's body. The horses pulling his chariot become terrified and set off in a mad dash, the young prince's body unable to fall completely out of the chariot, having become tangled in the reins, so that the butt end of Achilleus' spear trails in the dirt behind the chariot, leaving deep rents in the loose soil.          It wasn't a command you could feel proud of, but you are comforted to know that this time it was performed without the desecration of any temples, or any brutal assaults on an innocent girl's maidenhead. And you are all the more comforted to know that you have safeguarded the possibility of eventual victory in this war.          With grim determination, you prepare yourself, (set: $pos to it + 1)(if: $pos < 11)[ready to forge ahead, no matter what the Fates have in store.(click-goto: "ready to forge ahead, no matter what the Fates have in store.", $y3evs's ($pos))](if: $pos is 11)[[[ready to forge ahead, no matter what the Fates have in store.->YearFour]]]

         It is only the next day when the sortie takes place. You watch nervously from the walls of the camp, but there was no call for nervousness. Aias' chariot makes straight for the chariot of young Troilos, who is guarded by his elder brother Prince Helenos. (if: $Teukros is 'alive')[Aias takes the reins while his half-brother fires arrow after arrow until Helenos is wounded and has to retreat to the city. Then Teukros focuses his assault on Troilos' horses, until one falls, sending the young prince tumbling to the dirt. Only then does Aias return the reins to his brother and leap from the chariot, striding over to the prince as he struggles to his feet. The poor youth never stood a chance against a seasoned warrior like Aias, and you feel rather sorry for him, in truth.](else:)[When Aias' charioteer brings him close enough to the regal pair, Aias launches a throwing spear across the distance between them, skewering poor Troilos and pinning his body to the side of his chariot.]          It wasn't a command you could feel proud of, but you are comforted to know that this time it was performed without the desecration of any temples, or any brutal assaults on an innocent girl's maidenhead. And you are all the more comforted to know that you have safeguarded the possibility of eventual victory in this war.          With grim determination, you prepare yourself, (set: $pos to it + 1)(if: $pos < 11)[ready to forge ahead, no matter what the Fates have in store.(click-goto: "ready to forge ahead, no matter what the Fates have in store.", $y3evs's ($pos))](if: $pos is 11)[[[ready to forge ahead, no matter what the Fates have in store.->YearFour]]]

         It is only the next day when the sortie takes place. You watch nervously from the walls of the camp, but there was no call for nervousness. Diomedes makes his way directly towards the chariot where the handsome young prince fights with his bow. The boy manages to wound Diomedes in the leg with an arrow, but it is not enough to stop Diomedes' spear from making Troilos' life a short one.(set: $Diomedes to 'wounded1') Diomedes retreats back towards the camp as the other princes hasten to retrieve their brother's body before your troops can despoil it of its armor.          It wasn't a command you could feel proud of, but you are comforted to know that this time it was performed without the desecration of any temples, or any brutal assaults on an innocent girl's maidenhead. And you are all the more comforted to know that you have safeguarded the possibility of eventual victory in this war.          With grim determination, you prepare yourself, (set: $pos to it + 1)(if: $pos < 11)[ready to forge ahead, no matter what the Fates have in store.(click-goto: "ready to forge ahead, no matter what the Fates have in store.", $y3evs's ($pos))](if: $pos is 11)[[[ready to forge ahead, no matter what the Fates have in store.->YearFour]]]

         It is only the next day when the sortie takes place. You watch nervously from the walls of the camp, but there was no call for nervousness. Mounted on horseback rather than riding in a chariot, Cycnos makes his way through the turmoil of the battle until he reaches where Troilos is fighting like a man of far greater experience than his few years could have allowed him. Clearly, Calchas was not speaking nonsense with his dire predictions: allowing Troilos to reach proper manhood would have allowed Troy a defender far greater than any other. But Cycnos has no difficulty nipping that potential defender in the bud, leaving the royal family to mourn his loss.          It wasn't a command you could feel proud of, but you are comforted to know that this time it was performed without the desecration of any temples, or any brutal assaults on an innocent girl's maidenhead. And you are all the more comforted to know that you have safeguarded the possibility of eventual victory in this war.          With grim determination, you prepare yourself, (set: $pos to it + 1)(if: $pos < 11)[ready to forge ahead, no matter what the Fates have in store.(click-goto: "ready to forge ahead, no matter what the Fates have in store.", $y3evs's ($pos))](if: $pos is 11)[[[ready to forge ahead, no matter what the Fates have in store.->YearFour]]]

         Upon Palamedes' return, you have him brought before the entire assembly. He is smiling when he enters, and informs you of his successful mission to Chios before you can say a word. That only makes you more uncomfortable about what is about to happen. But if you don't say something, someone else will, so you tell him about the captured Trojan spy, and the message tablet found near the well.          "That is most unsettling," Palamedes replies. "Have you had any luck discovering the traitor?" Everything about his face and tone suggest that he has no idea he is being suspected. He appeared surprised to learn there had been a spy in the camp, as well. And yet when Odysseus tells him to drop the act and confess his treason, Palamedes does not show even the slightest surprise at the accusation. "I have not done this thing," he assures you.          "We cannot simply take your word for it," you tell him. "Have you any proof?"          "How can anyone prove their innocence against such charges?"          "Can you write?"          "Yes, I can. As can my accuser," Palamedes says, gesturing towards Odysseus.          "Do you accuse *me* of perpetrating this treason?" Odysseus retorts, sounding just as appalled and astonished as a man in his position ought to.          "It would be more accurate to say that I accuse you of falsifying this treason," Palamedes replies calmly. Then he looks at you. "Lord Creon, I will explain myself, but not in his presence, if you do not mind."          You hesitate for a moment, then nod, and gesture to a few of your troops who are lingering near the entryway. "Take Odysseus outside and keep him from listening in," you tell them, all too well aware that to truly exclude Odysseus from the proceedings you would have to remove Diomedes as well, yet what can you do? He hasn't even been mentioned; you can't remove him simply for being Odysseus' friend. Too many of the other kings and princes would call Odysseus their friend to allow that. Once they have done so, you return your attention to Palamedes. "Now explain," you say.          Palamedes nods. "As one of Helen's suitors yourself, I am sure you are aware that it was Odysseus who devised the oath every suitor had to swear that he would fight to restore her to her selected husband should any malcontents steal her away as Theseus had done." Palamedes chuckles sadly. "Tyndareos, of course, was concerned about the other suitors trying to take her for themselves upon their rejection, rather than an entirely new usurper such as Prince Alexandros, but that is hardly the point. The oath was Odysseus' idea, but he was loath to hold to it, though he had sworn it as all the rest of you had." Palamedes shakes his head. "My cousin Agamemnon knew Odysseus would try to get out of it, so he sent me to fetch Odysseus when the time came to assemble the men for the initial sailing. And indeed, Odysseus attempted to dodge his duty, feigning madness by hitching an ox and a mule to a plow and using them to plow his garden. I knew he was faking, and set his newborn son in the path of the plow, forcing him to drop the act in order to save the boy." Palamedes sighs. "He has never forgiven me for forcing him to keep his word and come to fight to recover Helen from her abductor."          Honestly, it's hard for you to blame Odysseus for that. You don't want to be here, either, and if someone had thus endangered *your* newborn son, you would have held a grudge, too. Then again, if Odysseus was attempting to sidestep his duty, how did he have any right to begrudge the man who forced him to obey it? "Have you anything else to add?" you ask, not wanting to have to pass comment on the anecdote.          "I could provide a list of other incidents in which Odysseus has tried to avenge himself upon me in a lesser degree, but I suspect that would not actually help my case," Palamedes replies, with a smile.          After a moment's thought, you gesture to another guard. "Take Palamedes out as well, and we shall decide his case," you tell the guard. After they have gone, you look at the assembled princes. "I wish to know how their positions seem to you, the many lords of Hellas," you say, hoping that one of them will come up with the ideal solution so you don't have to.          "It is a tricky situation," Phoinix says. "They are both known for their wisdom and their cagey behavior. It is hard to fully trust either, or to fully doubt them."          "Indeed. It is imperative that we not act rashly," Nestor says. "Perhaps we should wait for a sign from the gods."          "That could take a very long time, Father," Antilochos comments. "Perhaps we should ask a seer, though."          (if: $Achilles is 'dead')["I don't think the evidence is enough to lay blame at anyone's feet but the Trojan spy. Surely he planted the message and the gold both, taking advantage of Palamedes' absence," Podaleirios comments. "We should execute the spy, not one of our own. If he *does* have a confederate among us, they'll think twice about betraying us after the spy is dead, and if he truly is working alone, then we will have escaped his trap utterly."](else:)["Who even cares?" Achilleus comments with a yawn. "They're both a pair of suspicious old schemers; they might both have nothing to do with the spy, just trying to take advantage of his presence to get the other killed. I say cut the spy's head off and toss it over the walls of the city to show Priam he can't turn our men. It'll scare the enemy, and it'll scare whoever the traitor is, so job done, yeah?"]          "I worry that the common troops have heard too many mutterings of Palamedes being a traitor to let it end so easily as that. They may turn on him if we do nothing but kill the Trojan spy," (if: $Idomeneus is 'dead')[Meriones](else:)[Idomeneus] says, shaking his head.          (if: $AiasL is 'dead')["Personally, I find myself more and more convinced that they are actually both guilty," Ascalaphos says. "I am not sure what they hope to obtain by attempting to force us to choose between them, but for men who claim to hate each other, they are awfully polite to each other. It's a trick. I feel it in my blood. We should be rid of both of them."](else:)["Are you really all this gullible?" Aias of Locris guffaws. "It's obvious they're in this together. Don't know what they're up to, exactly, but they're both guilty; it's as plain as day. Kill 'em both!"]          The lords fall into bickering like children, and you realize that no help is coming to you from that quarter. You will have to make up your own mind what to do. You only see a certain number of options, and you cannot say that any of them truly feels "right". So you have both men brought back in and pronounce your decision:          [[Have Palamedes put to death.->PalamedesDeath]]          [[Have Odysseus put to death.->OdysseusDeath]]          [[Consult Calchas and do as the gods dictate.->ConsultCalchas]]          [[Kill the Trojan spy.->KillSpy]]          [[Execute both Palamedes and Odysseus.->KillBoth]]          [[Send Palamedes back to Euboia.->ExilePalamedes]]

         "I get no pleasure from this decision," you begin by saying. "In fact, I am greatly pained by it. But for the safety of the camp--for the sake of the entire war effort--I find I have no choice. I'm sorry, but you must be put to death," you say, looking sadly at Palamedes.          As Odysseus and Diomedes drag him outside to enact your will, you aren't sure if you feel consoled or more guilty when you reflect that the look on Palamedes' face was more disappointed than anything else.          You can't bear to listen to it as the men outside stone him to death.          Despite that he was executed for treason, you allow him a warrior's cremation.(set: $Palamedes to 'dead')          With an uneasy heart, you prepare yourself, (set: $pos to it + 1)(if: $pos < 11)[ready to forge ahead, no matter what the Fates have in store.(click-goto: "ready to forge ahead, no matter what the Fates have in store.", $y3evs's ($pos))](if: $pos is 11)[[[ready to forge ahead, no matter what the Fates have in store.->YearFour]]]

         "I get no pleasure from this decision," you begin by saying. "In fact, I am greatly pained by it. But for the safety of the camp--for the sake of the entire war effort--I find I have no choice. I'm sorry, but you must be put to death," you say, looking sadly at Odysseus.          Odysseus immediately begins to rail at you in outrage and horror, and continues to yell, heaping abuse on you and your entire line for generations to come, even as some of your men drag him outside to enact your will. Palamedes assuring you that you made the right decision does not help assuage your guilt any.          You can't bear to listen to it as the men outside stone him to death.          Despite that he was executed for treason, you allow him a warrior's cremation.(set: $Odysseus to 'dead')          With an uneasy heart, you prepare yourself, (set: $pos to it + 1)(if: $pos < 11)[ready to forge ahead, no matter what the Fates have in store.(click-goto: "ready to forge ahead, no matter what the Fates have in store.", $y3evs's ($pos))](if: $pos is 11)[[[ready to forge ahead, no matter what the Fates have in store.->YearFour]]]

         "As this case is too convoluted and obscure for mortals to decide, we will ask the gods for their advice," you tell Palamedes and Odysseus, "and we will act on their will."          Both men accept your words readily, expressing their certainty that the gods will clear them of all suspicion. Calchas is duly summoned, and the situation is explained to him. He assures you that the gods will surely make their will known quickly.          In your experience, the gods rarely do anything quickly, so you are very surprised when Calchas reports to you the next morning to inform you that the gods have told him that Palamedes is indeed guilty, and a danger to the entire camp. You contemplate asking him if it was 'the gods' who said so, or if it was *Athene* who said so, but you're too sick to your stomach to say anything. You allow Calchas to pass on the news to the men in a desperate measure to distance yourself from the decision.          You can't bear to listen to it as the men outside stone Palamedes to death.          Despite that he was executed for treason, you allow him a warrior's cremation.(set: $Palamedes to 'dead')          With an uneasy heart, you prepare yourself, (set: $pos to it + 1)(if: $pos < 11)[ready to forge ahead, no matter what the Fates have in store.(click-goto: "ready to forge ahead, no matter what the Fates have in store.", $y3evs's ($pos))](if: $pos is 11)[[[ready to forge ahead, no matter what the Fates have in store.->YearFour]]]

         "As there is no firm evidence to place blame on anyone in this camp that could not have been easily planted there by the spy, it is my decision that at this time, only the Trojan spy will be punished for these deeds," you inform the entire assembly of princes. "But I will be keeping my eye on both of you especially," you tell Palamedes and Odysseus. "I will not be so merciful in the future. Do not force me to do something we will all regret."          Both men agree gladly, and the meeting breaks up. While the others go to kill the spy (and there is talk of delivering his body, or part of it, to the Trojans in a particularly unpleasant manner, though you're not sure how serious the talk is), you go to have a lie-down. This entire affair has left you feeling distinctly uncomfortable with the camp, the army, the position you have over it, and the war itself.(set: $Palamedes to 'alive')          With an uneasy heart, you prepare yourself, (set: $pos to it + 1)(if: $pos < 11)[ready to forge ahead, no matter what the Fates have in store.(click-goto: "ready to forge ahead, no matter what the Fates have in store.", $y3evs's ($pos))](if: $pos is 11)[[[ready to forge ahead, no matter what the Fates have in store.->YearFour]]]

         "I get no pleasure from this decision," you begin by saying. "In fact, I am greatly pained by it. But for the safety of the camp--for the sake of the entire war effort--I find I have no choice. I'm sorry, but you must both be put to death," you say, looking sadly at Palamedes and Odysseus. "Whether you were in this together in some bizarre scheme gone wrong or whether you have planted this evidence in an attempt to destroy each other, the men must know that such behavior will not go unpunished.          Odysseus immediately and vigorously begins to protest your decision, but Palamedes accepts it with a quiet expression, disappointed but resigned. Your men drag them both outside the enact your will.          You can't bear to listen to it as the men outside stone the pair to death.          Despite that they were executed for treason, you allow them a warrior's cremation.(set: $Palamedes to 'dead')(set: $Odysseus to 'dead')          With an uneasy heart, you prepare yourself, (set: $pos to it + 1)(if: $pos < 11)[ready to forge ahead, no matter what the Fates have in store.(click-goto: "ready to forge ahead, no matter what the Fates have in store.", $y3evs's ($pos))](if: $pos is 11)[[[ready to forge ahead, no matter what the Fates have in store.->YearFour]]]

         "I am not convinced by the evidence that you have done anything wrong," you tell Palamedes, "but (if: $Idomeneus is 'dead')[Meriones](else:)[Idomeneus] was right in saying that too many of the men have heard these accusations and will believe them. Your life will not be safe if you remain in this camp. Therefore, I am asking you to return to Euboia. This will protect you from any malice the men in the camp may feel, and if I am wrong and you did plot to denounce us to King Priam, then it will put you safely far away where you cannot help him."          "If that is your will, I shall obey it," Palamedes says sadly, "but I will continue to protest my innocence for the rest of my years."          You nod, not knowing what else to say. You did, after all, admit to not thinking he had done it! The entire camp watches as Palamedes packs up his share of the treasure (part of it, anyway) and takes one of his ships full of men to sail away back to Hellas.          If you're being honest, you wish you could go with him.(set: $Palamedes to 'exiled')          With grim determination, you prepare yourself, (set: $pos to it + 1)(if: $pos < 11)[ready to forge ahead, no matter what the Fates have in store.(click-goto: "ready to forge ahead, no matter what the Fates have in store.", $y3evs's ($pos))](if: $pos is 11)[[[ready to forge ahead, no matter what the Fates have in store.->YearFour]]]

Okay, so I want a way to test individual years without playing through the whole freaking game. Your kingdom: (dropdown: bind $home, "...","Corinth","Thebes","Iolcos") Achilles: (dropdown: bind $Achilles, "alive","dead","wounded1", "wounded2", "left", "eloped", "withdrawn") Telamon Aias: (dropdown: bind $AiasS, "alive","dead","wounded1", "wounded2") Odysseus: (dropdown: bind $Odysseus, "alive","dead","wounded2","wounded1", "exiled") Aias of Locris: (dropdown: bind $AiasL, "alive","dead","wounded1") Hector: (dropdown: bind $Hector, "alive","dead", "wounded2","wounded1") Idomeneus: (dropdown: bind $Idomeneus, "alive","dead","wounded2","wounded1") Protesilaos: (dropdown: bind $Protesilaos, "alive","dead","wounded1") Deiphobos: (dropdown: bind $Deiphobos, "alive","dead") Cycnos: (dropdown: bind $Cycnos, "ally","dead","pissed") Patroclos: (dropdown: bind $Patroclos, "alive", "wounded1", "dead", "wounded", "withdrawn") Antilochos: (dropdown: bind $Antilochos, "alive", "wounded1") Teukros: (dropdown: bind $Teukros, "alive", "wounded1") Meriones: (dropdown: bind $Meriones, "alive", "wounded1") Podaleirios: (dropdown: bind $Podaleirios, "alive", "wounded1") Machaon: (dropdown: bind $Machaon, "alive", "wounded1") Thersites: (dropdown: bind $Thersites, "alive", "dead") Palamedes: (dropdown: bind $Palamedes, "alive", "dead", "exiled", "guarded") Ramses: (dropdown: bind $Ramses, "...", "pissed") Chryseis: (dropdown: bind $Chryseis, "Creon", "Diomedes", "raped", "safe", "angryDiomedes", "ransomed", "freed", "Dfreed") Briseis: (dropdown: bind $Briseis, "Achilles", "Machaon", "ransomed", "Creon", "Diomedes") Oenone: (dropdown: bind $Oenone, "...", "contemplating", "tempted") Diomedes: (dropdown: bind $Diomedes, "alive", "wounded1", "dead", "dead traitor", "ticked", "pissed") Aineias: (dropdown: bind $Aineias, "alive", "enslaved", "dead") Creon: (dropdown: bind $Creon, "...", "paranoid") Menesthios: (dropdown: bind $Menesthios, "...", "alive", "wounded1") Ascalaphos: (dropdown: bind $Ascalaphos, "alive", "wounded1", "dead") Helenos: (dropdown: bind $Helenos, "alive", "wounded1", "enslaved") Neoptolemos: (dropdown: bind $Neoptolemos, "...", "alive") Penthesileia: (dropdown: bind $Penthesileia, "alive", "eloped", "withdrawn", "dead") Memnon: (dropdown: bind $Memnon, "alive", "withdrawn", "rescued", "dead") Philoctetes: (dropdown: bind $Philoctetes, "alive", "going home", "marooned") Alexandros: (dropdown: bind $Alexandros, "alive", "dead") Achilles' madness level: 1 2 3 4 5 6 (click: "1")[(set: $AchillesMadess to 1)](click: "2")[(set: $AchillesMadness to 2)](click: "3")[(set: $AchillesMadess to 3)](click: "4")[(set: $AchillesMadness to 4)](click: "5")[(set: $AchillesMadess to 5)](click: "6")[(set: $AchillesMadness to 6)] Achilles married Polyxena? (dropdown: bind $MarriedPolyxena, "What?", "Yes") Aias' assault on Cassandra during the final battle? (dropdown: bind $rape, "other", "stopped", "thwarted", "successful", "interrupted") Priam during the final battle? (dropdown: bind $Priam, "other", "saved", "savedC", "murdered") Took the easy way in? (dropdown: bind $easyway, "nope", "yep") Used the Trojan Horse? (dropdown: bind $thorse, "nope", "yup") If Patroclos is dead, who killed him? (dropdown: bind $killer, "he's not", "Hector", "Aineias") Did Achilles die on the first day? (dropdown: bind $AchillesDeath, "huh?", "FirstDay") Did Aias of Salamis die on the first day? (dropdown: bind $AiasSDeath, "huh?", "FirstDay") Did Odysseus die on the first day? (dropdown: bind $OdysseusDeath, "huh?", "FirstDay") Did Aias of Locris die on the first day? (dropdown: bind $AiasLDeath, "huh?", "FirstDay", "stoned") Did Protesilaos die on the first day? (dropdown: bind $Protesilaos, "huh?", "FirstDay") How did Paris die? (dropdown: bind $ParisDeath, "unfortunately...", "canon", "Achilles") How is Athene feeling when the fleet leaves Troy? (dropdown: bind $Athene, "groovy", "pissed") How did Penthesileia die? (dropdown: bind $PenthDeath, "she didn't, you jerk!", "well...", "canon") Who inherited Achilles' armor? (dropdown: bind $heir, "he's still got it, doofus", "Odysseus", "Diomedes", "Peleus", "Patroclos", "Neoptolemos", "Aias") What about that big storm? (dropdown: bind $storm, "off", "on", "localized") [[YearTwo]] [[YearThree]] [[YearFour]] [[YearFive]] [[YearSix]] [[YearSeven]] [[YearEight]] [[YearNine]] [[YearTen]] [[TrojanRoyals]]

         Last year feels like so much of a blur, the same events over and over again as your forces fight the same foes time and again without any significant impact on your forces or theirs.          You want to change that--of course you do!--but you're not sure how.          Instead, you can only face the days ahead, praying that the gods will be merciful and allow this war to end soon.(set: $pos to 1) (set: $y4evs to (shuffled: 'Feud1','Lemnos4','Farming4','Battle4a','Battle4b','Sacking4','Battle4a','Battle4b','Sacking4','Sacking4'))(click-goto: "praying that the gods will be merciful and allow this war to end soon.", $y4evs's 1st)

(if: $Odysseus is 'dead')[(goto: "Battle4b")](else_if: $Palamedes is 'dead')[(goto: "Battle4a")](else_if: $Palamedes is 'exiled')[(goto: "Battle4a")](else:)[         You are in your hut one morning, planning the next stage of the campaign (as if there is anything to plan other than "attack the Trojans again"?) when Diomedes enters with a cheerful smile.          "I've been thinking about our supply problems," he tells you.          "Oh? Which supply problems?" you ask. Except for *always* needing more food than you typically have on hand, you didn't think there were all that many problems. And there are always slaves to trade for food...          "The lack of food, of course," Diomedes tells you. "Particularly the lack of meat. Fighting men cannot survive on grains alone, after all."          "This is true, but if we kill our herds, we won't have any sources of milk or eggs." It is, after all, a dilemma faced by everyone, warlord or farmer alike.          "That's what I was thinking about, you see," Diomedes goes on. "A way to get some meat without killing the herds--and without risking running into angry Trojans by going hunting."          You just watch him expectantly, fearing that anything you say at this point is going to make you sound like an idiot.          "We have all the fish in the sea literally just outside our camp," Diomedes continues with a smile. "All you need to do is order a few of our men on a trip to catch some of them. Just one day, and we can add greatly to the camp's food stores."          "That's an excellent idea," you agree. "I'll make the arrangements right away."          Diomedes smiles, and immediately suggests a party consisting of himself, Odysseus and Palamedes, explaining that fishing is not as simple as it sounds, and a clever mind is needed to have the greatest success at it. You aren't completely convinced by that explanation, but you have to admit that as the king of an island nation, Odysseus probably knows more about fishing than most of the other princes.          [[Send Odysseus, Diomedes and Palamedes.->Feud1DeathofPalamedes]] (if: $Achilles is 'alive' and $AiasS is 'alive')[         [[Send Achilleus, Aias of Salamis and Patroclos.->Feud1AiasAchilles]] ](if: $Idomeneus is 'alive' and $Meriones is 'alive' and $Antilochos is 'alive')[         [[Send Idomeneus, Meriones and Antilochos.->Feud1Cretans]] ](if: $Cycnos is 'ally')[         [[Send Nestor, Antilochos and Cycnos.->Feud1WinButton]] ](if: $Thersites is 'alive')[         [[Send Odysseus, Diomedes and Thersites.->Feud1DeathofThersites]] ]         [[Send Machaon and Phoinix.->Feud1MachPhoinix]]]

         You decide now is as good a time as any to send a boat with some of the excess slaves to Lemnos to trade them for supplies.          Fortunately, the voyage to Lemnos will take at most a day, so the chances of the men being needed before their return are very slim. Still, best to put one of the lesser nobles in charge. Just in case. (if: $Patroclos is 'alive')[         [[Send Patroclos.->Lemnos4Patroclos]] ](if: $Teukros is 'alive')[         [[Send Teukros.->Lemnos4Other]] ](if: $Meriones is 'alive')[         [[Send Meriones.->Lemnos4Other]] ](if: $Antilochos is 'alive')[         [[Send Antilochos.->Lemnos4Other]] ](if: $Podaleirios is 'alive')[         [[Send Podaleirios.->Lemnos4Other]] ](if: $Machaon is 'alive')[         [[Send Machaon.->Lemnos4Other]]]

         Supplies are not great. The entire council of princes agrees that the best thing to do is to find some local town and raid it for food, weapons, and slaves to trade on Lemnos for more food and weapons.          Who will you put in charge of the raid? (if: $Achilles is 'alive')[         [[Achilleus->Sacking4Achilles]] ](if: $AiasS is 'alive')[         [[Aias of Salamis->Sacking4AiasS]] ](if: $Diomedes is 'alive')[         [[Diomedes->Sacking4Diomedes]] ](if: $Odysseus is 'alive')[         [[Odysseus->Sacking4Odysseus]] ](if: $Idomeneus is 'alive')[         [[Idomeneus->Sacking4Idomeneus]] ](if: $Ascalaphos is 'alive')[         [[Ascalaphos->Sacking4Ascalaphos]] ](if: $Cycnos is 'ally')[         [[Cycnos->Sacking4Cycnos]] ](if: $Menelaos is 'alive')[         [[Menelaos->Sacking4Menelaos]] ](if: $Protesilaos is 'alive')[         [[Protesilaos->Sacking4Protesilaos]] ](if: $Antilochos is 'alive')[         [[Nestor->Sacking4Nestor]] ](if: $AiasL is 'alive')[         [[Aias of Locris->Sacking4AiasL]]]

         As much as you hate to admit it, you can't just depend on raiding the local villages for food, or on trading slaves to Lemnos.          You're going to have to set some of your troops to growing food themselves.          Admittedly, many of the common troops are farmers at home anyway, but it's still a humiliating thought.          You decide you'd better put a less important nobleman in charge, just in case the troops involved begin to balk after a while. Unfortunately, that means they won't be able to join in the battle for some months to come, but...sometimes these things are just unavoidable! (On reflection, you decide that a more important or powerful warrior who is currently too wounded for battle would also be able to handle this task, since he certainly wouldn't be doing the farming himself.) (if: $Achilles is 'wounded1')[         Have Achilleus supervise.(click: "Have Achilleus supervise.")[(set: $Achilles to 'farming')(goto: "Farming4Other")] ](if: $AiasS is 'wounded1')[         Have Aias of Salamis supervise.(click: "Have Aias of Salamis supervise.")[(set: $AiasS to 'farming')(goto: "Farming4Other")] ](if: $Odysseus is 'wounded1')[         Have Odysseus supervise.(click: "Have Odysseus supervise.")[(set: $Odysseus to 'farming')(goto: "Farming4Other")] ](if: $Diomedes is 'wounded1')[         Have Diomedes supervise.(click: "Have Diomedes supervise.")[(set: $Diomedes to 'farming')(goto: "Farming4Other")] ](if: $AiasL is 'wounded1')[         Have Aias of Locris supervise.(click: "Have Aias of Locris supervise.")[(set: $AiasL to 'farming')(goto: "Farming4Other")] ](if: $Idomeneus is 'wounded1')         [Have Idomeneus supervise.(click: "Have Idomeneus supervise.")[(set: $Idomeneus to 'farming')(goto: "Farming4Other")] ](if: $Ascalaphos is 'wounded1')[         Have Ascalaphos supervise.(click: "Have Ascalaphos supervise.")[(set: $Ascalaphos to 'farming')(goto: "Farming4Other")] ](if: $Menelaos is 'wounded1')[         Have Menelaos supervise.(click: "Have Menelaos supervise.")[(set: $Menelaos to 'farming')(goto: "Farming4Other")] ](if: $Protesilaos is 'wounded1')[         Have Protesilaos supervise.(click: "Have Protesilaos supervise.")[(set: $Protesilaos to 'farming')(goto: "Farming4Other")] ][         Have Patroclos supervise.(click: "Have Patroclos supervise.")[(set: $Patroclos to 'farming')(goto: "Farming4Patroclos")]] [         Have Meriones supervise.(click: "Have Meriones supervise.")[(set: $Meriones to 'farming')(goto: "Farming4Other")]] [         Have Teukros supervise.(click: "Have Teukros supervise.")[(set: $Teukros to 'farming')(goto: "Farming4Other")]] [         Have Antilochos supervise.(click: "Have Antilochos supervise.")[(set: $Antilochos to 'farming')(goto: "Farming4Other")]] [[         Have Phoinix supervise.->Farming4Other]] (if: $Thersites is 'alive')[         [[He's not really suitable for it, but you decide to put the commoner Thersites to the task...because that way you won't have to listen to him run his mouth off for several months to come.->Farming4Other]]]

         You decide that it is high time you acted like you were really here to conquer the Trojan citadel, and order the men to prepare for a pitched battle. They hurry into their arms and armor, and prepare the chariots for war.          As the chariots form up into ranks, you have to decide who to give the central position in the line. (if: $Achilles is 'alive')[         [[Put Achilleus in the center.->Battle4Achilles]] ](if: $AiasS is 'alive')[         [[Put Aias of Salamis in the center.->Battle4AiasS]] ](if: $Diomedes is 'alive')[         [[Put Diomedes in the center.->Battle4Diomedes]] ](if: $Odysseus is 'alive')[         [[Put Odysseus in the center.->Battle4Odysseus]] ](if: $Idomeneus is 'alive')[         [[Put Idomeneus in the center.->Battle4Idomeneus]] ](if: $Ascalaphos is 'alive')[         [[Put Ascalaphos in the center.->Battle4Ascalaphos]] ](if: $Cycnos is 'ally')[         [[Put Cycnos in the center.->Battle4Cycnos]] ](if: $Menelaos is 'alive')[         [[Put Menelaos in the center.->Battle4Menelaos]] ](if: $Protesilaos is 'alive')[         [[Put Protesilaos in the center.->Battle4Protesilaos]] ](if: $Antilochos is 'alive')[         [[Put Nestor in the center.->Battle4Nestor]] ](if: $AiasL is 'alive')[         [[Put Aias of Locris in the center.->Battle4AiasL]] ](if: $Podaleirios is 'alive')[         [[Put Podaleirios in the center.->Battle4Podaleirios]]]

         The alarum sounds through the camp, informing everyone that the Trojans are preparing a sortie. Men scramble to arm themselves and get in position in their chariots, and soon the battle lines are assembling on the field before the wide walls of fair Ilios.          As the chariots form up into ranks, you have to decide who to give the central position in the line. (if: $Achilles is 'alive')[         [[Put Achilleus in the center.->Battle4Achilles]] ](if: $AiasS is 'alive')[         [[Put Aias of Salamis in the center.->Battle4AiasS]] ](if: $Diomedes is 'alive')[         [[Put Diomedes in the center.->Battle4Diomedes]] ](if: $Odysseus is 'alive')[         [[Put Odysseus in the center.->Battle4Odysseus]] ](if: $Idomeneus is 'alive')[         [[Put Idomeneus in the center.->Battle4Idomeneus]] ](if: $Ascalaphos is 'alive')[         [[Put Ascalaphos in the center.->Battle4Ascalaphos]] ](if: $Cycnos is 'ally')[         [[Put Cycnos in the center.->Battle4Cycnos]] ](if: $Menelaos is 'alive')[         [[Put Menelaos in the center.->Battle4Menelaos]] ](if: $Protesilaos is 'alive')[         [[Put Protesilaos in the center.->Battle4Protesilaos]] ](if: $Antilochos is 'alive')[         [[Put Nestor in the center.->Battle4Nestor]] ](if: $AiasL is 'alive')[         [[Put Aias of Locris in the center.->Battle4AiasL]] ](if: $Podaleirios is 'alive')[         [[Put Podaleirios in the center.->Battle4Podaleirios]]]

         Even from your vantage point on the walls of the camp, you can see the two lines of chariots as they careen towards each other and turn about for a second pass. After a few passes, the lines become hopelessly muddled, and the foot soldiers have entered the fray, giving you a sight mostly of dust and chaos. (if: $Patroclos is 'alive')[(if: (random: 1,100) is 100)[(set: $Achilles to 'wounded1')](if:(random:1,25) is 25)[(set: $Patroclos to 'wounded1')]          Eventually, the dust clears, and you can clearly make out both sides returning home again. There have been many casualties among the common men, but no one of note on either side met his end, (if: $Achilles is 'wounded1')[(if: $Patroclos is 'wounded1')[though unfortunately both Achilleus and his companion Patroclos were lightly injured.](else:)[though Achilleus did suffer a slight injury.]](else_if: $Patroclos is 'wounded1')[though sadly Patroclos did receive a slight injury.](else:)[or even serious injury.] You were lucky today, but you are certain that luck stemmed largely from the presence of the son of Thetis in the center of your formation, inspiring your troops and frightening the enemy.] (else:)[(if: (random: 1,100) is 100)[(set: $Achilles to 'wounded1')]          Eventually, the dust clears, and you can clearly make out both sides returning home again. There have been many casualties among the common men, but no one of note on either side met his end, (if: $Achilles is 'wounded1')[though Achilleus did suffer a slight injury.](else:)[or even serious injury.] You were lucky today, but you are certain that luck stemmed largely from the presence of the son of Thetis in the center of your formation, inspiring your troops and frightening the enemy.]          With this battle behind you, you face the days ahead, (set: $pos to it + 1)(if: $pos < 11)[praying that the gods will be merciful and allow this war to end soon.(click-goto: "praying that the gods will be merciful and allow this war to end soon.", $y4evs's ($pos))](if: $pos is 11)[[[praying that the gods will be merciful and allow this war to end soon.->YearFive]]]

         Even from your vantage point on the walls of the camp, you can see the two lines of chariots as they careen towards each other and turn about for a second pass. After a few passes, the lines become hopelessly muddled, and the foot soldiers have entered the fray, giving you a sight mostly of dust and chaos. (if: $Teukros is 'alive')[(if: (random: 1,50) is 50)[(set: $AiasS to 'wounded1')](if:(random:1,15) is 15)[(set: $Teukros to 'wounded1')]          Eventually, the dust clears, and you can clearly make out both sides returning home again. There have been many casualties among the common men, but no one of note on either side met his end, (if: $AiasS is 'wounded1')[(if: $Teukros is 'wounded1')[though unfortunately both Aias and his brother Teukros were lightly injured.](else:)[though Aias did suffer a slight injury.]](else_if: $Teukros is 'wounded1')[though sadly Teukros did receive a slight injury.](else:)[or even serious injury.] You were lucky today, but you are sure that luck was largely due to your decision to place the mighty son of Telamon at the center of the formation.] (else:)[(if: (random: 1,50) is 50)[(set: $AiasS to 'wounded1')]          Eventually, the dust clears, and you can clearly make out both sides returning home again. There have been many casualties among the common men, but no one of note on either side met his end, (if: $AiasS is 'wounded1')[though Aias did suffer a slight injury.](else:)[or even serious injury.] You were lucky today, but you are sure that luck was largely due to your decision to place the mighty son of Telamon at the center of the formation.]          With this battle behind you, you face the days ahead, (set: $pos to it + 1)(if: $pos < 11)[praying that the gods will be merciful and allow this war to end soon.(click-goto: "praying that the gods will be merciful and allow this war to end soon.", $y4evs's ($pos))](if: $pos is 11)[[[praying that the gods will be merciful and allow this war to end soon.->YearFive]]]

         Even from your vantage point on the walls of the camp, you can see the two lines of chariots as they careen towards each other and turn about for a second pass. After a few passes, the lines become hopelessly muddled, and the foot soldiers have entered the fray, giving you a sight mostly of dust and chaos. (if: $Meriones is 'alive')[(if: (random: 1,6) is 6)[(set: $Idomeneus to 'wounded1')](if:(random:1,15) is 15)[(set: $Meriones to 'wounded1')]          Eventually, the dust clears, and you can clearly make out both sides returning home again. There have been many casualties among the common men, but no one of note on either side met his end, (if: $Idomeneus is 'wounded1')[(if: $Meriones is 'wounded1')[though unfortunately both Idomeneus and his nephew Meriones were lightly injured.](else:)[though Idomeneus did suffer a slight injury.]](else_if: $Meriones is 'wounded1')[though sadly Meriones did receive a slight injury.](else:)[or even serious injury.] You were lucky today, and you wonder if that luck was because of the divine favor shown to the indomitable Cretan king.](else:)[(if: (random: 1,6) is 6)[(set: $Idomeneus to 'wounded1')]          Eventually, the dust clears, and you can clearly make out both sides returning home again. There have been many casualties among the common men, but no one of note on either side met his end, (if: $Idomeneus is 'wounded1')[though Idomeneus did suffer a slight injury.](else:)[or even serious injury.] You were lucky today, and you wonder if that luck was because of the divine favor shown to the indomitable Cretan king.]          With this battle behind you, you face the days ahead, (set: $pos to it + 1)(if: $pos < 11)[praying that the gods will be merciful and allow this war to end soon.(click-goto: "praying that the gods will be merciful and allow this war to end soon.", $y4evs's ($pos))](if: $pos is 11)[[[praying that the gods will be merciful and allow this war to end soon.->YearFive]]]

(if: $Odysseus is 'wounded1' or 'farming')[(set: $Odysseus to 'alive')](if: $Hector is 'wounded1')[(set: $Hector to 'alive')](if: $Idomeneus is 'wounded1' or 'farming')[(set: $Idomeneus to 'alive')](if: $Achilles is 'wounded1' or 'farming')[(set: $Achilles to 'alive')](if: $Patroclos is 'wounded1' or 'farming')[(set: $Patroclos to 'alive')](if: $AiasS is 'wounded1' or 'farming')[(set: $AiasS to 'alive')](if: $Teukros is 'wounded1' or 'farming')[(set: $Teukros to 'alive')](if: $Diomedes is 'wounded1' or 'farming')[(set: $Diomedes to 'alive')](if: $Ascalaphos is 'wounded1' or 'farming')[(set: $Ascalaphos to 'alive')](if: $Menelaos is 'wounded1' or 'farming')[(set: $Menelaos to 'alive')](if: $Protesilaos is 'wounded1' or 'farming')[(set: $Protesilaos to 'alive')](if: $Antilochos is 'wounded1' or 'farming')[(set: $Antilochos to 'alive')](if: $AiasL is 'wounded1' or 'farming')[(set: $AiasL to 'alive')](if: $Podaleirios is 'wounded1' or 'farming')[(set: $Podaleirios to 'alive')] <img src="YearFive.jpg" width="600" height="528">          [[The day is gray and grim.->YearFiveDawns]]

         Achilleus leads a large force of men and chariots towards one of the nearby minor settlements. The troops are all in good cheer, enthusiastic about the battle that awaits them.          They are still cheerful upon their return, leading captured livestock along with wagons filled with food, gold, weapons and slaves. You notice that gold and weapons seem to be the preponderance of the spoils. (if: $Patroclos is 'alive')[(if: (random: 1,100) is 100)[(set: $Achilles to 'wounded1')](if:(random:1,25) is 25)[(set: $Patroclos to 'wounded1')]          Achilleus reports that the allied casualties were few and no men of note perished, (if: $Achilles is 'wounded1')[(if: $Patroclos is 'wounded1')[though unfortunately both he and Patroclos were lightly injured.](else:)[though he himself did suffer a slight injury.]](else_if: $Patroclos is 'wounded1')[though sadly Patroclos did receive a slight injury.](else:)[or were wounded.]] (else:)[(if: (random: 1,100) is 100)[(set: $Achilles to 'wounded1')]          Achilleus reports that the allied casualties were few and no men of note perished, (if: $Achilles is 'wounded1')[though he himself did suffer a slight injury.](else:)[or were wounded.]] Overall, it was a very successful raid.          With this battle behind you, you face the days ahead, (set: $pos to it + 1)(if: $pos < 11)[praying that the gods will be merciful and allow this war to end soon.(click-goto: "praying that the gods will be merciful and allow this war to end soon.", $y4evs's ($pos))](if: $pos is 11)[[[praying that the gods will be merciful and allow this war to end soon.->YearFive]]]

         Aias leads a large force of men and chariots towards one of the nearby minor settlements. The troops are all in good cheer, enthusiastic about the battle that awaits them.          They are still cheerful upon their return, leading captured livestock along with wagons filled with food, gold, weapons and slaves. You notice that food and weapons seem to be the preponderance of the spoils. (if: $Teukros is 'alive')[(if: (random: 1,50) is 50)[(set: $AiasS to 'wounded1')](if:(random:1,15) is 15)[(set: $Teukros to 'wounded1')]          Aias reports that the allied casualties were few and no men of note perished, (if: $AiasS is 'wounded1')[(if: $Teukros is 'wounded1')[though unfortunately both he and his brother Teukros were lightly injured.](else:)[though he himself did suffer a slight injury.]](else_if: $Teukros is 'wounded1')[though sadly his brother Teukros did receive a slight injury.](else:)[or were wounded.]] (else:)[(if: (random: 1,50) is 50)[(set: $AiasS to 'wounded1')]          Aias reports that the allied casualties were few and no men of note perished, (if: $AiasS is 'wounded1')[though he himself did suffer a slight injury.](else:)[or were wounded.]] Overall, it was a very successful raid.          With this battle behind you, you face the days ahead, (set: $pos to it + 1)(if: $pos < 11)[praying that the gods will be merciful and allow this war to end soon.(click-goto: "praying that the gods will be merciful and allow this war to end soon.", $y4evs's ($pos))](if: $pos is 11)[[[praying that the gods will be merciful and allow this war to end soon.->YearFive]]]

         Diomedes leads a large force of men and chariots towards one of the nearby minor settlements. The troops are all in good cheer, enthusiastic about the battle that awaits them.          They are still cheerful upon their return, leading captured livestock along with wagons filled with food, gold, weapons and slaves. No one type of loot seems especially greater in number than the others. (if: (random: 1,50) is 50)[(set: $Diomedes to 'wounded1')]          Diomedes reports that the allied casualties were few and no men of note perished, (if: $Diomedes is 'wounded1')[though he himself did suffer a slight injury.](else:)[or were wounded.] Overall, it was a very successful raid.          With this battle behind you, you face the days ahead, (set: $pos to it + 1)(if: $pos < 11)[praying that the gods will be merciful and allow this war to end soon.(click-goto: "praying that the gods will be merciful and allow this war to end soon.", $y4evs's ($pos))](if: $pos is 11)[[[praying that the gods will be merciful and allow this war to end soon.->YearFive]]]

         Odysseus leads a large force of men and chariots towards one of the nearby minor settlements. The troops are all in good cheer, enthusiastic about the battle that awaits them.          They are still cheerful upon their return, leading captured livestock along with wagons filled with food, gold, weapons and slaves. No one type of loot seems especially greater in number than the others. (if: (random: 1,10) is 10)[(set: $Odysseus to 'wounded1')]          Odysseus reports that the allied casualties were few and no men of note perished, (if: $Odysseus is 'wounded1')[though he himself did suffer a slight injury.](else:)[or were wounded.] Overall, it was a very successful raid.          With this battle behind you, you face the days ahead, (set: $pos to it + 1)(if: $pos < 11)[praying that the gods will be merciful and allow this war to end soon.(click-goto: "praying that the gods will be merciful and allow this war to end soon.", $y4evs's ($pos))](if: $pos is 11)[[[praying that the gods will be merciful and allow this war to end soon.->YearFive]]]

         Idomeneus leads a large force of men and chariots towards one of the nearby minor settlements. The troops are all in good cheer, enthusiastic about the battle that awaits them.          They are still cheerful upon their return, leading captured livestock along with wagons filled with food, gold, weapons and slaves. You notice that food and livestock seem to be the preponderance of the spoils. (if: $Meriones is 'alive')[(if: (random: 1,6) is 6)[(set: $Idomeneus to 'wounded1')](if:(random:1,15) is 15)[(set: $Meriones to 'wounded1')]          Idomeneus reports that the allied casualties were few and no men of note perished, (if: $Idomeneus is 'wounded1')[(if: $Meriones is 'wounded1')[though unfortunately both he and his nephew Meriones were lightly injured.](else:)[though he himself did suffer a slight injury.]](else_if: $Meriones is 'wounded1')[though sadly his nephew Meriones did receive a slight injury.](else:)[or were wounded.]] (else:)[(if: (random: 1,6) is 6)[(set: $Idomeneus to 'wounded1')]          Idomeneus reports that the allied casualties were few and no men of note perished, (if: $Idomeneus is 'wounded1')[though he himself did suffer a slight injury.](else:)[or were wounded.]] Overall, it was a very successful raid.          With this battle behind you, you face the days ahead, (set: $pos to it + 1)(if: $pos < 11)[praying that the gods will be merciful and allow this war to end soon.(click-goto: "praying that the gods will be merciful and allow this war to end soon.", $y4evs's ($pos))](if: $pos is 11)[[[praying that the gods will be merciful and allow this war to end soon.->YearFive]]]

         Ascalaphos leads a large force of men and chariots towards one of the nearby minor settlements. The troops are all in good cheer, enthusiastic about the battle that awaits them.          They are still cheerful upon their return, leading captured livestock along with wagons filled with food, gold, weapons and slaves. You notice that weapons seem overrepresented among the spoils. (if: (random: 1,10) is 10)[(set: $Ascalaphos to 'wounded1')]          Ascalaphos reports that the allied casualties were few and no men of note perished, (if: $Ascalaphos is 'wounded1')[though he himself did suffer a slight injury.](else:)[or were wounded.] Overall, it was a very successful raid.          With this battle behind you, you face the days ahead, (set: $pos to it + 1)(if: $pos < 11)[praying that the gods will be merciful and allow this war to end soon.(click-goto: "praying that the gods will be merciful and allow this war to end soon.", $y4evs's ($pos))](if: $pos is 11)[[[praying that the gods will be merciful and allow this war to end soon.->YearFive]]]

         Cycnos leads a large force of men and chariots towards one of the nearby minor settlements. The troops are all in good cheer, enthusiastic about the battle that awaits them.          They are still cheerful upon their return, leading captured livestock along with wagons filled with food, gold, weapons and slaves. No one type of loot seems especially greater in number than the others.          Cycnos reports that the allied casualties were few and no men of note perished, or were wounded. Overall, it was a very successful raid.          With this battle behind you, you face the days ahead, (set: $pos to it + 1)(if: $pos < 11)[praying that the gods will be merciful and allow this war to end soon.(click-goto: "praying that the gods will be merciful and allow this war to end soon.", $y4evs's ($pos))](if: $pos is 11)[[[praying that the gods will be merciful and allow this war to end soon.->YearFive]]]

         Menelaos leads a large force of men and chariots towards one of the nearby minor settlements. The troops are all in good cheer, enthusiastic about the battle that awaits them.          They are still cheerful upon their return, leading captured livestock along with wagons filled with food, gold, weapons and slaves. No one type of loot seems especially greater in number than the others. (if: (random: 1,6) is 6)[(set: $Menelaos to 'wounded1')]          Menelaos reports that the allied casualties were few and no men of note perished, (if: $Menelaos is 'wounded1')[though he himself did suffer a slight injury.](else:)[or were wounded.] Overall, it was a very successful raid.          With this battle behind you, you face the days ahead, (set: $pos to it + 1)(if: $pos < 11)[praying that the gods will be merciful and allow this war to end soon.(click-goto: "praying that the gods will be merciful and allow this war to end soon.", $y4evs's ($pos))](if: $pos is 11)[[[praying that the gods will be merciful and allow this war to end soon.->YearFive]]]

         Protesilaos leads a large force of men and chariots towards one of the nearby minor settlements. The troops are all in good cheer, enthusiastic about the battle that awaits them.          They are still cheerful upon their return, leading captured livestock along with wagons filled with food, gold, weapons and slaves. No one type of loot seems especially greater in number than the others. (if: (random: 1,6) is 6)[(set: $Protesilaos to 'wounded1')]          Protesilaos reports that the allied casualties were few and no men of note perished, (if: $Protesilaos is 'wounded1')[though he himself did suffer a slight injury.](else:)[or were wounded.] Overall, it was a very successful raid.          With this battle behind you, you face the days ahead, (set: $pos to it + 1)(if: $pos < 11)[praying that the gods will be merciful and allow this war to end soon.(click-goto: "praying that the gods will be merciful and allow this war to end soon.", $y4evs's ($pos))](if: $pos is 11)[[[praying that the gods will be merciful and allow this war to end soon.->YearFive]]]

         Accompanied by his son Antilochos, Nestor leads a large force of men and chariots towards one of the nearby minor settlements. The troops are all in good cheer, enthusiastic about the battle that awaits them.          They are still cheerful upon their return, leading captured livestock along with wagons filled with food, gold, weapons and slaves. You notice that livestock and food seem to be the preponderance of the spoils. (if: (random: 1,10) is 10)[(set: $Antilochos to 'wounded1')]          Nestor reports that the allied casualties were few and no men of note perished, (if: $Antilochos is 'wounded1')[though his son Antilochos did suffer a slight injury.](else:)[or were wounded.] Overall, it was a very successful raid.          With this battle behind you, you face the days ahead, (set: $pos to it + 1)(if: $pos < 11)[praying that the gods will be merciful and allow this war to end soon.(click-goto: "praying that the gods will be merciful and allow this war to end soon.", $y4evs's ($pos))](if: $pos is 11)[[[praying that the gods will be merciful and allow this war to end soon.->YearFive]]]

         You really did hate to ask a warrior to supervise farmers going about the tasks of raising food, but you find you're sleeping better at night regardless, now that you know there will be some food for the troops that isn't dependent on winning in battle.          With this extra confidence that you will be able to feed your troops, you face the days ahead, (set: $pos to it + 1)(if: $pos < 11)[praying that the gods will be merciful and allow this war to end soon.(click-goto: "praying that the gods will be merciful and allow this war to end soon.", $y4evs's ($pos))](if: $pos is 11)[[[praying that the gods will be merciful and allow this war to end soon.->YearFive]]]

(if: $Achilles is 'dead')[         You really did hate to ask a warrior to supervise farmers going about the tasks of raising food, but you find you're sleeping better at night regardless, now that you know there will be some food for the troops that isn't dependent on winning in battle.](else:)[(set: $AchillesMadness to it + 1)(if: $AchillesMadness < 3)[         You really did hate to ask a warrior to supervise farmers going about the tasks of raising food, but you find you're sleeping better at night regardless, now that you know there will be some food for the troops that isn't dependent on winning in battle...though the way in which you keep finding Achilleus pacing in front of your hut while Patroclos is off supervising the farming does somewhat cancel out any comfort you should be deriving from the knowledge that crops are being grown to feed the men.](else_if: $AchillesMadness is 3)[         On the second morning in which Patroclos is watching over the farmers at their task, you find that the son of Peleus is waiting for you when you leave your hut. "Do you have something against me?" he demands of you.          You splutter uncertainly for a moment before finding your words. "Of course not, Achilleus," you assure him. "You are one of the most important parts of this war effort."          He scowls at you, then stalks off without another word, leaving you feeling deeply unsettled, but unsure what you did wrong, or how in the world to mend the situation.](else_if: $AchillesMadness is 4)[         The very same day you give the order to Patroclos to watch over the farmers, Achilleus barges into your hut, his face almost as red as his hair. "If you don't stop these acts of tyranny..." he starts in a threatening voice.          "I...I don't understand," you admit. "What have I done wrong?"          "Patroclos is *my*--he belongs with *me*. Stop sending him to do things without me!" Without waiting for you to respond, he leaves again in a huff.          You are left stunned by the entire scene, and decide to think about it most carefully next time before giving Patroclos any orders.](else_if: $AchillesMadness is 5)[         You are walking through the camp a few days later when you unexpectedly come across Achilleus in a narrow passage between two huts. Without warning, he suddenly slams you back against one of them, his hand on the hilt of his sword as he snarls wordlessly in your face. He eventually growls some kind of warning at you, but his anger distorts his words to the point that you cannot make them out. Then he simply stalks off again, leaving you in a state of desperate terror for several minutes.](else_if: $AchillesMadness is 6)[Promptly after you give the order to send Patroclos to oversee the growing of the crops, Achilleus drags you into an empty storage shed filled with weapons. "Do you think me a fool?!" he demands of you. "Do you think I'm a helpless child?!"          "Of-of course not! I protest this treatment!" you exclaim in as loud a voice as you can muster, in the hopes that someone will hear and come to your aid.          "You won't get away with it," he promises, glaring into your eyes. "One more time. One more *chance*. That's it. You cross me again, and you won't live to regret it!"          With that, he is gone, and you crumple into a trembling heap on the floor, ashamed to realize you could be so frightened by a man so many years younger than yourself.](else_if: $AchillesMadness is 7)[         You have no sooner given the order for Patroclos to take over the farming for the coming season than Achilleus barges into your hut, his sword already drawn and his face contorted in madness.          You attempt to protest against his behavior--to scream--to defend yourself--to do *anything*, but in vain. You aren't even wearing your armor, and are dead before you can even fully grasp what is happening.          In fact, before you know it, you are standing beside your own bloodied corpse, and Hermes stands before you, frowning in disgust. "You know, when a volatile youth like Achilleus warns you to stop doing something, you really ought to stop if you don't want to end up like this." He gestures at your mangled remains with his staff.          "Uh...I...didn't...mean to...?" you stammer.          Hermes sighs and shakes his head. "No point telling *me* that. Save it for my uncle. He's the one in charge of you now."          With that, the handsome young god leads your soul down to the house of Hades, where it will remain forevermore. An idle part of your mind wonders if the war will continue on without you, or if your folly in provoking the son of Peleus has doomed the war to a complete failure that will be mocked for all eternity. =><= ***GAME OVER*** <= [[Try again?->Title Screen]]]](if: $AchillesMadness < 7)[          With this extra confidence that you will be able to feed your troops, you face the days ahead, (set: $pos to it + 1)(if: $pos < 11)[praying that the gods will be merciful and allow this war to end soon.(click-goto: "praying that the gods will be merciful and allow this war to end soon.", $y4evs's ($pos))](if: $pos is 11)[[[praying that the gods will be merciful and allow this war to end soon.->YearFive]]]]

(if: $Achilles is 'dead')[         You watch as the lone ship sails off to the west towards Lemnos early in the morning. It returns late the next day, with reports of a successful voyage and plentiful new supplies, including fine new weapons. ](else:)[(set: $AchillesMadness to it + 1)          You watch as the lone ship sails off to the west towards Lemnos early in the morning, but you watch it with far less interest than Achilleus does. (if: $AchillesMadness is 2)[As far as you can tell, Achilleus barely moves the whole time Patroclos is away, just standing there staring at the spot on the horizon where the ship vanished from his sight.](else_if: $AchillesMadness is 3)[The only time Achilleus looks away from the horizon, as far as you can tell, is to shoot dire glances in your direction that soon have you feeling almost threatened, and make you retreat back into the relative safety of your hut.] (else_if: $AchillesMadness is 4)[That evening, Achilleus barges into your hut, his face almost as red as his hair. "If you don't stop these acts of tyranny..." he starts in a threatening voice.          "I...I don't understand," you admit. "What have I done wrong?"          "Patroclos is *my*--he belongs with *me*. Stop sending him to do things without me!" Without waiting for you to respond, he leaves again in a huff.          You are left stunned by the entire scene, and decide to think about it most carefully next time before giving Patroclos any orders.](else_if: $AchillesMadness is 5)[The ship has barely vanished over the horizon before Achilleus has backed you against the nearest hut, his hand on the hilt of his sword as he snarls wordlessly in your face. "If anything happens to him while he's away..." he eventually growls, before stalking off again, leaving you in a state of desperate terror for several minutes.          Despite Achilleus' worries (or whatever that was about),](else_if: $AchillesMadness is 6)[Promptly after the ship has taken Patroclos to Lemnos, Achilleus drags you into an empty storage shed filled with weapons. "Do you think me a fool?!" he demands of you. "Do you think I'm a helpless child?!"          "Of-of course not! I protest this treatment!" you exclaim in as loud a voice as you can muster, in the hopes that someone will hear and come to your aid.          "You won't get away with it," he promises, glaring into your eyes. "One more time. One more *chance*. That's it. You cross me again, and you won't live to regret it!"          With that, he is gone, and you crumple into a trembling heap on the floor, ashamed to realize you could be so frightened by a man so many years younger than yourself.](else_if: $AchillesMadness is 7)[          You are barely settled in to your next meal when Achilleus barges into your hut, his sword already drawn and his face contorted in madness.          You attempt to protest against his behavior--to scream--to defend yourself--to do *anything*, but in vain. You aren't even wearing your armor, and are dead before you can even fully grasp what is happening.          In fact, before you know it, you are standing beside your own bloodied corpse, and Hermes stands before you, frowning in disgust. "You know, when a volatile youth like Achilleus warns you to stop doing something, you really ought to stop if you don't want to end up like this." He gestures at your mangled remains with his staff.          "Uh...I...didn't...mean to...?" you stammer.          Hermes sighs and shakes his head. "No point telling *me* that. Save it for my uncle. He's the one in charge of you now."          With that, the handsome young god leads your soul down to the house of Hades, where it will remain forevermore. An idle part of your mind wonders if the war will continue on without you, or if your folly in provoking the son of Peleus has doomed the war to a complete failure that will be mocked for all eternity. =><= ***GAME OVER*** <= [[Try again?->Title Screen]]]](if: $AchillesMadness < 7)[          Patroclos and his crew return late the next day, with reports of a successful voyage and plentiful new supplies, including fine new weapons.          With this task behind you, you face the days ahead, (set: $pos to it + 1)(if: $pos < 11)[praying that the gods will be merciful and allow this war to end soon.(click-goto: "praying that the gods will be merciful and allow this war to end soon.", $y4evs's ($pos))](if: $pos is 11)[[[praying that the gods will be merciful and allow this war to end soon.->YearFive]]]]

         You watch as the lone ship sails off to the west towards Lemnos early in the morning. It returns late the next day, with reports of a successful voyage and plentiful new supplies, including fine new weapons.          With this task behind you, you face the days ahead, (set: $pos to it + 1)(if: $pos < 11)[praying that the gods will be merciful and allow this war to end soon.(click-goto: "praying that the gods will be merciful and allow this war to end soon.", $y4evs's ($pos))](if: $pos is 11)[[[praying that the gods will be merciful and allow this war to end soon.->YearFive]]]

         Though you know there is little enough that can go wrong in a simple fishing expedition, you have to admit to feeling a certain amount of trepidation as the vessel sails away from the beach. It is soon out of sight behind some rocks, and you are left hoping that everything will go smoothly with the voyage.          When the ship returns near sundown, you are delighted to see the men who board the ship come back again carrying many massive nets filled with fish.          You are much less delighted to see Odysseus and Diomedes disembark alone. "Where is Palamedes?" you ask.          "Ah, that is indeed a tragic tale!" Odysseus exclaims, before launching into a story so long that it outdoes even Nestor's longest tales, yet tells you surpassingly little except that Palamedes somehow fell off the boat and drowned.(set: $Palamedes to 'dead')          You feel deeply uneasy about what happened, as if it was somehow your fault. You do your best to deny that feeling, of course, but...          You face the days ahead, (set: $pos to it + 1)(if: $pos < 11)[praying that the gods will be merciful and allow this war to end soon.(click-goto: "praying that the gods will be merciful and allow this war to end soon.", $y4evs's ($pos))](if: $pos is 11)[[[praying that the gods will be merciful and allow this war to end soon.->YearFive]]]

         You watch the boat sail away with the three men aboard, feeling less than no concern over the trip. On top of the fact that fishing is hardly a dangerous pastime, one of the three is the son of a sea goddess, so what could possibly go wrong?          The call goes up in the mid-afternoon that the ship is already returning. When you come out of your hut and look out to sea, you conclude that something terrible *must* have happened, because the ship is riding so low in the water that every wave threatens to swamp the boat.          However, the ship soon lands on the beach, and all three men hop off to pull it ashore, all hale and hearty. More than that, they're laughing and joking. As you draw closer, you see that the ship was so close to floundering because there are an astonishing number of fish aboard.          As some of the men of the camp are unloading the fish, Patroclos explains to you that Achilleus and Aias decided to compete over who could catch the most fish, leading to this astonishingly large haul of them. You're glad to see the men will have so much fish to eat in the near future, but you worry that there may not be any fish left in this part of the ocean.          With this surprising event behind you, you face the days ahead, (set: $pos to it + 1)(if: $pos < 11)[praying that the gods will be merciful and allow this war to end soon.(click-goto: "praying that the gods will be merciful and allow this war to end soon.", $y4evs's ($pos))](if: $pos is 11)[[[praying that the gods will be merciful and allow this war to end soon.->YearFive]]]

         You watch the boat sail away with the three men aboard, feeling less than no concern over the trip. Fishing is hardly a dangerous pastime, and two of the three men you have sent live on an island where fishing is a particularly important part of life.          The ship returns near sundown, carrying a plentiful haul of fish, and with no reports of anything untoward happening.          Glad to have a little more food on hand for the troops, you face the days ahead, (set: $pos to it + 1)(if: $pos < 11)[praying that the gods will be merciful and allow this war to end soon.(click-goto: "praying that the gods will be merciful and allow this war to end soon.", $y4evs's ($pos))](if: $pos is 11)[[[praying that the gods will be merciful and allow this war to end soon.->YearFive]]]

         You watch the boat sail away with the three men aboard, feeling less than no concern over the trip. Fishing is hardly a dangerous pastime, and after all one of the men aboard the boat is a son of Poseidon, so what could possibly happen?          Much to your surprise, the ship returns around midday, already filled with fish. While some of the men are unloading the fish (which aren't even in nets, strangely enough) and helping Nestor disembark, Cycnos hops down off the boat and walks over to you.          "Things seem to have gone very well," you say.          "My father agreed to help out a little," Cycnos says with a laugh. "He'll send us more whenever we run out."          "That is most gracious of him!" you exclaim. "We shall make sure to offer him a little extra from every sacrifice in gratitude."          Glad to have a great deal more food on hand for the troops, you face the days ahead, (set: $pos to it + 1)(if: $pos < 11)[praying that the gods will be merciful and allow this war to end soon.(click-goto: "praying that the gods will be merciful and allow this war to end soon.", $y4evs's ($pos))](if: $pos is 11)[[[praying that the gods will be merciful and allow this war to end soon.->YearFive]]]

         You watch the boat sail away with the three men aboard, feeling less than no concern over the trip. Fishing is hardly a dangerous pastime, after all.          The ship returns near sundown, carrying a plentiful haul of fish, and with no reports of anything untoward happening. And yet as you watch Odysseus and Diomedes helping the troops unload the fish, you can't help shaking the feeling that something is slightly off.          "Weren't there three of you when you left?" you ask.          They both pause for a moment, looking at each other uncertainly. "It was just the two of us," Odysseus assures you.          It's not until the middle of the night that you remember you had sent Thersites with them.          You figure it's not worth the effort of asking what happened to him.          Glad to have a little more food on hand for the troops, you face the days ahead, (set: $pos to it + 1)(if: $pos < 11)[praying that the gods will be merciful and allow this war to end soon.(click-goto: "praying that the gods will be merciful and allow this war to end soon.", $y4evs's ($pos))](if: $pos is 11)[[[praying that the gods will be merciful and allow this war to end soon.->YearFive]]]

         You watch the boat sail away with the two men aboard, feeling less than no concern over the trip. Fishing is hardly a dangerous pastime, after all.          The ship returns near sundown, carrying a plentiful haul of fish, and with no reports of anything untoward happening.          Glad to have a little more food on hand for the troops, you face the days ahead, (set: $pos to it + 1)(if: $pos < 11)[praying that the gods will be merciful and allow this war to end soon.(click-goto: "praying that the gods will be merciful and allow this war to end soon.", $y4evs's ($pos))](if: $pos is 11)[[[praying that the gods will be merciful and allow this war to end soon.->YearFive]]]

         How long have you been living in this crude wooden hut perched on the Phrygian shore? Some days, it feels as though it has only been a matter of months, and other days it feels as though you have been here for decades already.          Some cold, detached and logical part of your mind knows it has been a full four years, no more and no less, but it is hard to pay attention to that part sometimes. You both want to abandon this pointless war and bring it to its swift and successful resolution...          ...but somehow you know that you cannot do either of those things.          All you can do is miserably plow forward, inch by painfully slow inch, dragged along at the whim of the gods.          Only resignation remains of your drive for victory, resignation to the fate that the gods have already marked down for you. All you can do now is accept and embrace that fate, whatever it may be.(set: $pos to 1) (set: $y5evs to (shuffled: 'Feud2','Lemnos5','Farming5','Battle5a','Battle5b','Sacking5','Battle5a','Battle5b','Sacking5','Sacking5'))(click-goto: "All you can do now is accept and embrace that fate, whatever it may be.", $y5evs's 1st)

(if: $Odysseus is 'dead')[(goto: "Battle5b")](else_if: $Palamedes is 'dead')[(goto: "Battle5a")](else_if: $Palamedes is 'exiled')[(goto: "Battle5a")](else:)[         One day, as you are walking through the entire camp (a task that can take all day if you dawdle even a little bit!) to get an idea of the current mood of the men, you find something curious among the Ithacan soldiers. Many groups of them are lazing about and tossing small white objects around. At first, you think they are playing knucklebones, but on drawing closer to one of the groups, you see the objects are not bones, but are in fact little cubes of clay with dots carved on them.          You ask the men what the cubes are, and they tell you they're called 'dice' before getting back to their game. As you watch them gaming, you find that their game--which is certainly fundamentally similar to knucklebones--is somehow making you uneasy. These men all seem quite obsessed with gambling over the results of their throws, and little piles of looted Trojan gold are floating back and forth throughout the Ithacan section of camp...and *only* that section.          You ask around some more, and discover that these 'dice' were handed out to the men by Palamedes.          That immediately makes you even more wary than you already were, but what can you possibly do about it? It's not as though little cubes of clay are dangerous!          However, as the weeks pass and the Ithacan troops become more and more obsessive about their gambling, you begin to be alarmed that something amiss will come out of these 'dice.' What if the troops are so focused on their 'dice' that they do not--or indeed *cannot*--respond adequately in a battle situation?          No, there is just too much potential risk here. You must do something about it.          [[Confront Palamedes about the dice.->Feud2ExileOdysseus]]          [[Warn Odysseus about the possible dangers.->Feud2WarnOdysseus]]          [[Consult with Nestor and Phoinix.->Feud2ConsultNestor]]          [[Suggest that Diomedes should keep watch over Odysseus.->Feud2DiomedestheCrony]]          [[Ban dice from the whole camp.->Feud2BanDice]]          [[On second thought, it seems entirely harmless. Do nothing.->Feud2MostlyHarmless]]]

         You decide that it is high time you acted like you were really here to conquer the Trojan citadel, and order the men to prepare for a pitched battle. They hurry into their arms and armor, and prepare the chariots for war.          As the chariots form up into ranks, you have to decide who to give the central position in the line. (if: $Achilles is 'alive')[         [[Put Achilleus in the center.->Battle5Achilles]] ](if: $AiasS is 'alive')[         [[Put Aias of Salamis in the center.->Battle5AiasS]] ](if: $Diomedes is 'alive')[         [[Put Diomedes in the center.->Battle5Diomedes]] ](if: $Odysseus is 'alive')[         [[Put Odysseus in the center.->Battle5Odysseus]] ](if: $Idomeneus is 'alive')[         [[Put Idomeneus in the center.->Battle5Idomeneus]] ](if: $Ascalaphos is 'alive')[         [[Put Ascalaphos in the center.->Battle5Ascalaphos]] ](if: $Cycnos is 'ally')[         [[Put Cycnos in the center.->Battle5Cycnos]] ](if: $Menelaos is 'alive')[         [[Put Menelaos in the center.->Battle5Menelaos]] ](if: $Protesilaos is 'alive')[         [[Put Protesilaos in the center.->Battle5Protesilaos]] ](if: $Antilochos is 'alive')[         [[Put Nestor in the center.->Battle5Nestor]] ](if: $AiasL is 'alive')[         [[Put Aias of Locris in the center.->Battle5AiasL]] ](if: $Podaleirios is 'alive')[         [[Put Podaleirios in the center.->Battle5Podaleirios]]]

         The alarum sounds through the camp, informing everyone that the Trojans are preparing a sortie. Men scramble to arm themselves and get in position in their chariots, and soon the battle lines are assembling on the field before the wide walls of fair Ilios.          As the chariots form up into ranks, you have to decide who to give the central position in the line. (if: $Achilles is 'alive')[         [[Put Achilleus in the center.->Battle5Achilles]] ](if: $AiasS is 'alive')[         [[Put Aias of Salamis in the center.->Battle5AiasS]] ](if: $Diomedes is 'alive')[         [[Put Diomedes in the center.->Battle5Diomedes]] ](if: $Odysseus is 'alive')[         [[Put Odysseus in the center.->Battle5Odysseus]] ](if: $Idomeneus is 'alive')[         [[Put Idomeneus in the center.->Battle5Idomeneus]] ](if: $Ascalaphos is 'alive')[         [[Put Ascalaphos in the center.->Battle5Ascalaphos]] ](if: $Cycnos is 'ally')[         [[Put Cycnos in the center.->Battle5Cycnos]] ](if: $Menelaos is 'alive')[         [[Put Menelaos in the center.->Battle5Menelaos]] ](if: $Protesilaos is 'alive')[         [[Put Protesilaos in the center.->Battle5Protesilaos]] ](if: $Antilochos is 'alive')[         [[Put Nestor in the center.->Battle5Nestor]] ](if: $AiasL is 'alive')[         [[Put Aias of Locris in the center.->Battle5AiasL]] ](if: $Podaleirios is 'alive')[         [[Put Podaleirios in the center.->Battle5Podaleirios]]]

         Supplies are not great. The entire council of princes agrees that the best thing to do is to find some local town and raid it for food, weapons, and slaves to trade on Lemnos for more food and weapons.          Who will you put in charge of the raid? (if: $Achilles is 'alive')[         [[Achilleus->Sacking5Achilles]] ](if: $AiasS is 'alive')[         [[Aias of Salamis->Sacking5AiasS]] ](if: $Diomedes is 'alive')[         [[Diomedes->Sacking5Diomedes]] ](if: $Odysseus is 'alive')[         [[Odysseus->Sacking5Odysseus]] ](if: $Idomeneus is 'alive')[         [[Idomeneus->Sacking5Idomeneus]] ](if: $Ascalaphos is 'alive')[         [[Ascalaphos->Sacking5Ascalaphos]] ](if: $Cycnos is 'ally')[         [[Cycnos->Sacking5Cycnos]] ](if: $Menelaos is 'alive')[         [[Menelaos->Sacking5Menelaos]] ](if: $Protesilaos is 'alive')[         [[Protesilaos->Sacking5Protesilaos]] ](if: $Antilochos is 'alive')[         [[Nestor->Sacking5Nestor]] ](if: $AiasL is 'alive')[         [[Aias of Locris->Sacking5AiasL]]]

         You decide now is as good a time as any to send a boat with some of the excess slaves to Lemnos to trade them for supplies.          Fortunately, the voyage to Lemnos will take at most a day, so the chances of the men being needed before their return are very slim. Still, best to put one of the lesser nobles in charge. Just in case. (if: $Patroclos is 'alive')[         [[Send Patroclos.->Lemnos5Patroclos]] ](if: $Teukros is 'alive')[         [[Send Teukros.->Lemnos5Other]] ](if: $Meriones is 'alive')[         [[Send Meriones.->Lemnos5Other]] ](if: $Antilochos is 'alive')[         [[Send Antilochos.->Lemnos5Other]] ](if: $Podaleirios is 'alive')[         [[Send Podaleirios.->Lemnos5Other]] ](if: $Machaon is 'alive')[         [[Send Machaon.->Lemnos5Other]]]

         As much as you hate to admit it, you can't just depend on raiding the local villages for food, or on trading slaves to Lemnos.          You're going to have to set some of your troops to growing food themselves.          Admittedly, many of the common troops are farmers at home anyway, but it's still a humiliating thought.          You decide you'd better put a less important nobleman in charge, just in case the troops involved begin to balk after a while. Unfortunately, that means they won't be able to join in the battle for some months to come, but...sometimes these things are just unavoidable! (On reflection, you decide that a more important or powerful warrior who is currently too wounded for battle would also be able to handle this task, since he certainly wouldn't be doing the farming himself.) (if: $Achilles is 'wounded1')[         Have Achilleus supervise.(click: "Have Achilleus supervise.")[(set: $Achilles to 'farming')(goto: "Farming5Other")] ](if: $AiasS is 'wounded1')[         Have Aias of Salamis supervise.(click: "Have Aias of Salamis supervise.")[(set: $AiasS to 'farming')(goto: "Farming5Other")] ](if: $Odysseus is 'wounded1')[         Have Odysseus supervise.(click: "Have Odysseus supervise.")[(set: $Odysseus to 'farming')(goto: "Farming5Other")] ](if: $Diomedes is 'wounded1')[         Have Diomedes supervise.(click: "Have Diomedes supervise.")[(set: $Diomedes to 'farming')(goto: "Farming5Other")] ](if: $AiasL is 'wounded1')[         Have Aias of Locris supervise.(click: "Have Aias of Locris supervise.")[(set: $AiasL to 'farming')(goto: "Farming5Other")] ](if: $Idomeneus is 'wounded1')[         Have Idomeneus supervise.(click: "Have Idomeneus supervise.")[(set: $Idomeneus to 'farming')(goto: "Farming5Other")] ](if: $Ascalaphos is 'wounded1')[         Have Ascalaphos supervise.(click: "Have Ascalaphos supervise.")[(set: $Ascalaphos to 'farming')(goto: "Farming5Other")] ](if: $Menelaos is 'wounded1')[         Have Menelaos supervise.(click: "Have Menelaos supervise.")[(set: $Menelaos to 'farming')(goto: "Farming5Other")] ](if: $Protesilaos is 'wounded1')[         Have Protesilaos supervise.(click: "Have Protesilaos supervise.")[(set: $Protesilaos to 'farming')(goto: "Farming5Other")] ][         Have Patroclos supervise.(click: "Have Patroclos supervise.")[(set: $Patroclos to 'farming')(goto: "Farming5Patroclos")]] [         Have Meriones supervise.(click: "Have Meriones supervise.")[(set: $Meriones to 'farming')(goto: "Farming5Other")]] [         Have Teukros supervise.(click: "Have Teukros supervise.")[(set: $Teukros to 'farming')(goto: "Farming5Other")]] [         Have Antilochos supervise.(click: "Have Antilochos supervise.")[(set: $Antilochos to 'farming')(goto: "Farming5Other")]]          [[Have Phoinix supervise.->Farming5Other]] (if: $Thersites is 'alive')[         [[He's not really suitable for it, but you decide to put the commoner Thersites to the task...because that way you won't have to listen to him run his mouth off for several months to come.->Farming5Other]]]

         Even from your vantage point on the walls of the camp, you can see the two lines of chariots as they careen towards each other and turn about for a second pass. After a few passes, the lines become hopelessly muddled, and the foot soldiers have entered the fray, giving you a sight mostly of dust and chaos. (if: $Patroclos is 'alive')[(if: (random: 1,100) is 100)[(set: $Achilles to 'wounded1')](if:(random:1,25) is 25)[(set: $Patroclos to 'wounded1')]          Eventually, the dust clears, and you can clearly make out both sides returning home again. There have been many casualties among the common men, but no one of note on either side met his end, (if: $Achilles is 'wounded1')[(if: $Patroclos is 'wounded1')[though unfortunately both Achilleus and his companion Patroclos were lightly injured.](else:)[though Achilleus did suffer a slight injury.]](else_if: $Patroclos is 'wounded1')[though sadly Patroclos did receive a slight injury.](else:)[or even serious injury.] You were lucky today, but you are certain that luck stemmed largely from the presence of the son of Thetis in the center of your formation, inspiring your troops and frightening the enemy.] (else:)[(if: (random: 1,100) is 100)[(set: $Achilles to 'wounded1')]          Eventually, the dust clears, and you can clearly make out both sides returning home again. There have been many casualties among the common men, but no one of note on either side met his end, (if: $Achilles is 'wounded1')[though Achilleus did suffer a slight injury.](else:)[or even serious injury.] You were lucky today, but you are certain that luck stemmed largely from the presence of the son of Thetis in the center of your formation, inspiring your troops and frightening the enemy.]          Only resignation remains of your drive for victory, resignation to the fate that the gods have already marked down for you. (set: $pos to it + 1)(if: $pos < 11)[All you can do now is accept and embrace that fate, whatever it may be.(click-goto: "All you can do now is accept and embrace that fate, whatever it may be.", $y5evs's ($pos))](if: $pos is 11)[[[All you can do now is accept and embrace that fate, whatever it may be.->YearSix]]]

         Even from your vantage point on the walls of the camp, you can see the two lines of chariots as they careen towards each other and turn about for a second pass. After a few passes, the lines become hopelessly muddled, and the foot soldiers have entered the fray, giving you a sight mostly of dust and chaos. (if: $Teukros is 'alive')[(if: (random: 1,50) is 50)[(set: $AiasS to 'wounded1')](if:(random:1,15) is 15)[(set: $Teukros to 'wounded1')]          Eventually, the dust clears, and you can clearly make out both sides returning home again. There have been many casualties among the common men, but no one of note on either side met his end, (if: $AiasS is 'wounded1')[(if: $Teukros is 'wounded1')[though unfortunately both Aias and his brother Teukros were lightly injured.](else:)[though Aias did suffer a slight injury.]](else_if: $Teukros is 'wounded1')[though sadly Teukros did receive a slight injury.](else:)[or even serious injury.] You were lucky today, but you are sure that luck was largely due to your decision to place the mighty son of Telamon at the center of the formation.] (else:)[(if: (random: 1,50) is 50)[(set: $AiasS to 'wounded1')]          Eventually, the dust clears, and you can clearly make out both sides returning home again. There have been many casualties among the common men, but no one of note on either side met his end, (if: $AiasS is 'wounded1')[though Aias did suffer a slight injury.](else:)[or even serious injury.] You were lucky today, but you are sure that luck was largely due to your decision to place the mighty son of Telamon at the center of the formation.]          Only resignation remains of your drive for victory, resignation to the fate that the gods have already marked down for you. (set: $pos to it + 1)(if: $pos < 11)[All you can do now is accept and embrace that fate, whatever it may be.(click-goto: "All you can do now is accept and embrace that fate, whatever it may be.", $y5evs's ($pos))](if: $pos is 11)[[[All you can do now is accept and embrace that fate, whatever it may be.->YearSix]]]

         Even from your vantage point on the walls of the camp, you can see the two lines of chariots as they careen towards each other and turn about for a second pass. After a few passes, the lines become hopelessly muddled, and the foot soldiers have entered the fray, giving you a sight mostly of dust and chaos. (if: $Meriones is 'alive')[(if: (random: 1,6) is 6)[(set: $Idomeneus to 'wounded1')](if:(random:1,15) is 15)[(set: $Meriones to 'wounded1')]          Eventually, the dust clears, and you can clearly make out both sides returning home again. There have been many casualties among the common men, but no one of note on either side met his end, (if: $Idomeneus is 'wounded1')[(if: $Meriones is 'wounded1')[though unfortunately both Idomeneus and his nephew Meriones were lightly injured.](else:)[though Idomeneus did suffer a slight injury.]](else_if: $Meriones is 'wounded1')[though sadly Meriones did receive a slight injury.](else:)[or even serious injury.] You were lucky today, and you wonder if that luck was because of the divine favor shown to the indomitable Cretan king.](else:)[(if: (random: 1,6) is 6)[(set: $Idomeneus to 'wounded1')]          Eventually, the dust clears, and you can clearly make out both sides returning home again. There have been many casualties among the common men, but no one of note on either side met his end, (if: $Idomeneus is 'wounded1')[though Idomeneus did suffer a slight injury.](else:)[or even serious injury.] You were lucky today, and you wonder if that luck was because of the divine favor shown to the indomitable Cretan king.]          Only resignation remains of your drive for victory, resignation to the fate that the gods have already marked down for you. (set: $pos to it + 1)(if: $pos < 11)[All you can do now is accept and embrace that fate, whatever it may be.(click-goto: "All you can do now is accept and embrace that fate, whatever it may be.", $y5evs's ($pos))](if: $pos is 11)[[[All you can do now is accept and embrace that fate, whatever it may be.->YearSix]]]

(if: $Odysseus is 'wounded1' or 'farming')[(set: $Odysseus to 'alive')](else_if: $Odysseus is 'wounded2')[(set: $Odysseus to 'wounded1')](if: $Idomeneus is 'wounded1' or 'farming')[(set: $Idomeneus to 'alive')](if: $Achilles is 'wounded1' or 'farming')[(set: $Achilles to 'alive')](if: $Patroclos is 'wounded1' or 'farming')[(set: $Patroclos to 'alive')](if: $AiasS is 'wounded1' or 'farming')[(set: $AiasS to 'alive')](if: $Teukros is 'wounded1' or 'farming')[(set: $Teukros to 'alive')](if: $Diomedes is 'wounded1' or 'farming')[(set: $Diomedes to 'alive')](if: $Ascalaphos is 'wounded1' or 'farming')[(set: $Ascalaphos to 'alive')](if: $Menelaos is 'wounded1' or 'farming')[(set: $Menelaos to 'alive')](if: $Protesilaos is 'wounded1' or 'farming')[(set: $Protesilaos to 'alive')](if: $Antilochos is 'wounded1' or 'farming')[(set: $Antilochos to 'alive')](if: $AiasL is 'wounded1' or 'farming')[(set: $AiasL to 'alive')](if: $Podaleirios is 'wounded1' or 'farming')[(set: $Podaleirios to 'alive')] <img src="YearSix.jpg" width="600" height="534">          [[Proceed into the sixth year of this endless war...->YearSixHump]]

         Achilleus leads a large force of men and chariots towards one of the nearby minor settlements. The troops are all in good cheer, enthusiastic about the battle that awaits them.          They are still cheerful upon their return, leading captured livestock along with wagons filled with food, gold, weapons and slaves. You notice that gold and weapons seem to be the preponderance of the spoils. (if: $Patroclos is 'alive')[(if: (random: 1,100) is 100)[(set: $Achilles to 'wounded1')](if:(random:1,25) is 25)[(set: $Patroclos to 'wounded1')]          Achilleus reports that the allied casualties were few and no men of note perished, (if: $Achilles is 'wounded1')[(if: $Patroclos is 'wounded1')[though unfortunately both he and Patroclos were lightly injured.](else:)[though he himself did suffer a slight injury.]](else_if: $Patroclos is 'wounded1')[though sadly Patroclos did receive a slight injury.](else:)[or were wounded.]] (else:)[(if: (random: 1,100) is 100)[(set: $Achilles to 'wounded1')]          Achilleus reports that the allied casualties were few and no men of note perished, (if: $Achilles is 'wounded1')[though he himself did suffer a slight injury.](else:)[or were wounded.]] Overall, it was a very successful raid.          Only resignation remains of your drive for victory, resignation to the fate that the gods have already marked down for you. (set: $pos to it + 1)(if: $pos < 11)[All you can do now is accept and embrace that fate, whatever it may be.(click-goto: "All you can do now is accept and embrace that fate, whatever it may be.", $y5evs's ($pos))](if: $pos is 11)[[[All you can do now is accept and embrace that fate, whatever it may be.->YearSix]]]

         Aias leads a large force of men and chariots towards one of the nearby minor settlements. The troops are all in good cheer, enthusiastic about the battle that awaits them.          They are still cheerful upon their return, leading captured livestock along with wagons filled with food, gold, weapons and slaves. You notice that food and weapons seem to be the preponderance of the spoils. (if: $Teukros is 'alive')[(if: (random: 1,50) is 50)[(set: $AiasS to 'wounded1')](if:(random:1,15) is 15)[(set: $Teukros to 'wounded1')]          Aias reports that the allied casualties were few and no men of note perished, (if: $AiasS is 'wounded1')[(if: $Teukros is 'wounded1')[though unfortunately both he and his brother Teukros were lightly injured.](else:)[though he himself did suffer a slight injury.]](else_if: $Teukros is 'wounded1')[though sadly his brother Teukros did receive a slight injury.](else:)[or were wounded.]] (else:)[(if: (random: 1,50) is 50)[(set: $AiasS to 'wounded1')]          Aias reports that the allied casualties were few and no men of note perished, (if: $AiasS is 'wounded1')[though he himself did suffer a slight injury.](else:)[or were wounded.]] Overall, it was a very successful raid.          Only resignation remains of your drive for victory, resignation to the fate that the gods have already marked down for you. (set: $pos to it + 1)(if: $pos < 11)[All you can do now is accept and embrace that fate, whatever it may be.(click-goto: "All you can do now is accept and embrace that fate, whatever it may be.", $y5evs's ($pos))](if: $pos is 11)[[[All you can do now is accept and embrace that fate, whatever it may be.->YearSix]]]

         Diomedes leads a large force of men and chariots towards one of the nearby minor settlements. The troops are all in good cheer, enthusiastic about the battle that awaits them.          They are still cheerful upon their return, leading captured livestock along with wagons filled with food, gold, weapons and slaves. No one type of loot seems especially greater in number than the others. (if: (random: 1,50) is 50)[(set: $Diomedes to 'wounded1')]          Diomedes reports that the allied casualties were few and no men of note perished, (if: $Diomedes is 'wounded1')[though he himself did suffer a slight injury.](else:)[or were wounded.] Overall, it was a very successful raid.          Only resignation remains of your drive for victory, resignation to the fate that the gods have already marked down for you. (set: $pos to it + 1)(if: $pos < 11)[All you can do now is accept and embrace that fate, whatever it may be.(click-goto: "All you can do now is accept and embrace that fate, whatever it may be.", $y5evs's ($pos))](if: $pos is 11)[[[All you can do now is accept and embrace that fate, whatever it may be.->YearSix]]]

         Odysseus leads a large force of men and chariots towards one of the nearby minor settlements. The troops are all in good cheer, enthusiastic about the battle that awaits them.          They are still cheerful upon their return, leading captured livestock along with wagons filled with food, gold, weapons and slaves. No one type of loot seems especially greater in number than the others. (if: (random: 1,10) is 10)[(set: $Odysseus to 'wounded1')]          Odysseus reports that the allied casualties were few and no men of note perished, (if: $Odysseus is 'wounded1')[though he himself did suffer a slight injury.](else:)[or were wounded.] Overall, it was a very successful raid.          Only resignation remains of your drive for victory, resignation to the fate that the gods have already marked down for you. (set: $pos to it + 1)(if: $pos < 11)[All you can do now is accept and embrace that fate, whatever it may be.(click-goto: "All you can do now is accept and embrace that fate, whatever it may be.", $y5evs's ($pos))](if: $pos is 11)[[[All you can do now is accept and embrace that fate, whatever it may be.->YearSix]]]

         Idomeneus leads a large force of men and chariots towards one of the nearby minor settlements. The troops are all in good cheer, enthusiastic about the battle that awaits them.          They are still cheerful upon their return, leading captured livestock along with wagons filled with food, gold, weapons and slaves. You notice that food and livestock seem to be the preponderance of the spoils. (if: $Meriones is 'alive')[(if: (random: 1,6) is 6)[(set: $Idomeneus to 'wounded1')](if:(random:1,15) is 15)[(set: $Meriones to 'wounded1')]          Idomeneus reports that the allied casualties were few and no men of note perished, (if: $Idomeneus is 'wounded1')[(if: $Meriones is 'wounded1')[though unfortunately both he and his nephew Meriones were lightly injured.](else:)[though he himself did suffer a slight injury.]](else_if: $Meriones is 'wounded1')[though sadly his nephew Meriones did receive a slight injury.](else:)[or were wounded.]] (else:)[(if: (random: 1,6) is 6)[(set: $Idomeneus to 'wounded1')]          Idomeneus reports that the allied casualties were few and no men of note perished, (if: $Idomeneus is 'wounded1')[though he himself did suffer a slight injury.](else:)[or were wounded.]] Overall, it was a very successful raid.          Only resignation remains of your drive for victory, resignation to the fate that the gods have already marked down for you. (set: $pos to it + 1)(if: $pos < 11)[All you can do now is accept and embrace that fate, whatever it may be.(click-goto: "All you can do now is accept and embrace that fate, whatever it may be.", $y5evs's ($pos))](if: $pos is 11)[[[All you can do now is accept and embrace that fate, whatever it may be.->YearSix]]]

         Ascalaphos leads a large force of men and chariots towards one of the nearby minor settlements. The troops are all in good cheer, enthusiastic about the battle that awaits them.          They are still cheerful upon their return, leading captured livestock along with wagons filled with food, gold, weapons and slaves. You notice that weapons seem overrepresented among the spoils. (if: (random: 1,10) is 10)[(set: $Ascalaphos to 'wounded1')]          Ascalaphos reports that the allied casualties were few and no men of note perished, (if: $Ascalaphos is 'wounded1')[though he himself did suffer a slight injury.](else:)[or were wounded.] Overall, it was a very successful raid.          Only resignation remains of your drive for victory, resignation to the fate that the gods have already marked down for you. (set: $pos to it + 1)(if: $pos < 11)[All you can do now is accept and embrace that fate, whatever it may be.(click-goto: "All you can do now is accept and embrace that fate, whatever it may be.", $y5evs's ($pos))](if: $pos is 11)[[[All you can do now is accept and embrace that fate, whatever it may be.->YearSix]]]

         Cycnos leads a large force of men and chariots towards one of the nearby minor settlements. The troops are all in good cheer, enthusiastic about the battle that awaits them.          They are still cheerful upon their return, leading captured livestock along with wagons filled with food, gold, weapons and slaves. No one type of loot seems especially greater in number than the others.          Cycnos reports that the allied casualties were few and no men of note perished, or were wounded. Overall, it was a very successful raid.          Only resignation remains of your drive for victory, resignation to the fate that the gods have already marked down for you. (set: $pos to it + 1)(if: $pos < 11)[All you can do now is accept and embrace that fate, whatever it may be.(click-goto: "All you can do now is accept and embrace that fate, whatever it may be.", $y5evs's ($pos))](if: $pos is 11)[[[All you can do now is accept and embrace that fate, whatever it may be.->YearSix]]]

         Menelaos leads a large force of men and chariots towards one of the nearby minor settlements. The troops are all in good cheer, enthusiastic about the battle that awaits them.          They are still cheerful upon their return, leading captured livestock along with wagons filled with food, gold, weapons and slaves. No one type of loot seems especially greater in number than the others. (if: (random: 1,6) is 6)[(set: $Menelaos to 'wounded1')]          Menelaos reports that the allied casualties were few and no men of note perished, (if: $Menelaos is 'wounded1')[though he himself did suffer a slight injury.](else:)[or were wounded.] Overall, it was a very successful raid.          Only resignation remains of your drive for victory, resignation to the fate that the gods have already marked down for you. (set: $pos to it + 1)(if: $pos < 11)[All you can do now is accept and embrace that fate, whatever it may be.(click-goto: "All you can do now is accept and embrace that fate, whatever it may be.", $y5evs's ($pos))](if: $pos is 11)[[[All you can do now is accept and embrace that fate, whatever it may be.->YearSix]]]

         Protesilaos leads a large force of men and chariots towards one of the nearby minor settlements. The troops are all in good cheer, enthusiastic about the battle that awaits them.          They are still cheerful upon their return, leading captured livestock along with wagons filled with food, gold, weapons and slaves. No one type of loot seems especially greater in number than the others. (if: (random: 1,6) is 6)[(set: $Protesilaos to 'wounded1')]          Protesilaos reports that the allied casualties were few and no men of note perished, (if: $Protesilaos is 'wounded1')[though he himself did suffer a slight injury.](else:)[or were wounded.] Overall, it was a very successful raid.          Only resignation remains of your drive for victory, resignation to the fate that the gods have already marked down for you. (set: $pos to it + 1)(if: $pos < 11)[All you can do now is accept and embrace that fate, whatever it may be.(click-goto: "All you can do now is accept and embrace that fate, whatever it may be.", $y5evs's ($pos))](if: $pos is 11)[[[All you can do now is accept and embrace that fate, whatever it may be.->YearSix]]]

         Accompanied by his son Antilochos, Nestor leads a large force of men and chariots towards one of the nearby minor settlements. The troops are all in good cheer, enthusiastic about the battle that awaits them.          They are still cheerful upon their return, leading captured livestock along with wagons filled with food, gold, weapons and slaves. You notice that livestock and food seem to be the preponderance of the spoils. (if: (random: 1,10) is 10)[(set: $Antilochos to 'wounded1')]          Nestor reports that the allied casualties were few and no men of note perished, (if: $Antilochos is 'wounded1')[though his son Antilochos did suffer a slight injury.](else:)[or were wounded.] Overall, it was a very successful raid.          Only resignation remains of your drive for victory, resignation to the fate that the gods have already marked down for you. (set: $pos to it + 1)(if: $pos < 11)[All you can do now is accept and embrace that fate, whatever it may be.(click-goto: "All you can do now is accept and embrace that fate, whatever it may be.", $y5evs's ($pos))](if: $pos is 11)[[[All you can do now is accept and embrace that fate, whatever it may be.->YearSix]]]

(if: $Achilles is 'dead')[         You watch as the lone ship sails off to the west towards Lemnos early in the morning. It returns late the next day, with reports of a successful voyage and plentiful new supplies, including fine new weapons. ](else:)[(set: $AchillesMadness to it + 1)          You watch as the lone ship sails off to the west towards Lemnos early in the morning, but you watch it with far less interest than Achilleus does. (if: $AchillesMadness is 2)[As far as you can tell, Achilleus barely moves the whole time Patroclos is away, just standing there staring at the spot on the horizon where the ship vanished from his sight.](else_if: $AchillesMadness is 3)[The only time Achilleus looks away from the horizon, as far as you can tell, is to shoot dire glances in your direction that soon have you feeling almost threatened, and make you retreat back into the relative safety of your hut.] (else_if: $AchillesMadness is 4)[That evening, Achilleus barges into your hut, his face almost as red as his hair. "If you don't stop these acts of tyranny..." he starts in a threatening voice.          "I...I don't understand," you admit. "What have I done wrong?"          "Patroclos is *my*--he belongs with *me*. Stop sending him to do things without me!" Without waiting for you to respond, he leaves again in a huff.          You are left stunned by the entire scene, and decide to think about it most carefully next time before giving Patroclos any orders.          ](else_if: $AchillesMadness is 5)[The ship has barely vanished over the horizon before Achilleus has backed you against the nearest hut, his hand on the hilt of his sword as he snarls wordlessly in your face. "If anything happens to him while he's away..." he eventually growls, before stalking off again, leaving you in a state of desperate terror for several minutes.          Despite Achilleus' worries (or whatever that was about),](else_if: $AchillesMadness is 6)[Promptly after the ship has taken Patroclos to Lemnos, Achilleus drags you into an empty storage shed filled with weapons. "Do you think me a fool?!" he demands of you. "Do you think I'm a helpless child?!"          "Of-of course not! I protest this treatment!" you exclaim in as loud a voice as you can muster, in the hopes that someone will hear and come to your aid.          "You won't get away with it," he promises, glaring into your eyes. "One more time. One more *chance*. That's it. You cross me again, and you won't live to regret it!"          With that, he is gone, and you crumple into a trembling heap on the floor, ashamed to realize you could be so frightened by a man so many years younger than yourself.          ](else_if: $AchillesMadness is 7)[         You are barely settled in to your next meal when Achilleus barges into your hut, his sword already drawn and his face contorted in madness.          You attempt to protest against his behavior--to scream--to defend yourself--to do *anything*, but in vain. You aren't even wearing your armor, and are dead before you can even fully grasp what is happening.          In fact, before you know it, you are standing beside your own bloodied corpse, and Hermes stands before you, frowning in disgust. "You know, when a volatile youth like Achilleus warns you to stop doing something, you really ought to stop if you don't want to end up like this." He gestures at your mangled remains with his staff.          "Uh...I...didn't...mean to...?" you stammer.          Hermes sighs and shakes his head. "No point telling *me* that. Save it for my uncle. He's the one in charge of you now."          With that, the handsome young god leads your soul down to the house of Hades, where it will remain forevermore. An idle part of your mind wonders if the war will continue on without you, or if your folly in provoking the son of Peleus has doomed the war to a complete failure that will be mocked for all eternity. =><= ***GAME OVER*** <=          [[Try again?->Title Screen]]]](if: $AchillesMadness < 7)[ Patroclos and his crew return late the next day, with reports of a successful voyage and plentiful new supplies, including fine new weapons.          Only resignation remains of your drive for victory, resignation to the fate that the gods have already marked down for you. (set: $pos to it + 1)(if: $pos < 11)[All you can do now is accept and embrace that fate, whatever it may be.(click-goto: "All you can do now is accept and embrace that fate, whatever it may be.", $y5evs's ($pos))](if: $pos is 11)[[[All you can do now is accept and embrace that fate, whatever it may be.->YearSix]]]]

         You watch as the lone ship sails off to the west towards Lemnos early in the morning. It returns late the next day, with reports of a successful voyage and plentiful new supplies, including fine new weapons.          Only resignation remains of your drive for victory, resignation to the fate that the gods have already marked down for you. (set: $pos to it + 1)(if: $pos < 11)[All you can do now is accept and embrace that fate, whatever it may be.(click-goto: "All you can do now is accept and embrace that fate, whatever it may be.", $y5evs's ($pos))](if: $pos is 11)[[[All you can do now is accept and embrace that fate, whatever it may be.->YearSix]]]

         You really did hate to ask a warrior to supervise farmers going about the tasks of raising food, but you find you're sleeping better at night regardless, now that you know there will be some food for the troops that isn't dependent on winning in battle.          Only resignation remains of your drive for victory, resignation to the fate that the gods have already marked down for you. (set: $pos to it + 1)(if: $pos < 11)[All you can do now is accept and embrace that fate, whatever it may be.(click-goto: "All you can do now is accept and embrace that fate, whatever it may be.", $y5evs's ($pos))](if: $pos is 11)[[[All you can do now is accept and embrace that fate, whatever it may be.->YearSix]]]

(if: $Achilles is 'dead')[         You really did hate to ask a warrior to supervise farmers going about the tasks of raising food, but you find you're sleeping better at night regardless, now that you know there will be some food for the troops that isn't dependent on winning in battle.](else:)[(set: $AchillesMadness to it + 1)(if: $AchillesMadness < 3)[         You really did hate to ask a warrior to supervise farmers going about the tasks of raising food, but you find you're sleeping better at night regardless, now that you know there will be some food for the troops that isn't dependent on winning in battle...though the way in which you keep finding Achilleus pacing in front of your hut while Patroclos is off supervising the farming does somewhat cancel out any comfort you should be deriving from the knowledge that crops are being grown to feed the men.](else_if: $AchillesMadness is 3)[         On the second morning in which Patroclos is watching over the farmers at their task, you find that the son of Peleus is waiting for you when you leave your hut. "Do you have something against me?" he demands of you.          You splutter uncertainly for a moment before finding your words. "Of course not, Achilleus," you assure him. "You are one of the most important parts of this war effort."          He scowls at you, then stalks off without another word, leaving you feeling deeply unsettled, but unsure what you did wrong, or how in the world to mend the situation.](else_if: $AchillesMadness is 4)[         The very same day you give the order to Patroclos to watch over the farmers, Achilleus barges into your hut, his face almost as red as his hair. "If you don't stop these acts of tyranny..." he starts in a threatening voice.          "I...I don't understand," you admit. "What have I done wrong?"          "Patroclos is *my*--he belongs with *me*. Stop sending him to do things without me!" Without waiting for you to respond, he leaves again in a huff.          You are left stunned by the entire scene, and decide to think about it most carefully next time before giving Patroclos any orders.](else_if: $AchillesMadness is 5)[         You are walking through the camp a few days later when you unexpectedly come across Achilleus in a narrow passage between two huts. Without warning, he suddenly slams you back against one of them, his hand on the hilt of his sword as he snarls wordlessly in your face. He eventually growls some kind of warning at you, but his anger distorts his words to the point that you cannot make them out. Then he simply stalks off again, leaving you in a state of desperate terror for several minutes.](else_if: $AchillesMadness is 6)[         Promptly after you give the order to send Patroclos to oversee the growing of the crops, Achilleus drags you into an empty storage shed filled with weapons. "Do you think me a fool?!" he demands of you. "Do you think I'm a helpless child?!"          "Of-of course not! I protest this treatment!" you exclaim in as loud a voice as you can muster, in the hopes that someone will hear and come to your aid.          "You won't get away with it," he promises, glaring into your eyes. "One more time. One more *chance*. That's it. You cross me again, and you won't live to regret it!"          With that, he is gone, and you crumple into a trembling heap on the floor, ashamed to realize you could be so frightened by a man so many years younger than yourself.](else_if: $AchillesMadness is 7)[         You have no sooner given the order for Patroclos to take over the farming for the coming season than Achilleus barges into your hut, his sword already drawn and his face contorted in madness.          You attempt to protest against his behavior--to scream--to defend yourself--to do *anything*, but in vain. You aren't even wearing your armor, and are dead before you can even fully grasp what is happening.          In fact, before you know it, you are standing beside your own bloodied corpse, and Hermes stands before you, frowning in disgust. "You know, when a volatile youth like Achilleus warns you to stop doing something, you really ought to stop if you don't want to end up like this." He gestures at your mangled remains with his staff.          "Uh...I...didn't...mean to...?" you stammer.          Hermes sighs and shakes his head. "No point telling *me* that. Save it for my uncle. He's the one in charge of you now."          With that, the handsome young god leads your soul down to the house of Hades, where it will remain forevermore. An idle part of your mind wonders if the war will continue on without you, or if your folly in provoking the son of Peleus has doomed the war to a complete failure that will be mocked for all eternity. =><= ***GAME OVER*** <=          [[Try again?->Title Screen]]]](if: $AchillesMadness <7)[          Only resignation remains of your drive for victory, resignation to the fate that the gods have already marked down for you. (set: $pos to it + 1)(if: $pos < 11)[All you can do now is accept and embrace that fate, whatever it may be.(click-goto: "All you can do now is accept and embrace that fate, whatever it may be.", $y5evs's ($pos))](if: $pos is 11)[[[All you can do now is accept and embrace that fate, whatever it may be.->YearSix]]]]

         You go to visit Palamedes in his hut, and are immediately struck by how friendly and personable he is. He makes you very welcome, offering you finely mixed wine poured by his lovely concubine, and gives you a very nice meal before asking you why you have come to see him.          You feel rather guilty about it after the welcome you received, but you hold to your purpose and explain to him your concerns about these 'dice' he has created. (You can even see a little pile of them drying out in one corner of the hut!)          Palamedes frowns before answering. "I am sorry my actions have worried you," he says, "but you must understand that I fear for my life. You have not been made aware of most of the attempts Odysseus has made to be rid of me, but after a battle in which a spear thrown by one of *his* men came very close to ending me, what could I do but attempt to protect myself from his machinations in whatever way I could? I thought winning over his men and hopefully inclining them against attacking me was my best method of survival."          "Is this still just his grudge over you exposing his feigned madness?" you ask.          "I have done nothing else to earn his hatred," Palamedes assures you. "Odysseus is not a man who is capable of forgiveness. So long as he is here, my life is in jeopardy."          You feel your resolve wavering even before Palamedes begins to list Odysseus' many actions against him over the past two years. Eventually, you concede entirely: it is plain to you that Odysseus will stop at nothing to murder Palamedes, and as the leader of all these many men, it is your place to prevent that from happening.          The action gives you no pleasure, but you call Odysseus into your hut the next morning and explain to him that you are sending him back to Ithaca, without his troops. Much to your surprise, he takes the news astonishingly well. In fact, he seems downright *pleased* to be sailing away the next day, even though it means his dishonor and that he gains only a tiny fraction of the spoils he has rightfully earned. Perhaps there was a grain of truth to his many laments about missing his wife and son? (set: $Odysseus to 'exiled')          Only resignation remains of your drive for victory, resignation to the fate that the gods have already marked down for you. (set: $pos to it + 1)(if: $pos < 11)[All you can do now is accept and embrace that fate, whatever it may be.(click-goto: "All you can do now is accept and embrace that fate, whatever it may be.", $y5evs's ($pos))](if: $pos is 11)[[[All you can do now is accept and embrace that fate, whatever it may be.->YearSix]]]

         Ill wanting to lose him to carelessness caused by his troops losing sleep because they are up gambling at all hours of the night, you go to see Odysseus in his hut, and warn him about these 'dice' things that Palamedes has been giving to his men.          Odysseus laughs it off, assuring you that his men are easily able to handle such meager temptations. You wonder if he isn't being a bit too optimistic, but leave him to his faith in his troops, putting the whole incident from your mind.          By a few weeks later, you had almost fully forgotten it had happened at all, until one of your men comes running to tell you that he had just been to the site of the old well that had been dug soon after the army arrived (which had been ill-placed and dried up almost immediately) where the body of Palamedes has been found, half crushed by rocks and dirt.          In your bones, you cannot shake the feeling that Odysseus was responsible, but you cannot prove it, and have to let him go on without penalty. (set: $Palamedes to 'dead')          Only resignation remains of your drive for victory, resignation to the fate that the gods have already marked down for you. (set: $pos to it + 1)(if: $pos < 11)[All you can do now is accept and embrace that fate, whatever it may be.(click-goto: "All you can do now is accept and embrace that fate, whatever it may be.", $y5evs's ($pos))](if: $pos is 11)[[[All you can do now is accept and embrace that fate, whatever it may be.->YearSix]]]

         You send messengers to fetch Nestor and Phoinix, calling them to your hut. Once they arrive, you send away everyone else before explaining the situation with the dice to them, adding that you suspect it is in some way related to the feud that has passed between Odysseus and Palamedes for the last two years--the last fourteen years, in some ways.          "Very troubling indeed," Nestor agrees. "For two such wise men to be engaged in petty recriminations is most appalling."          "They are both very important to the war effort, though," Phoinix adds. "I should not like to think of what would happen if we were to lose either one."          You have to bite your tongue to keep from retorting that if you didn't realize that, you wouldn't be asking them for advice. "How do you suggest I proceed, then?" you ask instead, somehow managing to force your voice to remain level.          "Perhaps you should ban all forms of gambling from the camp," Nestor suggests. "Whatever Palamedes is hoping will happen by introducing this odd variation of knucklebones to the Ithacan troops, it will not work if they are forbidden from gambling."          "All forms of gambling other than bets on athletic competitions," Phoinix counters. "A healthy bet between young men before they compete in a race or wrestling match can aid their drive to succeed."          "Yes, that all sounds well and good, but I can't think it will actually put a stop to the feud between those two." Considering you warned them both *two years ago* to behave themselves, simply banning gambling seems like the most paltry of stopgap measures.          "We must have them watched," Nestor agrees, nodding. "To ensure they do not encounter each other. I will ask my son to keep in Palamedes' company and steer him away from Odysseus."          Phoinix nods. "I will do likewise, asking (unless: $Achilles is 'dead')[Achilleus and] Patroclos to keep close company with Odysseus whenever possible and see to it that he does not give in to his hatred for Palamedes."          You feel a smile of relief steal over your features. "Yes, that sounds like a good solution," you agree.          The two venerable gentlemen remain with you for some time to come, helping you determine the perfect wording for the declaration banning all forms of non-athletic gambling from the camp. (set: $Palamedes to 'guarded')          Only resignation remains of your drive for victory, resignation to the fate that the gods have already marked down for you. (set: $pos to it + 1)(if: $pos < 11)[All you can do now is accept and embrace that fate, whatever it may be.(click-goto: "All you can do now is accept and embrace that fate, whatever it may be.", $y5evs's ($pos))](if: $pos is 11)[[[All you can do now is accept and embrace that fate, whatever it may be.->YearSix]]]

         Not sure what Palamedes' plan is with these 'dice' things, and not wanting to risk punishing him if it truly turns out to be harmless, you decide to ask Diomedes to keep watch over Odysseus and ensure that no harm comes to him.          Diomedes assures you that there is no need to worry, but promises to keep an eye on his friend's safety, just in case. Feeling relieved, you put the whole incident from your mind.          By a few weeks later, you had almost fully forgotten it had happened at all, until one of your men comes running to tell you that he had just been to the site of the old well that had been dug soon after the army arrived (which had been ill-placed and dried up almost immediately) where the body of Palamedes has been found, half crushed by rocks and dirt.          In your bones, you cannot shake the feeling that Odysseus was responsible, but you cannot prove it, and have to let him go on without penalty. (set: $Palamedes to 'dead')          Only resignation remains of your drive for victory, resignation to the fate that the gods have already marked down for you. (set: $pos to it + 1)(if: $pos < 11)[All you can do now is accept and embrace that fate, whatever it may be.(click-goto: "All you can do now is accept and embrace that fate, whatever it may be.", $y5evs's ($pos))](if: $pos is 11)[[[All you can do now is accept and embrace that fate, whatever it may be.->YearSix]]]

         If the dice are the problem, then the dice simply have to go, you reason. Therefore, you call before you all the nobles and inform them of your decision.          Even Palamedes, their inventor, does not object, and you feel you have truly made the right decision.          Only resignation remains of your drive for victory, resignation to the fate that the gods have already marked down for you. (set: $pos to it + 1)(if: $pos < 11)[All you can do now is accept and embrace that fate, whatever it may be.(click-goto: "All you can do now is accept and embrace that fate, whatever it may be.", $y5evs's ($pos))](if: $pos is 11)[[[All you can do now is accept and embrace that fate, whatever it may be.->YearSix]]]

         You put the whole incident out of your mind, convinced it is entirely benign.          You have, in fact, forgotten all about it, until about a month later, when the men return from a battle and Odysseus is having to be carried between Diomedes and Menelaos, badly injured.          After asking around, you're informed that the enemy was able to wound Odysseus so easily because his men failed him, being too little focused on the battle.(set: $Odysseus to 'wounded2')          Only resignation remains of your drive for victory, resignation to the fate that the gods have already marked down for you. (set: $pos to it + 1)(if: $pos < 11)[All you can do now is accept and embrace that fate, whatever it may be.(click-goto: "All you can do now is accept and embrace that fate, whatever it may be.", $y5evs's ($pos))](if: $pos is 11)[[[All you can do now is accept and embrace that fate, whatever it may be.->YearSix]]]

         If the rumors are true, and a prophecy was made known to the Atreidai that this war could only be won in the tenth year, then you face the miserable knowledge that you are only halfway through this ghastly ordeal.          You've been lucky (so far) in that most of the casualties have been commoners. But how long will that last?          More importantly, how long will the men--common and noble alike--consent to continue this absurd fight? Yes, your men have acquired a great deal of wealth from looting all up and down the Phrygian coastline, but to what end? If you must remain here another five years, won't you all return to find your homes entirely changed? Surely everyone back in Hellas will give up on the entire expedition as dead if you must really stay here for ten years, leading to usurped thrones, remarried wives, and belongings large and small distributed to others.          Can one woman really be worth this level of trouble? Even if she truly is a daughter of Zeus, how can so much suffering and death be justified for the sake of one man's wife? (Equally perplexing, of course, is the question of why the Trojans would still allow her to remain in the city and prolong this combat when they could put an end to all this warfare by returning her.)          The more you think about the futility of it all, the more determined you are not to allow that prophecy (if it really existed) to come to fruition.          You send for your herald, and give him a message to take to King Priam, expressing your desire to see this war brought to a close. You remind him of all the lives that have been lost, and how much his people must hate Helen for having brought all this suffering upon them, and you beg him to think of the greater good of all the men of Anatolia and Hellas alike, and return Helen to Menelaos, so that the hostilities may at last end.          A week later, a message returns to you by way of a Trojan herald. The message comes from Prince Alexandros, and is the most rude of all possible refusals. Part of you wonders if perhaps King Priam has already died, and Alexandros has taken his throne(unless: $Hector is 'dead')[, usurping his superior elder brother somehow], and yet you feel sure that you would have heard rumor of that by now if it had happened.          With no other recourse before you, you face the coming conflicts with hopelessness.(set: $pos to 1) (set: $y6evs to (shuffled: 'Feud3','Lemnos6','Farming6','Battle6a','Battle6b','Sacking6','Battle6a','Battle6b','Sacking6','Sacking6'))(click-goto: "you face the coming conflicts with hopelessness.", $y6evs's 1st)

(if: $Odysseus is 'dead' or 'exiled')[(goto: "Arbitrary6")](else_if: $Palamedes is 'dead' or 'exiled')[(goto: "Arbitrary6")](else:)[         One of the things you most feared has come to pass. A report has come to you by a fast ship from the men you left behind in Methymna indicating that an Egyptian fleet has just sailed past Lesbos. The course the fleet was on indicated that it was probably headed to Troy, while veering just far enough from the shore that you will not be able to see the fleet from camp.          Trying your best not to panic, you have the men best at sea combat set sail immediately to intercept the Egyptian fleet, and you lead the endeavor yourself.          Thankfully, the Egyptians were not expecting to be waylaid on the water, and you are able to capture the entire fleet. It is not a huge fleet--only a dozen ships--but it carries not only soldiers being sent to aid Priam in his war, but also food, fine new weapons, and a great deal of gold.          The food and weapons are added to the camp's general stock, and the gold is divided up among the many princes who took part in the battle. But there is debate over what to do with the captured Egyptians.          "We must send the captives back to Egypt," Palamedes insists at the assembly you call to debate the question. "We cannot afford war on two fronts, and Ramses has many more men than these few that he could send if we should anger him. If we return them with no further casualties to their number aside from those who died in the initial conflict, along with a message reminding him of the justice of our cause, I doubt he will intervene again."          "Ramses will not be expecting his men to return until he hears news of the war ending," Odysseus says, shaking his head. "He will think nothing of their absence, therefore. We should send them unarmed and unarmored into the city, the faster to reduce its supplies of food. Without their weapons and armor, they will have little to contribute to the city's defense."(unless: $Palamedes is 'guarded')[ He frowns, and glances at Palamedes. "Of more immediate concern, in my opinion, is the fact that one of our number has taken far more than his share of the gold."          "I noticed no such imbalance," you say, having supervised the division personally.          "The *amount* taken was even, but a certain prince from Euboia connived to take items of far greater value than every other prince received."          "That isn't--" you start to say, but you can get no further before Diomedes interrupts you.          "I noticed it, too," he agrees. "A gold diadem for every ring another man received, a golden necklace for every bead in another man's stores..."          "That is entirely untrue," Palamedes says coldly, "and these base accusations cheapen us all."]          For a moment, there is only silence, then Diomedes frowns. "I hate to disagree with what might ordinarily be wise counsel from Odysseus," he says, shaking his head, "but we cannot trust to the Trojans not having stockpiles of weapons and armor--nor can we assume that they will not be able to receive more arms by water from Hattusa. No, the only thing we can do is kill the Egyptians, or they will make our fight harder. As Odysseus said, Ramses won't be expecting to hear from them until the war is over, so by the time he could learn we had killed them, we would already be sailing home. And he would not be stupid enough to try invading all of Hellas to avenge a number of troops he would consider paltry."          You bite your lip. All three suggestions regarding the fate of the Egyptian troops have merit.(unless: $Palamedes is 'guarded')[ And you don't even want to think about the accusations of greed, let alone acknowledge them further.] "Does anyone else have any opinions regarding the best fate for the Egyptians?"          (if: $Achilles is 'dead')["Wouldn't it be best to ransom them?" Antilochos suggests. "Return them to Ramses, but only if he provides us with food, weapons, or whatever else we can get from him. Admittedly, we would have to feed them while we awaited his decision, but they can be fed the food they brought themselves."](else:)["Why should we send Ramses his men back for free?" Achilleus comments, with a laugh. "Get him to pay us for their safe release! And tell him to hurry, because when we run out of the food they brought, they won't be eating any of ours." (unless: $Palamedes is 'guarded')[He gestures at Odysseus and Palamedes. "And send these two away with them," he adds, "before their hatred of each other can get the rest of us killed. It's bad enough I'm here risking my life over a runaway wife. I don't want to add to that risk because two old men have a grudge."]] Many of the youngest men in the assembly nod their assent to his words.          You don't have a real solution, still, but at least you have several plans you can follow. But which is best?          [[Follow Palamedes' suggestion.->Feud3ReturnToEgypt]]          [[Follow Odysseus' suggestion.->Feud3IntoCity]]          [[Follow Diomedes' suggestion.->Feud3KillEmAll]] (if: $Achilles is 'dead')[         [[Follow Antilochos' suggestion.->Feud3Ransom]]](else:)[         [[Follow Achilleus' suggestion.->Feud3Ransom]]]]

         Supplies are not great. The entire council of princes agrees that the best thing to do is to find some local town and raid it for food, weapons, and slaves to trade on Lemnos for more food and weapons.          Who will you put in charge of the raid? (if: $Achilles is 'alive')[         [[Achilleus->Sacking6Achilles]] ](if: $AiasS is 'alive')[         [[Aias of Salamis->Sacking6AiasS]] ](if: $Diomedes is 'alive')[         [[Diomedes->Sacking6Diomedes]] ](if: $Odysseus is 'alive')[         [[Odysseus->Sacking6Odysseus]] ](if: $Idomeneus is 'alive')[         [[Idomeneus->Sacking6Idomeneus]] ](if: $Ascalaphos is 'alive')[         [[Ascalaphos->Sacking6Ascalaphos]] ](if: $Cycnos is 'ally')[         [[Cycnos->Sacking6Cycnos]] ](if: $Menelaos is 'alive')[         [[Menelaos->Sacking6Menelaos]] ](if: $Protesilaos is 'alive')[         [[Protesilaos->Sacking6Protesilaos]] ](if: $Antilochos is 'alive')[         [[Nestor->Sacking6Nestor]] ](if: $AiasL is 'alive')[         [[Aias of Locris->Sacking6AiasL]]]

         You decide that it is high time you acted like you were really here to conquer the Trojan citadel, and order the men to prepare for a pitched battle. They hurry into their arms and armor, and prepare the chariots for war.          As the chariots form up into ranks, you have to decide who to give the central position in the line. (if: $Achilles is 'alive')[         [[Put Achilleus in the center.->Battle6Achilles]] ](if: $AiasS is 'alive')[         [[Put Aias of Salamis in the center.->Battle6AiasS]] ](if: $Diomedes is 'alive')[         [[Put Diomedes in the center.->Battle6Diomedes]] ](if: $Odysseus is 'alive')[         [[Put Odysseus in the center.->Battle6Odysseus]] ](if: $Idomeneus is 'alive')[         [[Put Idomeneus in the center.->Battle6Idomeneus]] ](if: $Ascalaphos is 'alive')[         [[Put Ascalaphos in the center.->Battle6Ascalaphos]] ](if: $Cycnos is 'ally')[         [[Put Cycnos in the center.->Battle6Cycnos]] ](if: $Menelaos is 'alive')[         [[Put Menelaos in the center.->Battle6Menelaos]] ](if: $Protesilaos is 'alive')[         [[Put Protesilaos in the center.->Battle6Protesilaos]] ](if: $Antilochos is 'alive')[         [[Put Nestor in the center.->Battle6Nestor]] ](if: $AiasL is 'alive')[         [[Put Aias of Locris in the center.->Battle6AiasL]] ](if: $Podaleirios is 'alive')[         [[Put Podaleirios in the center.->Battle6Podaleirios]]]

         The alarum sounds through the camp, informing everyone that the Trojans are preparing a sortie. Men scramble to arm themselves and get in position in their chariots, and soon the battle lines are assembling on the field before the wide walls of fair Ilios.          As the chariots form up into ranks, you have to decide who to give the central position in the line. (if: $Achilles is 'alive')[         [[Put Achilleus in the center.->Battle6Achilles]] ](if: $AiasS is 'alive')[         [[Put Aias of Salamis in the center.->Battle6AiasS]] ](if: $Diomedes is 'alive')[         [[Put Diomedes in the center.->Battle6Diomedes]] ](if: $Odysseus is 'alive')[         [[Put Odysseus in the center.->Battle6Odysseus]] ](if: $Idomeneus is 'alive')[         [[Put Idomeneus in the center.->Battle6Idomeneus]] ](if: $Ascalaphos is 'alive')[         [[Put Ascalaphos in the center.->Battle6Ascalaphos]] ](if: $Cycnos is 'ally')[         [[Put Cycnos in the center.->Battle6Cycnos]] ](if: $Menelaos is 'alive')[         [[Put Menelaos in the center.->Battle6Menelaos]] ](if: $Protesilaos is 'alive')[         [[Put Protesilaos in the center.->Battle6Protesilaos]] ](if: $Antilochos is 'alive')[         [[Put Nestor in the center.->Battle6Nestor]] ](if: $AiasL is 'alive')[         [[Put Aias of Locris in the center.->Battle6AiasL]] ](if: $Podaleirios is 'alive')[         [[Put Podaleirios in the center.->Battle6Podaleirios]]]

         As much as you hate to admit it, you can't just depend on raiding the local villages for food, or on trading slaves to Lemnos.          You're going to have to set some of your troops to growing food themselves.          Admittedly, many of the common troops are farmers at home anyway, but it's still a humiliating thought.          You decide you'd better put a less important nobleman in charge, just in case the troops involved begin to balk after a while. Unfortunately, that means they won't be able to join in the battle for some months to come, but...sometimes these things are just unavoidable! (On reflection, you decide that a more important or powerful warrior who is currently too wounded for battle would also be able to handle this task, since he certainly wouldn't be doing the farming himself.) (if: $Achilles is 'wounded1')[         Have Achilleus supervise.(click: "Have Achilleus supervise.")[(set: $Achilles to 'farming')(goto: "Farming6Other")] ](if: $AiasS is 'wounded1')[         Have Aias of Salamis supervise.(click: "Have Aias of Salamis supervise.")[(set: $AiasS to 'farming')(goto: "Farming6Other")] ](if: $Odysseus is 'wounded1')[         Have Odysseus supervise.(click: "Have Odysseus supervise.")[(set: $Odysseus to 'farming')(goto: "Farming6Other")] ](if: $Diomedes is 'wounded1')[         Have Diomedes supervise.(click: "Have Diomedes supervise.")[(set: $Diomedes to 'farming')(goto: "Farming6Other")] ](if: $AiasL is 'wounded1')[         Have Aias of Locris supervise.(click: "Have Aias of Locris supervise.")[(set: $AiasL to 'farming')(goto: "Farming6Other")] ](if: $Idomeneus is 'wounded1')[         Have Idomeneus supervise.(click: "Have Idomeneus supervise.")[(set: $Idomeneus to 'farming')(goto: "Farming6Other")] ](if: $Ascalaphos is 'wounded1')[         Have Ascalaphos supervise.(click: "Have Ascalaphos supervise.")[(set: $Ascalaphos to 'farming')(goto: "Farming6Other")] ](if: $Menelaos is 'wounded1')[         Have Menelaos supervise.(click: "Have Menelaos supervise.")[(set: $Menelaos to 'farming')(goto: "Farming6Other")] ](if: $Protesilaos is 'wounded1')[         Have Protesilaos supervise.(click: "Have Protesilaos supervise.")[(set: $Protesilaos to 'farming')(goto: "Farming6Other")] ][         Have Patroclos supervise.(click: "Have Patroclos supervise.")[(set: $Patroclos to 'farming')(goto: "Farming6Patroclos")]] [         Have Meriones supervise.(click: "Have Meriones supervise.")[(set: $Meriones to 'farming')(goto: "Farming6Other")]] [         Have Teukros supervise.(click: "Have Teukros supervise.")[(set: $Teukros to 'farming')(goto: "Farming6Other")]] [         Have Antilochos supervise.(click: "Have Antilochos supervise.")[(set: $Antilochos to 'farming')(goto: "Farming6Other")]]          [[Have Phoinix supervise.->Farming6Other]] (if: $Thersites is 'alive')[         [[He's not really suitable for it, but you decide to put the commoner Thersites to the task...because that way you won't have to listen to him run his mouth off for several months to come.->Farming6Other]]]

         You decide now is as good a time as any to send a boat with some of the excess slaves to Lemnos to trade them for supplies.          Fortunately, the voyage to Lemnos will take at most a day, so the chances of the men being needed before their return are very slim. Still, best to put one of the lesser nobles in charge. Just in case. (if: $Patroclos is 'alive')[         [[Send Patroclos.->Lemnos6Patroclos]] ](if: $Teukros is 'alive')[         [[Send Teukros.->Lemnos6Other]] ](if: $Meriones is 'alive')[         [[Send Meriones.->Lemnos6Other]] ](if: $Antilochos is 'alive')[         [[Send Antilochos.->Lemnos6Other]] ](if: $Podaleirios is 'alive')[         [[Send Podaleirios.->Lemnos6Other]] ](if: $Machaon is 'alive')[         [[Send Machaon.->Lemnos6Other]]]

         Even from your vantage point on the walls of the camp, you can see the two lines of chariots as they careen towards each other and turn about for a second pass. After a few passes, the lines become hopelessly muddled, and the foot soldiers have entered the fray, giving you a sight mostly of dust and chaos. (if: $Patroclos is 'alive')[(if: (random: 1,100) is 100)[(set: $Achilles to 'wounded1')](if:(random:1,25) is 25)[(set: $Patroclos to 'wounded1')]          Eventually, the dust clears, and you can clearly make out both sides returning home again. There have been many casualties among the common men, but no one of note on either side met his end, (if: $Achilles is 'wounded1')[(if: $Patroclos is 'wounded1')[though unfortunately both Achilleus and his companion Patroclos were lightly injured.](else:)[though Achilleus did suffer a slight injury.]](else_if: $Patroclos is 'wounded1')[though sadly Patroclos did receive a slight injury.](else:)[or even serious injury.] You were lucky today, but you are certain that luck stemmed largely from the presence of the son of Thetis in the center of your formation, inspiring your troops and frightening the enemy.] (else:)[(if: (random: 1,100) is 100)[(set: $Achilles to 'wounded1')]          Eventually, the dust clears, and you can clearly make out both sides returning home again. There have been many casualties among the common men, but no one of note on either side met his end, (if: $Achilles is 'wounded1')[though Achilleus did suffer a slight injury.](else:)[or even serious injury.] You were lucky today, but you are certain that luck stemmed largely from the presence of the son of Thetis in the center of your formation, inspiring your troops and frightening the enemy.]          With no other recourse before you, (set: $pos to it + 1)(if: $pos < 11)[you face the coming conflicts with hopelessness.(click-goto: "you face the coming conflicts with hopelessness.", $y6evs's ($pos))](if: $pos is 11)[[[you face the coming conflicts with hopelessness.->YearSeven]]]

         Even from your vantage point on the walls of the camp, you can see the two lines of chariots as they careen towards each other and turn about for a second pass. After a few passes, the lines become hopelessly muddled, and the foot soldiers have entered the fray, giving you a sight mostly of dust and chaos. (if: $Teukros is 'alive')[(if: (random: 1,50) is 50)[(set: $AiasS to 'wounded1')](if:(random:1,15) is 15)[(set: $Teukros to 'wounded1')]          Eventually, the dust clears, and you can clearly make out both sides returning home again. There have been many casualties among the common men, but no one of note on either side met his end, (if: $AiasS is 'wounded1')[(if: $Teukros is 'wounded1')[though unfortunately both Aias and his brother Teukros were lightly injured.](else:)[though Aias did suffer a slight injury.]](else_if: $Teukros is 'wounded1')[though sadly Teukros did receive a slight injury.](else:)[or even serious injury.] You were lucky today, but you are sure that luck was largely due to your decision to place the mighty son of Telamon at the center of the formation.] (else:)[(if: (random: 1,50) is 50)[(set: $AiasS to 'wounded1')]          Eventually, the dust clears, and you can clearly make out both sides returning home again. There have been many casualties among the common men, but no one of note on either side met his end, (if: $AiasS is 'wounded1')[though Aias did suffer a slight injury.](else:)[or even serious injury.] You were lucky today, but you are sure that luck was largely due to your decision to place the mighty son of Telamon at the center of the formation.]          With no other recourse before you, (set: $pos to it + 1)(if: $pos < 11)[you face the coming conflicts with hopelessness.(click-goto: "you face the coming conflicts with hopelessness.", $y6evs's ($pos))](if: $pos is 11)[[[you face the coming conflicts with hopelessness.->YearSeven]]]

         Even from your vantage point on the walls of the camp, you can see the two lines of chariots as they careen towards each other and turn about for a second pass. After a few passes, the lines become hopelessly muddled, and the foot soldiers have entered the fray, giving you a sight mostly of dust and chaos. (if: $Meriones is 'alive')[(if: (random: 1,6) is 6)[(set: $Idomeneus to 'wounded1')](if:(random:1,15) is 15)[(set: $Meriones to 'wounded1')]          Eventually, the dust clears, and you can clearly make out both sides returning home again. There have been many casualties among the common men, but no one of note on either side met his end, (if: $Idomeneus is 'wounded1')[(if: $Meriones is 'wounded1')[though unfortunately both Idomeneus and his nephew Meriones were lightly injured.](else:)[though Idomeneus did suffer a slight injury.]](else_if: $Meriones is 'wounded1')[though sadly Meriones did receive a slight injury.](else:)[or even serious injury.] You were lucky today, and you wonder if that luck was because of the divine favor shown to the indomitable Cretan king.](else:)[(if: (random: 1,6) is 6)[(set: $Idomeneus to 'wounded1')]          Eventually, the dust clears, and you can clearly make out both sides returning home again. There have been many casualties among the common men, but no one of note on either side met his end, (if: $Idomeneus is 'wounded1')[though Idomeneus did suffer a slight injury.](else:)[or even serious injury.] You were lucky today, and you wonder if that luck was because of the divine favor shown to the indomitable Cretan king.]          With no other recourse before you, (set: $pos to it + 1)(if: $pos < 11)[you face the coming conflicts with hopelessness.(click-goto: "you face the coming conflicts with hopelessness.", $y6evs's ($pos))](if: $pos is 11)[[[you face the coming conflicts with hopelessness.->YearSeven]]]

         You really did hate to ask a warrior to supervise farmers going about the tasks of raising food, but you find you're sleeping better at night regardless, now that you know there will be some food for the troops that isn't dependent on winning in battle.          With no other recourse before you, (set: $pos to it + 1)(if: $pos < 11)[you face the coming conflicts with hopelessness.(click-goto: "you face the coming conflicts with hopelessness.", $y6evs's ($pos))](if: $pos is 11)[[[you face the coming conflicts with hopelessness.->YearSeven]]]

(if: $Achilles is 'dead')[         You really did hate to ask a warrior to supervise farmers going about the tasks of raising food, but you find you're sleeping better at night regardless, now that you know there will be some food for the troops that isn't dependent on winning in battle.](else:)[(set: $AchillesMadness to it + 1)(if: $AchillesMadness < 3)[         You really did hate to ask a warrior to supervise farmers going about the tasks of raising food, but you find you're sleeping better at night regardless, now that you know there will be some food for the troops that isn't dependent on winning in battle...though the way in which you keep finding Achilleus pacing in front of your hut while Patroclos is off supervising the farming does somewhat cancel out any comfort you should be deriving from the knowledge that crops are being grown to feed the men.](else_if: $AchillesMadness is 3)[         On the second morning in which Patroclos is watching over the farmers at their task, you find that the son of Peleus is waiting for you when you leave your hut. "Do you have something against me?" he demands of you.          You splutter uncertainly for a moment before finding your words. "Of course not, Achilleus," you assure him. "You are one of the most important parts of this war effort."          He scowls at you, then stalks off without another word, leaving you feeling deeply unsettled, but unsure what you did wrong, or how in the world to mend the situation.](else_if: $AchillesMadness is 4)[         The very same day you give the order to Patroclos to watch over the farmers, Achilleus barges into your hut, his face almost as red as his hair. "If you don't stop these acts of tyranny..." he starts in a threatening voice.          "I...I don't understand," you admit. "What have I done wrong?"          "Patroclos is *my*--he belongs with *me*. Stop sending him to do things without me!" Without waiting for you to respond, he leaves again in a huff.          You are left stunned by the entire scene, and decide to think about it most carefully next time before giving Patroclos any orders.](else_if: $AchillesMadness is 5)[         You are walking through the camp a few days later when you unexpectedly come across Achilleus in a narrow passage between two huts. Without warning, he suddenly slams you back against one of them, his hand on the hilt of his sword as he snarls wordlessly in your face. He eventually growls some kind of warning at you, but his anger distorts his words to the point that you cannot make them out. Then he simply stalks off again, leaving you in a state of desperate terror for several minutes.](else_if: $AchillesMadness is 6)[         Promptly after you give the order to send Patroclos to oversee the growing of the crops, Achilleus drags you into an empty storage shed filled with weapons. "Do you think me a fool?!" he demands of you. "Do you think I'm a helpless child?!"          "Of-of course not! I protest this treatment!" you exclaim in as loud a voice as you can muster, in the hopes that someone will hear and come to your aid.          "You won't get away with it," he promises, glaring into your eyes. "One more time. One more *chance*. That's it. You cross me again, and you won't live to regret it!"          With that, he is gone, and you crumple into a trembling heap on the floor, ashamed to realize you could be so frightened by a man so many years younger than yourself.](else_if: $AchillesMadness is 7)[         You have no sooner given the order for Patroclos to take over the farming for the coming season than Achilleus barges into your hut, his sword already drawn and his face contorted in madness.          You attempt to protest against his behavior--to scream--to defend yourself--to do *anything*, but in vain. You aren't even wearing your armor, and are dead before you can even fully grasp what is happening.          In fact, before you know it, you are standing beside your own bloodied corpse, and Hermes stands before you, frowning in disgust. "You know, when a volatile youth like Achilleus warns you to stop doing something, you really ought to stop if you don't want to end up like this." He gestures at your mangled remains with his staff.          "Uh...I...didn't...mean to...?" you stammer.          Hermes sighs and shakes his head. "No point telling *me* that. Save it for my uncle. He's the one in charge of you now."          With that, the handsome young god leads your soul down to the house of Hades, where it will remain forevermore. An idle part of your mind wonders if the war will continue on without you, or if your folly in provoking the son of Peleus has doomed the war to a complete failure that will be mocked for all eternity. =><= ***GAME OVER*** <= [[Try again?->Title Screen]]]](if: $AchillesMadness <7)[          With no other recourse before you, (set: $pos to it + 1)(if: $pos < 11)[you face the coming conflicts with hopelessness.(click-goto: "you face the coming conflicts with hopelessness.", $y6evs's ($pos))](if: $pos is 11)[[[you face the coming conflicts with hopelessness.->YearSeven]]]]

(if: $Achilles is 'dead')[         You watch as the lone ship sails off to the west towards Lemnos early in the morning. It returns late the next day, with reports of a successful voyage and plentiful new supplies, including fine new weapons. ](else:)[(set: $AchillesMadness to it + 1)          You watch as the lone ship sails off to the west towards Lemnos early in the morning, but you watch it with far less interest than Achilleus does. (if: $AchillesMadness is 2)[As far as you can tell, Achilleus barely moves the whole time Patroclos is away, just standing there staring at the spot on the horizon where the ship vanished from his sight.](else_if: $AchillesMadness is 3)[The only time Achilleus looks away from the horizon, as far as you can tell, is to shoot dire glances in your direction that soon have you feeling almost threatened, and make you retreat back into the relative safety of your hut.] (else_if: $AchillesMadness is 4)[That evening, Achilleus barges into your hut, his face almost as red as his hair. "If you don't stop these acts of tyranny..." he starts in a threatening voice.          "I...I don't understand," you admit. "What have I done wrong?"          "Patroclos is *my*--he belongs with *me*. Stop sending him to do things without me!" Without waiting for you to respond, he leaves again in a huff.          You are left stunned by the entire scene, and decide to think about it most carefully next time before giving Patroclos any orders.          ](else_if: $AchillesMadness is 5)[The ship has barely vanished over the horizon before Achilleus has backed you against the nearest hut, his hand on the hilt of his sword as he snarls wordlessly in your face. "If anything happens to him while he's away..." he eventually growls, before stalking off again, leaving you in a state of desperate terror for several minutes.          Despite Achilleus' worries (or whatever that was about), ](else_if: $AchillesMadness is 6)[Promptly after the ship has taken Patroclos to Lemnos, Achilleus drags you into an empty storage shed filled with weapons. "Do you think me a fool?!" he demands of you. "Do you think I'm a helpless child?!"          "Of-of course not! I protest this treatment!" you exclaim in as loud a voice as you can muster, in the hopes that someone will hear and come to your aid.          "You won't get away with it," he promises, glaring into your eyes. "One more time. One more *chance*. That's it. You cross me again, and you won't live to regret it!"          With that, he is gone, and you crumple into a trembling heap on the floor, ashamed to realize you could be so frightened by a man so many years younger than yourself.          ](else_if: $AchillesMadness is 7)[          You are barely settled in to your next meal when Achilleus barges into your hut, his sword already drawn and his face contorted in madness.          You attempt to protest against his behavior--to scream--to defend yourself--to do *anything*, but in vain. You aren't even wearing your armor, and are dead before you can even fully grasp what is happening.          In fact, before you know it, you are standing beside your own bloodied corpse, and Hermes stands before you, frowning in disgust. "You know, when a volatile youth like Achilleus warns you to stop doing something, you really ought to stop if you don't want to end up like this." He gestures at your mangled remains with his staff.          "Uh...I...didn't...mean to...?" you stammer.          Hermes sighs and shakes his head. "No point telling *me* that. Save it for my uncle. He's the one in charge of you now."          With that, the handsome young god leads your soul down to the house of Hades, where it will remain forevermore. An idle part of your mind wonders if the war will continue on without you, or if your folly in provoking the son of Peleus has doomed the war to a complete failure that will be mocked for all eternity. =><= ***GAME OVER*** <=          [[Try again?->Title Screen]]]](if: $AchillesMadness < 7)[Patroclos and his crew return late the next day, with reports of a successful voyage and plentiful new supplies, including fine new weapons.          With no other recourse before you, (set: $pos to it + 1)(if: $pos < 11)[you face the coming conflicts with hopelessness.(click-goto: "you face the coming conflicts with hopelessness.", $y6evs's ($pos))](if: $pos is 11)[[[you face the coming conflicts with hopelessness.->YearSeven]]]]

         You watch as the lone ship sails off to the west towards Lemnos early in the morning. It returns late the next day, with reports of a successful voyage and plentiful new supplies, including fine new weapons.          With no other recourse before you, (set: $pos to it + 1)(if: $pos < 11)[you face the coming conflicts with hopelessness.(click-goto: "you face the coming conflicts with hopelessness.", $y6evs's ($pos))](if: $pos is 11)[[[you face the coming conflicts with hopelessness.->YearSeven]]]

         Achilleus leads a large force of men and chariots towards one of the nearby minor settlements. The troops are all in good cheer, enthusiastic about the battle that awaits them.          They are still cheerful upon their return, leading captured livestock along with wagons filled with food, gold, weapons and slaves. You notice that gold and weapons seem to be the preponderance of the spoils. (if: $Patroclos is 'alive')[(if: (random: 1,100) is 100)[(set: $Achilles to 'wounded1')](if:(random:1,25) is 25)[(set: $Patroclos to 'wounded1')]          Achilleus reports that the allied casualties were few and no men of note perished, (if: $Achilles is 'wounded1')[(if: $Patroclos is 'wounded1')[though unfortunately both he and Patroclos were lightly injured.](else:)[though he himself did suffer a slight injury.]](else_if: $Patroclos is 'wounded1')[though sadly Patroclos did receive a slight injury.](else:)[or were wounded.]] (else:)[(if: (random: 1,100) is 100)[(set: $Achilles to 'wounded1')]          Achilleus reports that the allied casualties were few and no men of note perished, (if: $Achilles is 'wounded1')[though he himself did suffer a slight injury.](else:)[or were wounded.]] Overall, it was a very successful raid.          With no other recourse before you, (set: $pos to it + 1)(if: $pos < 11)[you face the coming conflicts with hopelessness.(click-goto: "you face the coming conflicts with hopelessness.", $y6evs's ($pos))](if: $pos is 11)[[[you face the coming conflicts with hopelessness.->YearSeven]]]

         Aias leads a large force of men and chariots towards one of the nearby minor settlements. The troops are all in good cheer, enthusiastic about the battle that awaits them.          They are still cheerful upon their return, leading captured livestock along with wagons filled with food, gold, weapons and slaves. You notice that food and weapons seem to be the preponderance of the spoils. (if: $Teukros is 'alive')[(if: (random: 1,50) is 50)[(set: $AiasS to 'wounded1')](if:(random:1,15) is 15)[(set: $Teukros to 'wounded1')]          Aias reports that the allied casualties were few and no men of note perished, (if: $AiasS is 'wounded1')[(if: $Teukros is 'wounded1')[though unfortunately both he and his brother Teukros were lightly injured.](else:)[though he himself did suffer a slight injury.]](else_if: $Teukros is 'wounded1')[though sadly his brother Teukros did receive a slight injury.](else:)[or were wounded.]] (else:)[(if: (random: 1,50) is 50)[(set: $AiasS to 'wounded1')]          Aias reports that the allied casualties were few and no men of note perished, (if: $AiasS is 'wounded1')[though he himself did suffer a slight injury.](else:)[or were wounded.]] Overall, it was a very successful raid.          With no other recourse before you, (set: $pos to it + 1)(if: $pos < 11)[you face the coming conflicts with hopelessness.(click-goto: "you face the coming conflicts with hopelessness.", $y6evs's ($pos))](if: $pos is 11)[[[you face the coming conflicts with hopelessness.->YearSeven]]]

         Diomedes leads a large force of men and chariots towards one of the nearby minor settlements. The troops are all in good cheer, enthusiastic about the battle that awaits them.          They are still cheerful upon their return, leading captured livestock along with wagons filled with food, gold, weapons and slaves. No one type of loot seems especially greater in number than the others. (if: (random: 1,50) is 50)[(set: $Diomedes to 'wounded1')]          Diomedes reports that the allied casualties were few and no men of note perished, (if: $Diomedes is 'wounded1')[though he himself did suffer a slight injury.](else:)[or were wounded.] Overall, it was a very successful raid.          With no other recourse before you, (set: $pos to it + 1)(if: $pos < 11)[you face the coming conflicts with hopelessness.(click-goto: "you face the coming conflicts with hopelessness.", $y6evs's ($pos))](if: $pos is 11)[[[you face the coming conflicts with hopelessness.->YearSeven]]]

         Odysseus leads a large force of men and chariots towards one of the nearby minor settlements. The troops are all in good cheer, enthusiastic about the battle that awaits them.          They are still cheerful upon their return, leading captured livestock along with wagons filled with food, gold, weapons and slaves. No one type of loot seems especially greater in number than the others. (if: (random: 1,10) is 10)[(set: $Odysseus to 'wounded1')]          Odysseus reports that the allied casualties were few and no men of note perished, (if: $Odysseus is 'wounded1')[though he himself did suffer a slight injury.](else:)[or were wounded.] Overall, it was a very successful raid.          With no other recourse before you, (set: $pos to it + 1)(if: $pos < 11)[you face the coming conflicts with hopelessness.(click-goto: "you face the coming conflicts with hopelessness.", $y6evs's ($pos))](if: $pos is 11)[[[you face the coming conflicts with hopelessness.->YearSeven]]]

         Idomeneus leads a large force of men and chariots towards one of the nearby minor settlements. The troops are all in good cheer, enthusiastic about the battle that awaits them.          They are still cheerful upon their return, leading captured livestock along with wagons filled with food, gold, weapons and slaves. You notice that food and livestock seem to be the preponderance of the spoils. (if: $Meriones is 'alive')[(if: (random: 1,6) is 6)[(set: $Idomeneus to 'wounded1')](if:(random:1,15) is 15)[(set: $Meriones to 'wounded1')]          Idomeneus reports that the allied casualties were few and no men of note perished, (if: $Idomeneus is 'wounded1')[(if: $Meriones is 'wounded1')[though unfortunately both he and his nephew Meriones were lightly injured.](else:)[though he himself did suffer a slight injury.]](else_if: $Meriones is 'wounded1')[though sadly his nephew Meriones did receive a slight injury.](else:)[or were wounded.]] (else:)[(if: (random: 1,6) is 6)[(set: $Idomeneus to 'wounded1')]          Idomeneus reports that the allied casualties were few and no men of note perished, (if: $Idomeneus is 'wounded1')[though he himself did suffer a slight injury.](else:)[or were wounded.]] Overall, it was a very successful raid.          With no other recourse before you, (set: $pos to it + 1)(if: $pos < 11)[you face the coming conflicts with hopelessness.(click-goto: "you face the coming conflicts with hopelessness.", $y6evs's ($pos))](if: $pos is 11)[[[you face the coming conflicts with hopelessness.->YearSeven]]]

         Ascalaphos leads a large force of men and chariots towards one of the nearby minor settlements. The troops are all in good cheer, enthusiastic about the battle that awaits them.          They are still cheerful upon their return, leading captured livestock along with wagons filled with food, gold, weapons and slaves. You notice that weapons seem overrepresented among the spoils. (if: (random: 1,10) is 10)[(set: $Ascalaphos to 'wounded1')]          Ascalaphos reports that the allied casualties were few and no men of note perished, (if: $Ascalaphos is 'wounded1')[though he himself did suffer a slight injury.](else:)[or were wounded.] Overall, it was a very successful raid.          With no other recourse before you, (set: $pos to it + 1)(if: $pos < 11)[you face the coming conflicts with hopelessness.(click-goto: "you face the coming conflicts with hopelessness.", $y6evs's ($pos))](if: $pos is 11)[[[you face the coming conflicts with hopelessness.->YearSeven]]]

         Cycnos leads a large force of men and chariots towards one of the nearby minor settlements. The troops are all in good cheer, enthusiastic about the battle that awaits them.          They are still cheerful upon their return, leading captured livestock along with wagons filled with food, gold, weapons and slaves. No one type of loot seems especially greater in number than the others.          Cycnos reports that the allied casualties were few and no men of note perished, or were wounded. Overall, it was a very successful raid.          With no other recourse before you, (set: $pos to it + 1)(if: $pos < 11)[you face the coming conflicts with hopelessness.(click-goto: "you face the coming conflicts with hopelessness.", $y6evs's ($pos))](if: $pos is 11)[[[you face the coming conflicts with hopelessness.->YearSeven]]]

         Menelaos leads a large force of men and chariots towards one of the nearby minor settlements. The troops are all in good cheer, enthusiastic about the battle that awaits them.          They are still cheerful upon their return, leading captured livestock along with wagons filled with food, gold, weapons and slaves. No one type of loot seems especially greater in number than the others. (if: (random: 1,6) is 6)[(set: $Menelaos to 'wounded1')]          Menelaos reports that the allied casualties were few and no men of note perished, (if: $Menelaos is 'wounded1')[though he himself did suffer a slight injury.](else:)[or were wounded.] Overall, it was a very successful raid.          With no other recourse before you, (set: $pos to it + 1)(if: $pos < 11)[you face the coming conflicts with hopelessness.(click-goto: "you face the coming conflicts with hopelessness.", $y6evs's ($pos))](if: $pos is 11)[[[you face the coming conflicts with hopelessness.->YearSeven]]]

         Protesilaos leads a large force of men and chariots towards one of the nearby minor settlements. The troops are all in good cheer, enthusiastic about the battle that awaits them.          They are still cheerful upon their return, leading captured livestock along with wagons filled with food, gold, weapons and slaves. No one type of loot seems especially greater in number than the others. (if: (random: 1,6) is 6)[(set: $Protesilaos to 'wounded1')]          Protesilaos reports that the allied casualties were few and no men of note perished, (if: $Protesilaos is 'wounded1')[though he himself did suffer a slight injury.](else:)[or were wounded.] Overall, it was a very successful raid.          With no other recourse before you, (set: $pos to it + 1)(if: $pos < 11)[you face the coming conflicts with hopelessness.(click-goto: "you face the coming conflicts with hopelessness.", $y6evs's ($pos))](if: $pos is 11)[[[you face the coming conflicts with hopelessness.->YearSeven]]]

         Accompanied by his son Antilochos, Nestor leads a large force of men and chariots towards one of the nearby minor settlements. The troops are all in good cheer, enthusiastic about the battle that awaits them.          They are still cheerful upon their return, leading captured livestock along with wagons filled with food, gold, weapons and slaves. You notice that livestock and food seem to be the preponderance of the spoils. (if: (random: 1,10) is 10)[(set: $Antilochos to 'wounded1')]          Nestor reports that the allied casualties were few and no men of note perished, (if: $Antilochos is 'wounded1')[though his son Antilochos did suffer a slight injury.](else:)[or were wounded.] Overall, it was a very successful raid.          With no other recourse before you, (set: $pos to it + 1)(if: $pos < 11)[you face the coming conflicts with hopelessness.(click-goto: "you face the coming conflicts with hopelessness.", $y6evs's ($pos))](if: $pos is 11)[[[you face the coming conflicts with hopelessness.->YearSeven]]]

(if: $Odysseus is 'wounded1' or 'farming')[(set: $Odysseus to 'alive')](else_if: $Odysseus is 'wounded2')[(set: $Odysseus to 'wounded1')](if: $Idomeneus is 'wounded1' or 'farming')[(set: $Idomeneus to 'alive')](if: $Achilles is 'wounded1' or 'farming')[(set: $Achilles to 'alive')](if: $Patroclos is 'wounded1' or 'farming')[(set: $Patroclos to 'alive')](if: $AiasS is 'wounded1' or 'farming')[(set: $AiasS to 'alive')](if: $Teukros is 'wounded1' or 'farming')[(set: $Teukros to 'alive')](if: $Diomedes is 'wounded1' or 'farming')[(set: $Diomedes to 'alive')](if: $Ascalaphos is 'wounded1' or 'farming')[(set: $Ascalaphos to 'alive')](if: $Menelaos is 'wounded1' or 'farming')[(set: $Menelaos to 'alive')](if: $Protesilaos is 'wounded1' or 'farming')[(set: $Protesilaos to 'alive')](if: $Antilochos is 'wounded1' or 'farming')[(set: $Antilochos to 'alive')](if: $AiasL is 'wounded1' or 'farming')[(set: $AiasL to 'alive')](if: $Podaleirios is 'wounded1' or 'farming')[(set: $Podaleirios to 'alive')] <img src="YearSeven.jpg" width="600" height="536">          [[Have you really been here six whole years already?->YearSevenOMG]]

         "I am pleased that you see the wisdom of keeping on the good side of such a powerful monarch as Ramses," Palamedes says, smiling at you. "I will be glad to assist you in wording the message to send along with the soldiers as we return them."          "Most generous of you, Palamedes," you say. "Thank you for your assistance. I hope we might have some additional assistance as well, perhaps from our most senior statesman?" you add, looking at Nestor.          "It will be my pleasure," Nestor agrees. (unless: $Palamedes is 'guarded')[          "And what of his excessive greed?" Odysseus asks, glaring death at Palamedes.          "I will have my men investigate your claims," you tell him. "I should not wish to see Palamedes punished because you mistook what you saw from a great distance away. Do not worry; if he did indeed receive too much, it will be redistributed fairly."          Odysseus does not seem the least bit placated, but offers no further complaints. Which is good, because you are quite certain that his accusations are utter nonsense. ]         With no other recourse before you, (set: $pos to it + 1)(if: $pos < 11)[you face the coming conflicts with hopelessness.(click-goto: "you face the coming conflicts with hopelessness.", $y6evs's ($pos))](if: $pos is 11)[[[you face the coming conflicts with hopelessness.->YearSeven]]]

         "Sending them to burden the Trojans uselessly is the best course," Odysseus assures you after you announce your decision. (if: $Palamedes is 'guarded')[          You personally supervise as the naked and unarmed Egyptians are sent (amid much mockery) to windy Ilios to burden the Trojan storehouses.](else:)["And what of the greedy deception that was played by this unprincipled blackguard?" he asks, gesturing towards Palamedes.          "That is going too far!" Palamedes exclaims. "I did nothing wrong!"          "I will look into your accusations," you assure Odysseus, "and make my decision based on my findings."          Both men accept that, and while you are supervising having the naked and unarmed Egyptians sent to Troy to burden the Trojan storehouses, you set several of your most trusted men to investigate Odysseus' claims against Palamedes.          Somewhat to your surprise, they return with reports of vastly greater stores of gold in Palamedes' hut than in that of any other prince. Greater, even, than your own. Alarmed, you summon Odysseus, and ask if he thinks this graft has been going on long.          "Since the beginning, as near as I can tell," Odysseus assures you. "Some of his gold likely comes from foreign princes bribing him to give you ill counsel, of course," he adds. "This latest piece is particularly obvious and odious. I don't know if it was Priam who paid him to suggest returning the Egyptians or if it was Ramses himself, but someone clearly did."          Uneasily, you nod. It does make all too much sense. Palamedes has always urged you to find peaceful resolutions, even to abandon Helen to her Trojan captors. You don't want to think he is truly a traitor--especially since he is Menelaos' cousin--but it is hard to see things any other way, particularly as Odysseus continues to catalog Palamedes' many suspicious acts.          "What will you do with him?" Odysseus finally asks, his face a bit *too* expressionless, as if he fears leading you on to a conclusion you would not normally come to.          "You were right about him all along," you sigh. "You may supervise his...fate."          Odysseus seems nearly eager to oversee justice done by Palamedes in the form of stoning. The entire proceeding leaves you with an uncomfortable feeling in the pit of your stomach, which you try to tell yourself is merely your concern as to what would happen if Odysseus should ever turn against you. (set: $Palamedes to 'dead')]          With no other recourse before you, (set: $pos to it + 1)(if: $pos < 11)[you face the coming conflicts with hopelessness.(click-goto: "you face the coming conflicts with hopelessness.", $y6evs's ($pos))](if: $pos is 11)[[[you face the coming conflicts with hopelessness.->YearSeven]]]

         "We dare not let so many troops join our enemy's cause," you say, agreeing with Diomedes. "But I hesitate to waste so much time and energy killing them all..."          "It will not take much of either," Diomedes assures you, with a winning smile. "Truss them all aboard their boats and take them out into the deep ocean. Then, from the safety of our own boats, fire flaming arrows onto the Egyptian ships. That will deal with the enemy and the ships at once."          "And when the flames burn their ropes and allow them to jump overboard?" you counter.          "They will be too far from shore to swim to land, and if they try to board *our* ships, they will be killed."          It sounds like a lot of extra work to you, but you merely let out a sigh. Simply dealing with this is becoming exhausting. "I'm not sure that's the easiest method, but I will allow you to take charge of the matter, Diomedes."(set: $Ramses to 'pissed')          "Thank you, Lord Creon." (unless: $Palamedes is 'guarded')[He meets Odysseus' gaze, then turns his attention back to you. "What of the deceitful theft performed by Palamedes? You aren't going to let him escape justice, are you?"          "I will investigate your claims while you are preparing the Egyptians for their fate. If what you say is true, then you may deal with Palamedes in the same way as the Egyptians."          You expect to find nothing in your investigations, but much to your astonishment, you find massive stores of purloined gold (some of which has been slowly disappearing from your own hut over the last three years!) hidden in loose soil beneath the floor of Palamedes' hut.          You turn the captive Palamedes over to Diomedes, who has him trussed up and placed beside the Egyptians on one of the captured boats, in between the piles of dry kindling and oil-soaked rags that will be used to encourage the flames to take hold of the vessels.]          Your stomach roils as you watch the ships sailing off into the sea to be disposed of along with their crews. This is not honorable death in combat. This is...monstrous.          Hearing Diomedes' report, on his return, that everything went perfectly does nothing to improve your mood.          With no other recourse before you, (set: $pos to it + 1)(if: $pos < 11)[you face the coming conflicts with hopelessness.(click-goto: "you face the coming conflicts with hopelessness.", $y6evs's ($pos))](if: $pos is 11)[[[you face the coming conflicts with hopelessness.->YearSeven]]]

         How can you deny that being paid to return the Egyptian troops is the best course of action? Rumor has it that rather than soil, Egypt has a mixture of sand and loose gold, so you are sure that Ramses can easily afford to send you containers full of unworked gold to get his men back. And if he will *not* ransom them, then surely he would forfeit his right to be angered if you have them killed, trade them as slaves in Lemnos, or let them starve. (Though Lemnos sounds like the best idea if Ramses won't cooperate.)          You get Nestor to help you word your message to Ramses demanding payment for the safe return of his captive troops(if: $Palamedes is 'guarded')[.](else:)[, but as soon as the herald has left for Egypt, you find yourself being confronted by a small contingent of the youngest of the noble warriors, being led by (if: $Achilles is 'dead')[(if: $AiasL is 'dead')[Antilochos(set: $speaker to 'Antilochos')](else:)[Aias of Locris(set: $speaker to 'Aias')]](else:)[Achilleus(set: $speaker to 'Achilleus')].          "Did you need something else?" (if: $speaker is 'Achilleus')[         "You heard me before," Achilleus says coldly. "I'm not going to wait around for those two old men to get me killed because they can't get along. If you won't do something about it, I *will*. And I don't know that you'll like what *I* do about it."](else_if: $speaker is 'Aias')[         "Do you really plan to keep on ignoring what Palamedes and Odysseus are up to?" Aias demands. "It's only been dumb luck that's kept them from getting the rest of us killed so far. I don't want to sit on my hands waiting to die 'cause those two are pissed at each other."](else:)[         "I have tried to hold my tongue on this matter, because both men are my elders and betters," Antilochos says, "but the quarrel between Odysseus and Palamedes is beginning to approach territory that can and will put the rest of the army--possibly this entire war--in terrible jeopardy."]          You sigh deeply. "You may be right, $speaker, but what would you have me do? You cannot expect me to have two such important men executed over their own immature behavior."          (if: $speaker is 'Achilleus')["Don't see why you can't, but it's no skin off my nose if you just send them back to Hellas. You can even let them keep their treasure, for all I care. I just don't want to lose my life--or the life of anyone important to me--over their spat."](else_if: $speaker is 'Aias')["Sure you can. You're leading this expedition. Who could stop you? Besides, they're always trying to get each other killed anyway. So they're trying to manipulate you into murder, and isn't that an execution-worthy offense?"](else:)["No, certainly not!" Antilochos agrees, sounding horrified. "I didn't mean anything of the sort. But I believe they should both be sent back to their homes before they can bring harm to anyone else."]          You hesitate for a moment. Is it even worth arguing about? Especially when you've been alarmed by the quarrel for years now... (unless: $speaker is 'Aias')["Yes, I suppose you're right," you say with a nod. "I'll send them both back to Hellas."](else:)["No, I'm sorry, Aias, but I cannot have them put to death over this. You're right that their feud has gone too long and too far, and I will send them both back to Hellas, but they will be going *alive*."](set: $Odysseus to 'exiled')(set: $Palamedes to 'exiled')          The young men accept your decision with gladness, and soon depart back to their own huts. You have some difficulty breaking the news to Palamedes and Odysseus, but they put up relatively little complaint, and have returned to their homelands before you hear any response from Ramses.]          Your herald returns from Egypt along with several chests filled with unworked gold. It is less than half of what you asked for as payment for the safe return of the men, but the herald delivers a message from Ramses that makes it very clear that any demands for further payment will cause him to decide you are an enemy of Egypt, and lead to the very war on two fronts that you had been trying to avoid in the first place.          You release the Egyptians (minus their armor and weapons, of course) to sail home, and consider yourself to have made the wisest possible decision under the circumstances.          With no other recourse before you, (set: $pos to it + 1)(if: $pos < 11)[you face the coming conflicts with hopelessness.(click-goto: "you face the coming conflicts with hopelessness.", $y6evs's ($pos))](if: $pos is 11)[[[you face the coming conflicts with hopelessness.->YearSeven]]]

         As you look back on the past six years of your life--can six whole years really have passed?--can it really have been *only* six years?--you feel a blurring of all sense of time.          Days, weeks, months and even years have blurred together into a sense of monotonous sameness.          You have witnessed, too, considerable waning of animosity on the part of your men towards the enemy, particularly between the nobility on both sides. You all know the faces of the Trojan princes and nobles just as well as you know the faces of the other Achaian princes, and there is a sense almost of camaraderie growing between some of you.          How long has it been since you felt any of your men really *tried* to kill (if: $Hector is 'dead')[their noble opponent](else:)[Hector?] How often have you seen them sparring more with words than weapons?          Admittedly, the few times you've seen Alexandros take the field, everyone has genuinely and wholeheartedly tried to kill him. But he hasn't been on the field for two, maybe three years now.          That, of course, gives you the thought that perhaps the way to truly end the war is to send someone into the city to murder Alexandros in the dead of night. You bring up the idea to a meeting of your best warriors, but they all reject it outright as cowardly, and you end up looking like a fool.          What else can you do but keep your mouth closed and your ideas to yourself, continuing to plod along down this miserable, well-worn path, watching as random peasants get slaughtered for no fault of their own?          Trying to fight your destiny has only brought you humiliation and grief. You may as well accept that you cannot escape this tedious, awful war. Miserably, you embrace the awful fate in store for you.(set: $pos to 1) (set: $y7evs to (shuffled: 'Feud4','Lemnos7','Farming7','Battle7a','Battle7b','Sacking7','SeaBattle7','SeaBattle7','Arbitrary7','Sacking7'))(click-goto: "Miserably, you embrace the awful fate in store for you.", $y7evs's 1st)

(if: $Odysseus is 'dead' or 'exiled')[(goto: "Battle7b")](else_if: $Palamedes is 'dead' or 'exiled')[(goto: "Battle7a")](else:)[         You are surprised one morning to see Palamedes enter your hut, looking pensive. "Is anything the matter?" you ask(if: $Palamedes is 'guarded')[, knowing that the guarding system set up by Nestor and Phoinix *should* still be in place to prevent further mischief between Palamedes and Odysseus, but also knowing that after so much time, it has probably disintegrated].          "I'm afraid so," Palamedes says, loosing your worst suspicions. He is only recently returned from checking on the situation in Lyrnessos. If the city has been retaken... "My concubine has disappeared from my hut," he goes on, restoring much of your ease.          "When did you see her last?" you ask.          "Before my departure for Lyrnessos," he replies.          "So she was missing when you returned? But that was days ago! Why haven't you said anything sooner?"          "I thought perhaps she was in isolation," Palamedes says, looking uncomfortable. "If I am remembering correctly, it *is* about the right time for her monthly bleeding, but when I sent another slave to enquire about her, I learned she was not in isolation with the others."          "I see." You frown. "Well, she would not have been allowed out of the camp. We will simply have to search for her. I will organize it myself." If you do it, there can be no risk (you hope) of any false accusations going in either direction between Palamedes and Odysseus.          You have not gotten far in organizing the search when you see Meriones approaching you with the girl obediently following him. "Ah, where did you find her?" you ask.          "She was in Diomedes' hut," Meriones explains, his expression conflicted. "She was most loath to be removed from the hut, in fact."          You scowl. This is getting complicated... "Can you explain yourself, girl?" you ask her.          "I love him," she says, her Achaian accented and slightly broken.          "Diomedes?"          She nods. "I will not go back to the old man."          It's hard for you to blame her, really. Palamedes is old enough to be her grandfather. (Of course, Diomedes is old enough to be her father, really, but he's still one of the younger kings in the camp.)          "This will only make things more complicated," you say with a sigh. "Meriones, please call a general assembly of all the princes, and bring the girl with you. Is Diomedes in his hut?"          "Yes, he is," Meriones tells you.          "I'll speak to him about this myself. If you see Palamedes, tell him he is not to attend the meeting, but to wait in his hut."          Meriones nods, and leads the concubine away again. You make your way to Diomedes' hut, where he seems to be in a very foul mood. "I suppose you plan to return her to Palamedes?" he asks you coldly.          "Then you knew she had run away from her assigned master?" you ask.          "She fell in love with me and came to me of her own volition," Diomedes says. "Am I to be punished for my own charisma?"          You can't help but laugh at the question. "That is not my intention," you assure him, "but to allow slaves to choose their masters would be to start a dangerous precedent. We are all going to have to confer about this, without you or Palamedes present to exert any influence over our decision."          "But--"          "We will try to find the best solution for all involved," you assure him, before heading to the assembly. The others are just finishing arriving as you get there, so the meeting may proceed promptly. After you explain the situation, Odysseus (predictably enough) steps forward and offers to interrogate the girl personally.          And he doesn't wait for your permission to start, either. "Tell us what made you start to hate Palamedes," he says to her. "Was it his age, or his unpleasant personality? Does he often make you tend to the rashes on his legs--did that have anything to do with it?"          He keeps asking questions of that sort for some time after you have ordered him to stop. "Could you please go check on Diomedes?" you ask him, trying to smile believably. "He seemed quite cross when I spoke to him."          Odysseus appears astonished and even insulted by the request, but eventually complies, making the others breathe out a sigh of relief.          "Perhaps you could supervise, Nestor," you say, feeling sure that he will never try to lead the slave's answers.          Nestor nods, and smiles pleasantly at the girl. "Please tell us what transpired that caused you to be found in Diomedes' hut instead of Palamedes'," he says gently.          "I hate Palamedes because he is old and unpleasant and makes me tend to his rashes and he smells awful, and--" the girl begins, continuing for some time, yet only repeating everything Odysseus said to her.          (if: $Achilles is 'dead')["Odysseus said too much and tainted her tale," Phoinix announces, frowning. "The fact that he wanted to do so is most suspicious."](else:)["This is a waste of time now! Why did you let him run his mouth off like that?!" Achilleus demands, with an angry grunt.]          Frowning, you have one of the heralds take the contested concubine to your hut, and ask another to fetch Palamedes' other slaves. He returns soon with two older female slaves, who explain that they tend to his clothing, weapons and food--aside from his wine, which his concubine mixes herself.          "Did anything happen before the concubine disappeared from his hut?" you ask.          The slaves hesitate before answering. "Shortly after our master departed from the camp," one of them says, "Odysseus and Diomedes came to see him. When we explained he had left for Lyrnessos, they sent us all out of the hut except for her."          A murmur goes through the assembled princes. "And how did she behave after that?" you ask.          "She was acting odd and fidgety, even frightened," the slave replies.          "Especially around the materials for mixing the wine," the other adds.          "Yes, yes, that's true," the first one agrees. "Then she vanished a day or so later."          You thank the slaves and send them away, worried by the implications. It isn't just you that fears Odysseus and Diomedes tried to force her to poison her master; half the men in the room are asking each other the same question.          You send for the sons of Asclepios, the wine stores from Palamedes' hut, and his concubine. Once all are present, you have the concubine mix the wine in the way Palamedes likes it. The sons of Asclepios examine the wine and the materials mixed into it, and announce that it does not seem to be poisoned.          You ask the concubine what Odysseus and Diomedes discussed with her when they were alone with her, if they weren't asking her to turn on Palamedes, but she merely denies that they ever were alone with her in Palamedes' hut.          You and the other kings and princes spend a long time debating what to do, but no consensus can be reached; it has to be your decision and your decision alone. (As always!)          You have Diomedes and Palamedes brought from their huts so you can deliver your decision...          [[Have them swap concubines.->Feud4Swap]]          [[Let Diomedes keep her with no penalty.->Feud4FreeGift]]          [[Have her remain with Palamedes.]]          [[Allow Palamedes to set his own price for Diomedes to obtain her.->Feud4TickedDiomedes]]          [[Keep her for yourself.->Feud4Dumbass]]]

(unless: $Ramses is 'pissed')[(goto: "Arbitrary7")]         The lookout runs into your hut in a panic. "There's a fleet of Egyptian ships headed towards us!" he exclaims. (if: visits is 1)[          You *knew* you shouldn't have listened to Diomedes and killed those Egyptian soldiers! Well, nothing for it now. The damage is done; you will have to fight off these new foes and hope that Ramses won't send more. ]          You order the fleet prepared at once. Egyptian troops are better at fighting on land than on the sea, so you're better off trying to defeat them before they can land, even though it means a greater risk to your own troops. Who should lead this battle? (if: $Achilles is 'alive')[         [[Achilleus->SeaBattle7Achilles]] ](if: $AiasS is 'alive')[         [[Aias of Salamis->SeaBattle7AiasS]] ](if: $Diomedes is 'alive')[         [[Diomedes->SeaBattle7Diomedes]] ](if: $Odysseus is 'alive')[         [[Odysseus->SeaBattle7Odysseus]] ](if: $Idomeneus is 'alive')[         [[Idomeneus->SeaBattle7Idomeneus]] ](if: $Cycnos is 'ally')[         [[Cycnos->SeaBattle7Cycnos]] ](if: $Protesilaos is 'alive')[         [[Protesilaos->SeaBattle7Protesilaos]] ](if: $AiasL is 'alive')[         [[Aias of Locris->SeaBattle7AiasL]]]          [[I will->SeaBattle7Creon]]

         Supplies are not great. The entire council of princes agrees that the best thing to do is to find some local town and raid it for food, weapons, and slaves to trade on Lemnos for more food and weapons.          Who will you put in charge of the raid? (if: $Achilles is 'alive')[         [[Achilleus->Sacking7Achilles]] ](if: $AiasS is 'alive')[         [[Aias of Salamis->Sacking7AiasS]] ](if: $Diomedes is 'alive')[         [[Diomedes->Sacking7Diomedes]] ](if: $Odysseus is 'alive')[         [[Odysseus->Sacking7Odysseus]] ](if: $Idomeneus is 'alive')[         [[Idomeneus->Sacking7Idomeneus]] ](if: $Ascalaphos is 'alive')[         [[Ascalaphos->Sacking7Ascalaphos]] ](if: $Cycnos is 'ally')[         [[Cycnos->Sacking7Cycnos]] ](if: $Menelaos is 'alive')[         [[Menelaos->Sacking7Menelaos]] ](if: $Protesilaos is 'alive')[         [[Protesilaos->Sacking7Protesilaos]] ](if: $Antilochos is 'alive')[         [[Nestor->Sacking7Nestor]] ](if: $AiasL is 'alive')[         [[Aias of Locris->Sacking7AiasL]]]

         As much as you hate to admit it, you can't just depend on raiding the local villages for food, or on trading slaves to Lemnos.          You're going to have to set some of your troops to growing food themselves.          Admittedly, many of the common troops are farmers at home anyway, but it's still a humiliating thought.          You decide you'd better put a less important nobleman in charge, just in case the troops involved begin to balk after a while. Unfortunately, that means they won't be able to join in the battle for some months to come, but...sometimes these things are just unavoidable! (On reflection, you decide that a more important or powerful warrior who is currently too wounded for battle would also be able to handle this task, since he certainly wouldn't be doing the farming himself.) (if: $Achilles is 'wounded1')[         Have Achilleus supervise.(click: "Have Achilleus supervise.")[(set: $Achilles to 'farming')(goto: "Farming7Other")] ](if: $AiasS is 'wounded1')[         Have Aias of Salamis supervise.(click: "Have Aias of Salamis supervise.")[(set: $AiasS to 'farming')(goto: "Farming7Other")] ](if: $Odysseus is 'wounded1')[         Have Odysseus supervise.(click: "Have Odysseus supervise.")[(set: $Odysseus to 'farming')(goto: "Farming7Other")] ](if: $Diomedes is 'wounded1')[         Have Diomedes supervise.(click: "Have Diomedes supervise.")[(set: $Diomedes to 'farming')(goto: "Farming7Other")] ](if: $AiasL is 'wounded1')[         Have Aias of Locris supervise.(click: "Have Aias of Locris supervise.")[(set: $AiasL to 'farming')(goto: "Farming7Other")] ](if: $Idomeneus is 'wounded1')[         Have Idomeneus supervise.(click: "Have Idomeneus supervise.")[(set: $Idomeneus to 'farming')(goto: "Farming7Other")] ](if: $Ascalaphos is 'wounded1')[         Have Ascalaphos supervise.(click: "Have Ascalaphos supervise.")[(set: $Ascalaphos to 'farming')(goto: "Farming7Other")] ](if: $Menelaos is 'wounded1')[         Have Menelaos supervise.(click: "Have Menelaos supervise.")[(set: $Menelaos to 'farming')(goto: "Farming7Other")] ](if: $Protesilaos is 'wounded1')[         Have Protesilaos supervise.(click: "Have Protesilaos supervise.")[(set: $Protesilaos to 'farming')(goto: "Farming7Other")] ][         Have Patroclos supervise.(click: "Have Patroclos supervise.")[(set: $Patroclos to 'farming')(goto: "Farming7Patroclos")]] [         Have Meriones supervise.(click: "Have Meriones supervise.")[(set: $Meriones to 'farming')(goto: "Farming7Other")]] [         Have Teukros supervise.(click: "Have Teukros supervise.")[(set: $Teukros to 'farming')(goto: "Farming7Other")]] [         Have Antilochos supervise.(click: "Have Antilochos supervise.")[(set: $Antilochos to 'farming')(goto: "Farming7Other")]]          [[Have Phoinix supervise.->Farming7Other]] (if: $Thersites is 'alive')[         [[He's not really suitable for it, but you decide to put the commoner Thersites to the task...because that way you won't have to listen to him run his mouth off for several months to come.->Farming7Other]]]

         You decide that it is high time you acted like you were really here to conquer the Trojan citadel, and order the men to prepare for a pitched battle. They hurry into their arms and armor, and prepare the chariots for war.          As the chariots form up into ranks, you have to decide who to give the central position in the line. (if: $Achilles is 'alive')[         [[Put Achilleus in the center.->Battle7Achilles]] ](if: $AiasS is 'alive')[         [[Put Aias of Salamis in the center.->Battle7AiasS]] ](if: $Diomedes is 'alive')[         [[Put Diomedes in the center.->Battle7Diomedes]] ](if: $Odysseus is 'alive')[         [[Put Odysseus in the center.->Battle7Odysseus]] ](if: $Idomeneus is 'alive')[         [[Put Idomeneus in the center.->Battle7Idomeneus]] ](if: $Ascalaphos is 'alive')[         [[Put Ascalaphos in the center.->Battle7Ascalaphos]] ](if: $Cycnos is 'ally')[         [[Put Cycnos in the center.->Battle7Cycnos]] ](if: $Menelaos is 'alive')[         [[Put Menelaos in the center.->Battle7Menelaos]] ](if: $Protesilaos is 'alive')[         [[Put Protesilaos in the center.->Battle7Protesilaos]] ](if: $Antilochos is 'alive')[         [[Put Nestor in the center.->Battle7Nestor]] ](if: $AiasL is 'alive')[         [[Put Aias of Locris in the center.->Battle7AiasL]] ](if: $Podaleirios is 'alive')[         [[Put Podaleirios in the center.->Battle7Podaleirios]]]

         The alarum sounds through the camp, informing everyone that the Trojans are preparing a sortie. Men scramble to arm themselves and get in position in their chariots, and soon the battle lines are assembling on the field before the wide walls of fair Ilios.          As the chariots form up into ranks, you have to decide who to give the central position in the line. (if: $Achilles is 'alive')[         [[Put Achilleus in the center.->Battle7Achilles]] ](if: $AiasS is 'alive')[         [[Put Aias of Salamis in the center.->Battle7AiasS]] ](if: $Diomedes is 'alive')[         [[Put Diomedes in the center.->Battle7Diomedes]] ](if: $Odysseus is 'alive')[         [[Put Odysseus in the center.->Battle7Odysseus]] ](if: $Idomeneus is 'alive')[         [[Put Idomeneus in the center.->Battle7Idomeneus]] ](if: $Ascalaphos is 'alive')[         [[Put Ascalaphos in the center.->Battle7Ascalaphos]] ](if: $Cycnos is 'ally')[         [[Put Cycnos in the center.->Battle7Cycnos]] ](if: $Menelaos is 'alive')[         [[Put Menelaos in the center.->Battle7Menelaos]] ](if: $Protesilaos is 'alive')[         [[Put Protesilaos in the center.->Battle7Protesilaos]] ](if: $Antilochos is 'alive')[         [[Put Nestor in the center.->Battle7Nestor]] ](if: $AiasL is 'alive')[         [[Put Aias of Locris in the center.->Battle7AiasL]] ](if: $Podaleirios is 'alive')[         [[Put Podaleirios in the center.->Battle7Podaleirios]]]

         You decide now is as good a time as any to send a boat with some of the excess slaves to Lemnos to trade them for supplies.          Fortunately, the voyage to Lemnos will take at most a day, so the chances of the men being needed before their return are very slim. Still, best to put one of the lesser nobles in charge. Just in case. (if: $Patroclos is 'alive')[         [[Send Patroclos.->Lemnos7Patroclos]] ](if: $Teukros is 'alive')[         [[Send Teukros.->Lemnos7Other]] ](if: $Meriones is 'alive')[         [[Send Meriones.->Lemnos7Other]] ](if: $Antilochos is 'alive')[         [[Send Antilochos.->Lemnos7Other]] ](if: $Podaleirios is 'alive')[         [[Send Podaleirios.->Lemnos7Other]] ](if: $Machaon is 'alive')[         [[Send Machaon.->Lemnos7Other]]]

         You are listless and uncomfortable today. You don't want to be in charge of this war any longer. You would give anything to be back home in (if: $home is '...')[Hellas](else:)[$home]. You know you can't just leave, but if you could, you would.          You should do something--***anything***--to take your mind off your own lack of engagement. Something light and pleasant, maybe.          Or maybe you should redouble your efforts to get this war over with?          You think about it for much too long, and come to your decision...          [[Since this, after all, a war, you decide to make a sortie against the Trojans.->Battle7a]]          [[You decide to get aboard a ship and sail out to sea for a few hours to clear your head.->Sailing7]]          [[Maybe listening to the tales of past glories will help put you in the right mood to finish this war. Send for a bard.->BardsTale7]]          [[Riding in the countryside always used to help you clear your mind at home. Maybe it will work here, too.->Riding7]]          [[You feel weak, useless and spent. You need to renew your inner energy. There's only one good way to do *that*...->Sex7]]          [[You decide to have a look at the current food stores to see how things stand.->Sacking7]]

         Even from your vantage point on the walls of the camp, you can see the two lines of chariots as they careen towards each other and turn about for a second pass. After a few passes, the lines become hopelessly muddled, and the foot soldiers have entered the fray, giving you a sight mostly of dust and chaos. (if: $Patroclos is 'alive')[(if: (random: 1,100) is 100)[(set: $Achilles to 'wounded1')](if:(random:1,25) is 25)[(set: $Patroclos to 'wounded1')]          Eventually, the dust clears, and you can clearly make out both sides returning home again. There have been many casualties among the common men, but no one of note on either side met his end, (if: $Achilles is 'wounded1')[(if: $Patroclos is 'wounded1')[though unfortunately both Achilleus and his companion Patroclos were lightly injured.](else:)[though Achilleus did suffer a slight injury.]](else_if: $Patroclos is 'wounded1')[though sadly Patroclos did receive a slight injury.](else:)[or even serious injury.] You were lucky today, but you are certain that luck stemmed largely from the presence of the son of Thetis in the center of your formation, inspiring your troops and frightening the enemy.] (else:)[(if: (random: 1,100) is 100)[(set: $Achilles to 'wounded1')]          Eventually, the dust clears, and you can clearly make out both sides returning home again. There have been many casualties among the common men, but no one of note on either side met his end, (if: $Achilles is 'wounded1')[though Achilleus did suffer a slight injury.](else:)[or even serious injury.] You were lucky today, but you are certain that luck stemmed largely from the presence of the son of Thetis in the center of your formation, inspiring your troops and frightening the enemy.]          (set: $pos to it + 1)(if: $pos < 11)[Miserably, you embrace the awful fate in store for you.(click-goto: "Miserably, you embrace the awful fate in store for you.", $y7evs's ($pos))](if: $pos is 11)[[[Miserably, you embrace the awful fate in store for you.->YearEight]]]

         Even from your vantage point on the walls of the camp, you can see the two lines of chariots as they careen towards each other and turn about for a second pass. After a few passes, the lines become hopelessly muddled, and the foot soldiers have entered the fray, giving you a sight mostly of dust and chaos. (if: $Teukros is 'alive')[(if: (random: 1,50) is 50)[(set: $AiasS to 'wounded1')](if:(random:1,15) is 15)[(set: $Teukros to 'wounded1')]          Eventually, the dust clears, and you can clearly make out both sides returning home again. There have been many casualties among the common men, but no one of note on either side met his end, (if: $AiasS is 'wounded1')[(if: $Teukros is 'wounded1')[though unfortunately both Aias and his brother Teukros were lightly injured.](else:)[though Aias did suffer a slight injury.]](else_if: $Teukros is 'wounded1')[though sadly Teukros did receive a slight injury.](else:)[or even serious injury.] You were lucky today, but you are sure that luck was largely due to your decision to place the mighty son of Telamon at the center of the formation.] (else:)[(if: (random: 1,50) is 50)[(set: $AiasS to 'wounded1')]          Eventually, the dust clears, and you can clearly make out both sides returning home again. There have been many casualties among the common men, but no one of note on either side met his end, (if: $AiasS is 'wounded1')[though Aias did suffer a slight injury.](else:)[or even serious injury.] You were lucky today, but you are sure that luck was largely due to your decision to place the mighty son of Telamon at the center of the formation.]          (set: $pos to it + 1)(if: $pos < 11)[Miserably, you embrace the awful fate in store for you.(click-goto: "Miserably, you embrace the awful fate in store for you.", $y7evs's ($pos))](if: $pos is 11)[[[Miserably, you embrace the awful fate in store for you.->YearEight]]]

         Even from your vantage point on the walls of the camp, you can see the two lines of chariots as they careen towards each other and turn about for a second pass. After a few passes, the lines become hopelessly muddled, and the foot soldiers have entered the fray, giving you a sight mostly of dust and chaos. (if: $Meriones is 'alive')[(if: (random: 1,6) is 6)[(set: $Idomeneus to 'wounded1')](if:(random:1,15) is 15)[(set: $Meriones to 'wounded1')]          Eventually, the dust clears, and you can clearly make out both sides returning home again. There have been many casualties among the common men, but no one of note on either side met his end, (if: $Idomeneus is 'wounded1')[(if: $Meriones is 'wounded1')[though unfortunately both Idomeneus and his nephew Meriones were lightly injured.](else:)[though Idomeneus did suffer a slight injury.]](else_if: $Meriones is 'wounded1')[though sadly Meriones did receive a slight injury.](else:)[or even serious injury.] You were lucky today, and you wonder if that luck was because of the divine favor shown to the indomitable Cretan king.](else:)[(if: (random: 1,6) is 6)[(set: $Idomeneus to 'wounded1')]          Eventually, the dust clears, and you can clearly make out both sides returning home again. There have been many casualties among the common men, but no one of note on either side met his end, (if: $Idomeneus is 'wounded1')[though Idomeneus did suffer a slight injury.](else:)[or even serious injury.] You were lucky today, and you wonder if that luck was because of the divine favor shown to the indomitable Cretan king.]          (set: $pos to it + 1)(if: $pos < 11)[Miserably, you embrace the awful fate in store for you.(click-goto: "Miserably, you embrace the awful fate in store for you.", $y7evs's ($pos))](if: $pos is 11)[[[Miserably, you embrace the awful fate in store for you.->YearEight]]]

(if: $Odysseus is 'wounded1' or 'farming')[(set: $Odysseus to 'alive')](else_if: $Odysseus is 'wounded2')[(set: $Odysseus to 'wounded1')](if: $Idomeneus is 'wounded1' or 'farming')[(set: $Idomeneus to 'alive')](if: $Achilles is 'wounded1' or 'farming')[(set: $Achilles to 'alive')](if: $Patroclos is 'wounded1' or 'farming')[(set: $Patroclos to 'alive')](if: $AiasS is 'wounded1' or 'farming')[(set: $AiasS to 'alive')](if: $Teukros is 'wounded1' or 'farming')[(set: $Teukros to 'alive')](if: $Diomedes is 'wounded1' or 'farming')[(set: $Diomedes to 'alive')](if: $Ascalaphos is 'wounded1' or 'farming')[(set: $Ascalaphos to 'alive')](if: $Menelaos is 'wounded1' or 'farming')[(set: $Menelaos to 'alive')](if: $Protesilaos is 'wounded1' or 'farming')[(set: $Protesilaos to 'alive')](if: $Antilochos is 'wounded1' or 'farming')[(set: $Antilochos to 'alive')](if: $AiasL is 'wounded1' or 'farming')[(set: $AiasL to 'alive')](if: $Podaleirios is 'wounded1' or 'farming')[(set: $Podaleirios to 'alive')] <img src="YearEight.jpg" width="600" height="533">          [[You look to the dawning of the eighth year with disgust.->YearEightMisery]]

         You board one of the light, fast vessels usually used to send messages back and forth between your camp and the captive stronghold in Methymna, bringing aboard a crew of men to row. Then you just order them to set to sea, leaving word with Phoinix that you should be back before nightfall, and that if anything comes up while you are gone, he and Nestor should take charge.          The ship sails out far enough that the camp is just a blur against the shoreline, then one of the men asks where you want to go.(set: _creon to 'alive')          You tell him you just want to experience a brief voyage--just far enough to get out of sight of land, to let your troubles melt away for a little while.          He seems to think you've lost your mind, but does as you order. (set: _sail to (random: 1, 6)) (if: _sail is 1)[         You have barely left sight of land when a small storm appears on the horizon. The ship is hastily turned around, and you return to camp much earlier than you would have liked. ](else_if: _sail is 2)[         Once the ship is out in deep water, you notice some empty fishing nets lying discarded in the bottom of the boat, and decide to do some fishing. You don't catch all that much, but it's a nice change of pace. ](else_if: _sail is 3)[         When you are away from the shore, you think you hear faint echoes of singing. The men begin to panic, terrified that the sirens have left their usual haunts and come to ensure that you will die rather than flee Troy. (if: (random: 1,100) is 73)[Before you can turn around and go back, birds the size of women--and with the faces of women--come flying towards your ship. They sing so sweetly that you cannot help hurling yourself over the side of the boat in an attempt to reach them. It might not be a problem if you weren't wearing your armor...but as you *are* wearing it, you quickly drown.(set: _creon to 'dead') ***GAME OVER*** [[Try again?->Title Screen]]](else:)[Whatever the source of the singing, your men are able to turn the ship around and return to camp before it can get close enough for you to lay eyes on it.] ](else_if: _sail is 4)[         You have barely left sight of land when another ship approaches yours. At first, you think they are simply travelers. Then you get close enough for them to try boarding your ship.          Honestly, it strikes you as quite hilarious. The pirates were not expecting every man aboard your ship to be a battle-hardened warrior; you and your men wipe them out with comical ease.          It turns out the pirates had a nice ship filled with plundered Phoenician goods. It leaves both ships a bit short on hands at the oar, but you take the whole ship back to camp with you as spoils. ](else_if: _sail is 5)[         The further you get from land, the more desperately you want to keep sailing and not stop until you get home again.          You order the men to turn the ship around before you do something rash that will cover your name in ignominy. ](else_if: _sail is 6)[         As the ship makes its way across the wine-dark sea, you watch dolphins playing in the water, leaping and cavorting like happy children.          The sight leaves you surpassingly refreshed, and you return with a momentary elation that sadly leaves you as you disembark from the ship. ] (unless: _creon is 'dead')[         (set: $pos to it + 1)(if: $pos < 11)[Miserably, you embrace the awful fate in store for you.(click-goto: "Miserably, you embrace the awful fate in store for you.", $y7evs's ($pos))](if: $pos is 11)[[[Miserably, you embrace the awful fate in store for you.->YearEight]]]]

         You send for a bard, and settle down with a nice meal and some well-mixed wine.          When the bard arrives, he asks if there is any particular song you would like to hear. "Sing of the glory of the heroes of old," you tell him. (set: _song to (random: 1,6))          (if: _song is 1)[The bard sings a long, mournful song of the fate of Orpheus, doomed to die alone after failing to recover his wife Eurydice from the house of Hades. ](if: _song is 2)[The bard sings a sweeping epic about the twelve deadly tasks laid before the great Heracles by the cowardly Eurystheus. ](if: _song is 3)[The bard sings of the voyage of the *Argo* to recover the Golden Fleece from Colchis. (if: $home is 'Iolcos')[You aren't sure if the bard is trying to flatter you or insult you by his choice of song, but it grates either way.](else_if: $home is 'Corinth')[You wonder if this is some kind of oblique attack on you, as if he has mistaken you for the previous King Creon of Corinth, the one who was burned to death in Medea's vengeance for the murder of her children.] ](if: _song is 4)[The bard sings of the tragic fate of the Seven against Thebes and the eventual vengeance gained by their sons. (if: $home is 'Thebes')[You feel decidedly insulted by his choice of subject matter. Yes, you wouldn't have gained the Theban crown without the actions of the Epigoni, but you also weren't one of them.](else:)[Idly, you wonder if he learned this song to curry favor with Diomedes. Or if Diomedes put him up to singing it for you, to remind you of just how much more experience Diomedes has in this type of warfare than most of the rest of you do.] ](if: _song is 5)[The bard sings of the heroism of Perseus as he defeats the terrifying Gorgon Medusa. You suspect this song was a great favorite of Agamemnon's, given the constant future-flattery it contains for Mycenae. ](if: _song is 6)[The bard sings you an Athenian epic about the triumph of Theseus over the Minotaur in the labyrinth hidden beneath the palace at Knossos. (unless: $Idomeneus is 'dead')[You reflect with a grim, inward chuckle that he would not sing the song so boldly if Idomeneus could hear, given that the Cretan king has always denied that his grandfather ever did anything so monstrous (and even more so denied that his grandmother ever gave birth to a half-bull monster) and insisted that the Athenians sent in tribute merely served a year at one of the temples in Knossos and were always safely returned afterward.] ]          It is a pleasant enough waste of a day, but you still go to sleep that night knowing that you must face the war again tomorrow.          (set: $pos to it + 1)(if: $pos < 11)[Miserably, you embrace the awful fate in store for you.(click-goto: "Miserably, you embrace the awful fate in store for you.", $y7evs's ($pos))](if: $pos is 11)[[[Miserably, you embrace the awful fate in store for you.->YearEight]]]

         You take your finest horse (one of the ones looted from Dardania, actually) and go out for a ride across the Phrygian countryside.          It's honestly rather depressing; all the years of warfare have done terrible things to the countryside, and most of the villages and huts you pass by are nothing but burned-out husks. (set: _ride to (random: 1,6)) (if: _ride is 1)[         You encounter a small Trojan patrol as you're riding. There are just enough of them that you struggle a little defeating them, but you are able to escape unscathed. ](else_if: _ride is 2)[         You come across a local girl trying to herd about a dozen goats. She's having so much difficulty with the task that she is crying.          You decide to help her with her goats. As you do so, she talks to you about her family and her life. She was only about a year old when your forces arrived (not that she knows who you are, thank Zeus!), so she has never known anything but this war-torn land. Her elder brothers all died in the fighting, and her elder sisters are either captives in your camp or have been taken to Lemnos, and her father is dead, leaving this poor girl and her younger brother as the only ones who can help her mother maintain their tiny farm.          Riddled with guilt, you give the girl your horse, and walk back to camp. ](else_if: _ride is 3)[         You are surprised to come across an odd beast as you travel. It has the body of a leopard, the wings of an eagle, and the head of a goat. You suspect it may be an offspring of the Chimera (which met its end, you believe, about a week's voyage to the south of here), as it is decidedly hostile, and breathing fire at you.          Fortunately, you had a bow with you, and you are just able to bring the beast down, though you sustained light burns in the process.          You take the beast's corpse back with you; its skin will look imposing draped across your shoulders in battle. ](else_if: _ride is 4)[         When you stop at a local river to get a drink for both yourself and your horse, you are astonished to see the river god rise up out of the water and curse you for the desolation you have brought to his lands and his people.          You apologize to the river god, explaining that you did not wish to be running this war, and you would have refused the position if you had known just how long and miserable it would actually be.          He does not seem to be accepting your apology, so you decide to return to the camp as quickly as your frightened horse can run. ](else_if: _ride is 5)[(if: $Oenone is 'contemplating')[         You encounter Oenone again in your ride, and try to convince her to help you put an end to the war. You promise her that if she can get a small force of your men inside the city to recover Helen, you will do whatever she wants with Alexandros.          Oenone seems tempted by your offer, but admits that she does not even know just what she wants Alexandros' fate to be; she isn't sure if she wants to see him die for betraying her, or if she just wants him back again.(set: $Oenone to 'tempted')](else_if: $Oenone is 'tempted')[         Coming across Oenone on your ride again, you ask her if there is anything you can do to help her make up her mind. She says there is not, and that she will contact you if she decides to help you.](else:)[         While you are riding, you encounter the most fabulously beautiful woman you have ever met. She is dressed very simply, but is very haughty when you attempt to speak to her.          After several attempts to coerce her to talk, she explains that she is the nymph Oenone, the true wife of Alexandros, spurned for his stolen Spartan bride. You ask her if she would be willing to help you put an end to the war, and she says she will think about it.(set: $Oenone to 'contemplating')] ](else_if: _ride is 6)[         You ride nearly all day, and return to camp shortly before sunset.          Absolutely nothing happened.]          (set: $pos to it + 1)(if: $pos < 11)[Miserably, you embrace the awful fate in store for you.(click-goto: "Miserably, you embrace the awful fate in store for you.", $y7evs's ($pos))](if: $pos is 11)[[[Miserably, you embrace the awful fate in store for you.->YearEight]]]

         Satisfying the pleasures of the flesh will surely give you the momentum and enthusiasm you need to face the rest of this war!          You send away the servants, courtiers and slaves except for... ...your concubine.[(click: "...your concubine.")[(set: $sex to 'your concubine')(goto: "MorningAfter7")]] ...that pretty eunuch captured a few months back.[(click: "...that pretty eunuch captured a few months back.")[(set: $sex to 'the eunuch')(goto: "MorningAfter7")]] ...that handsome youth who always seems to be looking at you with desire.[(click: "...that handsome youth who always seems to be looking at you with desire.")[(set: $sex to 'the handsome youth')(goto: "MorningAfter7")]] ...a lovely young girl captured just last week.[(click: "...a lovely young girl captured just last week.")[(set: $sex to 'the girl')(goto: "MorningAfter7")]] ...an experienced and very talented woman, a self-styled adherent to the arts of Aphrodite, who accompanied the army here.[(click: "...an experienced and very talented woman, a self-styled adherent to the arts of Aphrodite, who accompanied the army here.")[(set: $sex to 'the adherent of Aphrodite')(goto: MorningAfter7)]]

         You spent a delightfully refreshing time in bed with $sex. (if: $sex is 'the eunuch')[(if: (random: 1, 12) is 4)[You do feel a slight discomfort for a few days afterwards, a general itching sensation. Did that eunuch have fleas?]](else_if: $sex is 'the girl')[(if: (random: 1, 8) is 6)[You spend the rest of the year itching. Just how many of your men had gotten to that girl before you did?]](else_if: $sex is 'the adherent of Aphrodite')[(if: (random: 1, 72) is 45)[You come down with a particularly unpleasant condition that persists for several months. But you try to tell yourself it was worth it.]]          Still, you cannot stay abed forever. You have to get up and face the rest of this war.          (set: $pos to it + 1)(if: $pos < 11)[Miserably, you embrace the awful fate in store for you.(click-goto: "Miserably, you embrace the awful fate in store for you.", $y7evs's ($pos))](if: $pos is 11)[[[Miserably, you embrace the awful fate in store for you.->YearEight]]]

         You really did hate to ask a warrior to supervise farmers going about the tasks of raising food, but you find you're sleeping better at night regardless, now that you know there will be some food for the troops that isn't dependent on winning in battle.          (set: $pos to it + 1)(if: $pos < 11)[Miserably, you embrace the awful fate in store for you.(click-goto: "Miserably, you embrace the awful fate in store for you.", $y7evs's ($pos))](if: $pos is 11)[[[Miserably, you embrace the awful fate in store for you.->YearEight]]]

(if: $Achilles is 'dead')[         You really did hate to ask a warrior to supervise farmers going about the tasks of raising food, but you find you're sleeping better at night regardless, now that you know there will be some food for the troops that isn't dependent on winning in battle.](else:)[(set: $AchillesMadness to it + 1)(if: $AchillesMadness < 3)[         You really did hate to ask a warrior to supervise farmers going about the tasks of raising food, but you find you're sleeping better at night regardless, now that you know there will be some food for the troops that isn't dependent on winning in battle...though the way in which you keep finding Achilleus pacing in front of your hut while Patroclos is off supervising the farming does somewhat cancel out any comfort you should be deriving from the knowledge that crops are being grown to feed the men.](else_if: $AchillesMadness is 3)[         On the second morning in which Patroclos is watching over the farmers at their task, you find that the son of Peleus is waiting for you when you leave your hut. "Do you have something against me?" he demands of you.          You splutter uncertainly for a moment before finding your words. "Of course not, Achilleus," you assure him. "You are one of the most important parts of this war effort."          He scowls at you, then stalks off without another word, leaving you feeling deeply unsettled, but unsure what you did wrong, or how in the world to mend the situation.](else_if: $AchillesMadness is 4)[         The very same day you give the order to Patroclos to watch over the farmers, Achilleus barges into your hut, his face almost as red as his hair. "If you don't stop these acts of tyranny..." he starts in a threatening voice.          "I...I don't understand," you admit. "What have I done wrong?"          "Patroclos is *my*--he belongs with *me*. Stop sending him to do things without me!" Without waiting for you to respond, he leaves again in a huff.          You are left stunned by the entire scene, and decide to think about it most carefully next time before giving Patroclos any orders.](else_if: $AchillesMadness is 5)[You are walking through the camp a few days later when you unexpectedly come across Achilleus in a narrow passage between two huts. Without warning, he suddenly slams you back against one of them, his hand on the hilt of his sword as he snarls wordlessly in your face. He eventually growls some kind of warning at you, but his anger distorts his words to the point that you cannot make them out. Then he simply stalks off again, leaving you in a state of desperate terror for several minutes.](else_if: $AchillesMadness is 6)[Promptly after you give the order to send Patroclos to oversee the growing of the crops, Achilleus drags you into an empty storage shed filled with weapons. "Do you think me a fool?!" he demands of you. "Do you think I'm a helpless child?!"          "Of-of course not! I protest this treatment!" you exclaim in as loud a voice as you can muster, in the hopes that someone will hear and come to your aid.          "You won't get away with it," he promises, glaring into your eyes. "One more time. One more *chance*. That's it. You cross me again, and you won't live to regret it!"          With that, he is gone, and you crumple into a trembling heap on the floor, ashamed to realize you could be so frightened by a man so many years younger than yourself.](else_if: $AchillesMadness is 7)[         You have no sooner given the order for Patroclos to take over the farming for the coming season than Achilleus barges into your hut, his sword already drawn and his face contorted in madness.          You attempt to protest against his behavior--to scream--to defend yourself--to do *anything*, but in vain. You aren't even wearing your armor, and are dead before you can even fully grasp what is happening.          In fact, before you know it, you are standing beside your own bloodied corpse, and Hermes stands before you, frowning in disgust. "You know, when a volatile youth like Achilleus warns you to stop doing something, you really ought to stop if you don't want to end up like this." He gestures at your mangled remains with his staff.          "Uh...I...didn't...mean to...?" you stammer.          Hermes sighs and shakes his head. "No point telling *me* that. Save it for my uncle. He's the one in charge of you now."          With that, the handsome young god leads your soul down to the house of Hades, where it will remain forevermore. An idle part of your mind wonders if the war will continue on without you, or if your folly in provoking the son of Peleus has doomed the war to a complete failure that will be mocked for all eternity. =><= ***GAME OVER*** <= [[Try again?->Title Screen]]]](if: $AchillesMadness <7)[          (set: $pos to it + 1)(if: $pos < 11)[Miserably, you embrace the awful fate in store for you.(click-goto: "Miserably, you embrace the awful fate in store for you.", $y7evs's ($pos))](if: $pos is 11)[[[Miserably, you embrace the awful fate in store for you.->YearEight]]]]

(if: $Achilles is 'dead')[         You watch as the lone ship sails off to the west towards Lemnos early in the morning. It returns late the next day, with reports of a successful voyage and plentiful new supplies, including fine new weapons. ](else:)[(set: $AchillesMadness to it + 1)          You watch as the lone ship sails off to the west towards Lemnos early in the morning, but you watch it with far less interest than Achilleus does. (if: $AchillesMadness is 2)[As far as you can tell, Achilleus barely moves the whole time Patroclos is away, just standing there staring at the spot on the horizon where the ship vanished from his sight.](else_if: $AchillesMadness is 3)[The only time Achilleus looks away from the horizon, as far as you can tell, is to shoot dire glances in your direction that soon have you feeling almost threatened, and make you retreat back into the relative safety of your hut.] (else_if: $AchillesMadness is 4)[          That evening, Achilleus barges into your hut, his face almost as red as his hair. "If you don't stop these acts of tyranny..." he starts in a threatening voice.          "I...I don't understand," you admit. "What have I done wrong?"          "Patroclos is *my*--he belongs with *me*. Stop sending him to do things without me!" Without waiting for you to respond, he leaves again in a huff.          You are left stunned by the entire scene, and decide to think about it most carefully next time before giving Patroclos any orders.](else_if: $AchillesMadness is 5)[          The ship has barely vanished over the horizon before Achilleus has backed you against the nearest hut, his hand on the hilt of his sword as he snarls wordlessly in your face. "If anything happens to him while he's away..." he eventually growls, before stalking off again, leaving you in a state of desperate terror for several minutes.          Despite Achilleus' worries (or whatever that was about),](else_if: $AchillesMadness is 6)[Promptly after the ship has taken Patroclos to Lemnos, Achilleus drags you into an empty storage shed filled with weapons. "Do you think me a fool?!" he demands of you. "Do you think I'm a helpless child?!"          "Of-of course not! I protest this treatment!" you exclaim in as loud a voice as you can muster, in the hopes that someone will hear and come to your aid.          "You won't get away with it," he promises, glaring into your eyes. "One more time. One more *chance*. That's it. You cross me again, and you won't live to regret it!"          With that, he is gone, and you crumple into a trembling heap on the floor, ashamed to realize you could be so frightened by a man so many years younger than yourself.](else_if: $AchillesMadness is 7)[         You are barely settled in to your next meal when Achilleus barges into your hut, his sword already drawn and his face contorted in madness.          You attempt to protest against his behavior--to scream--to defend yourself--to do *anything*, but in vain. You aren't even wearing your armor, and are dead before you can even fully grasp what is happening.          In fact, before you know it, you are standing beside your own bloodied corpse, and Hermes stands before you, frowning in disgust. "You know, when a volatile youth like Achilleus warns you to stop doing something, you really ought to stop if you don't want to end up like this." He gestures at your mangled remains with his staff.          "Uh...I...didn't...mean to...?" you stammer.          Hermes sighs and shakes his head. "No point telling *me* that. Save it for my uncle. He's the one in charge of you now."          With that, the handsome young god leads your soul down to the house of Hades, where it will remain forevermore. An idle part of your mind wonders if the war will continue on without you, or if your folly in provoking the son of Peleus has doomed the war to a complete failure that will be mocked for all eternity. =><= ***GAME OVER*** <=          [[Try again?->Title Screen]]]](if: $AchillesMadness < 7)[          (set: $pos to it + 1)(if: $pos < 11)[Miserably, you embrace the awful fate in store for you.(click-goto: "Miserably, you embrace the awful fate in store for you.", $y7evs's ($pos))](if: $pos is 11)[[[Miserably, you embrace the awful fate in store for you.->YearEight]]]]

         You watch as the lone ship sails off to the west towards Lemnos early in the morning. It returns late the next day, with reports of a successful voyage and plentiful new supplies, including fine new weapons.          (set: $pos to it + 1)(if: $pos < 11)[Miserably, you embrace the awful fate in store for you.(click-goto: "Miserably, you embrace the awful fate in store for you.", $y7evs's ($pos))](if: $pos is 11)[[[Miserably, you embrace the awful fate in store for you.->YearEight]]]

         Achilleus leads a large force of men and chariots towards one of the nearby minor settlements. The troops are all in good cheer, enthusiastic about the battle that awaits them.          They are still cheerful upon their return, leading captured livestock along with wagons filled with food, gold, weapons and slaves. You notice that gold and weapons seem to be the preponderance of the spoils. (if: $Patroclos is 'alive')[(if: (random: 1,100) is 100)[(set: $Achilles to 'wounded1')](if:(random:1,25) is 25)[(set: $Patroclos to 'wounded1')]          Achilleus reports that the allied casualties were few and no men of note perished, (if: $Achilles is 'wounded1')[(if: $Patroclos is 'wounded1')[though unfortunately both he and Patroclos were lightly injured.](else:)[though he himself did suffer a slight injury.]](else_if: $Patroclos is 'wounded1')[though sadly Patroclos did receive a slight injury.](else:)[or were wounded.]] (else:)[(if: (random: 1,100) is 100)[(set: $Achilles to 'wounded1')]          Achilleus reports that the allied casualties were few and no men of note perished, (if: $Achilles is 'wounded1')[though he himself did suffer a slight injury.](else:)[or were wounded.]] Overall, it was a very successful raid.          (set: $pos to it + 1)(if: $pos < 11)[Miserably, you embrace the awful fate in store for you.(click-goto: "Miserably, you embrace the awful fate in store for you.", $y7evs's ($pos))](if: $pos is 11)[[[Miserably, you embrace the awful fate in store for you.->YearEight]]]

         Aias leads a large force of men and chariots towards one of the nearby minor settlements. The troops are all in good cheer, enthusiastic about the battle that awaits them.          They are still cheerful upon their return, leading captured livestock along with wagons filled with food, gold, weapons and slaves. You notice that food and weapons seem to be the preponderance of the spoils. (if: $Teukros is 'alive')[(if: (random: 1,50) is 50)[(set: $AiasS to 'wounded1')](if:(random:1,15) is 15)[(set: $Teukros to 'wounded1')]          Aias reports that the allied casualties were few and no men of note perished, (if: $AiasS is 'wounded1')[(if: $Teukros is 'wounded1')[though unfortunately both he and his brother Teukros were lightly injured.](else:)[though he himself did suffer a slight injury.]](else_if: $Teukros is 'wounded1')[though sadly his brother Teukros did receive a slight injury.](else:)[or were wounded.]] (else:)[(if: (random: 1,50) is 50)[(set: $AiasS to 'wounded1')]          Aias reports that the allied casualties were few and no men of note perished, (if: $AiasS is 'wounded1')[though he himself did suffer a slight injury.](else:)[or were wounded.]] Overall, it was a very successful raid.          (set: $pos to it + 1)(if: $pos < 11)[Miserably, you embrace the awful fate in store for you.(click-goto: "Miserably, you embrace the awful fate in store for you.", $y7evs's ($pos))](if: $pos is 11)[[[Miserably, you embrace the awful fate in store for you.->YearEight]]]

         Diomedes leads a large force of men and chariots towards one of the nearby minor settlements. The troops are all in good cheer, enthusiastic about the battle that awaits them.          They are still cheerful upon their return, leading captured livestock along with wagons filled with food, gold, weapons and slaves. No one type of loot seems especially greater in number than the others. (if: (random: 1,50) is 50)[(set: $Diomedes to 'wounded1')]          Diomedes reports that the allied casualties were few and no men of note perished, (if: $Diomedes is 'wounded1')[though he himself did suffer a slight injury.](else:)[or were wounded.] Overall, it was a very successful raid.          (set: $pos to it + 1)(if: $pos < 11)[Miserably, you embrace the awful fate in store for you.(click-goto: "Miserably, you embrace the awful fate in store for you.", $y7evs's ($pos))](if: $pos is 11)[[[Miserably, you embrace the awful fate in store for you.->YearEight]]]

         Odysseus leads a large force of men and chariots towards one of the nearby minor settlements. The troops are all in good cheer, enthusiastic about the battle that awaits them.          They are still cheerful upon their return, leading captured livestock along with wagons filled with food, gold, weapons and slaves. No one type of loot seems especially greater in number than the others. (if: (random: 1,10) is 10)[(set: $Odysseus to 'wounded1')]          Odysseus reports that the allied casualties were few and no men of note perished, (if: $Odysseus is 'wounded1')[though he himself did suffer a slight injury.](else:)[or were wounded.] Overall, it was a very successful raid.          (set: $pos to it + 1)(if: $pos < 11)[Miserably, you embrace the awful fate in store for you.(click-goto: "Miserably, you embrace the awful fate in store for you.", $y7evs's ($pos))](if: $pos is 11)[[[Miserably, you embrace the awful fate in store for you.->YearEight]]]

         Idomeneus leads a large force of men and chariots towards one of the nearby minor settlements. The troops are all in good cheer, enthusiastic about the battle that awaits them.          They are still cheerful upon their return, leading captured livestock along with wagons filled with food, gold, weapons and slaves. You notice that food and livestock seem to be the preponderance of the spoils. (if: $Meriones is 'alive')[(if: (random: 1,6) is 6)[(set: $Idomeneus to 'wounded1')](if:(random:1,15) is 15)[(set: $Meriones to 'wounded1')]          Idomeneus reports that the allied casualties were few and no men of note perished, (if: $Idomeneus is 'wounded1')[(if: $Meriones is 'wounded1')[though unfortunately both he and his nephew Meriones were lightly injured.](else:)[though he himself did suffer a slight injury.]](else_if: $Meriones is 'wounded1')[though sadly his nephew Meriones did receive a slight injury.](else:)[or were wounded.]] (else:)[(if: (random: 1,6) is 6)[(set: $Idomeneus to 'wounded1')]          Idomeneus reports that the allied casualties were few and no men of note perished, (if: $Idomeneus is 'wounded1')[though he himself did suffer a slight injury.](else:)[or were wounded.]] Overall, it was a very successful raid.          (set: $pos to it + 1)(if: $pos < 11)[Miserably, you embrace the awful fate in store for you.(click-goto: "Miserably, you embrace the awful fate in store for you.", $y7evs's ($pos))](if: $pos is 11)[[[Miserably, you embrace the awful fate in store for you.->YearEight]]]

         Ascalaphos leads a large force of men and chariots towards one of the nearby minor settlements. The troops are all in good cheer, enthusiastic about the battle that awaits them.          They are still cheerful upon their return, leading captured livestock along with wagons filled with food, gold, weapons and slaves. You notice that weapons seem overrepresented among the spoils. (if: (random: 1,10) is 10)[(set: $Ascalaphos to 'wounded1')]          Ascalaphos reports that the allied casualties were few and no men of note perished, (if: $Ascalaphos is 'wounded1')[though he himself did suffer a slight injury.](else:)[or were wounded.] Overall, it was a very successful raid.          (set: $pos to it + 1)(if: $pos < 11)[Miserably, you embrace the awful fate in store for you.(click-goto: "Miserably, you embrace the awful fate in store for you.", $y7evs's ($pos))](if: $pos is 11)[[[Miserably, you embrace the awful fate in store for you.->YearEight]]]

         Cycnos leads a large force of men and chariots towards one of the nearby minor settlements. The troops are all in good cheer, enthusiastic about the battle that awaits them.          They are still cheerful upon their return, leading captured livestock along with wagons filled with food, gold, weapons and slaves. No one type of loot seems especially greater in number than the others.          Cycnos reports that the allied casualties were few and no men of note perished, or were wounded. Overall, it was a very successful raid.          (set: $pos to it + 1)(if: $pos < 11)[Miserably, you embrace the awful fate in store for you.(click-goto: "Miserably, you embrace the awful fate in store for you.", $y7evs's ($pos))](if: $pos is 11)[[[Miserably, you embrace the awful fate in store for you.->YearEight]]]

         Menelaos leads a large force of men and chariots towards one of the nearby minor settlements. The troops are all in good cheer, enthusiastic about the battle that awaits them.          They are still cheerful upon their return, leading captured livestock along with wagons filled with food, gold, weapons and slaves. No one type of loot seems especially greater in number than the others. (if: (random: 1,6) is 6)[(set: $Menelaos to 'wounded1')]          Menelaos reports that the allied casualties were few and no men of note perished, (if: $Menelaos is 'wounded1')[though he himself did suffer a slight injury.](else:)[or were wounded.] Overall, it was a very successful raid.          (set: $pos to it + 1)(if: $pos < 11)[Miserably, you embrace the awful fate in store for you.(click-goto: "Miserably, you embrace the awful fate in store for you.", $y7evs's ($pos))](if: $pos is 11)[[[Miserably, you embrace the awful fate in store for you.->YearEight]]]

         Protesilaos leads a large force of men and chariots towards one of the nearby minor settlements. The troops are all in good cheer, enthusiastic about the battle that awaits them.          They are still cheerful upon their return, leading captured livestock along with wagons filled with food, gold, weapons and slaves. No one type of loot seems especially greater in number than the others. (if: (random: 1,6) is 6)[(set: $Protesilaos to 'wounded1')]          Protesilaos reports that the allied casualties were few and no men of note perished, (if: $Protesilaos is 'wounded1')[though he himself did suffer a slight injury.](else:)[or were wounded.] Overall, it was a very successful raid.          (set: $pos to it + 1)(if: $pos < 11)[Miserably, you embrace the awful fate in store for you.(click-goto: "Miserably, you embrace the awful fate in store for you.", $y7evs's ($pos))](if: $pos is 11)[[[Miserably, you embrace the awful fate in store for you.->YearEight]]]

         Accompanied by his son Antilochos, Nestor leads a large force of men and chariots towards one of the nearby minor settlements. The troops are all in good cheer, enthusiastic about the battle that awaits them.          They are still cheerful upon their return, leading captured livestock along with wagons filled with food, gold, weapons and slaves. You notice that livestock and food seem to be the preponderance of the spoils. (if: (random: 1,10) is 10)[(set: $Antilochos to 'wounded1')]          Nestor reports that the allied casualties were few and no men of note perished, (if: $Antilochos is 'wounded1')[though his son Antilochos did suffer a slight injury.](else:)[or were wounded.] Overall, it was a very successful raid.          (set: $pos to it + 1)(if: $pos < 11)[Miserably, you embrace the awful fate in store for you.(click-goto: "Miserably, you embrace the awful fate in store for you.", $y7evs's ($pos))](if: $pos is 11)[[[Miserably, you embrace the awful fate in store for you.->YearEight]]]

         It is difficult for you to watch the fleet sail off to this battle without you (and without so many of your most powerful warriors), but the problem with a sea battle is that any man who falls off into the water may well drown before he can free himself from his weighty corselet, so you dare not send too many of your most important allies. (Though at least you feel safe in that regard here: surely as the son of a sea goddess, Achilleus will never drown!)          You cannot see much from the shore, but eventually you see the Egyptian ships go down, one after the other, their sails and bodies set afire and their crews dead or drowning. But you see many of your own men fall into the sea as well, and you lose one ship... (if: $Patroclos is 'alive')[(if: (random: 1,100) is 100)[(set: $Achilles to 'wounded1')](if:(random:1,25) is 25)[(set: $Patroclos to 'wounded1')]          Eventually, the remains of the fleet returns to the camp. Achilleus informs you that no Achaian of any importance died, (if: $Achilles is 'wounded1')[(if: $Patroclos is 'wounded1')[though unfortunately both Achilleus and his companion Patroclos were lightly injured.](else:)[though Achilleus did suffer a slight injury.]](else_if: $Patroclos is 'wounded1')[though sadly Patroclos did receive a slight injury.](else:)[or even saw a serious injury.] You were lucky today, but you are certain that luck stemmed largely from the presence of the son of Thetis at the heart of your fleet.](else:)[(if: (random: 1,100) is 100)[(set: $Achilles to 'wounded1')]         The remains of the fleet returns to the camp. Achilleus informs you that no Achaian of any importance died, (if: $Achilles is 'wounded1')[though Achilleus did suffer a slight injury.](else:)[or even saw a serious injury.] You were lucky today, but you are certain that luck stemmed largely from the presence of the son of Thetis at the heart of your fleet.]          (set: $pos to it + 1)(if: $pos < 11)[Miserably, you embrace the awful fate in store for you.(click-goto: "Miserably, you embrace the awful fate in store for you.", $y7evs's ($pos))](if: $pos is 11)[[[Miserably, you embrace the awful fate in store for you.->YearEight]]]

         It is difficult for you to watch the fleet sail off to this battle without you (and without so many of your most powerful warriors), but the problem with a sea battle is that any man who falls off into the water may well drown before he can free himself from his weighty corselet, so you dare not send too many of your most important allies.          You cannot see much from the shore, but eventually you see the Egyptian ships go down, one after the other, their sails and bodies set afire and their crews dead or drowning. But you see many of your own men fall into the sea as well, and you lose one ship... (if: (random: 1,1000) is 666)[(set: $AiasS to 'dead')[The fleet returns to the camp and you see only somber faces as the men disembark. You are informed that during the heat of the battle, Aias fell overboard and could not be recovered, having been sunk by the weight of his armor. You are horrified to have lost such a mighty warrior, and dread how this will impact the war going forward.]](else:)[(if: $Teukros is 'alive')[(if: (random: 1,50) is 50)[(set: $AiasS to 'wounded1')](if:(random:1,15) is 15)[(set: $Teukros to 'wounded1')]          Eventually, the remains of the fleet returns to the camp. Aias informs you that no Achaian of any importance died, (if: $AiasS is 'wounded1')[(if: $Teukros is 'wounded1')[though unfortunately both Aias and his brother Teukros were lightly injured.](else:)[though Aias himself did suffer a slight injury.]](else_if: $Teukros is 'wounded1')[though sadly Teukros did receive a slight injury.](else:)[or even saw a serious injury.] You were lucky today, and you are sure that much of your luck stemmed from your trust in the great son of Telamon.](else:)[(if: (random: 1,50) is 50)[(set: $AiasS to 'wounded1')]         The remains of the fleet returns to the camp. Aias informs you that no Achaian of any importance died, (if: $AiasS is 'wounded1')[though Aias himself did suffer a slight injury.](else:)[or even saw a serious injury.] You were lucky today, and you are sure that much of your luck stemmed from your trust in the great son of Telamon.]]          (set: $pos to it + 1)(if: $pos < 11)[Miserably, you embrace the awful fate in store for you.(click-goto: "Miserably, you embrace the awful fate in store for you.", $y7evs's ($pos))](if: $pos is 11)[[[Miserably, you embrace the awful fate in store for you.->YearEight]]]

         It is difficult for you to watch the fleet sail off to this battle without you (and without so many of your most powerful warriors), but the problem with a sea battle is that any man who falls off into the water may well drown before he can free himself from his weighty corselet, so you dare not send too many of your most important allies.          You cannot see much from the shore, but eventually you see the Egyptian ships go down, one after the other, their sails and bodies set afire and their crews dead or drowning. But you see many of your own men fall into the sea as well, and you lose one ship... (if: (random: 1,1000) is 666)[(set: $Idomeneus to 'dead')[The fleet returns to the camp and you see only somber faces as the men disembark. You are informed that during the heat of the battle, Idomeneus fell overboard and could not be recovered, having been sunk by the weight of his armor. You are horrified to have lost such a fine man, and will greatly mourn his loss both as a warrior and as an advisor.]](else:)[(if: $Meriones is 'alive')[(if: (random: 1,6) is 6)[(set: $Idomeneus to 'wounded1')](if:(random:1,15) is 15)[(set: $Meriones to 'wounded1')]          Eventually, the remains of the fleet returns to the camp. Idomeneus informs you that no Achaian of any importance died, (if: $Idomeneus is 'wounded1')[(if: $Meriones is 'wounded1')[though unfortunately both Idomeneus and his nephew Meriones were lightly injured.](else:)[though Idomeneus did suffer a slight injury.]](else_if: $Meriones is 'wounded1')[though sadly Meriones did receive a slight injury.](else:)[or even saw a serious injury.] You were lucky today.](else:)[(if: (random: 1,6) is 6)[(set: $Idomeneus to 'wounded1')]         The remains of the fleet returns to the camp. Idomeneus informs you that no Achaian of any importance died, (if: $Idomeneus is 'wounded1')[though Idomeneus did suffer a slight injury.](else:)[or even saw a serious injury.] You were lucky today.]]          (set: $pos to it + 1)(if: $pos < 11)[Miserably, you embrace the awful fate in store for you.(click-goto: "Miserably, you embrace the awful fate in store for you.", $y7evs's ($pos))](if: $pos is 11)[[[Miserably, you embrace the awful fate in store for you.->YearEight]]]

         Given that these sea battles are taking place entirely because you accepted the wrong advice, how can you ask any man to risk his life in them if you are not willing to do so yourself? Your ship leads the fleet in sailing to meet the Egyptian ships.          It is a long and difficult battle, partially waged by archers on both sides, and partially by men brave enough to leap onto nearby enemy ships, even though many of the men who make the jump end up sinking into the wine-dark sea, dragged down by the weight of their armor and weapons. As the battle progresses, your men begin to make headway over the foes, and soon the Egyptian ships are being set alight, their crews dead or drowning... (if: (random: 1,1000) is 666)[A particularly large Egyptian soldier leaps off his own burning ship and lands on the deck of your ship, very near where you are fighting. You turn to face him, but are quickly outclassed. He is pushing you backwards, and nothing you do can help you regain the ground you are losing to his advance. Though your men are trying to reach you to kill this persistent foe, they are not fast enough, and he manages to shove you over the edge of the ship and into the churning waters below.          Dropping sword and shield, you struggle desperately, trying to get out of your corselet and helmet. You are not even halfway out when your ability to struggle slowly ceases as you sink ever deeper into the cold, dark water, never again to see the light of day. =><= ***GAME OVER*** <=          [[Try again?->Title Screen]]](else:) [         The remains of the fleet make their way back to camp. Thankfully, no one of note died, or even met with a serious injury. You were lucky today.]          (set: $pos to it + 1)(if: $pos < 11)[Miserably, you embrace the awful fate in store for you.(click-goto: "Miserably, you embrace the awful fate in store for you.", $y7evs's ($pos))](if: $pos is 11)[[[Miserably, you embrace the awful fate in store for you.->YearEight]]]

         You are listless and uncomfortable today. You don't want to be in charge of this war any longer. You would give anything to be back home in (if: $home is '...')[Hellas](else:)[$home]. You know you can't just leave, but if you could, you would.          You should do something--***anything***--to take your mind off your own lack of engagement. Something light and pleasant, maybe.          Or maybe you should redouble your efforts to get this war over with?          You think about it for much too long, and come to your decision...          [[Since this, after all, a war, you decide to make a sortie against the Trojans.->Battle6a]]          [[You decide to get aboard a ship and sail out to sea for a few hours to clear your head.->Sailing6]]          [[Maybe listening to the tales of past glories will help put you in the right mood to finish this war. Send for a bard.->BardsTale6]]          [[Riding in the countryside always used to help you clear your mind at home. Maybe it will work here, too.->Riding6]]          [[You feel weak, useless and spent. You need to renew your inner energy. There's only one good way to do *that*...->Sex6]]          [[You decide to have a look at the current food stores to see how things stand.->Sacking6]]

         You board one of the light, fast vessels usually used to send messages back and forth between your camp and the captive stronghold in Methymna, bringing aboard a crew of men to row. Then you just order them to set to sea, leaving word with Phoinix that you should be back before nightfall, and that if anything comes up while you are gone, he and Nestor should take charge.          The ship sails out far enough that the camp is just a blur against the shoreline, then one of the men asks where you want to go.(set: _creon to 'alive')          You tell him you just want to experience a brief voyage--just far enough to get out of sight of land, to let your troubles melt away for a little while.          He seems to think you've lost your mind, but does as you order. (set: _sail to (random: 1, 6)) (if: _sail is 1)[         You have barely left sight of land when a small storm appears on the horizon. The ship is hastily turned around, and you return to camp much earlier than you would have liked. ](else_if: _sail is 2)[         Once the ship is out in deep water, you notice some empty fishing nets lying discarded in the bottom of the boat, and decide to do some fishing. You don't catch all that much, but it's a nice change of pace. ](else_if: _sail is 3)[         When you are away from the shore, you think you hear faint echoes of singing. The men begin to panic, terrified that the sirens have left their usual haunts and come to ensure that you will die rather than flee Troy. (if: (random: 1,100) is 73)[Before you can turn around and go back, birds the size of women--and with the faces of women--come flying towards your ship. They sing so sweetly that you cannot help hurling yourself over the side of the boat in an attempt to reach them. It might not be a problem if you weren't wearing your armor...but as you *are* wearing it, you quickly drown.(set: _creon to 'dead') ***GAME OVER*** [[Try again?->Title Screen]]](else:)[Whatever the source of the singing, your men are able to turn the ship around and return to camp before it can get close enough for you to lay eyes on it.] ](else_if: _sail is 4)[         You have barely left sight of land when another ship approaches yours. At first, you think they are simply travelers. Then you get close enough for them to try boarding your ship.          Honestly, it strikes you as quite hilarious. The pirates were not expecting every man aboard your ship to be a battle-hardened warrior; you and your men wipe them out with comical ease.          It turns out the pirates had a nice ship filled with plundered Phoenician goods. It leaves both ships a bit short on hands at the oar, but you take the whole ship back to camp with you as spoils. ](else_if: _sail is 5)[         The further you get from land, the more desperately you want to keep sailing and not stop until you get home again.          You order the men to turn the ship around before you do something rash that will cover your name in ignominy. ](else_if: _sail is 6)[         As the ship makes its way across the wine-dark sea, you watch dolphins playing in the water, leaping and cavorting like happy children.          The sight leaves you surpassingly refreshed, and you return with a momentary elation that sadly leaves you as you disembark from the ship. ] (unless: _creon is 'dead')[         With no other recourse before you, (set: $pos to it + 1)(if: $pos < 11)[you face the coming conflicts with hopelessness.(click-goto: "you face the coming conflicts with hopelessness.", $y6evs's ($pos))](if: $pos is 11)[[[you face the coming conflicts with hopelessness.->YearSeven]]]]

         You send for a bard, and settle down with a nice meal and some well-mixed wine.          When the bard arrives, he asks if there is any particular song you would like to hear. "Sing of the glory of the heroes of old," you tell him. (set: _song to (random: 1,6))          (if: _song is 1)[The bard sings a long, mournful song of the fate of Orpheus, doomed to die alone after failing to recover his wife Eurydice from the house of Hades. ](if: _song is 2)[The bard sings a sweeping epic about the twelve deadly tasks laid before the great Heracles by the cowardly Eurystheus. ](if: _song is 3)[The bard sings of the voyage of the *Argo* to recover the Golden Fleece from Colchis. (if: $home is 'Iolcos')[You aren't sure if the bard is trying to flatter you or insult you by his choice of song, but it grates either way.](else_if: $home is 'Corinth')[You wonder if this is some kind of oblique attack on you, as if he has mistaken you for the previous King Creon of Corinth, the one who was burned to death in Medea's vengeance for the murder of her children.] ](if: _song is 4)[The bard sings of the tragic fate of the Seven against Thebes and the eventual vengeance gained by their sons. (if: $home is 'Thebes')[You feel decidedly insulted by his choice of subject matter. Yes, you wouldn't have gained the Theban crown without the actions of the Epigoni, but you also weren't one of them.](else:)[Idly, you wonder if he learned this song to curry favor with Diomedes. Or if Diomedes put him up to singing it for you, to remind you of just how much more experience Diomedes has in this type of warfare than most of the rest of you do.] ](if: _song is 5)[The bard sings of the heroism of Perseus as he defeats the terrifying Gorgon Medusa. You suspect this song was a great favorite of Agamemnon's, given the constant future-flattery it contains for Mycenae. ](if: _song is 6)[The bard sings you an Athenian epic about the triumph of Theseus over the Minotaur in the labyrinth hidden beneath the palace at Knossos. (unless: $Idomeneus is 'dead')[You reflect with a grim, inward chuckle that he would not sing the song so boldly if Idomeneus could hear, given that the Cretan king has always denied that his grandfather ever did anything so monstrous (and even more so denied that his grandmother ever gave birth to a half-bull monster) and insisted that the Athenians sent in tribute merely served a year at one of the temples in Knossos and were always safely returned afterward.] ]          It is a pleasant enough waste of a day, but you still go to sleep that night knowing that you must face the war again tomorrow.          With no other recourse before you, (set: $pos to it + 1)(if: $pos < 11)[you face the coming conflicts with hopelessness.(click-goto: "you face the coming conflicts with hopelessness.", $y6evs's ($pos))](if: $pos is 11)[[[you face the coming conflicts with hopelessness.->YearSeven]]]

         You take your finest horse (one of the ones looted from Dardania, actually) and go out for a ride across the Phrygian countryside.          It's honestly rather depressing; all the years of warfare have done terrible things to the countryside, and most of the villages and huts you pass by are nothing but burned-out husks. (set: _ride to (random: 1,6)) (if: _ride is 1)[         You encounter a small Trojan patrol as you're riding. There are just enough of them that you struggle a little defeating them, but you are able to escape unscathed. ](else_if: _ride is 2)[         You come across a local girl trying to herd about a dozen goats. She's having so much difficulty with the task that she is crying.          You decide to help her with her goats. As you do so, she talks to you about her family and her life. She was only about a year old when your forces arrived (not that she knows who you are, thank Zeus!), so she has never known anything but this war-torn land. Her elder brothers all died in the fighting, and her elder sisters are either captives in your camp or have been taken to Lemnos, and her father is dead, leaving this poor girl and her younger brother as the only ones who can help her mother maintain their tiny farm.          Riddled with guilt, you give the girl your horse, and walk back to camp. ](else_if: _ride is 3)[         You are surprised to come across an odd beast as you travel. It has the body of a leopard, the wings of an eagle, and the head of a goat. You suspect it may be an offspring of the Chimera (which met its end, you believe, about a week's voyage to the south of here), as it is decidedly hostile, and breathing fire at you.          Fortunately, you had a bow with you, and you are just able to bring the beast down, though you sustained light burns in the process.          You take the beast's corpse back with you; its skin will look imposing draped across your shoulders in battle. ](else_if: _ride is 4)[         When you stop at a local river to get a drink for both yourself and your horse, you are astonished to see the river god rise up out of the water and curse you for the desolation you have brought to his lands and his people.          You apologize to the river god, explaining that you did not wish to be running this war, and you would have refused the position if you had known just how long and miserable it would actually be.          He does not seem to be accepting your apology, so you decide to return to the camp as quickly as your frightened horse can run. ](else_if: _ride is 5)[(if: $Oenone is 'contemplating')[         You encounter Oenone again in your ride, and try to convince her to help you put an end to the war. You promise her that if she can get a small force of your men inside the city to recover Helen, you will do whatever she wants with Alexandros.          Oenone seems tempted by your offer, but admits that she does not even know just what she wants Alexandros' fate to be; she isn't sure if she wants to see him die for betraying her, or if she just wants him back again.(set: $Oenone to 'tempted')](else_if: $Oenone is 'tempted')[         Coming across Oenone on your ride again, you ask her if there is anything you can do to help her make up her mind. She says there is not, and that she will contact you if she decides to help you.](else:)[         While you are riding, you encounter the most fabulously beautiful woman you have ever met. She is dressed very simply, but is very haughty when you attempt to speak to her.          After several attempts to coerce her to talk, she explains that she is the nymph Oenone, the true wife of Alexandros, spurned for his stolen Spartan bride. You ask her if she would be willing to help you put an end to the war, and she says she will think about it.(set: $Oenone to 'contemplating')] ](else_if: _ride is 6)[         You ride nearly all day, and return to camp shortly before sunset.          Absolutely nothing happened. ]          With no other recourse before you, (set: $pos to it + 1)(if: $pos < 11)[you face the coming conflicts with hopelessness.(click-goto: "you face the coming conflicts with hopelessness.", $y6evs's ($pos))](if: $pos is 11)[[[you face the coming conflicts with hopelessness.->YearSeven]]]

         Satisfying the pleasures of the flesh will surely give you the momentum and enthusiasm you need to face the rest of this war!          You send away the servants, courtiers and slaves except for...          ...your concubine.[(click: "...your concubine.")[(set: $sex to 'your concubine')(goto: "MorningAfter6")]]          ...that pretty eunuch captured a few months back.[(click: "...that pretty eunuch captured a few months back.")[(set: $sex to 'the eunuch')(goto: "MorningAfter6")]]          ...that handsome youth who always seems to be looking at you with desire.[(click: "...that handsome youth who always seems to be looking at you with desire.")[(set: $sex to 'the handsome youth')(goto: "MorningAfter6")]]          ...a lovely young girl captured just last week.[(click: "...a lovely young girl captured just last week.")[(set: $sex to 'the girl')(goto: "MorningAfter6")]]          ...an experienced and very talented woman, a self-styled adherent to the arts of Aphrodite, who accompanied the army here.[(click: "...an experienced and very talented woman, a self-styled adherent to the arts of Aphrodite, who accompanied the army here.")[(set: $sex to 'the adherent of Aphrodite')(goto: "MorningAfter6")]]

         You spent a delightfully refreshing time in bed with $sex. (if: $sex is 'the eunuch')[(if: (random: 1, 12) is 4)[You do feel a slight discomfort for a few days afterwards, a general itching sensation. Did that eunuch have fleas?]](else_if: $sex is 'the girl')[(if: (random: 1, 8) is 6)[You spend the rest of the year itching. Just how many of your men had gotten to that girl before you did?]](else_if: $sex is 'the adherent of Aphrodite')[(if: (random: 1, 72) is 45)[You come down with a particularly unpleasant condition that persists for several months. But you try to tell yourself it was worth it.]]          Still, you cannot stay abed forever. You have to get up and face the rest of this war.          With no other recourse before you, (set: $pos to it + 1)(if: $pos < 11)[you face the coming conflicts with hopelessness.(click-goto: "you face the coming conflicts with hopelessness.", $y6evs's ($pos))](if: $pos is 11)[[[you face the coming conflicts with hopelessness.->YearSeven]]]

         "Since the girl says she loves him, she will become Diomedes' concubine," you tell Palamedes, "and as he has no need of two concubines, he will give you his former concubine."          Diomedes laughs, but Palamedes frowns. "I am not eager to bed down with Diomedes' former concubine," he says, "but as I suppose he has already had his way with my own, there are very few other good options for me."          The decision being firmly settled, the girl in question rushes into Diomedes' arms, kissing him passionately. You have to admit, it does rather look like she means it. (And, honestly, Diomedes is certainly far more attractive than Palamedes, and not just because of their relative age differences.)          (set: $pos to it + 1)(if: $pos < 11)[Miserably, you embrace the awful fate in store for you.(click-goto: "Miserably, you embrace the awful fate in store for you.", $y7evs's ($pos))](if: $pos is 11)[[[Miserably, you embrace the awful fate in store for you.->YearEight]]]

         "This isn't worth arguing about," you announce with a weary sigh. "Let her go to Diomedes. A man of your years," you say, looking at Palamedes, "can surely have the patience to be without a concubine until the next time a town is taken."          Palamedes is very upset by the decision and not shy about telling you so, but he is generally quite peaceable, so you hope there will be no ill effects.          The decision being firmly settled, the girl in question rushes into Diomedes' arms, kissing him passionately. You have to admit, it does rather look like she means it. (And, honestly, Diomedes is certainly far more attractive than Palamedes, and not just because of their relative age differences.)          (set: $pos to it + 1)(if: $pos < 11)[Miserably, you embrace the awful fate in store for you.(click-goto: "Miserably, you embrace the awful fate in store for you.", $y7evs's ($pos))](if: $pos is 11)[[[Miserably, you embrace the awful fate in store for you.->YearEight]]]

         "Given that a concubine who desperately prefers the bed of another may become a hazard, I do not wish to put Palamedes at risk by forcing the girl to return to him," you say, "but all the evidence I have heard today indicates that you acted wrongly and induced her to come to you," you tell Diomedes. "Therefore I will let Palamedes set any price he likes, which you must pay him as reparations for the damage you did him."          Diomedes immediately protests the decision, but the other princes so loudly insist that it was the right one that he gives in to the majority opinion. However, he looks very sour indeed as Palamedes outlines his desired price.(set: $Diomedes to 'ticked')          There are several rounds of negotiations, since Palamedes' first demand--at least two slave girls that Diomedes has not already had his way with--cannot be granted. Eventually, Palamedes ends up with a Phrygian boy to pour his wine, four fine horses, and an ox. Honestly, you can't blame Diomedes for being outraged; no matter how lovely the concubine, she cannot be worth four horses and an ox!          (set: $pos to it + 1)(if: $pos < 11)[Miserably, you embrace the awful fate in store for you.(click-goto: "Miserably, you embrace the awful fate in store for you.", $y7evs's ($pos))](if: $pos is 11)[[[Miserably, you embrace the awful fate in store for you.->YearEight]]]

         "You know, I find her quite attractive," you say, glancing over at the girl in question. "I think I'll make her *my* concubine."          Strangely, both of them take great umbrage at your suavely politic solution.          You ignore it, though, because (link-reveal: "the girl is so *very* pretty.")[(show: ?first)] |first)[         A few days later, you are discovered dead in your bed, your own knife plunged into your throat. As your shade miserably watches the chaos as everyone frets over your murder, you reflect sadly that even you don't know who did it, as you were quite soundly asleep at the time.          Some are accusing Diomedes, and others are accusing the concubine. As both have fled the camp, you're not sure it matters. Not, really, that it would anyway, what with you being dead and all. =><= ***GAME OVER*** <=          [[Try again?->Title Screen]]]

         "A slave cannot choose her master," you tell Diomedes. "If you wish to have her as your own concubine, you must negotiate that with Palamedes yourself. Neither I nor this assembly will have anything to do with it."          "I have no desire to allow her to go to anyone else," Palamedes says. "She is quite pleasing to me."          Diomedes storms out of the hut in a fury, calling out curses on both you and Palamedes.(set: $Diomedes to 'ticked')          Odysseus, however, praises your wisdom in avoiding the dangerous precedent of allowing slaves to choose their own masters, so you hope that means you made the right call.          A few days later, you are unsettled to learn that Palamedes has just been found dead in his bed, his own knife in his throat.(set: $Palamedes to 'dead') You have the camp searched very thoroughly, but his concubine is nowhere to be found. Rumors fly through the camp, some accusing her of murdering him, others accusing Diomedes of having murdered him and then spirited the girl away somewhere to have her for his own. Either way, you feel certain that this is your own fault.          (set: $pos to it + 1)(if: $pos < 11)[Miserably, you embrace the awful fate in store for you.(click-goto: "Miserably, you embrace the awful fate in store for you.", $y7evs's ($pos))](if: $pos is 11)[[[Miserably, you embrace the awful fate in store for you.->YearEight]]]

         Seven full years camped on the Anatolian shore.          Some days, it feels as though you have never done anything in your life but this.          If the gods appeared before you today and gave you the ability to take it back, to refuse Menelaos' offer, you would do it. If they gave you the ability to have never shown your face in Lacedaemon that day and never become a party to the oath to defend the rights of Helen's chosen husband, you would do it.          But the gods don't work like that. (As far as you know.)          So you can only keep going.          If the rumors were true and the war is destined to last for ten years, then you still have three more years to go before you can finally go home.          You try to tell yourself that the bulk of the war is behind you, and that only by moving forward will you ever see your home again.(set: $pos to 1) (set: $y8evs to (shuffled: 'Feud5','Lemnos8','Farming8','Battle8a','Battle8b','Sacking8','SeaBattle8','Arbitrary8'))(click-goto: "only by moving forward will you ever see your home again.", $y8evs's 1st)

(if: $Odysseus is 'dead' or 'exiled')[(goto: "Battle8b")](else_if: $Palamedes is 'dead' or 'exiled')[(goto: "Battle8a")](else:)[         Your latest attempt to cheat destiny and end the war now rather than in several years' time had *seemed* like a really great idea, even though it counted on both halves of the eternally quarrelling duo of Odysseus and Palamedes.          As Palamedes is very clever with devices and contraptions (a regular Daidalos, really!), you had him working on creating a device that would look like one of the Hatti-style statues of gods, but could be moved and would speak. Meanwhile, since Odysseus is so very crafty and often seems able to persuade absolutely anyone to do absolutely anything, you had him in disguise as a local, ingratiating himself to the townsfolk in one of the few nearby settlements your army still hasn't raided.          When the time came, Palamedes and a few others operated the device, with Odysseus among the crowd in the town square in an attempt to convince the people that their god had come to walk among them. Once they were certain that it was true, the 'god' was to demand to speak to their king, and whether old Priam came himself or delegated one of his sons to the task, your men were going to capture the Trojan royal and demand Helen in exchange for him.          It ***should*** have worked.          It really should have.          Only it turned out that Phrygians or not, peasants or not, the people of that village were not stupid enough to believe that a column with a head and hands was a god, no matter what Odysseus had to say on the subject.          Honestly, you blame the Hatti artists who decided to make their god statues look so strange and lifeless.          Regardless of who was to blame for the failure of the plan, the people of the village *had* sent to Troy, and a minor cousin of the princes had come to lead the army that swarmed down upon you. Which might still have worked, if you had been able to take him alive, but he had turned out to be rather of a pathetic specimen in battle, and when Odysseus killed the horses pulling his chariot as he tried to escape, the royal cousin went flying out of the chariot and landed on his head, crushing his unprotected skull.          So all Priam had lost was a particularly useless relation. And his truly fine chariot. Its bronzework was inlaid with gold and silver. Quite a beautiful piece of work.          Unfortunately, that chariot turned out to be an enormous problem: both Palamedes and Odysseus laid claim to it. Both had played an important role in the battle, so everyone agreed they both had a right to claim spoils for it, but that was where the agreement ended.          Odysseus insists he has more right to it because without him the chariot would not have been taken.          This is not wrong.          Palamedes insists that his task was far more difficult (creating an object that appeared to be carved stone and yet had room inside for a man and was capable of movement) than Odysseus' task (simply talking and persuading the locals) and that therefore the spoils are rightfully his.          This is also not wrong.          Odysseus says that because of his disguise as a local peasant, he had to be without armor and weapons, placing himself in the most dire peril should the locals have realized who he was, and that therefore he has a great right to be rewarded.          This is true.          Palamedes says that because he was the man inside the device, he was in the greatest possible danger, as he would not have be able to escape alive if the peasants had set fire to the device, and that therefore he has a great right to be rewarded.          This is also true.          No one among the other princes can decide which of them more deserves the chariot. Neither can you.          No one in the entire camp (including you) can overlook the fact that Odysseus and Palamedes have been feuding for the last five years, and that it is frankly a miracle they haven't gotten anyone killed yet.          [[You are honestly aching for an excuse to deny them both the chariot.->Feud5a]]]

         Supplies are not great. The entire council of princes agrees that the best thing to do is to find some local town and raid it for food, weapons, and slaves to trade on Lemnos for more food and weapons.          Who will you put in charge of the raid? (if: $Achilles is 'alive')[         [[Achilleus->Sacking8Achilles]] ](if: $AiasS is 'alive')[         [[Aias of Salamis->Sacking8AiasS]] ](if: $Diomedes is 'alive' or 'ticked' or 'pissed')[         [[Diomedes->Sacking8Diomedes]] ](if: $Odysseus is 'alive')[         [[Odysseus->Sacking8Odysseus]] ](if: $Idomeneus is 'alive')[         [[Idomeneus->Sacking8Idomeneus]] ](if: $Ascalaphos is 'alive')[         [[Ascalaphos->Sacking8Ascalaphos]] ](if: $Cycnos is 'ally')[         [[Cycnos->Sacking8Cycnos]] ](if: $Menelaos is 'alive')[         [[Menelaos->Sacking8Menelaos]] ](if: $Protesilaos is 'alive')[         [[Protesilaos->Sacking8Protesilaos]] ](if: $Antilochos is 'alive')[         [[Nestor->Sacking8Nestor]] ](if: $AiasL is 'alive')[         [[Aias of Locris->Sacking8AiasL]]]

(unless: $Ramses is 'pissed')[(goto: "Arbitrary8")]         The lookout runs into your hut in a panic. "There's a fleet of Egyptian ships headed towards us!" he exclaims.          You order the fleet prepared at once. Egyptian troops are better at fighting on land than on the sea, so you're better off trying to defeat them before they can land, even though it means a greater risk to your own troops. Who should lead this battle? (if: $Achilles is 'alive')[         [[Achilleus->SeaBattle8Achilles]] ](if: $AiasS is 'alive')[         [[Aias of Salamis->SeaBattle8AiasS]] ](if: $Diomedes is 'alive' or 'ticked' or 'pissed')[         [[Diomedes->SeaBattle8Diomedes]] ](if: $Odysseus is 'alive')[         [[Odysseus->SeaBattle8Odysseus]] ](if: $Idomeneus is 'alive')[         [[Idomeneus->SeaBattle8Idomeneus]] ](if: $Cycnos is 'ally')[         [[Cycnos->SeaBattle8Cycnos]] ](if: $Protesilaos is 'alive')[         [[Protesilaos->SeaBattle8Protesilaos]] ](if: $AiasL is 'alive')[         [[Aias of Locris->SeaBattle8AiasL]]]          [[I will->SeaBattle8Creon]]

         You are listless and uncomfortable today. You don't want to be in charge of this war any longer. You would give anything to be back home in (if: $home is '...')[Hellas](else:)[$home]. You know you can't just leave, but if you could, you would.          You should do something--***anything***--to take your mind off your own lack of engagement. Something light and pleasant, maybe.          Or maybe you should redouble your efforts to get this war over with?          You think about it for much too long, and come to your decision...          [[Since this, after all, a war, you decide to make a sortie against the Trojans.->Battle8a]]          [[You decide to get aboard a ship and sail out to sea for a few hours to clear your head.->Sailing8]]          [[Maybe listening to the tales of past glories will help put you in the right mood to finish this war. Send for a bard.->BardsTale8]]          [[Riding in the countryside always used to help you clear your mind at home. Maybe it will work here, too.->Riding8]]          [[You feel weak, useless and spent. You need to renew your inner energy. There's only one good way to do *that*...->Sex8]]          [[You decide to have a look at the current food stores to see how things stand.->Sacking8]]

         As much as you hate to admit it, you can't just depend on raiding the local villages for food, or on trading slaves to Lemnos.          You're going to have to set some of your troops to growing food themselves.          Admittedly, many of the common troops are farmers at home anyway, but it's still a humiliating thought.          You decide you'd better put a less important nobleman in charge, just in case the troops involved begin to balk after a while. Unfortunately, that means they won't be able to join in the battle for some months to come, but...sometimes these things are just unavoidable! (On reflection, you decide that a more important or powerful warrior who is currently too wounded for battle would also be able to handle this task, since he certainly wouldn't be doing the farming himself.) (if: $Achilles is 'wounded1')[         Have Achilleus supervise.(click: "Have Achilleus supervise.")[(set: $Achilles to 'farming')(goto: "Farming8Other")] ](if: $AiasS is 'wounded1')[         Have Aias of Salamis supervise.(click: "Have Aias of Salamis supervise.")[(set: $AiasS to 'farming')(goto: "Farming8Other")] ](if: $AiasL is 'wounded1')[H         ave Aias of Locris supervise.(click: "Have Aias of Locris supervise.")[(set: $AiasL to 'farming')(goto: "Farming8Other")] ](if: $Idomeneus is 'wounded1')[         Have Idomeneus supervise.(click: "Have Idomeneus supervise.")[(set: $Idomeneus to 'farming')(goto: "Farming8Other")] ](if: $Ascalaphos is 'wounded1')[         Have Ascalaphos supervise.(click: "Have Ascalaphos supervise.")[(set: $Ascalaphos to 'farming')(goto: "Farming8Other")] ](if: $Menelaos is 'wounded1')[         Have Menelaos supervise.(click: "Have Menelaos supervise.")[(set: $Menelaos to 'farming')(goto: "Farming8Other")] ](if: $Protesilaos is 'wounded1')[         Have Protesilaos supervise.(click: "Have Protesilaos supervise.")[(set: $Protesilaos to 'farming')(goto: "Farming8Other")] ][         Have Patroclos supervise.(click: "Have Patroclos supervise.")[(set: $Patroclos to 'farming')(goto: "Farming8Patroclos")]] [         Have Meriones supervise.(click: "Have Meriones supervise.")[(set: $Meriones to 'farming')(goto: "Farming8Other")]] [         Have Teukros supervise.(click: "Have Teukros supervise.")[(set: $Teukros to 'farming')(goto: "Farming8Other")]] [         Have Antilochos supervise.(click: "Have Antilochos supervise.")[(set: $Antilochos to 'farming')(goto: "Farming8Other")]] [[         Have Phoinix supervise.->Farming8Other]] (if: $Thersites is 'alive')[         [[He's not really suitable for it, but you decide to put the commoner Thersites to the task...because that way you won't have to listen to him run his mouth off for several months to come.->Farming8Other]]]

         You decide now is as good a time as any to send a boat with some of the excess slaves to Lemnos to trade them for supplies.          Fortunately, the voyage to Lemnos will take at most a day, so the chances of the men being needed before their return are very slim. Still, best to put one of the lesser nobles in charge. Just in case. (if: $Patroclos is 'alive')[         [[Send Patroclos.->Lemnos8Patroclos]] ](if: $Teukros is 'alive')[         [[Send Teukros.->Lemnos8Other]] ](if: $Meriones is 'alive')[         [[Send Meriones.->Lemnos8Other]] ](if: $Antilochos is 'alive')[         [[Send Antilochos.->Lemnos8Other]] ](if: $Podaleirios is 'alive')[         [[Send Podaleirios.->Lemnos8Other]] ](if: $Machaon is 'alive')[         [[Send Machaon.->Lemnos8Other]]]

         You decide that it is high time you acted like you were really here to conquer the Trojan citadel, and order the men to prepare for a pitched battle. They hurry into their arms and armor, and prepare the chariots for war.          As the chariots form up into ranks, you have to decide who to give the central position in the line. (if: $Achilles is 'alive')[         [[Put Achilleus in the center.->Battle8Achilles]] ](if: $AiasS is 'alive')[         [[Put Aias of Salamis in the center.->Battle8AiasS]] ](if: $Diomedes is 'alive' or 'ticked' or 'pissed')[         [[Put Diomedes in the center.->Battle8Diomedes]] ](if: $Odysseus is 'alive')[         [[Put Odysseus in the center.->Battle8Odysseus]] ](if: $Idomeneus is 'alive')[         [[Put Idomeneus in the center.->Battle8Idomeneus]] ](if: $Ascalaphos is 'alive')[         [[Put Ascalaphos in the center.->Battle8Ascalaphos]] ](if: $Cycnos is 'ally')[         [[Put Cycnos in the center.->Battle8Cycnos]] ](if: $Menelaos is 'alive')[         [[Put Menelaos in the center.->Battle8Menelaos]] ](if: $Protesilaos is 'alive')[         [[Put Protesilaos in the center.->Battle8Protesilaos]] ](if: $Antilochos is 'alive')[         [[Put Nestor in the center.->Battle8Nestor]] ](if: $AiasL is 'alive')[         [[Put Aias of Locris in the center.->Battle8AiasL]] ](if: $Podaleirios is 'alive')[         [[Put Podaleirios in the center.->Battle8Podaleirios]]]

         The alarum sounds through the camp, informing everyone that the Trojans are preparing a sortie. Men scramble to arm themselves and get in position in their chariots, and soon the battle lines are assembling on the field before the wide walls of fair Ilios.          As the chariots form up into ranks, you have to decide who to give the central position in the line. (if: $Achilles is 'alive')[         [[Put Achilleus in the center.->Battle8Achilles]] ](if: $AiasS is 'alive')[         [[Put Aias of Salamis in the center.->Battle8AiasS]] ](if: $Diomedes is 'alive' or 'ticked' or 'pissed')[         [[Put Diomedes in the center.->Battle8Diomedes]] ](if: $Odysseus is 'alive')[         [[Put Odysseus in the center.->Battle8Odysseus]] ](if: $Idomeneus is 'alive')[         [[Put Idomeneus in the center.->Battle8Idomeneus]] ](if: $Ascalaphos is 'alive')[         [[Put Ascalaphos in the center.->Battle8Ascalaphos]] ](if: $Cycnos is 'ally')[         [[Put Cycnos in the center.->Battle8Cycnos]] ](if: $Menelaos is 'alive')[         [[Put Menelaos in the center.->Battle8Menelaos]] ](if: $Protesilaos is 'alive')[         [[Put Protesilaos in the center.->Battle8Protesilaos]] ](if: $Antilochos is 'alive')[         [[Put Nestor in the center.->Battle8Nestor]] ](if: $AiasL is 'alive')[         [[Put Aias of Locris in the center.->Battle8AiasL]] ](if: $Podaleirios is 'alive')[         [[Put Podaleirios in the center.->Battle8Podaleirios]]]

         Even from your vantage point on the walls of the camp, you can see the two lines of chariots as they careen towards each other and turn about for a second pass. After a few passes, the lines become hopelessly muddled, and the foot soldiers have entered the fray, giving you a sight mostly of dust and chaos. (if: $Patroclos is 'alive')[(if: (random: 1,100) is 100)[(set: $Achilles to 'wounded1')](if:(random:1,25) is 25)[(set: $Patroclos to 'wounded1')]          Eventually, the dust clears, and you can clearly make out both sides returning home again. There have been many casualties among the common men, but no one of note on either side met his end, (if: $Achilles is 'wounded1')[(if: $Patroclos is 'wounded1')[though unfortunately both Achilleus and his companion Patroclos were lightly injured.](else:)[though Achilleus did suffer a slight injury.]](else_if: $Patroclos is 'wounded1')[though sadly Patroclos did receive a slight injury.](else:)[or even serious injury.] You were lucky today, but you are certain that luck stemmed largely from the presence of the son of Thetis in the center of your formation, inspiring your troops and frightening the enemy.] (else:)[(if: (random: 1,100) is 100)[(set: $Achilles to 'wounded1')]          Eventually, the dust clears, and you can clearly make out both sides returning home again. There have been many casualties among the common men, but no one of note on either side met his end, (if: $Achilles is 'wounded1')[though Achilleus did suffer a slight injury.](else:)[or even serious injury.] You were lucky today, but you are certain that luck stemmed largely from the presence of the son of Thetis in the center of your formation, inspiring your troops and frightening the enemy.]          You try to tell yourself that the bulk of the war is behind you, and that (set: $pos to it + 1)(if: $pos < 9)[only by moving forward will you ever see your home again.(click-goto: "only by moving forward will you ever see your home again.", $y8evs's ($pos))](if: $pos is 9)[[[only by moving forward will you ever see your home again.->SiegeOfThebe]]]

         Even from your vantage point on the walls of the camp, you can see the two lines of chariots as they careen towards each other and turn about for a second pass. After a few passes, the lines become hopelessly muddled, and the foot soldiers have entered the fray, giving you a sight mostly of dust and chaos. (if: $Teukros is 'alive')[(if: (random: 1,50) is 50)[(set: $AiasS to 'wounded1')](if:(random:1,15) is 15)[(set: $Teukros to 'wounded1')]          Eventually, the dust clears, and you can clearly make out both sides returning home again. There have been many casualties among the common men, but no one of note on either side met his end, (if: $AiasS is 'wounded1')[(if: $Teukros is 'wounded1')[though unfortunately both Aias and his brother Teukros were lightly injured.](else:)[though Aias did suffer a slight injury.]](else_if: $Teukros is 'wounded1')[though sadly Teukros did receive a slight injury.](else:)[or even serious injury.] You were lucky today, but you are sure that luck was largely due to your decision to place the mighty son of Telamon at the center of the formation.] (else:)[(if: (random: 1,50) is 50)[(set: $AiasS to 'wounded1')]          Eventually, the dust clears, and you can clearly make out both sides returning home again. There have been many casualties among the common men, but no one of note on either side met his end, (if: $AiasS is 'wounded1')[though Aias did suffer a slight injury.](else:)[or even serious injury.] You were lucky today, but you are sure that luck was largely due to your decision to place the mighty son of Telamon at the center of the formation.]          You try to tell yourself that the bulk of the war is behind you, and that (set: $pos to it + 1)(if: $pos < 9)[only by moving forward will you ever see your home again.(click-goto: "only by moving forward will you ever see your home again.", $y8evs's ($pos))](if: $pos is 9)[[[only by moving forward will you ever see your home again.->SiegeOfThebe]]]

         Even from your vantage point on the walls of the camp, you can see the two lines of chariots as they careen towards each other and turn about for a second pass. After a few passes, the lines become hopelessly muddled, and the foot soldiers have entered the fray, giving you a sight mostly of dust and chaos. (if: $Meriones is 'alive')[(if: (random: 1,6) is 6)[(set: $Idomeneus to 'wounded1')](if:(random:1,15) is 15)[(set: $Meriones to 'wounded1')]          Eventually, the dust clears, and you can clearly make out both sides returning home again. There have been many casualties among the common men, but no one of note on either side met his end, (if: $Idomeneus is 'wounded1')[(if: $Meriones is 'wounded1')[though unfortunately both Idomeneus and his nephew Meriones were lightly injured.](else:)[though Idomeneus did suffer a slight injury.]](else_if: $Meriones is 'wounded1')[though sadly Meriones did receive a slight injury.](else:)[or even serious injury.] You were lucky today, and you wonder if that luck was because of the divine favor shown to the indomitable Cretan king.](else:)[(if: (random: 1,6) is 6)[(set: $Idomeneus to 'wounded1')]          Eventually, the dust clears, and you can clearly make out both sides returning home again. There have been many casualties among the common men, but no one of note on either side met his end, (if: $Idomeneus is 'wounded1')[though Idomeneus did suffer a slight injury.](else:)[or even serious injury.] You were lucky today, and you wonder if that luck was because of the divine favor shown to the indomitable Cretan king.]          You try to tell yourself that the bulk of the war is behind you, and that (set: $pos to it + 1)(if: $pos < 9)[only by moving forward will you ever see your home again.(click-goto: "only by moving forward will you ever see your home again.", $y8evs's ($pos))](if: $pos is 9)[[[only by moving forward will you ever see your home again.->SiegeOfThebe]]]

         You board one of the light, fast vessels usually used to send messages back and forth between your camp and the captive stronghold in Methymna, bringing aboard a crew of men to row. Then you just order them to set to sea, leaving word with Phoinix that you should be back before nightfall, and that if anything comes up while you are gone, he and Nestor should take charge.          The ship sails out far enough that the camp is just a blur against the shoreline, then one of the men asks where you want to go.(set: _creon to 'alive')          You tell him you just want to experience a brief voyage--just far enough to get out of sight of land, to let your troubles melt away for a little while.          He seems to think you've lost your mind, but does as you order. (set: _sail to (random: 1, 6)) (if: _sail is 1)[         You have barely left sight of land when a small storm appears on the horizon. The ship is hastily turned around, and you return to camp much earlier than you would have liked. ](else_if: _sail is 2)[         Once the ship is out in deep water, you notice some empty fishing nets lying discarded in the bottom of the boat, and decide to do some fishing. You don't catch all that much, but it's a nice change of pace. ](else_if: _sail is 3)[         When you are away from the shore, you think you hear faint echoes of singing. The men begin to panic, terrified that the sirens have left their usual haunts and come to ensure that you will die rather than flee Troy. (if: (random: 1,100) is 73)[Before you can turn around and go back, birds the size of women--and with the faces of women--come flying towards your ship. They sing so sweetly that you cannot help hurling yourself over the side of the boat in an attempt to reach them. It might not be a problem if you weren't wearing your armor...but as you *are* wearing it, you quickly drown.(set: _creon to 'dead') ***GAME OVER*** [[Try again?->Title Screen]]](else:)[Whatever the source of the singing, your men are able to turn the ship around and return to camp before it can get close enough for you to lay eyes on it.] ](else_if: _sail is 4)[         You have barely left sight of land when another ship approaches yours. At first, you think they are simply travelers. Then you get close enough for them to try boarding your ship.          Honestly, it strikes you as quite hilarious. The pirates were not expecting every man aboard your ship to be a battle-hardened warrior; you and your men wipe them out with comical ease.          It turns out the pirates had a nice ship filled with plundered Phoenician goods. It leaves both ships a bit short on hands at the oar, but you take the whole ship back to camp with you as spoils. ](else_if: _sail is 5)[         The further you get from land, the more desperately you want to keep sailing and not stop until you get home again.          You order the men to turn the ship around before you do something rash that will cover your name in ignominy. ](else_if: _sail is 6)[         As the ship makes its way across the wine-dark sea, you watch dolphins playing in the water, leaping and cavorting like happy children.          The sight leaves you surpassingly refreshed, and you return with a momentary elation that sadly leaves you as you disembark from the ship. ] (unless: _creon is 'dead')[         You try to tell yourself that the bulk of the war is behind you, and that (set: $pos to it + 1)(if: $pos < 9)[only by moving forward will you ever see your home again.(click-goto: "only by moving forward will you ever see your home again.", $y8evs's ($pos))](if: $pos is 9)[[[only by moving forward will you ever see your home again.->SiegeOfThebe]]]]

         You send for a bard, and settle down with a nice meal and some well-mixed wine.          When the bard arrives, he asks if there is any particular song you would like to hear. "Sing of the glory of the heroes of old," you tell him. (set: _song to (random: 1,6))          (if: _song is 1)[The bard sings a long, mournful song of the fate of Orpheus, doomed to die alone after failing to recover his wife Eurydice from the house of Hades. ](if: _song is 2)[The bard sings a sweeping epic about the twelve deadly tasks laid before the great Heracles by the cowardly Eurystheus. ](if: _song is 3)[The bard sings of the voyage of the *Argo* to recover the Golden Fleece from Colchis. (if: $home is 'Iolcos')[You aren't sure if the bard is trying to flatter you or insult you by his choice of song, but it grates either way.](else_if: $home is 'Corinth')[You wonder if this is some kind of oblique attack on you, as if he has mistaken you for the previous King Creon of Corinth, the one who was burned to death in Medea's vengeance for the murder of her children.] ](if: _song is 4)[The bard sings of the tragic fate of the Seven against Thebes and the eventual vengeance gained by their sons. (if: $home is 'Thebes')[You feel decidedly insulted by his choice of subject matter. Yes, you wouldn't have gained the Theban crown without the actions of the Epigoni, but you also weren't one of them.](else:)[Idly, you wonder if he learned this song to curry favor with Diomedes. Or if Diomedes put him up to singing it for you, to remind you of just how much more experience Diomedes has in this type of warfare than most of the rest of you do.] ](if: _song is 5)[The bard sings of the heroism of Perseus as he defeats the terrifying Gorgon Medusa. You suspect this song was a great favorite of Agamemnon's, given the constant future-flattery it contains for Mycenae. ](if: _song is 6)[The bard sings you an Athenian epic about the triumph of Theseus over the Minotaur in the labyrinth hidden beneath the palace at Knossos. (unless: $Idomeneus is 'dead')[You reflect with a grim, inward chuckle that he would not sing the song so boldly if Idomeneus could hear, given that the Cretan king has always denied that his grandfather ever did anything so monstrous (and even more so denied that his grandmother ever gave birth to a half-bull monster) and insisted that the Athenians sent in tribute merely served a year at one of the temples in Knossos and were always safely returned afterward.] ]          It is a pleasant enough waste of a day, but you still go to sleep that night knowing that you must face the war again tomorrow.          You try to tell yourself that the bulk of the war is behind you, and that (set: $pos to it + 1)(if: $pos < 9)[only by moving forward will you ever see your home again.(click-goto: "only by moving forward will you ever see your home again.", $y8evs's ($pos))](if: $pos is 9)[[[only by moving forward will you ever see your home again.->SiegeOfThebe]]]

         You take your finest horse (one of the ones looted from Dardania, actually) and go out for a ride across the Phrygian countryside.          It's honestly rather depressing; all the years of warfare have done terrible things to the countryside, and most of the villages and huts you pass by are nothing but burned-out husks. (set: _ride to (random: 1,6)) (if: _ride is 1)[         You encounter a small Trojan patrol as you're riding. There are just enough of them that you struggle a little defeating them, but you are able to escape unscathed. ](else_if: _ride is 2)[         You come across a local girl trying to herd about a dozen goats. She's having so much difficulty with the task that she is crying.          You decide to help her with her goats. As you do so, she talks to you about her family and her life. She was only about a year old when your forces arrived (not that she knows who you are, thank Zeus!), so she has never known anything but this war-torn land. Her elder brothers all died in the fighting, and her elder sisters are either captives in your camp or have been taken to Lemnos, and her father is dead, leaving this poor girl and her younger brother as the only ones who can help her mother maintain their tiny farm.          Riddled with guilt, you give the girl your horse, and walk back to camp. ](else_if: _ride is 3)[         You are surprised to come across an odd beast as you travel. It has the body of a leopard, the wings of an eagle, and the head of a goat. You suspect it may be an offspring of the Chimera (which met its end, you believe, about a week's voyage to the south of here), as it is decidedly hostile, and breathing fire at you.          Fortunately, you had a bow with you, and you are just able to bring the beast down, though you sustained light burns in the process.          You take the beast's corpse back with you; its skin will look imposing draped across your shoulders in battle. ](else_if: _ride is 4)[         When you stop at a local river to get a drink for both yourself and your horse, you are astonished to see the river god rise up out of the water and curse you for the desolation you have brought to his lands and his people.          You apologize to the river god, explaining that you did not wish to be running this war, and you would have refused the position if you had known just how long and miserable it would actually be.          He does not seem to be accepting your apology, so you decide to return to the camp as quickly as your frightened horse can run. ](else_if: _ride is 5)[(if: $Oenone is 'contemplating')[         You encounter Oenone again in your ride, and try to convince her to help you put an end to the war. You promise her that if she can get a small force of your men inside the city to recover Helen, you will do whatever she wants with Alexandros.          Oenone seems tempted by your offer, but admits that she does not even know just what she wants Alexandros' fate to be; she isn't sure if she wants to see him die for betraying her, or if she just wants him back again.(set: $Oenone to 'tempted')](else_if: $Oenone is 'tempted')[         Coming across Oenone on your ride again, you ask her if there is anything you can do to help her make up her mind. She says there is not, and that she will contact you if she decides to help you.](else:)[         While you are riding, you encounter the most fabulously beautiful woman you have ever met. She is dressed very simply, but is very haughty when you attempt to speak to her.          After several attempts to coerce her to talk, she explains that she is the nymph Oenone, the true wife of Alexandros, spurned for his stolen Spartan bride. You ask her if she would be willing to help you put an end to the war, and she says she will think about it.(set: $Oenone to 'contemplating')] ](else_if: _ride is 6)[         You ride nearly all day, and return to camp shortly before sunset.          Absolutely nothing happened.]          You try to tell yourself that the bulk of the war is behind you, and that (set: $pos to it + 1)(if: $pos < 9)[only by moving forward will you ever see your home again.(click-goto: "only by moving forward will you ever see your home again.", $y8evs's ($pos))](if: $pos is 9)[[[only by moving forward will you ever see your home again.->SiegeOfThebe]]]

         Satisfying the pleasures of the flesh will surely give you the momentum and enthusiasm you need to face the rest of this war!          You send away the servants, courtiers and slaves except for... ...your concubine.[(click: "...your concubine.")[(set: $sex to 'your concubine')(goto: "MorningAfter8")]] ...that pretty eunuch captured a few months back.[(click: "...that pretty eunuch captured a few months back.")[(set: $sex to 'the eunuch')(goto: "MorningAfter8")]] ...that handsome youth who always seems to be looking at you with desire.[(click: "...that handsome youth who always seems to be looking at you with desire.")[(set: $sex to 'the handsome youth')(goto: "MorningAfter8")]] ...a lovely young girl captured just last week.[(click: "...a lovely young girl captured just last week.")[(set: $sex to 'the girl')(goto: "MorningAfter8")]] ...an experienced and very talented woman, a self-styled adherent to the arts of Aphrodite, who accompanied the army here.[(click: "...an experienced and very talented woman, a self-styled adherent to the arts of Aphrodite, who accompanied the army here.")[(set: $sex to 'the adherent of Aphrodite')(goto: MorningAfter8)]]

         You spent a delightfully refreshing time in bed with $sex. (if: $sex is 'the eunuch')[(if: (random: 1, 12) is 4)[You do feel a slight discomfort for a few days afterwards, a general itching sensation. Did that eunuch have fleas?]](else_if: $sex is 'the girl')[(if: (random: 1, 8) is 6)[You spend the rest of the year itching. Just how many of your men had gotten to that girl before you did?]](else_if: $sex is 'the adherent of Aphrodite')[(if: (random: 1, 72) is 45)[You come down with a particularly unpleasant condition that persists for several months. But you try to tell yourself it was worth it.]]          Still, you cannot stay abed forever. You have to get up and face the rest of this war.          You try to tell yourself that the bulk of the war is behind you, and that (set: $pos to it + 1)(if: $pos < 9)[only by moving forward will you ever see your home again.(click-goto: "only by moving forward will you ever see your home again.", $y8evs's ($pos))](if: $pos is 9)[[[only by moving forward will you ever see your home again.->SiegeOfThebe]]]

         You really did hate to ask a warrior to supervise farmers going about the tasks of raising food, but you find you're sleeping better at night regardless, now that you know there will be some food for the troops that isn't dependent on winning in battle.          You try to tell yourself that the bulk of the war is behind you, and that (set: $pos to it + 1)(if: $pos < 9)[only by moving forward will you ever see your home again.(click-goto: "only by moving forward will you ever see your home again.", $y8evs's ($pos))](if: $pos is 9)[[[only by moving forward will you ever see your home again.->SiegeOfThebe]]]

(if: $Achilles is 'dead')[         You really did hate to ask a warrior to supervise farmers going about the tasks of raising food, but you find you're sleeping better at night regardless, now that you know there will be some food for the troops that isn't dependent on winning in battle.](else:)[(set: $AchillesMadness to it + 1)(if: $AchillesMadness < 3)[         You really did hate to ask a warrior to supervise farmers going about the tasks of raising food, but you find you're sleeping better at night regardless, now that you know there will be some food for the troops that isn't dependent on winning in battle...though the way in which you keep finding Achilleus pacing in front of your hut while Patroclos is off supervising the farming does somewhat cancel out any comfort you should be deriving from the knowledge that crops are being grown to feed the men.](else_if: $AchillesMadness is 3)[         On the second morning in which Patroclos is watching over the farmers at their task, you find that the son of Peleus is waiting for you when you leave your hut. "Do you have something against me?" he demands of you.          You splutter uncertainly for a moment before finding your words. "Of course not, Achilleus," you assure him. "You are one of the most important parts of this war effort."          He scowls at you, then stalks off without another word, leaving you feeling deeply unsettled, but unsure what you did wrong, or how in the world to mend the situation.](else_if: $AchillesMadness is 4)[         The very same day you give the order to Patroclos to watch over the farmers, Achilleus barges into your hut, his face almost as red as his hair. "If you don't stop these acts of tyranny..." he starts in a threatening voice.          "I...I don't understand," you admit. "What have I done wrong?"          "Patroclos is *my*--he belongs with *me*. Stop sending him to do things without me!" Without waiting for you to respond, he leaves again in a huff.          You are left stunned by the entire scene, and decide to think about it most carefully next time before giving Patroclos any orders.](else_if: $AchillesMadness is 5)[         You are walking through the camp a few days later when you unexpectedly come across Achilleus in a narrow passage between two huts. Without warning, he suddenly slams you back against one of them, his hand on the hilt of his sword as he snarls wordlessly in your face. He eventually growls some kind of warning at you, but his anger distorts his words to the point that you cannot make them out. Then he simply stalks off again, leaving you in a state of desperate terror for several minutes.](else_if: $AchillesMadness is 6)[         Promptly after you give the order to send Patroclos to oversee the growing of the crops, Achilleus drags you into an empty storage shed filled with weapons. "Do you think me a fool?!" he demands of you. "Do you think I'm a helpless child?!"          "Of-of course not! I protest this treatment!" you exclaim in as loud a voice as you can muster, in the hopes that someone will hear and come to your aid.          "You won't get away with it," he promises, glaring into your eyes. "One more time. One more *chance*. That's it. You cross me again, and you won't live to regret it!"          With that, he is gone, and you crumple into a trembling heap on the floor, ashamed to realize you could be so frightened by a man so many years younger than yourself.](else_if: $AchillesMadness is 7)[         You have no sooner given the order for Patroclos to take over the farming for the coming season than Achilleus barges into your hut, his sword already drawn and his face contorted in madness.          You attempt to protest against his behavior--to scream--to defend yourself--to do *anything*, but in vain. You aren't even wearing your armor, and are dead before you can even fully grasp what is happening.          In fact, before you know it, you are standing beside your own bloodied corpse, and Hermes stands before you, frowning in disgust. "You know, when a volatile youth like Achilleus warns you to stop doing something, you really ought to stop if you don't want to end up like this." He gestures at your mangled remains with his staff.          "Uh...I...didn't...mean to...?" you stammer.          Hermes sighs and shakes his head. "No point telling *me* that. Save it for my uncle. He's the one in charge of you now."          With that, the handsome young god leads your soul down to the house of Hades, where it will remain forevermore. An idle part of your mind wonders if the war will continue on without you, or if your folly in provoking the son of Peleus has doomed the war to a complete failure that will be mocked for all eternity. =><= ***GAME OVER*** <=          [[Try again?->Title Screen]]]](if: $AchillesMadness <7)[          You try to tell yourself that the bulk of the war is behind you, and that (set: $pos to it + 1)(if: $pos < 9)[only by moving forward will you ever see your home again.(click-goto: "only by moving forward will you ever see your home again.", $y8evs's ($pos))](if: $pos is 9)[[[only by moving forward will you ever see your home again.->SiegeOfThebe]]]]

(if: $Achilles is 'dead')[         You watch as the lone ship sails off to the west towards Lemnos early in the morning. It returns late the next day, with reports of a successful voyage and plentiful new supplies, including fine new weapons. ](else:)[(set: $AchillesMadness to it + 1)          You watch as the lone ship sails off to the west towards Lemnos early in the morning, but you watch it with far less interest than Achilleus does. (if: $AchillesMadness is 2)[As far as you can tell, Achilleus barely moves the whole time Patroclos is away, just standing there staring at the spot on the horizon where the ship vanished from his sight.](else_if: $AchillesMadness is 3)[The only time Achilleus looks away from the horizon, as far as you can tell, is to shoot dire glances in your direction that soon have you feeling almost threatened, and make you retreat back into the relative safety of your hut.] (else_if: $AchillesMadness is 4)[That evening, Achilleus barges into your hut, his face almost as red as his hair. "If you don't stop these acts of tyranny..." he starts in a threatening voice.          "I...I don't understand," you admit. "What have I done wrong?"          "Patroclos is *my*--he belongs with *me*. Stop sending him to do things without me!" Without waiting for you to respond, he leaves again in a huff.          You are left stunned by the entire scene, and decide to think about it most carefully next time before giving Patroclos any orders.](else_if: $AchillesMadness is 5)[The ship has barely vanished over the horizon before Achilleus has backed you against the nearest hut, his hand on the hilt of his sword as he snarls wordlessly in your face. "If anything happens to him while he's away..." he eventually growls, before stalking off again, leaving you in a state of desperate terror for several minutes.          Despite Achilleus' worries (or whatever that was about),](else_if: $AchillesMadness is 6)[Promptly after the ship has taken Patroclos to Lemnos, Achilleus drags you into an empty storage shed filled with weapons. "Do you think me a fool?!" he demands of you. "Do you think I'm a helpless child?!"          "Of-of course not! I protest this treatment!" you exclaim in as loud a voice as you can muster, in the hopes that someone will hear and come to your aid.          "You won't get away with it," he promises, glaring into your eyes. "One more time. One more *chance*. That's it. You cross me again, and you won't live to regret it!"          With that, he is gone, and you crumple into a trembling heap on the floor, ashamed to realize you could be so frightened by a man so many years younger than yourself.](else_if: $AchillesMadness is 7)[         You are barely settled in to your next meal when Achilleus barges into your hut, his sword already drawn and his face contorted in madness.          You attempt to protest against his behavior--to scream--to defend yourself--to do *anything*, but in vain. You aren't even wearing your armor, and are dead before you can even fully grasp what is happening.          In fact, before you know it, you are standing beside your own bloodied corpse, and Hermes stands before you, frowning in disgust. "You know, when a volatile youth like Achilleus warns you to stop doing something, you really ought to stop if you don't want to end up like this." He gestures at your mangled remains with his staff.          "Uh...I...didn't...mean to...?" you stammer.          Hermes sighs and shakes his head. "No point telling *me* that. Save it for my uncle. He's the one in charge of you now."          With that, the handsome young god leads your soul down to the house of Hades, where it will remain forevermore. An idle part of your mind wonders if the war will continue on without you, or if your folly in provoking the son of Peleus has doomed the war to a complete failure that will be mocked for all eternity. =><= ***GAME OVER*** <=          [[Try again?->Title Screen]]]](if: $AchillesMadness < 7)[          You try to tell yourself that the bulk of the war is behind you, and that (set: $pos to it + 1)(if: $pos < 9)[only by moving forward will you ever see your home again.(click-goto: "only by moving forward will you ever see your home again.", $y8evs's ($pos))](if: $pos is 9)[[[only by moving forward will you ever see your home again.->SiegeOfThebe]]]]

         You watch as the lone ship sails off to the west towards Lemnos early in the morning. It returns late the next day, with reports of a successful voyage and plentiful new supplies, including fine new weapons.          You try to tell yourself that the bulk of the war is behind you, and that (set: $pos to it + 1)(if: $pos < 9)[only by moving forward will you ever see your home again.(click-goto: "only by moving forward will you ever see your home again.", $y8evs's ($pos))](if: $pos is 9)[[[only by moving forward will you ever see your home again.->SiegeOfThebe]]]

         It is difficult for you to watch the fleet sail off to this battle without you (and without so many of your most powerful warriors), but the problem with a sea battle is that any man who falls off into the water may well drown before he can free himself from his weighty corselet, so you dare not send too many of your most important allies. (Though at least you feel safe in that regard here: surely as the son of a sea goddess, Achilleus will never drown!)          You cannot see much from the shore, but eventually you see the Egyptian ships go down, one after the other, their sails and bodies set afire and their crews dead or drowning. But you see many of your own men fall into the sea as well, and you lose one ship... (if: $Patroclos is 'alive')[(if: (random: 1,100) is 100)[(set: $Achilles to 'wounded1')](if:(random:1,25) is 25)[(set: $Patroclos to 'wounded1')]          Eventually, the remains of the fleet returns to the camp. Achilleus informs you that no Achaian of any importance died, (if: $Achilles is 'wounded1')[(if: $Patroclos is 'wounded1')[though unfortunately both Achilleus and his companion Patroclos were lightly injured.](else:)[though Achilleus did suffer a slight injury.]](else_if: $Patroclos is 'wounded1')[though sadly Patroclos did receive a slight injury.](else:)[or even saw a serious injury.] You were lucky today, but you are certain that luck stemmed largely from the presence of the son of Thetis at the heart of your fleet.](else:)[(if: (random: 1,100) is 100)[(set: $Achilles to 'wounded1')]         the remains of the fleet returns to the camp. Achilleus informs you that no Achaian of any importance died, (if: $Achilles is 'wounded1')[though Achilleus did suffer a slight injury.](else:)[or even saw a serious injury.] You were lucky today, but you are certain that luck stemmed largely from the presence of the son of Thetis at the heart of your fleet.]          You try to tell yourself that the bulk of the war is behind you, and that (set: $pos to it + 1)(if: $pos < 9)[only by moving forward will you ever see your home again.(click-goto: "only by moving forward will you ever see your home again.", $y8evs's ($pos))](if: $pos is 9)[[[only by moving forward will you ever see your home again.->SiegeOfThebe]]]

         It is difficult for you to watch the fleet sail off to this battle without you (and without so many of your most powerful warriors), but the problem with a sea battle is that any man who falls off into the water may well drown before he can free himself from his weighty corselet, so you dare not send too many of your most important allies.          You cannot see much from the shore, but eventually you see the Egyptian ships go down, one after the other, their sails and bodies set afire and their crews dead or drowning. But you see many of your own men fall into the sea as well, and you lose one ship... (if: (random: 1,1000) is 666)[(set: $AiasS to 'dead')[The fleet returns to the camp and you see only somber faces as the men disembark. You are informed that during the heat of the battle, Aias fell overboard and could not be recovered, having been sunk by the weight of his armor. You are horrified to have lost such a mighty warrior, and dread how this will impact the war going forward.]](else:)[(if: $Teukros is 'alive')[(if: (random: 1,50) is 50)[(set: $AiasS to 'wounded1')](if:(random:1,15) is 15)[(set: $Teukros to 'wounded1')]          Eventually, the remains of the fleet returns to the camp. Aias informs you that no Achaian of any importance died, (if: $AiasS is 'wounded1')[(if: $Teukros is 'wounded1')[though unfortunately both Aias and his brother Teukros were lightly injured.](else:)[though Aias himself did suffer a slight injury.]](else_if: $Teukros is 'wounded1')[though sadly Teukros did receive a slight injury.](else:)[or even saw a serious injury.] You were lucky today, and you are sure that much of your luck stemmed from your trust in the great son of Telamon.](else:)[(if: (random: 1,50) is 50)[(set: $AiasS to 'wounded1')]         Eventually, the remains of the fleet returns to the camp. Aias informs you that no Achaian of any importance died, (if: $AiasS is 'wounded1')[though Aias himself did suffer a slight injury.](else:)[or even saw a serious injury.] You were lucky today, and you are sure that much of your luck stemmed from your trust in the great son of Telamon.]]          You try to tell yourself that the bulk of the war is behind you, and that (set: $pos to it + 1)(if: $pos < 9)[only by moving forward will you ever see your home again.(click-goto: "only by moving forward will you ever see your home again.", $y8evs's ($pos))](if: $pos is 9)[[[only by moving forward will you ever see your home again.->SiegeOfThebe]]]

         It is difficult for you to watch the fleet sail off to this battle without you (and without so many of your most powerful warriors), but the problem with a sea battle is that any man who falls off into the water may well drown before he can free himself from his weighty corselet, so you dare not send too many of your most important allies.          You cannot see much from the shore, but eventually you see the Egyptian ships go down, one after the other, their sails and bodies set afire and their crews dead or drowning. But you see many of your own men fall into the sea as well, and you lose one ship... (if: (random: 1,1000) is 666)[(set: $Diomedes to 'dead')[The fleet returns to the camp and you see only somber faces as the men disembark. You are informed that during the heat of the battle, Diomedes fell overboard and could not be recovered, having been sunk by the weight of his armor. You are horrified to have lost such a powerful warrior and skilled tactician and dread how this will shatter the war effort moving forwards.]](else:)[(unless: $Diomedes is 'ticked')[(if: (random: 1,50) is 50)[(set: $Diomedes to 'wounded1')]]         Eventually, the remains of the fleet returns to the camp. Diomedes informs you that no Achaian of any importance died, (if: $Diomedes is 'wounded1')[though Diomedes himself did suffer a slight injury.](else:)[or even saw a serious injury.] You were lucky today, no doubt due to the favor Diomedes finds with the gray-eyed goddess.]          You try to tell yourself that the bulk of the war is behind you, and that (set: $pos to it + 1)(if: $pos < 9)[only by moving forward will you ever see your home again.(click-goto: "only by moving forward will you ever see your home again.", $y8evs's ($pos))](if: $pos is 9)[[[only by moving forward will you ever see your home again.->SiegeOfThebe]]]

         It is difficult for you to watch the fleet sail off to this battle without you (and without so many of your most powerful warriors), but the problem with a sea battle is that any man who falls off into the water may well drown before he can free himself from his weighty corselet, so you dare not send too many of your most important allies.          You cannot see much from the shore, but eventually you see the Egyptian ships go down, one after the other, their sails and bodies set afire and their crews dead or drowning. But you see many of your own men fall into the sea as well, and you lose one ship... (if: (random: 1,1000) is 666)[(set: $Odysseus to 'dead')[The fleet returns to the camp and you see only somber faces as the men disembark. You are informed that during the heat of the battle, Odysseus fell overboard and could not be recovered, having been sunk by the weight of his armor. You are horrified to have lost such a powerful warrior and skilled tactician and dread how this will shatter the war effort moving forwards.]](else:)[(if: (random: 1,10) is 10)[(set: $Odysseus to 'wounded1')]         Eventually, the remains of the fleet returns to the camp. Odysseus informs you that no Achaian of any importance died, (if: $Odysseus is 'wounded1')[though Odysseus himself did suffer a slight injury.](else:)[or even saw a serious injury.] You were lucky today, no doubt due to the favor Odysseus finds with the gray-eyed goddess.]          You try to tell yourself that the bulk of the war is behind you, and that (set: $pos to it + 1)(if: $pos < 9)[only by moving forward will you ever see your home again.(click-goto: "only by moving forward will you ever see your home again.", $y8evs's ($pos))](if: $pos is 9)[[[only by moving forward will you ever see your home again.->SiegeOfThebe]]]

         It is difficult for you to watch the fleet sail off to this battle without you (and without so many of your most powerful warriors), but the problem with a sea battle is that any man who falls off into the water may well drown before he can free himself from his weighty corselet, so you dare not send too many of your most important allies.          You cannot see much from the shore, but eventually you see the Egyptian ships go down, one after the other, their sails and bodies set afire and their crews dead or drowning. But you see many of your own men fall into the sea as well, and you lose one ship... (if: (random: 1,1000) is 666)[(set: $Idomeneus to 'dead')[The fleet returns to the camp and you see only somber faces as the men disembark. You are informed that during the heat of the battle, Idomeneus fell overboard and could not be recovered, having been sunk by the weight of his armor. You are horrified to have lost such a fine man, and will greatly mourn his loss both as a warrior and as an advisor.]](else:)[(if: $Meriones is 'alive')[(if: (random: 1,6) is 6)[(set: $Idomeneus to 'wounded1')](if:(random:1,15) is 15)[(set: $Meriones to 'wounded1')]          Eventually, the remains of the fleet returns to the camp. Idomeneus informs you that no Achaian of any importance died, (if: $Idomeneus is 'wounded1')[(if: $Meriones is 'wounded1')[though unfortunately both Idomeneus and his nephew Meriones were lightly injured.](else:)[though Idomeneus did suffer a slight injury.]](else_if: $Meriones is 'wounded1')[though sadly Meriones did receive a slight injury.](else:)[or even saw a serious injury.] You were lucky today.](else:)[(if: (random: 1,6) is 6)[(set: $Idomeneus to 'wounded1')]         Eventually, the remains of the fleet returns to the camp. Idomeneus informs you that no Achaian of any importance died, (if: $Idomeneus is 'wounded1')[though Idomeneus did suffer a slight injury.](else:)[or even saw a serious injury.] You were lucky today.]]          You try to tell yourself that the bulk of the war is behind you, and that (set: $pos to it + 1)(if: $pos < 9)[only by moving forward will you ever see your home again.(click-goto: "only by moving forward will you ever see your home again.", $y8evs's ($pos))](if: $pos is 9)[[[only by moving forward will you ever see your home again.->SiegeOfThebe]]]

         Given that these sea battles are taking place entirely because you accepted the wrong advice, how can you ask any man to risk his life in them if you are not willing to do so yourself? Your ship leads the fleet in sailing to meet the Egyptian ships.          It is a long and difficult battle, partially waged by archers on both sides, and partially by men brave enough to leap onto nearby enemy ships, even though many of the men who make the jump end up sinking into the wine-dark sea, dragged down by the weight of their armor and weapons. As the battle progresses, your men begin to make headway over the foes, and soon the Egyptian ships are being set alight, their crews dead or drowning... (if: (random: 1,1000) is 666)[A particularly large Egyptian soldier leaps off his own burning ship and lands on the deck of your ship, very near where you are fighting. You turn to face him, but are quickly outclassed. He is pushing you backwards, and nothing you do can help you regain the ground you are losing to his advance. Though your men are trying to reach you to kill this persistent foe, they are not fast enough, and he manages to shove you over the edge of the ship and into the churning waters below.          Dropping sword and shield, you struggle desperately, trying to get out of your corselet and helmet. You are not even halfway out when your ability to struggle slowly ceases as you sink ever deeper into the cold, dark water, never again to see the light of day. =><= ***GAME OVER*** <=          [[Try again?->Title Screen]]](else:) [         The remains of the fleet make their way back to camp. Thankfully, no one of note died, or even met with a serious injury. You were lucky today.]          You try to tell yourself that the bulk of the war is behind you, and that (set: $pos to it + 1)(if: $pos < 9)[only by moving forward will you ever see your home again.(click-goto: "only by moving forward will you ever see your home again.", $y8evs's ($pos))](if: $pos is 9)[[[only by moving forward will you ever see your home again.->SiegeOfThebe]]]

         Achilleus leads a large force of men and chariots towards one of the nearby minor settlements. The troops are all in good cheer, enthusiastic about the battle that awaits them.          They are still cheerful upon their return, leading captured livestock along with wagons filled with food, gold, weapons and slaves. You notice that gold and weapons seem to be the preponderance of the spoils. (if: $Patroclos is 'alive')[(if: (random: 1,100) is 100)[(set: $Achilles to 'wounded1')](if:(random:1,25) is 25)[(set: $Patroclos to 'wounded1')]          Achilleus reports that the allied casualties were few and no men of note perished, (if: $Achilles is 'wounded1')[(if: $Patroclos is 'wounded1')[though unfortunately both he and Patroclos were lightly injured.](else:)[though he himself did suffer a slight injury.]](else_if: $Patroclos is 'wounded1')[though sadly Patroclos did receive a slight injury.](else:)[or were wounded.]] (else:)[(if: (random: 1,100) is 100)[(set: $Achilles to 'wounded1')]          Achilleus reports that the allied casualties were few and no men of note perished, (if: $Achilles is 'wounded1')[though he himself did suffer a slight injury.](else:)[or were wounded.]] Overall, it was a very successful raid.          You try to tell yourself that the bulk of the war is behind you, and that (set: $pos to it + 1)(if: $pos < 9)[only by moving forward will you ever see your home again.(click-goto: "only by moving forward will you ever see your home again.", $y8evs's ($pos))](if: $pos is 9)[[[only by moving forward will you ever see your home again.->SiegeOfThebe]]]

         Aias leads a large force of men and chariots towards one of the nearby minor settlements. The troops are all in good cheer, enthusiastic about the battle that awaits them.          They are still cheerful upon their return, leading captured livestock along with wagons filled with food, gold, weapons and slaves. You notice that food and weapons seem to be the preponderance of the spoils. (if: $Teukros is 'alive')[(if: (random: 1,50) is 50)[(set: $AiasS to 'wounded1')](if:(random:1,15) is 15)[(set: $Teukros to 'wounded1')]          Aias reports that the allied casualties were few and no men of note perished, (if: $AiasS is 'wounded1')[(if: $Teukros is 'wounded1')[though unfortunately both he and his brother Teukros were lightly injured.](else:)[though he himself did suffer a slight injury.]](else_if: $Teukros is 'wounded1')[though sadly his brother Teukros did receive a slight injury.](else:)[or were wounded.]] (else:)[(if: (random: 1,50) is 50)[(set: $AiasS to 'wounded1')]          Aias reports that the allied casualties were few and no men of note perished, (if: $AiasS is 'wounded1')[though he himself did suffer a slight injury.](else:)[or were wounded.]] Overall, it was a very successful raid.          You try to tell yourself that the bulk of the war is behind you, and that (set: $pos to it + 1)(if: $pos < 9)[only by moving forward will you ever see your home again.(click-goto: "only by moving forward will you ever see your home again.", $y8evs's ($pos))](if: $pos is 9)[[[only by moving forward will you ever see your home again.->SiegeOfThebe]]]

         Diomedes leads a large force of men and chariots towards one of the nearby minor settlements. The troops are all in good cheer, enthusiastic about the battle that awaits them.          They are still cheerful upon their return, leading captured livestock along with wagons filled with food, gold, weapons and slaves. No one type of loot seems especially greater in number than the others. (unless: $Diomedes is 'ticked')[(if: (random: 1,50) is 50)[(set: $Diomedes to 'wounded1')]]          Diomedes reports that the allied casualties were few and no men of note perished, (if: $Diomedes is 'wounded1')[though he himself did suffer a slight injury.](else:)[or were wounded.] Overall, it was a very successful raid.          You try to tell yourself that the bulk of the war is behind you, and that (set: $pos to it + 1)(if: $pos < 9)[only by moving forward will you ever see your home again.(click-goto: "only by moving forward will you ever see your home again.", $y8evs's ($pos))](if: $pos is 9)[[[only by moving forward will you ever see your home again.->SiegeOfThebe]]]

         Odysseus leads a large force of men and chariots towards one of the nearby minor settlements. The troops are all in good cheer, enthusiastic about the battle that awaits them.          They are still cheerful upon their return, leading captured livestock along with wagons filled with food, gold, weapons and slaves. No one type of loot seems especially greater in number than the others. (if: (random: 1,10) is 10)[(set: $Odysseus to 'wounded1')]          Odysseus reports that the allied casualties were few and no men of note perished, (if: $Odysseus is 'wounded1')[though he himself did suffer a slight injury.](else:)[or were wounded.] Overall, it was a very successful raid.          You try to tell yourself that the bulk of the war is behind you, and that (set: $pos to it + 1)(if: $pos < 9)[only by moving forward will you ever see your home again.(click-goto: "only by moving forward will you ever see your home again.", $y8evs's ($pos))](if: $pos is 9)[[[only by moving forward will you ever see your home again.->SiegeOfThebe]]]

         Idomeneus leads a large force of men and chariots towards one of the nearby minor settlements. The troops are all in good cheer, enthusiastic about the battle that awaits them.          They are still cheerful upon their return, leading captured livestock along with wagons filled with food, gold, weapons and slaves. You notice that food and livestock seem to be the preponderance of the spoils. (if: $Meriones is 'alive')[(if: (random: 1,6) is 6)[(set: $Idomeneus to 'wounded1')](if:(random:1,15) is 15)[(set: $Meriones to 'wounded1')]          Idomeneus reports that the allied casualties were few and no men of note perished, (if: $Idomeneus is 'wounded1')[(if: $Meriones is 'wounded1')[though unfortunately both he and his nephew Meriones were lightly injured.](else:)[though he himself did suffer a slight injury.]](else_if: $Meriones is 'wounded1')[though sadly his nephew Meriones did receive a slight injury.](else:)[or were wounded.]] (else:)[(if: (random: 1,6) is 6)[(set: $Idomeneus to 'wounded1')]          Idomeneus reports that the allied casualties were few and no men of note perished, (if: $Idomeneus is 'wounded1')[though he himself did suffer a slight injury.](else:)[or were wounded.]] Overall, it was a very successful raid.          You try to tell yourself that the bulk of the war is behind you, and that (set: $pos to it + 1)(if: $pos < 9)[only by moving forward will you ever see your home again.(click-goto: "only by moving forward will you ever see your home again.", $y8evs's ($pos))](if: $pos is 9)[[[only by moving forward will you ever see your home again.->SiegeOfThebe]]]

         Ascalaphos leads a large force of men and chariots towards one of the nearby minor settlements. The troops are all in good cheer, enthusiastic about the battle that awaits them.          They are still cheerful upon their return, leading captured livestock along with wagons filled with food, gold, weapons and slaves. You notice that weapons seem overrepresented among the spoils. (if: (random: 1,10) is 10)[(set: $Ascalaphos to 'wounded1')]          Ascalaphos reports that the allied casualties were few and no men of note perished, (if: $Ascalaphos is 'wounded1')[though he himself did suffer a slight injury.](else:)[or were wounded.] Overall, it was a very successful raid.          You try to tell yourself that the bulk of the war is behind you, and that (set: $pos to it + 1)(if: $pos < 9)[only by moving forward will you ever see your home again.(click-goto: "only by moving forward will you ever see your home again.", $y8evs's ($pos))](if: $pos is 9)[[[only by moving forward will you ever see your home again.->SiegeOfThebe]]]

         Cycnos leads a large force of men and chariots towards one of the nearby minor settlements. The troops are all in good cheer, enthusiastic about the battle that awaits them.          They are still cheerful upon their return, leading captured livestock along with wagons filled with food, gold, weapons and slaves. No one type of loot seems especially greater in number than the others.          Cycnos reports that the allied casualties were few and no men of note perished, or were wounded. Overall, it was a very successful raid.          You try to tell yourself that the bulk of the war is behind you, and that (set: $pos to it + 1)(if: $pos < 9)[only by moving forward will you ever see your home again.(click-goto: "only by moving forward will you ever see your home again.", $y8evs's ($pos))](if: $pos is 9)[[[only by moving forward will you ever see your home again.->SiegeOfThebe]]]

         Menelaos leads a large force of men and chariots towards one of the nearby minor settlements. The troops are all in good cheer, enthusiastic about the battle that awaits them.          They are still cheerful upon their return, leading captured livestock along with wagons filled with food, gold, weapons and slaves. No one type of loot seems especially greater in number than the others. (if: (random: 1,6) is 6)[(set: $Menelaos to 'wounded1')]          Menelaos reports that the allied casualties were few and no men of note perished, (if: $Menelaos is 'wounded1')[though he himself did suffer a slight injury.](else:)[or were wounded.] Overall, it was a very successful raid.          You try to tell yourself that the bulk of the war is behind you, and that (set: $pos to it + 1)(if: $pos < 9)[only by moving forward will you ever see your home again.(click-goto: "only by moving forward will you ever see your home again.", $y8evs's ($pos))](if: $pos is 9)[[[only by moving forward will you ever see your home again.->SiegeOfThebe]]]

         Protesilaos leads a large force of men and chariots towards one of the nearby minor settlements. The troops are all in good cheer, enthusiastic about the battle that awaits them.          They are still cheerful upon their return, leading captured livestock along with wagons filled with food, gold, weapons and slaves. No one type of loot seems especially greater in number than the others. (if: (random: 1,6) is 6)[(set: $Protesilaos to 'wounded1')]          Protesilaos reports that the allied casualties were few and no men of note perished, (if: $Protesilaos is 'wounded1')[though he himself did suffer a slight injury.](else:)[or were wounded.] Overall, it was a very successful raid.          You try to tell yourself that the bulk of the war is behind you, and that (set: $pos to it + 1)(if: $pos < 9)[only by moving forward will you ever see your home again.(click-goto: "only by moving forward will you ever see your home again.", $y8evs's ($pos))](if: $pos is 9)[[[only by moving forward will you ever see your home again.->SiegeOfThebe]]]

         Accompanied by his son Antilochos, Nestor leads a large force of men and chariots towards one of the nearby minor settlements. The troops are all in good cheer, enthusiastic about the battle that awaits them.          They are still cheerful upon their return, leading captured livestock along with wagons filled with food, gold, weapons and slaves. You notice that livestock and food seem to be the preponderance of the spoils. (if: (random: 1,10) is 10)[(set: $Antilochos to 'wounded1')]          Nestor reports that the allied casualties were few and no men of note perished, (if: $Antilochos is 'wounded1')[though his son Antilochos did suffer a slight injury.](else:)[or were wounded.] Overall, it was a very successful raid.          You try to tell yourself that the bulk of the war is behind you, and that (set: $pos to it + 1)(if: $pos < 9)[only by moving forward will you ever see your home again.(click-goto: "only by moving forward will you ever see your home again.", $y8evs's ($pos))](if: $pos is 9)[[[only by moving forward will you ever see your home again.->SiegeOfThebe]]]

         You receive word from the men still holding Lyrnessos that lately King Eetion of the Cilician city of Thebe and his seven sons have been attempting to re-take Lyrnessos for the Trojans.          Obviously, you cannot have that!          It is vital that your men remain in control of Lyrnessos, continuing to cut off that avenue of potential supplies and reinforcements, or Ilios will never fall.          You must send your best men to crush Thebe as quickly as possible! (if: $Achilles is 'alive')[         [[Send Achilleus.->ThebeAchilles]] ](if: $AiasS is 'alive')[         [[Send Aias of Salamis.->ThebeAiasS]] ](unless: $Diomedes is 'dead' or 'wounded1')[         [[Send Diomedes.->ThebeDiomedes]] ](if: $Odysseus is 'alive')[         [[Send Odysseus.->ThebeOdysseus]] ](if: $Idomeneus is 'alive')[         [[Send Idomeneus.->ThebeIdomeneus]] ](if: $Cycnos is 'ally')[         [[Send Cycnos.->ThebeCycnos]] ](if: $AiasL is 'alive')[         [[Send Aias of Locris.->ThebeAiasL]]]

         You tell them you will award the chariot to the most worthy party as soon as you have determined just who that is. (Naturally, they both insist that they are the more worthy party, but you just ignore them.)          Not long after you make that pronouncement, they begin sending their closest buddies to explain to you why they are the proper recipient of the chariot. (unless: $Diomedes is 'dead')[Diomedes in particular spends most of a day explaining why Odysseus, as a favorite of Athene, is plainly the more deserving of the two.]          Eventually, you get so tired of hearing these countless supplications that you inform the lot of them that you have asked Calchas to seek an omen from the gods regarding who should receive the chariot.          Calchas comes to speak to you later that day, most perplexed to hear of such a request, since you have not, in fact, spoken to him in about six months. (In part because, from what you've heard, he and he alone is solely responsible for whatever tragedy prevented Agamemnon from leading the war, and it is therefore Calchas' fault that you're in this awful mess.)          You explain that you only told them that to make them leave you alone for a little while, and that you have already made up your mind as to what to do with the chariot. (Though you have not, in fact, made any such decision yet.)          Over the next few days, you seem to notice that both Odysseus and Palamedes have given up hope of obtaining the chariot for themselves, and that they are now glaring at each other with even more hatred; evidently they both think the gods will name the other as more worthy. (A curious state of affairs when two such arrogant men are involved!)          You decide upon what you are sure is a fantastic way to teach them a lesson in true humility.          You call an assembly one morning and announce that the gods have made their will known to you (omitting Calchas this time, lest you get in trouble) and that their will is that the chariot should go to the man who contributed the most to the battle in which it was taken. The man in question is one of the lesser nobles under Eumelos of Pherai (his kinsman of some variety, in fact), who had led most of your ground forces during the battle.          Both Odysseus and Palamedes seem deeply disappointed in the decision, [[in a way that unnerves you.->Feud5b]]

         A few days after you decide on the fate of the magnificent chariot, there is a pitched battle against the Trojans.          It's not a particularly large battle, and you don't even see any of the sons of Priam on the field.          There are very few casualties among the nobles (or even the commoners, as it really was a very insignificant clash), with one very notable exception: that kinsman of Eumelos was dashed to death against the rocky ground, thrown from his beautiful new chariot.          The news is grim enough already, *before* you go to look at the chariot.          Honestly, you had gone to see it because you were wondering if you ought to dedicate it to a god rather than try to set it back in use. Perhaps there is some curse upon it, you thought.          When you find it among the other chariots, you find Automedon, (if: $Achilles is 'dead')[a talented Phthian charioteer](else:)[Achilleus' charioteer], examining the chariot, which is in particularly poor condition now, having been dragged back with its wheels riding inside it.          "What do you think happened?" you ask him. "Why is it so torn up?"          "It's an odd thing, Lord Creon," Automedon says, shaking his head. "Look at the axle here." He points out the place where the axle had broken beneath the chariot.          Inspecting the damaged end, you are surprised to see that about three quarters of it is smooth, and only a small fraction has the jagged marks you expect of a broken axle. "Sabotage?" You cannot imagine it! Who would do such a thing to someone so entirely friendly and unimportant?          "Here, too," Automedon adds, showing you another break, where the two poles connecting the chariot to the yoke have broken away just at the point of connection. Again, the roughness of an ordinary break is only a small portion of the broken area, this time about half, and the rest is relatively smooth, though not as smooth as on the axle.          "Someone wanted this chariot to fall to pieces the first time it was used," you conclude.          "Possibly two someones," Automedon adds, frowning.          Then Eumelos did not lose his kinsman to the Trojan enemy. He lost him to a disgruntled Achaian willing to commit murder to settle his feud. Or possibly to two such men.          Dismayed, you go over everything in your head. Every action committed by either party over the past five years. Every suspicious thing they said or did since this chariot arrived in the camp.          You make your decision, and call a meeting of all the Achaian leaders. You begin by explaining that the chariot had been sabotaged, and the death of its rider and his charioteer was therefore an act of murder by a fellow Achaian.          You cannot have a murderer in your camp. Of course you cannot.          Everyone agrees on this point, so you go ahead and announce sentence on the murderer: (set: $pos to it + 1)          [Put Odysseus to death for sabotaging the chariot.(click: "Put Odysseus to death for sabotaging the chariot.")[(set: $Odysseus to 'dead')(if: $Diomedes is 'ticked')[(set: $Diomedes to 'pissed')](else_if: $Diomedes is 'alive' or 'wounded1')[(set: $Diomedes to 'ticked')](if: $pos < 9)[(goto: $y8evs's ($pos))](if: $pos is 9)[(goto: "SiegeOfThebe")]]]          [Exile Odysseus for sabotaging the chariot.(click: "Exile Odysseus for sabotaging the chariot.")[(set: $Odysseus to 'exiled')(if: $Diomedes is 'ticked')[(set: $Diomedes to 'pissed')](else_if: $Diomedes is 'alive' or 'wounded1')[(set: $Diomedes to 'ticked')](if: $pos < 9)[(goto: $y8evs's ($pos))](if: $pos is 9)[(goto: "SiegeOfThebe")]]]          [Put Palamedes to death for sabotaging the chariot.(click: "Put Palamedes to death for sabotaging the chariot.")[(set: $Palamedes to 'dead')(if: $pos < 9)[(goto: $y8evs's ($pos))](if: $pos is 9)[(goto: "SiegeOfThebe")]]]          [Exile Palamedes for sabotaging the chariot.(click: "Exile Palamedes for sabotaging the chariot.")[(set: $Palamedes to 'exiled')(if: $pos < 9)[(goto: $y8evs's ($pos))](if: $pos is 9)[(goto: "SiegeOfThebe")]]]          [Odysseus and Palamedes both sabotaged the chariot. They must both be put to death.(click: "They must both be put to death.")[(set: $Odysseus to 'dead')(set: $Palamedes to 'dead')(if: $Diomedes is 'ticked')[(set: $Diomedes to 'pissed')](else_if: $Diomedes is 'alive' or 'wounded1')[(set: $Diomedes to 'ticked')](if: $pos < 9)[(goto: $y8evs's ($pos))](if: $pos is 9)[(goto: "SiegeOfThebe")]]]          [Odysseus and Palamedes both sabotaged the chariot. They must both be exiled to seek purification.(click: "They must both be exiled to seek purification.")[(set: $Odysseus to 'exiled')(set: $Palamedes to 'exiled')(if: $Diomedes is 'ticked')[(set: $Diomedes to 'pissed')](else_if: $Diomedes is 'alive' or 'wounded1')[(set: $Diomedes to 'ticked')](if: $pos < 9)[(goto: $y8evs's ($pos))](if: $pos is 9)[(goto: "SiegeOfThebe")]]]

(if: $Diomedes is 'pissed')[(goto: "ThebeNope")](else:)[         Legend has it that this Thebe was founded by Heracles when he was laying general waste to this entire area (including, of course, leveling the previous Troy) a generation ago, so you are worried that the city's walls might be especially difficult to breach. And yet with warrior of Diomedes' caliber at the head of the departing force headed to the city, you cannot force yourself to worry too much.          And you were right not to worry, because your army returns successfully two days later (it is quite a distance to Thebe, even by boat), burdened down with booty. Diomedes reports that he had no difficulty capturing the city, and that so far as he is aware, the king and all his sons died in the fighting, though he personally only killed three of them.          Among the loot taken from Thebe is a very beautiful maiden named Chryseis. (if: $Diomedes is 'ticked')[Though you are currently without a concubine (yours died in childbirth not long ago, the poor thing), Diomedes claims Chryseis for himself. You want to object on several different grounds (including that he already has a concubine!) but the look in his eyes tells you that you will be safer letting him have her.(set: $Chryseis to 'Diomedes')](else:)[As you are currently without a concubine (yours died in childbirth not long ago, the poor thing), you claim her for your own. If anyone objects to your decision, they do not say so.(set: $Chryseis to 'Creon')]          [[All in all, you feel this turned out to be a very successful endeavor.->PetitionOfChryses]]]

         Legend has it that this Thebe was founded by Heracles when he was laying general waste to this entire area (including, of course, leveling the previous Troy) a generation ago, so you are worried that the city's walls might be especially difficult to breach. And yet with the quick Aias of Locris at the head of the departing force headed to the city, you...actually, you're quite worried. Why in the world did you pick *him*? There are better men still in your camp than Aias of Locris...          A few days later, your army returns successfully, burdened down with booty. Aias reports that he had no difficulty capturing the city, and that so far as he is aware, the king and all his sons died in the fighting, though he personally only killed one of them.          Among the loot taken from Thebe is a very beautiful, piteously weeping maiden named Chryseis. Aias claims her as his own, but you ignore his claim and approach her, asking her why she is crying, as it seems a very different sort of weeping from what you normally see from captured maidens. (You hate the fact that you have become so accustomed to seeing crying women dragged into your camp that you can tell the difference between what is 'normal' and what is not.)          Chryseis explains that she, along with many other innocent souls, was taking refuge in the temple of Apollo when Aias found them there. Though she clung to the statue of the god for succor, Aias forced himself on her right there inside the temple, before dragging them all away to enslave them. She begs you to return her to her father, a priest of Apollo, and to punish Aias for his transgression against the god.          You aren't sure what to say. Aias is insisting that he did no wrong, and that whatever local god was being worshipped in that temple, it was no true god, not *their* Apollo, even if the locals might *call* him Apollo, and that there was therefore no reason to respect the temple or its god. Chryseis is insisting that there is no difference between the Apollo of the Troad and the Apollo of Hellas, and that he will punish you and all your men if her dishonor is not avenged.          Looking around, you realize you have no choice but to give in to Aias for the moment; you are surrounded by his loyal Locrians, and they look ready to murder you if you try to deny their prince his prize. So you tell Aias that the matter is not concluded, and that he will answer to the assembly for what he has done, but that he may keep the girl *for now*.(set: $Chryseis to 'raped')          [[Still, despite Aias' ghastly behavior, this did turn to be a relatively successful endeavor.->PetitionOfChryses]]

         To your astonishment, soon after you awaken a few days after the successful siege of Thebe, an unfamiliar old man in the garb of a priest of Apollo enters your hut. "I am Chryses, the father of Chryseis," he tells you. "I have come to plead for the return of my daughter."          You aren't sure how to react. This is entirely new to you. (if: $Chryseis is 'raped')[And it is made all the more complicated by the fact that this old man will be outraged when he learns what happened to his daughter inside the temple of his own god...]          "This is not usually done," you say uncomfortably, more trying to buy time than anything else.          "I must have my daughter returned to me," Chryses insists. "I have valuables with which to ransom her. They are buried at my former temple in Thymbria. I will lead your men to them." (if: $Chryseis is 'raped')[         You realize there is nothing you can do to prevent it; he will need to learn the truth eventually. So you tell him what Aias did when he captured her in Thebe."          "Apollo will not allow him to get away with such villainy," Chryses informs you coldly.          "Our own seer and priest of Apollo said the same," you agree. Unfortunately, Calchas is not popular among your men and Aias of Locris actually is (somehow), so that did not accomplish much.          "My daughter cannot remain in the hands of such a man. If she is not returned to me, Apollo's vengeance will be brutal."          You bite your lip uneasily. What can you say to him in response?          [["Very well. I will personally return her to you."->ChryseisReturnedEarly]]          [["I'm sorry, but I do not have that power over my men. She stays with Aias."->ApolloIsSUPERPissed]]](else_if: $Chryseis is 'Diomedes')[         "I understand your situation very well," you tell him, "but the fact is that your daughter is with one of my most powerful and important warriors, Diomedes of Argos. I do not think he will want to give her up." And you are terrified of what he will do if you ask him to do so, given that he's already angry at you for some reason!          "Apollo will punish all the Achaians if she is not returned."          You bite your lip uneasily. What can you say to him in response?          ["Very well. I will personally return her to you."(click: "Very well. I will personally return her to you.")[(set: $Chryseis to 'angryDiomedes')(goto: "ChryseisReturnedEarly")]]          [["I'm sorry, but I do not have that power over my men. But I will have my herald take you to speak to Diomedes, so that you may ask him to return her to you."->ChryseisReturnedEarly]]          [["She belongs to Diomedes now. I cannot take her away from him.->YearNine]]](else:)[         You bite your lip uneasily. What do you say to him in response?          [["Very well. Out of my great respect for radiant Apollo, I will return her to you, without ransom.->ChryseisReturnedEarly]]          ["I cannot afford to anger a god. I will let you ransom her."(click: "I cannot afford to anger a god. I will let you ransom her.")[(set: $Chryseis to 'ransomed')(goto: "ChryseisReturnedEarly")]]          [["Who would ever even know if I just killed you right now?"->ApolloIsSUPERPissed]]          [["I am the leader of these men. How would I ever have their respect if I was without a concubine when they all have them? She stays with me, but be comforted: I will treat her well."->YearNine]]]

         Legend has it that this Thebe was founded by Heracles when he was laying general waste to this entire area (including, of course, leveling the previous Troy) a generation ago, so you are worried that the city's walls might be especially difficult to breach. And yet with warrior of Diomedes' caliber at the head of the departing force headed to the city, you cannot force yourself to worry too much.          When three days pass and you do not hear back, you begin to worry. Another day without news, and you set off in your fastest ship to reach the beach closest to Thebe, which you approach on horseback, riding as fast as you can.          You arrive to the curious spectacle of your men simply camped and idle in front of the city, though you notice there are only about half the number of them; Diomedes and his Argive troops are nowhere in sight.          "What is going on?" you ask. "Where is Diomedes? Why does the city still stand?"(set: $Chryseis to 'safe')          Uneasily, the troops explain to you that upon arrival, Diomedes claimed to want to treat with King Eetion before the battle, but instead of negotiating the king's surrender, he and all his men went inside the city and closed the gates. They have heard nothing of them since.          Perplexed and annoyed, you approach the city's gates on your horse at a cautious walk. An arrow hits the ground nearby as you get close. "That's far enough, Lord Creon!" the familiar voice of Diomedes' close companion, Sthenelos, calls down to you from the city walls.          "What is going on?" you demand. "What is this treachery?"          "You have exerted your tyranny over the Achaian forces and Diomedes in particular for far too long," Sthenelos replies. "So we've decided to leave your forces. You won't toy with us any longer."          You are astonished by everything about this declaration. There are those among the Achaian princes you would expect to turn on you easily ((unless: $Achilles is 'dead')[Achilleus, ](unless: $AiasL is 'dead')[Aias of Locris, ]too many to name, really) when denied their own way, but Diomedes? The notion that he could ever be counted a traitor to the joined forces had never crossed your mind for a moment!          "I must protest this," you say, trying to stay calm. "Please, let me speak to Diomedes."          "He does not wish to speak to you," Sthenelos says. "You will have to earn the right by force if you want to speak to him."          You contemplate just walking away with the forces camped outside the city. It's not as though you *need* Diomedes, strictly speaking. (Or that you could ever trust him again after this!) But if you allow him to join the other side and get away with it...          "You know I cannot allow this to continue, Sthenelos," you say.          "Oh, you *can*," he laughs. "You *won't*, but you *can*."          Scowling, you ride back to your men camped nearby. "Don't let a soul leave the city," you tell them. "[[I will be back soon with the bulk of our forces.->SecondSiegeOfThebe]]"

         When you tell the assembly what Diomedes has done in Thebe, no one wants to believe it. You have to tell them over and over again before they can accept it. Everyone agrees that this takes precedence over defeating the Trojans, because you dare not leave Diomedes around as an enemy, not if you want to remain alive.          So you set out with the bulk of your forces, but you decide to leave most of your best warriors behind in the camp to defend it in case the Trojans attack while you are away. (if: $Achilles is 'alive')[         [[Have Achilleus lead the attack.->Thebe2Achilles]] ](if: $Cycnos is 'ally')[         [[Have Cycnos lead the attack.->Thebe2Cycnos]] ](if: $AiasS is 'alive')[         [[Have Aias of Salamis lead the attack.->Thebe2Aias]] ](if: $Idomeneus is 'alive')[         [[Have Idomeneus lead the attack.->Thebe2Idomeneus]] ](if: $Menelaos is 'alive')[         [[Have Menelaos lead the attack.->Thebe2Menelaos]] ]         [[Go yourself.->Thebe2Creon]]

         Soon after the successful sacking of Thebe, a rumor reaches you that the fair Andromache will be making a voyage to her hometown, accompanied only by (if: $Hector is 'dead')[her late husband's brother, Helenos.](else:)[her husband, Hector.]          This is a golden opportunity for you. You set out in your fastest ship with Cycnos, and the two of you disembark, unarmed, in a fine chariot, headed for Thebe. You get there while Andromache is still searching the ruins for the corpses of the two of her brothers who were killed in the fighting. (if: $Hector is 'dead')[Prince Helenos](else:)[Her husband] eyes you warily as you approach, keeping his hand on the pommel of his sword.          "I am not here to fight," you assure him, showing him that you are unarmed.          "What do you want, then?"          "Only to talk." (if: $Hector is 'dead')[         Helenos frowns, but nods. "I can hear no lie in your voice," he says. Proceed, but be aware that Apollo has gifted me with soothsaying abilities that far exceed any you are accustomed to. I will know if it you attempt to deceive me."          "I promise, I wish no deception." You walk just a little closer, so that you can speak without having to raise your voice, but not near enough to put any fear of attack into the prince's mind. "I know things must be miserable inside the city, but I can assure you that they are equally miserable within our camp. Not a man among us wants to spend even one more day in those miserable wooden huts. After we have spent so long and lost so many, we cannot turn around and leave without Helen, but we *could* turn around and leave without capturing the city. If you could convince your father to--"          "No," Helenos says quietly, "you could not."          "What?" Is he accusing you of lying? He looks so pained, though...          "If you tried to leave without taking the city, your own men would turn on you, enraged to have wasted so many years of their lives without receiving the gold and the glory of destroying my home." Helenos sighs sadly. "It is what the gods want, in any case. They will not be pleased until you have torn down the walls of holy Ilios, or you have all bled your lives out as you break yourselves against those walls like so many waves."          You don't even know how to react. Is he telling the truth? Is he really privy to the wishes of the gods to that extent? You aren't able to recover enough to ask any questions before Andromache comes over to ask her brother-in-law help her move her brothers' bodies onto the chariot.          Cycnos offers his services to the bereaved Andromache, while you can only watch, astonished and perplexed.](else:)[         "And just what do you want to talk about?" Hector asks, his eyes narrowing.          "About putting an end to this war without any further loss of life," you tell him. "Menelaos told me that you wanted to see Helen returned to him when he made his plea to your father."          "Yes, I did," Hector agrees. "My brother acted wrongly to take her from her husband, and my father should never have sheltered him after learning what he had done. But what would you have me do *now*? Too much blood has been spilled to simply hand her back. We cannot pretend these lives have not been taken." He gestures to the ruination of Thebe all around you.          "I understand that, of course, but we have lost many lives, too..."          "Not as many. Because you pit trained warriors against barely armed farmers and fishermen who have no chance of saving themselves. You burn and ravage fields and cities that can give you no more good. We have suffered more than you will ever understand."          You know he's right, but what can you do about it now? The only way you could have prevented all this would have been to bow out as soon as the war started. And even then, you would only have been preventing your own role in it, rather than preventing the war and all its harms. "Is there no way for us to come to peace without one side being destroyed?" you ask.          "I cannot think of one," Hector says, with a sorrowful sigh. "Nothing will induce my brother to allow Helen to leave his bed, and nothing can persuade my father to deny Alexandros anything."          "Why?" you ask. "What possible hold could he have over your father? Most kings would never even grant their heir such privileges as he takes, despite that you are both the heir and superior man."          Hector glances in the direction of his wife. She is far away, still searching the ruins, but entirely safe. There is nothing else stirring but the crows who seek to feed on the dead. "When Alexandros was born, a prophecy told my parents that he would cause the destruction of our people, so they exposed him on the side of Mount Ida. But he was found and raised by a childless old couple, and grew up as Paris the shepherd. Once he was a young man, he came to the city and was recognized by the twins as our supposedly dead brother. The scars left on his ankles from the ropes that had bound him as an infant were proof enough, beyond the prophetic visions of Helenos and Cassandra." Hector frowns. "My parents had hated themselves for twenty years over abandoning Alexandros over a prophecy that might have been mere raving. As soon as he was safely returned, they lost the ability to deny him anything."          You cannot prevent a sorrowful laugh from escaping your lips. "So like Oidipous," you say, shaking your head(if: $home is 'Thebes')[ as you think about the bitter history of your own kingdom]. "Their desire to prevent the prophecy from coming true has caused it."          "Perhaps so," Hector says, then focusing a particularly cold and slightly malicious smile in your direction. "But I intend to ensure that it does *not* come true."          Detecting the threat in his words all too clearly, you back away, not wanting to see the war end by means of your sudden death at Hector's hands. (Though the presence of Cycnos at your side reassures you that it *probably* won't happen.)]          With nothing else left to accomplish here, you and Cycnos return to the chariot and begin the voyage back to the camp.          [[You can only hope the future will be less bleak than your conversation with the Trojan prince suggests.->YearNine]]

(if: $Odysseus is 'wounded1' or 'farming')[(set: $Odysseus to 'alive')](else_if: $Odysseus is 'wounded2')[(set: $Odysseus to 'wounded1')](if: $Idomeneus is 'wounded1' or 'farming')[(set: $Idomeneus to 'alive')](if: $Achilles is 'wounded1' or 'farming')[(set: $Achilles to 'alive')](else_if: $Achilles is 'wounded2')[(set: $Achilles to 'wounded1')](if: $Patroclos is 'wounded1' or 'farming')[(set: $Patroclos to 'alive')](if: $AiasS is 'wounded1' or 'farming')[(set: $AiasS to 'alive')](else_if: $AiasS is 'wounded2')[(set: $AiasS to 'wounded1')](if: $Teukros is 'wounded1' or 'farming')[(set: $Teukros to 'alive')](if: $Diomedes is 'wounded1' or 'farming')[(set: $Diomedes to 'alive')](if: $Ascalaphos is 'wounded1' or 'farming')[(set: $Ascalaphos to 'alive')](if: $Menelaos is 'wounded1' or 'farming')[(set: $Menelaos to 'alive')](if: $Protesilaos is 'wounded1' or 'farming')[(set: $Protesilaos to 'alive')](if: $Antilochos is 'wounded1' or 'farming')[(set: $Antilochos to 'alive')](if: $AiasL is 'wounded1' or 'farming')[(set: $AiasL to 'alive')](if: $Podaleirios is 'wounded1' or 'farming')[(set: $Podaleirios to 'alive')] <img src="YearNine.jpg" width="600" height="534">          [[You have no idea what to expect from this, your ninth year in the Troad, but you have great hopes and equally great fears.->YearNineLanding]]

         (if: (history:) contains "TenedosAchilles")[Despite your earlier decision never again to accompany Achilleus into the field of battle, you cannot stay behind in the camp waiting to learn what the fate of your war will be.] You join Achilleus and his Myrmidons on the voyage to Thebe, and when you arrive, Diomedes mocks you from the wall, reminding you that he was able to easily conquer the *real* Thebes, so how can you possibly expect to conquer him in a city Heracles himself built in homage to Thebes? This drives Achilleus into such a rage that even his loyal Patroclos cannot calm him down, and he is overtaken by a bloodlust that makes even his own men quail in terror.          If Odysseus was here, you could count on him to come up with a clever stratagem to get you inside Thebe's walls, which are so much less impressive than Troy's. (Then again, if Odysseus was here, Diomedes probably would never have done this.)          Since you don't have Odysseus to strategize, all you can come up with is to overwhelm the defenses of the small city. In order to force the defenders to leave the city, you send brave riders to approach the wooden gates and light them on fire, lighting them over and over again every time the flames go out.          Finally, there is nothing much left of the gates, and the defenders of Thebe--Cilician and Argive alike--are forced to ride out to face your forces.          As soon as Diomedes emerges from the gates, Achilleus makes straight for him, desperate to rend his head from his body. It is over surprisingly quickly, despite Diomedes' great skill, though Achilleus does receive a serious wound in the process.(set: $Diomedes to 'dead traitor')(set: $Achilles to 'wounded2')          Without their leader, the rest of the Argive soldiers quickly surrender, as do the Cilician defenders, on the condition that their city be allowed to stand unsacked. It is probably a mistake, but you accept their terms, taking the king's two youngest sons back to your camp as hostages to ensure that he remains docile.          [[As you return to camp, you hope the future will be less bleak than the present.->YearNine]]

         You cannot stay behind in the camp waiting to learn what the fate of your war will be, so you decide to accompany Cycnos on the voyage to Thebe, and when you arrive, Diomedes mocks you from the wall, reminding you that he was able to easily conquer the *real* Thebes, so how can you possibly expect to conquer him in a city Heracles himself built in homage to Thebes? Cycnos only laughs at his threats, and promises that he could take this whole city down piece by piece by himself if he so desired.          If Odysseus was here, you could count on him to come up with a clever stratagem to get you inside Thebe's walls, which are so much less impressive than Troy's. (Then again, if Odysseus was here, Diomedes probably would never have done this.)          Since you don't have Odysseus to strategize, all you can come up with is to overwhelm the defenses of the small city. In order to force the defenders to leave the city, you send brave riders to approach the wooden gates and light them on fire, lighting them over and over again every time the flames go out.          Finally, there is nothing much left of the gates, and the defenders of Thebe--Cilician and Argive alike--are forced to ride out to face your forces.          As soon as Diomedes emerges from the gates, he makes straight for you, but Cycnos comes between you and demands a duel with him. Diomedes spends the whole duel seeking a way to kill Cycnos despite his invulnerability, but Cycnos has by now spent long enough talking to your men (and particularly, you suspect, wise Phoinix) to learn all the ways he might be killed, and he is ensuring that Diomedes has no chance of using any of those methods. Eventually, Diomedes grows careless, and Cycnos is able to kill him.(set: $Diomedes to 'dead traitor')          Without their leader, those Argive soldiers still holding out on the other side of the burnt gates quickly surrender, as do the Cilician defenders, on the condition that their city be allowed to stand unsacked. It is probably a mistake, but you accept their terms, taking the king's two youngest sons back to your camp as hostages to ensure that he remains docile.          [[As you return to camp, you hope the future will be less bleak than the present.->YearNine]]

         You cannot stay behind in the camp waiting to learn what the fate of your war will be, so you decide to accompany Aias on the voyage to Thebe, and when you arrive, Diomedes mocks you from the wall, reminding you that he was able to easily conquer the *real* Thebes, so how can you possibly expect to conquer him in a city Heracles himself built in homage to Thebes? Aias replies with a grim determination that today he will finally prove himself superior to Diomedes.          If Odysseus was here, you could count on him to come up with a clever stratagem to get you inside Thebe's walls, which are so much less impressive than Troy's. (Then again, if Odysseus was here, Diomedes probably would never have done this.)          Since you don't have Odysseus to strategize, all you can come up with is to overwhelm the defenses of the small city. In order to force the defenders to leave the city, you send brave riders to approach the wooden gates and light them on fire, lighting them over and over again every time the flames go out.          Finally, there is nothing much left of the gates, and the defenders of Thebe--Cilician and Argive alike--are forced to ride out to face your forces.          As soon as Diomedes emerges from the gates, Aias makes straight for him. The duel between the two of them lasts for hours, much longer than the rest of the combat. In the end, Aias is triumphant, though he is left grievously wounded.(set: $Diomedes to 'dead traitor')(set: $AiasS to 'wounded2')          Without their leader, those Argive soldiers still holding out on the other side of the burnt gates quickly surrender, as do the Cilician defenders, on the condition that their city be allowed to stand unsacked. It is probably a mistake, but you accept their terms, taking the king's two youngest sons back to your camp as hostages to ensure that he remains docile.          [[As you return to camp, you hope the future will be less bleak than the present.->YearNine]]

         You cannot stay behind in the camp waiting to learn what the fate of your war will be, so you decide to accompany Idomeneus on the voyage to Thebe, and when you arrive, Diomedes mocks you from the wall, reminding you that he was able to easily conquer the *real* Thebes, so how can you possibly expect to conquer him in a city Heracles himself built in homage to Thebes?          If Odysseus was here, you could count on him to come up with a clever stratagem to get you inside Thebe's walls, which are so much less impressive than Troy's. (Then again, if Odysseus was here, Diomedes probably would never have done this.)          Since you don't have Odysseus to strategize, all you can come up with is to overwhelm the defenses of the small city. In order to force the defenders to leave the city, you send brave riders to approach the wooden gates and light them on fire, lighting them over and over again every time the flames go out.          Finally, there is nothing much left of the gates, and the defenders of Thebe--Cilician and Argive alike--are forced to ride out to face your forces.          As soon as Diomedes emerges from the gates, he makes straight for you, but Idomeneus comes between you and demands a duel with him. The duel is uneven, but Idomeneus manages to last a surprisingly long time before being killed by Diomedes. Diomedes does not get to savor his victory for more than a moment before an arrow from Meriones lodges itself in his throat, loosening his limbs and sending him into the house of Hades.(set: $Diomedes to 'dead traitor')(set: $Idomeneus to 'dead')          Without their leader, the rest of the Argive soldiers quickly surrender, as do the Cilician defenders, on the condition that their city be allowed to stand unsacked. It is probably a mistake, but you accept their terms, taking the king's two youngest sons back to your camp as hostages to ensure that he remains docile.          [[As you return to camp, you hope the future will be less bleak than the present.->YearNine]]

         You cannot stay behind in the camp waiting to learn what the fate of your war will be, so you decide to accompany Menelaos on the voyage to Thebe, and when you arrive, Diomedes mocks you from the wall, reminding you that he was able to easily conquer the *real* Thebes, so how can you possibly expect to conquer him in a city Heracles himself built in homage to Thebes?          If Odysseus was here, you could count on him to come up with a clever stratagem to get you inside Thebe's walls, which are so much less impressive than Troy's. (Then again, if Odysseus was here, Diomedes probably would never have done this.)          Since you don't have Odysseus to strategize, all you can come up with is to overwhelm the defenses of the small city. In order to force the defenders to leave the city, you send brave riders to approach the wooden gates and light them on fire, lighting them over and over again every time the flames go out.          Finally, there is nothing much left of the gates, and the defenders of Thebe--Cilician and Argive alike--are forced to ride out to face your forces.          Diomedes makes straight for the chariot you and Menelaos share, and you quickly realize that neither of you are a match for the mighty son of Tydeus.          He kills you all too easily. =><= ***GAME OVER*** <=          [[Try again?->Title Screen]]

         When you and your forces arrive at Thebe, Diomedes mocks you from the wall, reminding you that he was able to easily conquer the *real* Thebes, so how can you possibly expect to conquer him in a city Heracles himself built in homage to Thebes?          If Odysseus was here, you could count on him to come up with a clever stratagem to get you inside Thebe's walls, which are so much less impressive than Troy's. (Then again, if Odysseus was here, Diomedes probably would never have done this.)          Since you don't have Odysseus to strategize, all you can come up with is to overwhelm the defenses of the small city. In order to force the defenders to leave the city, you send brave riders to approach the wooden gates and light them on fire, lighting them over and over again every time the flames go out.          Finally, there is nothing much left of the gates, and the defenders of Thebe--Cilician and Argive alike--are forced to ride out to face your forces.          Diomedes makes straight for you, and you quickly realize that you are no match for the mighty son of Tydeus.          He kills you all too easily. =><= ***GAME OVER*** <=          [[Try again?->Title Screen]]

         (if: $Chryseis is 'raped')[You lead the elderly priest to the hut of Aias of Locris. Chryseis is overjoyed to see her father, and both weep copiously at the reunion. Aias demands to know what's going on, and you tell him that you have agreed to return Chryseis to her father.          "And what are you going to give me in recompense for taking my concubine away?" Aias demands.          "Recompense?" you repeat, appalled. "Not one thing! In fact, *you* are going to pay reparations to her father for what you did to her, or you are being sent straight back to Locris in ignominy!"          Aias complains about it bitterly, but eventually agrees to give the priest horses, oxen and a fine cauldron as a penalty for having raped his daughter in a holy space. Both father and daughter think the penalty too light, but no threat is made of punishment from Apollo, so you hope you have at least escaped that particular threat unscathed, and you doubt Aias has the nerve to defy you.          [[You can only hope things will look better in the coming days of this awful war.->YearNine]]](else_if: $Chryseis is 'angryDiomedes')[You send Talthybios to fetch Chryseis from Diomedes' hut, then personally watch as the happy father and daughter leave the camp again.(set: $Diomedes to 'pissed') [[All in all, that was resolved surprisingly easily.->YearNine]]](else_if: $Chryseis is 'Diomedes')[You have Talthybios accompany Chryses to Diomedes' hut, following along behind them at enough distance that you hope you won't come into any danger if things go awry within.(set: $Chryseis to 'Dfreed')          After a surprising amount of time, Chryses and Chryseis emerge, with Diomedes following after them. He leans in and gives Chryseis a kiss on her forehead, making her blush slightly.          "Thank you for your understanding, young man," Chryses says to him. "I shall pray to Apollo that you meet a better fate than your companions when you lose this war."          Diomedes laughs. "I don't intend to allow us to lose, but I appreciate the thought."          The father and daughter leave the camp under the guidance of Diomedes' herald, and you return to your own hut, [[glad that everything was resolved so pleasantly.->YearNine]]](else_if: $Chryseis is 'ransomed')[You call in Chryseis and inform her that she is being returned to her father in exchange for a share of treasure, then send your herald with Chryses to fetch said treasure.          The herald returns several hours later with several large jars filled with jewelry and golden statuettes.          You can't have sex with it, but the treasure is a nice trade-off for the humiliation of being without a concubine! [[All told, that went rather well!->YearNine]]](else:)[You call in Chryseis, and explain to her that she is being returned to her father out of respect for Apollo. She is overjoyed to have her freedom restored to her, and thanks you for your kindness.(set: $Chryseis to 'freed')          "I thank you as well," Chryses says. "I will pray to Apollo that you shall meet a better fate than your companions when you lose this war."          "I think I should prefer it if you would ask him to help me find a way to resolve this war without one or both sides having to destroy themselves," you reply.          Chryses nods with a smile, and leaves the camp with his daughter, under the protective eye of one of your heralds.          [[You're not terribly pleased to be without a concubine, but avoiding the wrath of Apollo has to be a good thing. Right?->YearNine]]]

         (if: $Chryseis is 'raped')[Though the priest storms out of your hut swearing his god's vengeance upon you, you don't really think much of it. What man would truly want his daughter back after she was no longer pure?          You're quite certain that Chryses' words are mere bluff, and that there is no possible harm that can befall you for having left her with Aias.          You awaken the next morning to find men dying of a spotted plague all across the camp. Funeral pyres begin to burn by midday, and by nightfall you suspect there are more dead men than live ones in the camp.          You don't awaken the next morning, having been taken by Apollo's plague of vengeance in the night.          Chryseis, Hermes informs you as he takes your soul down to the house of Hades, was safely protected from the illness, and is now being reunited with her father, since the entire Achaian army has died at Apollo's hands. =><= ***GAME OVER*** <=          [[Try again?->Title Screen]]](else:)[Seeing an opportunity, you draw your sword and easily slay the old man in a single blow. You have a few of your most trusted men dispose of the body quietly, and you're quite certain no one else knows what happened to him.          Chryseis seems to be behaving differently towards you than before, but it can't be that *she* found out. After all, she wasn't even in the hut when it happened.          It's only moments before she stabs you to death that you realize she might have been listening from outside. =><= ***GAME OVER*** <=          [[Try again?->Title Screen]]]

(if: $Chryseis is 'Creon' or 'Diomedes') [         You awaken at the dawning of the ninth year to the sound of suffering in the camp.          As you walk from hut to hut, you find many men are suffering from a mysterious illness. Some are already on the verge of death, and the sons of Asclepios are unable to find a way to cure the disease.          Calchas informs you that this pestilence has been sent to the camp by Apollo in retribution for the mistreatment his priest Chryses received when he came to ransom his daughter.          [[You are filled with great foreboding regarding what must come next...->ReturnChryseis]]](else_if: $Chryseis is 'ransomed' or 'freed')[         The air in the camp this morning is crisp and clear, but you feel a deep loneliness in your soul.          More than that, you feel like every man who sets eyes on you is mocking you for being without a concubine when every other prince has one.          [[Maybe you need to do something about that...->TakeNewConcubine]]](else_if: $Chryseis is 'raped' or 'angryDiomedes' or 'Dfreed')[         The air in the camp this morning is crisp and clear, and fills you with hope that despite the prophecies, this will be the year that Troy finally falls to your mighty army.          And yet rumors are reaching you that (if: $Chryseis is 'raped')[Aias of Locris](else:)[Diomedes] is spreading discontent. [[You will have to do something about that.->NewConcubineForAnother]]](else:)[         The air in the camp this morning is crisp and clear, and fills you with hope that despite the prophecies, this will be the year that Troy finally falls to your mighty army.          [[You decide to take a day to yourself to relax and enjoy the beauty of the day.->FillerEvent]]]

         You put this off as long as you can, but eventually the other princes demand an assembly regarding this plague that has wiped out so many of your men over the last two weeks.          (if: $Achilles is 'dead')["There must be a divine cause to this plague, since Machaon and Podaleirios cannot determine its origin," Antilochos says. "We should send for Calchas at once and ask him what god is behind this so that we may propitiate them and alleviate our suffering."](else:)["Haven't you seen what's happening in this camp?" Achilleus demands of you. "We can't even see the sky for all the smoke from the constant funeral pyres! Send for the seer and find out which god you pissed off! Or would you *prefer* to see defeat at the hands of illness so the Trojans won't even have to work for it to be rid of us after all this time? Do you *want* to be mocked by the whole world?"]          You fidget uncomfortably, not liking to admit that you already know what the problem is.          His prophetic powers must have let him know he was being talked about: Calchas enters the hut where the meeting is taking place, and countless voices call out at him to read the omens and tell us how to bring an end to the plague. He smirks in your direction before speaking. "Lord Creon already knows what he did to offend radiant Apollo," he says, with a smooth wave of his hand in your direction.          You feel the hate in their gazes as the others turn to look at you. "I.." What can you even say in your own defense? (if: $Chryseis is 'Diomedes')[Would it make you seem better or worse if you admit that you did it out of fear of Diomedes?]          "Of course, now that it has gone so far," Calchas goes on, "the divine son of Leto will not be so generous as he was before."          "What does *that* mean?" you demand.          "If you had returned the girl when her father asked, he would have been placated, even if you had accepted the ransom her father provided. Now you may not have that ransom, and must pay her father reparations for your disrespect," Calchas replies with a smile that seems almost cruel.          While you are trying to find a way to reply to that, the others all begin to shout at you at once, outraged by what you have done. (if: $Chryseis is 'Creon')[You bow to their desires, summoning Talthybios. "Fetch Chryseis from my hut and take her to her father," you tell him, "along with two of my oxen and a cauldron filled with jewelry." You hope that is enough to placate Apollo, and are pleased to see Calchas nod when you look at him. The herald assures you it will be done, and hurries out of the hut.](else:)[You look at Diomedes, who does not seem to understand his role in all this. "You have heard Calchas' words," you say to him. "Will you be willing to part with Chryseis?"          "Are you trying to blame all this suffering on *me*?" Diomedes asks suspiciously. "No one said a word to me about her father seeking to ransom her."          "Regardless of Lord Creon's failure to inform you," Calchas says, "her father did come to ransom the fair-cheeked Chryseis, and was turned away without his precious daughter."          Diomedes shakes his head, looking disappointed. "Then all this death is squarely on your head," he tells you. "I would have returned her to her father if you had informed me he wished to ransom her." He calls out his herald, and instructs him to return Chryseis to her father. "Any reparations that need to be paid will be paid by Lord Creon, of course," he adds, looking at Calchas, "since *he* is the one to blame for the delay."          You aren't happy about *that* part in the least, but you accede to it without further complaint, out of fear of Diomedes' wrath. You send one of your own heralds to provide oxen and valuables to accompany the girl back to her father, and the heralds quickly depart.          "But what are you going to do about my being robbed of my concubine?" Diomedes asks, looking at you coldly.          "Didn't you already *have* one before obtaining Chryseis?" you ask. (if: (history:) contains "Feud4TickedDiomedes" or "Feud4Swap" or "Feud4FreeGift")[You are quite positive he ended up with Palamedes' runaway concubine a year or so back...]          "She died," Diomedes says, shaking his head.          Seeing as the same happened to your own concubine, you can only sigh sadly. "I see. Well, what would you have me do? There are no unassigned slave girls in the camp at the moment, but I will be glad to allow you to have your choice of girl from the next town we sack."          (if: $Achilles is not 'dead' and $Briseis is 'Achilles')["There is one girl in the camp equal to Chryseis in beauty, and probably untouched by her current master, since he prefers a male lover," Diomedes says, gesturing lightly in the direction of Achilleus and Patroclos. Achilleus unleashes a hideous string of profane oaths, and storms out of the hut in a fury, swearing that he will withdraw from the war and return to Phthia if anyone takes Briseis away from him. Patroclos hurries out after him, with a hasty but ambiguous apology.(set: $Achilles to 'sulking')(set: $Briseis to 'Diomedes') "I'll have my herald collect her as soon as he returns from his current errand," Diomedes says lightly, before leaving as well.          You feel decidedly as though you have lost any hint of control, and yet you have to admit to being pleased at the knowledge that neither of these two warriors so much more powerful than you are is currently enraged with *you*. If they must hate a fellow Achaian, better each other than ***you***.](else:)["I suppose that will have to do," Diomedes sighs, shaking his head.]]          It has been a most unpleasant meeting, but at least the girl is being returned to her father. You hope that will put an end to Apollo's retribution. (if: $Chryseis is 'Diomedes')[         [[Then maybe you can once again return to the task in hand, and seek to rescue Queen Helen from her Trojan abductor.->Duel]]](else:)[         Of course, there is now a *new* problem, in that you are now without a concubine. You know there aren't slaves sitting around unassigned, and particularly not female ones of a class and quality sufficient to be appropriate as a concubine. You don't, technically, *need* a concubine, of course. You have common slave girls you can sleep with if you need sexual release, and there are also a few free women of Hellas who followed the army here in order to service the soldiers, so it isn't as though your lusts will go unslaked if you don't have a concubine until the next time a town is taken. But how is it going to look if you, the leader of this expedition is without when all the lesser nobles have one? Will anyone still respect you if you alone have no concubine?          [[A leader must be willing to make sacrifices. Opt to be patient.->NoConcubineForCreon]] (if: $Achilles is not 'dead' and $Briseis is 'Achilles')[         [[Achilleus surely doesn't need his concubine; he prefers Patroclos' manhood to Briseis anyway.->CreonPlaysAgamemnon]] ](if: $AiasS is not 'dead')[         [[Aias of Salamis is a kind and understanding soul; he won't mind losing his concubine.->EurysakesIsCrying]] ](if: $Odysseus is not 'dead' and is not 'exiled')[         [[Odysseus is always claiming he loves only his wife; he won't care if you take his concubine, therefore.->SheMayNotBePenelope]]]]

         You call a meeting of only the most senior kings and advisors, explaining to them that you are looking for a solution to your lack of concubine. For a moment, they just stare at you in response. Is it that strange of you to have such a desire? You thought it seemed entirely appropriate...          "Lord Creon, if I may speak bluntly, this is not a matter appropriate to a man of your years and station," Phoinix says. "I might understand this desire from a younger or less respected man, but from you...I admit to being quite astonished."          "There will always be more young women captured when cities are taken," Nestor adds. "Be patient."          "But I will be a laughing stock if I am the only one without," you object.          (if: $Idomeneus is not 'dead')["How would they even know unless you tell them?" Idomeneus says, shaking his head. "I certainly had heard no rumor that you returned her to her father."](else_if: $Palamedes is not 'dead' and is not 'exiled')["I think it very safe to say that the men as a whole are unaware that you lack a concubine at the present moment," Palamedes says. "Only those who personally witnessed her leaving the camp with her father are likely to know. Even the majority of the princes are unaware of her departure."](else:)["You worry too much," Menelaos tells you with a smile. "I don't think anyone else knows you let Chryseis return to her father."]          "But they're sure to find out sooner or later!" you object, feeling your voice grow tight. "Men come and go from my hut all day, and when they do not see her--"          (if: $Odysseus is not 'dead' and is not 'exiled')["*If* anyone notices, they are likely to think they merely missed her," Odysseus says with a small smile. "That she might be in isolation, running an errand, indisposed for some small reason, or simply shy of being seen by men other than her master. It would not cross their minds that she might no longer be in your possession. And if they were to happen to ask, you could very easily allay their suspicions with the most minute of lies."](else:)["Really, they won't notice a thing," Menelaos assures you.]          You remain unconvinced, and they spend quite some time trying to comfort and console you. But eventually, of course, you have to make your decision...          [[A leader must be willing to make sacrifices. Opt to be patient.->NoConcubineForCreon]] (if: $Achilles is not 'dead' and $Briseis is 'Achilles')[         [[Achilleus surely doesn't need his concubine; he prefers Patroclos' manhood to Briseis anyway.->CreonPlaysAgamemnon]]]

         (if: $Chryseis is 'raped')[You call Aias of Locris into your hut to have a word with him about the rumors that he is stirring up the men against you.          Aias appears even more abrasive and arrogant than usual as he saunters into your hut with a smirk on his face. "Decided to give me what's due me?" he asks.          "If I gave you what was due you, I would be having you executed for defiling a temple with your lust," you snap at him. "Is that why you have been agitating the men? Because you contest a just decision made against you?"          "There wasn't anything just about it," Aias retorts in a snarl. "You didn't even consult the other kings!"          "Shall I do so, then?" you ask, with a cold smile. "Nestor's hut is right over there. Perhaps we should see what *he* thinks of your act of desecration?"          Aias pales. "Just get me a new concubine," he growls.          You find your hand twitching to draw your sword and plant it in his gut. Probably the only thing holding you back is the fact that he's younger and far quicker than you are; if you tried it, you'd probably be the one who ended up dead.          [[Make an empty promise claiming you'll have a look around the camp to see if there are any available slave girls to become his new concubine even though you know there aren't any.->Duel]]          [[Promise that if he does not stop agitating, you will hand him over to Calchas to wreak his god's vengeance on Aias for his disrespect to Apollo.->StonedAias]]](else:)[With some trepidation, you call Diomedes in to see you. As Diomedes does not have any reputation for fits of temper, you do not know quite what to expect from an angry Diomedes...          "I gather you are less than pleased about something," you say, a slight tremor in your voice that you did not intend to be there.          (if: $Chryseis is 'angryDiomedes')[Diomedes just stares at you for a long moment. "You really don't understand what you did?"          "I...suppose...you are...a bit...miffed...about...the girl?"          Diomedes grabs your shoulder with a heavy hand. "Try again," he snarls, right into your face.          [["I'll find you a new concubine somewhere," you squeak.->YouBarelyLive]]          [["I had no choice but to return her to her father; he's a priest of Apollo!"->Dumbass]]](else:)["*You* are the one who sent Chryseis' father to my hut to retrieve her, and you *saw* them leave together. And yet you have not arranged a new concubine for me. Why should I alone be without?"          "Actually, I am also without," you admit. "Mine died in childbirth shortly--"          "Then why are we not even now conquering some town where we can get more?" Diomedes demands.          "Find me such a town, and I will gladly lay siege to it," you say, trying not to sigh. "There are no good candidates in near reach of the camp. And we are supposed to be here to conquer *Troy*, not the entire Troad."          "There are countless smaller cities in Phrygia, and the local islands are not completely plundered yet. Find one."          You are left at something of a loss by the command. Are *you* not the leader of this army? And is he not your junior by some twenty years? How can he give you such orders?          [["When did *you* become the leader of this army, Diomedes?"->Dumbass]]          [["I will do what I can, Diomedes, but I cannot promise it will be soon.->Duel]] (if: $Cycnos is 'ally')[         [["I will ask Cycnos if he can find a suitable target nearby.->Duel]]]]]

         You decide to do something entirely pleasant and *non-violent.* Just this once. To remind you that this war has not robbed you of all life and pleasantry.          [[You decide to get aboard a ship and sail out to sea for a few hours to enjoy the crisp breeze.->Sailing9]]          [[Maybe listening to the tales of past glories will invigorate your efforts to come. Send for a bard.->BardsTale9]]          [[Riding in the countryside is always pleasant, especially on such a beautiful, sunny day.->Riding9]]

         You board one of the light, fast vessels usually used to send messages back and forth between your camp and the captive stronghold in Methymna, bringing aboard a crew of men to row. Then you just order them to set to sea, leaving word with Phoinix that you should be back before nightfall, and that if anything comes up while you are gone, he and Nestor should take charge.          The ship sails out far enough that the camp is just a blur against the shoreline, then one of the men asks where you want to go.(set: _creon to 'alive')          You tell him you just want to experience a brief voyage--just far enough to get out of sight of land, to let your troubles melt away for a little while.          He seems to think you've lost your mind, but does as you order. (set: _sail to (random: 1, 6)) (if: _sail is 1)[         You have barely left sight of land when a small storm appears on the horizon. The ship is hastily turned around, and you return to camp much earlier than you would have liked. ](else_if: _sail is 2)[         Once the ship is out in deep water, you notice some empty fishing nets lying discarded in the bottom of the boat, and decide to do some fishing. You don't catch all that much, but it's a nice change of pace. ](else_if: _sail is 3)[         When you are away from the shore, you think you hear faint echoes of singing. The men begin to panic, terrified that the sirens have left their usual haunts and come to ensure that you will die rather than flee Troy. (if: (random: 1,100) is 73)[Before you can turn around and go back, birds the size of women--and with the faces of women--come flying towards your ship. They sing so sweetly that you cannot help hurling yourself over the side of the boat in an attempt to reach them. It might not be a problem if you weren't wearing your armor...but as you *are* wearing it, you quickly drown. ***GAME OVER*** [[Try again?->Title Screen]](set: _creon to 'dead')](else:)[Whatever the source of the singing, your men are able to turn the ship around and return to camp before it can get close enough for you to lay eyes on it.] ](else_if: _sail is 4)[         You have barely left sight of land when another ship approaches yours. At first, you think they are simply travelers. Then you get close enough for them to try boarding your ship.          Honestly, it strikes you as quite hilarious. The pirates were not expecting every man aboard your ship to be a battle-hardened warrior; you and your men wipe them out with comical ease.          It turns out the pirates had a nice ship filled with plundered Phoenician goods. It leaves both ships a bit short on hands at the oar, but you take the whole ship back to camp with you as spoils. ](else_if: _sail is 5)[         The further you get from land, the more desperately you want to keep sailing and not stop until you get home again.          You order the men to turn the ship around before you do something rash that will cover your name in ignominy. ](else_if: _sail is 6)[         As the ship makes its way across the wine-dark sea, you watch dolphins playing in the water, leaping and cavorting like happy children.          The sight leaves you surpassingly refreshed, and you return with a momentary elation that sadly leaves you as you disembark from the ship. ] (unless: _creon is 'dead')[          [[You feel cleansed by your brief sea voyage, and are ready to return to the war.->Duel]] ]

         You send for a bard, and settle down with a nice meal and some well-mixed wine.          When the bard arrives, he asks if there is any particular song you would like to hear. "Sing of the glory of the heroes of old," you tell him. (set: _song to (random: 1,6))          (if: _song is 1)[The bard sings a long, mournful song of the fate of Orpheus, doomed to die alone after failing to recover his wife Eurydice from the house of Hades. ](if: _song is 2)[The bard sings a sweeping epic about the twelve deadly tasks laid before the great Heracles by the cowardly Eurystheus. ](if: _song is 3)[The bard sings of the voyage of the *Argo* to recover the Golden Fleece from Colchis. (if: $home is 'Iolcos')[You aren't sure if the bard is trying to flatter you or insult you by his choice of song, but it grates either way.](else_if: $home is 'Corinth')[You wonder if this is some kind of oblique attack on you, as if he has mistaken you for the previous King Creon of Corinth, the one who was burned to death in Medea's vengeance for the murder of her children.] ](if: _song is 4)[The bard sings of the tragic fate of the Seven against Thebes and the eventual vengeance gained by their sons. (if: $home is 'Thebes')[You feel decidedly insulted by his choice of subject matter. Yes, you wouldn't have gained the Theban crown without the actions of the Epigoni, but you also weren't one of them.](else_if: $Diomedes is not 'dead traitor')[Idly, you wonder if he learned this song to curry favor with Diomedes. Or if Diomedes put him up to singing it for you, to remind you of just how much more experience Diomedes has in this type of warfare than most of the rest of you do.] ](if: _song is 5)[The bard sings of the heroism of Perseus as he defeats the terrifying Gorgon Medusa. You suspect this song was a great favorite of Agamemnon's, given the constant future-flattery it contains for Mycenae. ](if: _song is 6)[The bard sings you an Athenian epic about the triumph of Theseus over the Minotaur in the labyrinth hidden beneath the palace at Knossos. (unless: $Idomeneus is 'dead')[You reflect with a grim, inward chuckle that he would not sing the song so boldly if Idomeneus could hear, given that the Cretan king has always denied that his grandfather ever did anything so monstrous (and even more so denied that his grandmother ever gave birth to a half-bull monster) and insisted that the Athenians sent in tribute merely served a year at one of the temples in Knossos and were always safely returned afterward.] ]          It is a pleasant enough waste of a day, but you still go to sleep that night knowing that you must face the war again tomorrow.          [[You feel well rested by your day of inactivity, and are ready to return to the war.->Duel]]

         You take your finest horse (one of the ones looted from Dardania, actually) and go out for a ride across the Phrygian countryside.          It's honestly rather depressing; all the years of warfare have done terrible things to the countryside, and most of the villages and huts you pass by are nothing but burned-out husks. (set: _ride to (random: 1,6)) (if: _ride is 1)[         You encounter a small Trojan patrol as you're riding. There are just enough of them that you struggle a little defeating them, but you are able to escape unscathed. ](else_if: _ride is 2)[         You come across a local girl trying to herd about a dozen goats. She's having so much difficulty with the task that she is crying.          You decide to help her with her goats. As you do so, she talks to you about her family and her life. She was only about a year old when your forces arrived (not that she knows who you are, thank Zeus!), so she has never known anything but this war-torn land. Her elder brothers all died in the fighting, and her elder sisters are either captives in your camp or have been taken to Lemnos, and her father is dead, leaving this poor girl and her younger brother as the only ones who can help her mother maintain their tiny farm.          Riddled with guilt, you give the girl your horse, and walk back to camp. ](else_if: _ride is 3)[         You are surprised to come across an odd beast as you travel. It has the body of a leopard, the wings of an eagle, and the head of a goat. You suspect it may be an offspring of the Chimera (which met its end, you believe, about a week's voyage to the south of here), as it is decidedly hostile, and breathing fire at you.          Fortunately, you had a bow with you, and you are just able to bring the beast down, though you sustained light burns in the process.          You take the beast's corpse back with you; its skin will look imposing draped across your shoulders in battle. ](else_if: _ride is 4)[         When you stop at a local river to get a drink for both yourself and your horse, you are astonished to see the river god rise up out of the water and curse you for the desolation you have brought to his lands and his people.          You apologize to the river god, explaining that you did not wish to be running this war, and you would have refused the position if you had known just how long and miserable it would actually be.          He does not seem to be accepting your apology, so you decide to return to the camp as quickly as your frightened horse can run. ](else_if: _ride is 5)[(if: $Oenone is 'contemplating')[         You encounter Oenone again in your ride, and try to convince her to help you put an end to the war. You promise her that if she can get a small force of your men inside the city to recover Helen, you will do whatever she wants with Alexandros.          Oenone seems tempted by your offer, but admits that she does not even know just what she wants Alexandros' fate to be; she isn't sure if she wants to see him die for betraying her, or if she just wants him back again.(set: $Oenone to 'tempted')](else_if: $Oenone is 'tempted')[         Coming across Oenone on your ride again, you ask her if there is anything you can do to help her make up her mind. She says there is not, and that she will contact you if she decides to help you.](else:)[         While you are riding, you encounter the most fabulously beautiful woman you have ever met. She is dressed very simply, but is very haughty when you attempt to speak to her.          After several attempts to coerce her to talk, she explains that she is the nymph Oenone, the true wife of Alexandros, spurned for his stolen Spartan bride. You ask her if she would be willing to help you put an end to the war, and she says she will think about it.(set: $Oenone to 'contemplating')] ](else_if: _ride is 6)[         You ride nearly all day, and return to camp shortly before sunset.          Absolutely nothing happened. ]          [[You feel invigorated by your ride, and are ready to return to the war.->Duel]]

         You are surprised when Nestor calls you to a quiet meeting in his hut. Only you and he and Menelaos are there. (if: $Achilles is 'sulking')["I am worried about the fate of the war if Achilleus continues in his threat to withdraw," Menelaos explains. "He says he will sail back to Phthia as soon as the wind changes to favor the voyage."          "He is only one man," you say, shaking your head. "We don't need his help."          "The troops believe we do," Nestor reminds you. "The prophecy was unclear; it might have meant that the city cannot fall without his joining the fight, or it might have meant that it cannot fall without his presence on the battlefield."          "What would you have me do, then?" you ask. (if: $Briseis is 'Diomedes')["If Diomedes was willing to listen to me, the girl would never have been taken from Achilleus in the first place. ](else:)["]It isn't *truly* that he wants her back, anyway. He wants vengeance for what he perceived as an insult. I doubt he'd take her back even if she was offered." You also doubt he ever truly wanted her in the first place.          "We need to find a way to win the war without him, then--a way to win that does not require the city to fall," Nestor says, nodding sagely.](else_if: $Achilles is 'dead')["Someone is spreading a rumor that the war is doomed," Menelaos tells you.          "Doomed? How so?"          "An agitator of some sort is reminding the men of the prophecy that Achilleus was necessary for Ilios to be destroyed," Nestor replies. "The prophecy was vague, as prophecies usually are, and may have only meant that it was necessary that he join the war, rather than that he must be present on the field of battle for the city to fall." He smiles bitterly. "As his bones are still here in his bier, that *ought* to be enough to satisfy the conditions of the prophecy, but now the men are becoming convinced that it is not."          "That's...what in the world are we supposed to do about *that*? It was nine years ago! If they wanted to give up because Achilleus died killing Hector, they should have turned around and set sail again as soon as we landed!"          "Very true," Nestor agrees, "but it does not change the unrest that swells among the men. We need to find a way to win the war without him, a way that does not require the city to fall."](else:)["Someone is spreading a rumor among the men that there's a new prophecy stating that we can never win this war," Menelaos tells you, a note of panic in his voice.          "Did Calchas utter any new prophecies?"          "He says he did not," Nestor says, shaking his head. "I fear it is an agitator in the employ of the Trojans. Whatever the cause, we need to settle the matter quickly, before the agitation can grow worse. We need to find a way to reassure the men that we will win. Or better still, we need to win promptly right now."]          You nod, frowning. "I don't suppose you're saying this because you have an idea as to how to do so?" you ask, perhaps a little bit *too* hopefully.          "I'm afraid not," Nestor sighs.          So it's up to you, is it? Ugh, why did you ever accept this position?! "If only we could send a man over the wall and just murder Alexandros in his sleep," you sigh. (if: $Oenone is 'contemplating' or 'tempted')[You wonder if you could find a way to contact that spurned first wife of his to see if *she* could help you get at Alexandros to kill him...]          "I would gladly kill him if I could only get my *hands* on him!" Menelaos exclaims with a fury and passion that men half his age would envy.          "Maybe we could arrange a duel," you suggest. (if: (history:) contains "ReturnChryseis")["We could send a messenger to explain to them about the plague we've just suffered through, and say that the army no longer has the strength or will to fight, yet we fear the results for our homes if we give up and go home now, so a duel to the death between Menelaos and Alexandros to settle things and raise the siege?"](else:)["We could send a herald with the claim that our men are rebellious, and yet we fear for our lives if we return home having simply given up, but that a duel to the death between Menelaos and Alexandros could give us the excuse that allowed us to sail home without our reputations being permanently destroyed."]          "It sounds like a good plan," Nestor agrees. "They must be even more eager to see the war end than we are. I am sure they will accept."          "And I will have no difficulty killing that weakling Alexandros," Menelaos assures you with a bloodthirsty glint in his eyes.          With the plan decided on, you send for Talthybios and tell him what to say. He is soon on his way to the city, and you summon all the princes and inform them of the plan. There is great jubilation among them, as they are all confident that Menelaos will win easily over the vain Alexandros.          By the time Talthybios returns with a time and place to meet the Trojans in the field, the whole army knows of the planned duel, [[and there is great rejoicing indeed.->DuelPt2]]

         You can feel every man's eyes on you, watching you, waiting to see what you will say, what you will do. (if: (history:) contains "ReturnChryseis")[         Waiting to see whose concubine you will steal for your own.          "If there is no more business for this assembly, I suggest we all go our separate ways," you say. "There are still funerals to attend to, and dying men who may yet get better with care and the blessings of Apollo. Every soul who is not occupied with the funerals and the dying should make sacrifices and prayers for his forgiveness and aid."          There is a moment of stunned silence.          You feel the stillness in the air as if the very hut is holding its breath to avoid laughing.          Then the princes depart in a quiet and solemnity that is inappropriate to the pleasing knowledge that Apollo has been (or soon will be) propitiated and the plague will cease at last. ]         They all want to laugh.          They all want to mock.          They will all sleep with their concubines tonight, chortling at you as you lie alone in your hut, unloved.          You shake your head, trying to put that idea out of it. You send for wine and food(if: (history:) contains "ReturnChryseis")[, and pour out a hearty libation to Apollo with copious apologies.          Even the god is laughing at you].(set: $Creon to 'paranoid')          [[Hopefully something will soon come up in the war to distract you from the mockery.->Duel]]

         "I will not be the only one without a concubine," you announce grimly. (if: (history:) contains "ChryseisReturnedEarly")[         "Since Achilleus has evidently gone near twenty years without growing his first beard, and therefore has never outgrown his lover, he obviously has no need of a concubine," you say with a lightness of tone that does not reflect the unease growing in the pit of your stomach. "I'll take the girl he doesn't make use of."          A grim-faced Phoinix shakes his head. "You know perfectly well that is not the case in any way. He says he shaves off his beard because a red beard garners unpleasant attention that red hair does not." He glances subtly at the red-haired (and red-bearded) Menelaos, and shrugs. "Regardless of his reasons for shaving, I can assure you that Achilleus has many times taken Briseis to his bed, and that he will be most wroth if she is taken away from him, especially when he has done no wrong to merit such punishment."          "It is not up for debate," you say coldly. "This meeting is over."          Phoinix does not take dismissal as quietly or easily as the others (perhaps he taught Achilleus some of his stubborn behavior?) but eventually you are alone in the hut, and can send a herald to fetch the girl from Achilleus' hut.](else:)[         "Greedy old man, where you do think you can acquire another concubine?" Achilleus retorts, his lip curled in a vicious snarl. "Everything and everyone we take from the towns we sack is immediately divided among the army. We don't keep a stock of unassigned slave girls. Just wait until we bring down the walls of Troy, then you can have three or four concubines to replace the priest's daughter."          "If you speak of patience, then maybe you can be patient in my place," you reply, scowling at him. "Maybe I'll take your concubine, and *you* can wait until Troy is conquered for another one. Or maybe I'll take the girl from (if: $Odysseus is not 'dead' and is not 'exiled')[Odysseus, or] (if: $AiasS is not 'dead')[Aias, or] some other of these Achaian men who listen silently as I am robbed of my concubine and the dignity of my position without speaking one word in my defense!"          Achilleus steps towards you, growling like a brute beast. "Is there no end to your greed, Creon, dog among men? You never set foot on the field of battle, yet you already receive more of the plunder than any other man in this camp! I wear myself to the bone in every battle, killing more than ten men would be asked to, and I take back only the smallest pittance for myself, while you receive ten times as much, and yet you would take my Briseis away from me?! Why should I–why should any man–obey you, you rapacious swine? Why should I stay here, suffering and risking death for your sake? I have no grudge against the people of Troy. They never came to my lands, they never took anything that belonged to me, they never destroyed anything of mine, never killed anyone who mattered to me. What reason do I have to kill them? For you? For a man who would rather die than fight? I've had all I can take of this, and all I can take of you! If you dare lay one hand on Briseis, I won't fight even one more Phrygian on this soil–in fact, I'll take my Myrmidons and go to my father's lands in Phthia, as I should have done instead of ever coming here in the first place!"          "Go ahead," you laugh, "if you want everyone to know that the son of Peleus is nothing but a coward who belongs in the arms of his mother, rather than the arms of a beautiful girl seized in the heat of battle!"          Achilleus draws his sword, and you step backwards, sincerely afraid that he is going to kill you then and there. His eyes burn for murder, and the blade that has already been stained with the blood of so many men seems to scream that it will next be soaked in your blood.          Thankfully, Nestor steps between you and the furious son of Peleus, and raises his hands towards you both.          "Please, calm your anger, both of you," he urges.          "I am not the least bit angry," you assure him. "It is this woman here who is angry--" you start to say, with a gesture at Achilleus.          Your words are cut off as his fist collides with your jaw, sending you flying. By the time you recover your feet, Achilleus and his lover have left the hut, and the other princes are all staring at you as if you are insane. Even though they ***all*** mock him behind his back for playing the woman in Patroclos' bed instead of being a man in the bed of his concubine!          As the assembly disbands in disarray and you nurse your sore jaw, you reflect that you're probably lucky he had already sheathed his sword, or you would likely be bleeding out your life onto the sandy floor right now.]          Soon enough, the herald Talthybios brings the weeping Briseis into your hut. Trying to ignore the melodramatic maiden (no, wait, she was married before, wasn't she? not a maiden, then), you ask the herald if Achilleus attempted to resist him taking her away.(set: $Achilles to 'sulking')(set: $Briseis to 'Creon')          "Thankfully not," he replies, but he wept to be parted from her, and I heard him begin a prayer to his mother, great Thetis, as I left."          You have trouble refraining from laughing at this piece of news: if the man is ashamed of his unmasculine conduct off the field of battle, complaining to his mother is only going to reinforce his lack of masculinity! "So?" you ask. "What of it?"          "He was begging her to see to it that there should be no victories for the Danaan forces so long as Briseis remains in your hands. He begged her to see to it that the Trojans should defeat us constantly until you return her and apologize to him. Lord Creon, I fear the consequences of his continued wrath. Please do not take this girl to your bed while Achilleus is so enraged," Talthybios says, lowering his voice. "Do not make it so you cannot return her."          You are appalled at the melodramatics being applied by Achilleus in order to distract from his utter lack of interest in his own concubine (in the eight years he's had her, she hasn't been pregnant *once*!), but you manage to keep most of your disgust contained. "I will keep your advice in mind," you assure the herald, making him appear relieved as he leaves your hut.          Really, for the moment there was no question of your bedding down with her anyway: so long as she is crying as though her world has just ended, you don't even want to be in the same hut as her, let alone in the same bed!          [[Hopefully something will soon come up in the war to distract you from her constant weeping.->Duel]]

         You do feel a bit guilty about what basically comes down to punishing a man who has done you no wrong, but what else can you do? You would be entirely humiliated if you were left without a concubine in such a public manner. "I cannot be the only one without a concubine," you announce, hoping someone will put up a fuss to give you an excuse to take his concubine.          They don't.          They all just *stare* at you, as if you were the most bizarre creature they have ever seen.          Uncomfortably, you clear your throat. You need to handle this with delicacy if you do not wish to be mistaken for a villain. Your eyes pass across the faces of the men you know to have the largest number of slaves, and across the faces of those who are the most temperamental, but not a one moves.          You have no choice but to follow the plan you already made. "Since you have received a greater share of slaves than most men, it seems only right for you to provide me with my new concubine," you say, looking at Aias of Salamis.          His brow furrows, and he frowns, but he does not speak, even as the other men hurry out of the hut, no doubt terrified that you will change your mind and ask *them* to part with one of their slaves.          "You do not mean you want my Tekmessa," Aias says slowly. "Do you?"          It feels as though something is lodged in your throat. There is nothing menacing in his current aspect, but you still feel as though you are flirting with your own death. "Unless you have another of suitably high birth," you say, hoping your voice is steady.          "Of course not." He shakes his head. "But my son..."          This is the first that Aias has ever mentioned having any children in your presence, and you cannot fathom why he would bring the subject up. Does he want his concubine to serve as a nursemaid to his son when he returns home? You doubt his wife will care for *that* notion much. "The men will not obey me if I am the only one without a concubine," you remind him. "Your men will always obey *you*, because you are our mightiest warrior."          Aias scowls. Maybe he doesn't like flattery? (if: $Achilles is not 'dead')[Surely he wouldn't spend so much time competing with his cousin Achilleus if he did not *want* to be seen as the greatest!] "This is not right," Aias says sourly, then leaves without another word.          Uneasily, you send Talthybios to fetch Tekmessa from Aias' hut. He seems afraid to go, but returns soon enough, bringing the young woman with him. Her eyes are red and her cheeks damp, but she is not currently crying.          Once the herald has gone, you approach her, but she rebuffs you, carrying herself with the pride appropriate to her royal birth. "I will not be sullied by being touched by more than one man in my life," she informs you. "Aias is my husband in deed even if not in rite."          "He already has a wife in Salamis," you point out.          "Had when he left," Tekmessa corrects you. "She may not still live, after so many years, and she was pregnant when he left. That alone could have been her death."          You can't argue with that, of course. It happens all too frequently. "It is not as though he would marry you if she *has* died."          "He says he will."          "A man will say much to encourage a woman to enter his bed willingly," you remind her.          "You demonstrate that very well," Tekmessa counters.          You sigh. This is not going smoothly. Somehow, you had expected her to be *grateful* to leave the care of the enormous Salaminian prince; while a fine man in every way, he is so taciturn that surely having to live with him would be a frustrating struggle. (To say nothing of the size of his...body...which must make sharing his bed an excruciating pain!)          "I'm sure you will eventually see the advantages of your new situation," you tell her, shaking your head. "In the mean time, would it be asking too much of your delicacy to expect you to mix my wine?"          She laughs. "*That* I am more than happy to do," she agrees, heading over to do so. While you are instructing her in the manner you prefer your wine and she is obeying the instructions, you hear a caterwauling begin outside the hut. Strangely, it does not seem to bother Tekmessa, but it is certainly bothering ***you***.          You leave the hut and find a small boy of...you're not sure how many years. He is acting as though he could not be more than three or four years of age, but at his size surely he must be at least six. He sits on the ground in front of your hut, crying his eyes out and calling for his mother. (if: $Achilles is not 'dead')[         Looking around, you see Achilleus and Patroclos loitering nearby. "Here, do you have any idea what ails this child?" you ask them. "Or whose he is?"          Achilleus just laughs. "That's Eurysakes," Patroclos tells you.          "Whose is he?" you repeat, the wailing already grating on your nerves.          "Can't you tell?" Achilleus laughs. "A boy that size at his age?" He shakes his head, and walks over just close enough to get Eurysakes' attention. The boy stops wailing, looking at Achilleus hopefully, clearly recognizing him. "Here, Eurysakes, you should greet Lord Creon properly," he says, gesturing to you. "He's the one who took your mama away."          The boy gets to his feet and toddles towards you, then starts beating on your legs with both his pudgy little fists, screaming for his mother. After standing there in stark astonishment for a little too long, you stumble backwards into the hut. Thankfully, Patroclos restrains the boy from following you, but there is nothing to dampen the noise as he continues to wail and call for his mother.](else:)[         You look around and see that Aias' half-brother Teukros stands nearby, watching the child protectively. "Is this child yours?" you ask him.          "This is my brother's son, Eurysakes," he tells you.          Ah...so that was why he mentioned a son? It strikes you that he really could have made that a bit more clear. "Can you please quiet him?" you ask.          But Teukros shakes his head. "Aias says that a child's place is with his mother. I am just watching to make sure nothing happens to him. Poor boy; I was born into much his situation, you know."          "Yes, I know that," you sigh, not wanting a lecture from a half-Trojan who should probably never have been trusted to accompany his brother on this expedition in the first place. (if: (history:) does not contain "Y1E3Teukros")[(Rumor had it, after all, that his mother was Priam's sister! Surely that made him a dangerous liability, a potential traitor in the making.)]          Seeing as it does not seem likely you will convince Teukros to silence the child or take it elsewhere, you return to the interior of the hut, but it does little to muffle the sound of the crying boy.]          Tekmessa smiles and offers you your wine as if nothing was happening outside.          Suddenly, you have a sinking suspicion that you know why she wasn't crying upon her arrival with Talthybios.          Still, you will not accept the humiliation of giving up so soon! You pledge to yourself not to budge from your resolution to keep the woman for yourself.          The boy will have to stop crying soon, after all.          He'll stop when he gets hungry.          (link-reveal: "Or tired.")[(show: ?first)] |first)[         He doesn't seem to be (link-reveal: "tiring.")[(show: ?second)]] |second)[         You have trouble getting to sleep with (link-reveal: "that racket going on outside.")[(show: ?third)]] |third)[         He's still crying when you wake in the morning...          ...and when you try, futilely, to sleep (link-reveal: "that night.")[(show: ?fourth)]] |fourth)[         When you wake and still hear the child wailing for his mother outside your hut, you realize there is no choice. You rise and look at Tekmessa. "If you will take that infernally noisy child with you, I will let you return to Aias," you tell her.          She smiles widely, and thanks you. The boy stops crying almost the moment she steps out into his sight.          [[So you no longer have a concubine, but at least you have regained some peace and quiet.->Duel]]]

         You do feel a bit guilty about what basically comes down to punishing a man who has done you no wrong, but what else can you do? You would be entirely humiliated if you were left without a concubine in such a public manner. "I cannot be the only one without a concubine," you announce, hoping someone will put up a fuss to give you an excuse to take his concubine.          They don't.          They all just *stare* at you, as if you are the most bizarre creature they have ever seen.          Uncomfortably, you clear your throat. You need to handle this with delicacy if you do not wish to be mistaken for a villain. Your eyes pass across the faces of the men you know to have the largest number of slaves, and across the faces of those who are the most temperamental, but not a one moves.          You have no choice but to follow the plan you already made. "It seems to me that there is one among our number who has always expressed discontent with his concubine," you start, again hoping that someone will speak up and give you an excuse.          But again they remain silent as the grave.          Of course they do. Why would anything ever go smoothly? If life could be that tidy, you would have won this war in the first year, and would no longer be camped out here nine years later...          "Since you never tire of saying that she fails to live up to your wife in any measure, surely you will not mind parting with your concubine, Odysseus," you say, doing your best to meet his level stare.          "Is that what you think?" he replies, his voice far more calm than your own.          "Am I wrong?" You almost want him to become angry and forbid you from taking her. That would make everything feel so much more simple.          Frustratingly, Odysseus does not reply at all.          "Then, since you have no objections, I will take her off your hands," you say, trying to force yourself to sound light and cheerful, as if it was the most pleasant of conversations. In reality, your heart pounds in your breast with terror at the continued calm demeanor that Odysseus is showing.          "This behavior is unbecoming in one of your position," is all Odysseus says before he leaves the hut with the others.          You almost back out of it, fearful of the veiled threat in his words. And yet what can he do to you, really? He may be clever, but he's no more skilled with a weapon than you are, and he hasn't got nearly as many friends among the others as he thinks he does. (Or so you tell yourself.)          You do your best to sound brave as you instruct Talthybios to fetch Odysseus' concubine from his hut. He clearly thinks you mad, but does as he's told. The concubine arrives with a placid expression that seems to mock you.          "No histrionics and crying?" you ask her with a suspicious glare, knowing full well how many of the concubines claim passionate love for their masters in the hopes of ensuring that they are never discarded and given over to the common troops. "No tears of joy, if not of sorrow?" There are also those who feign great relief at a new master, claiming abuse at the hands of whoever had control over them formerly, even if that meant abusing the memory of dead fathers.          "I don't see what the point of any of that would be," she replies. "It doesn't change anything."          "Well, that's certainly true," you agree. Suspiciously understanding of her... "Odysseus didn't give you any instructions as you left, did he?"          She tilts her head to the side curiously. "Should he have? He said not a word."          She's *too* calm. He *had* to have given her instructions of some sort. Terrible, awful instructions...          "Shall I mix you a glass of wine?" she suggests, moving towards your stores.          "No!"          She stops immediately, looking at you with a face all too innocent to be true.          "I have other slaves who already know how I like it," you assure her.          "Then you only wanted me to keep you company in bed," she concludes.          "No, no, no, of course not, no." You try to laugh. "I just wanted you to keep this old man company."          "Oh? But you don't seem much older than Odysseus. *He* wanted much more than simple companionship."          You don't doubt he did.          But *what* else did he want from her?          What did he order her to do *to you*?          (link-reveal: "You make sure to sleep alone, with one eye open, so you won't find out.")[(show: ?first)] |first)[         She continues to smile and act unrealistically obliging the following day.          No matter what you say, she continues on pleasantly.          As if she wasn't waiting for her chance to do you in.          (link-reveal: "Another night spent with one eye open...")[(show: ?second)]] |second)[         The concubine continues to be unnervingly cooperative with you.          You spend all day out of your hut so she can't enact Odysseus' vengeance upon you.          You see Odysseus in the distance as you are walking back towards your hut, and duck into another hut to hide from him.          No, not to hide.          You're not hiding.          That's what cowards do.          You're just avoiding him.          Because it would be *awkward*.          You're not afraid of him.          You're not afraid of *her*.          You're not afraid of what he's told her to do to *you*.          You just don't want the ugly confrontation.          That's all.          (link-reveal: "You can hold out longer than they can. Who needs to sleep with both eyes shut?")[(show: ?third)]] |third)[         Is everyone laughing at you?          Even though you *aren't* the one who ended up without a concubine?          Is that Odysseus smirking at you out in the harbor?          He's the one who should be a laughing-stock, (link-reveal: "not you!")[(show: ?fourth)]] |fourth)[         (link-reveal: "How many nights must you sleep with one eye open?")[(show: ?fifth)]] |fifth)[         There is only so much waiting you can take.          Either he is going to knife you in your sleep, or she will poison you, or together they will burn your hut to the ground as you lie helpless and prone against the flames...          You lead the woman to Odysseus' hut. He isn't alone; it looks like half the camp is with him, even if they all seem to have his face.          "It's not my will to return her," you say, gesturing absently to the concubine. "The goddess Athene appeared to me and told me to take pity on you. That's all."          "Very kind of her, I'm sure," Odysseus replies lazily, as if he hadn't cared, as if he hadn't prepared a horrific death for you. As if the others of him in the room aren't laughing and mocking you.          You tell yourself as you return to your hut that this is better. That now you won't be murdered in the night.          But you aren't sure you can take all the laughter that falls upon you from every side.          Even if you don't see anyone laughing when you look.          They may not be there, but you can still *hear* them.(set: $Creon to 'paranoid')          [[Maybe the war will pick up soon and all the laughing voices will die in the fighting.->Duel]]]

         "Do *you* dare to threaten *me* when I'm the one who's been wronged?!" Aias demands.          "The one who was wronged," you inform him sharply, "is Apollo!" After a moment's hesitation, you add "and that unfortunate girl."          "I won't tolerate this!" Aias snarls, then storms out of your hut.          You don't see any choice. You summon an assembly of all the Achaian princes, and explain what Aias did during the siege of Thebe. As you witness their reactions, you realize you should have done this straight away, instead of waiting until Aias' unreasonable behavior made it necessary.          Calchas is the first to demand that Aias be punished for his act of defiling a temple. (if: $Odysseus is not 'dead' and is not 'exiled')[Odysseus, surprisingly, is the next to add his voice, even before Nestor and Phoinix can](else:)[Nestor and Phoinix soon] echo the sentiment. You ask each man in turn, and only a very few of Aias' closest comrades vote to spare him punishment for his actions(if: $Achilles is not 'dead')[; even Achilleus agrees that he should be punished for his flagrant disrespect of the gods.]          Hands are soon laid upon Aias' person, dragging him out to a central area of the camp, where he is quickly stoned to death. His belongings are parceled out to the other princes, with a small portion set aside to be sent back to his father in pity, as his father is a fine man who deserved a better son. (Thankfully, his other son, Medon, seems a much better man, even if he is only the product of a concubine.)(set: $AiasL to 'dead')          [[Hopefully something will soon come up in the war to clear the unpleasant air left in the camp by the execution.->Duel]]

         "You had better," Diomedes replies, shoving you away from him, "unless you want to lose more than just your control over this army."          You promise repeatedly that you will do so, though you have no idea *where* you will find him a new concubine.          "And you will give me the ransom her father provided."          "He didn't--he said he would provide a ransom, but it never arrived," you assure him. (Quite honestly, too. You really didn't see a single thing. Possibly because you were too afraid of Diomedes' wrath to send any heralds to fetch the ransom.)          "Then you'll just have to provide it yourself," Diomedes tells you. "Enough to make up for my humiliation as well as the inconvenience of having had my concubine stolen from me."          What can you do but agree to his terms?          Diomedes has not long left the hut before his herald comes in to inform you of exactly what his demands are in oxen, horses and treasure. The treasure and horses are not difficult, but you only barely have enough oxen, as yours have been used more heavily in sacrifice than those belonging to the other princes, or even to the army in general. (You're not sure why; you don't remember giving any order to that effect...) [[You set your mind to figuring out where in the world you will get a new concubine for Diomedes, hoping that nothing else happens in the war until you can find a local town to sack.->Duel]]

         You don't even see the strike; you just feel the blade entering your gut.          Maybe that wasn't the right thing to say...?          Too late to find out now... =><= ***GAME OVER*** <=          [[Try again?->Title Screen]]

(if: $Hector is 'dead' and $Deiphobos is 'dead')[(set: $brothers to 'Helenos')(set: $rep to 'Helenos')](else_if: $Hector is 'dead' and $Deiphobos is 'alive')[(set: $brothers to 'Deiphobos and Helenos')(set: $rep to 'Helenos')](else:)[(set: $brothers to 'Hector, Deiphobos and Helenos')(set: $rep to 'Hector')]         The whole army(if: $Achilles is 'sulking')[, excepting the Myrmidons and their petulant prince,] marches out to the meeting place, singing songs of conquest as they walk, their armor looking today like decoration rather than the gear of war. The Trojans, when you reach them, look almost as joyous, and your heart is filled with delight to think that at this time tomorrow they will no longer be your enemies.          Alexandros stands at the center of the Trojan lines, beside $brothers. Unlike his brother(if: $Hector is 'alive' or $Deiphobos is 'alive')[s], Alexandros is primped and preened and draped in the skin of a panther that you have no doubt someone else killed for him; he looks like a prince only playing at being a warrior, (if: $Hector is 'alive')[unlike the battle-hardened Hector, whose grim strength puts a fear even into you at the thought of crossing blades with him.](else_if: $Deiphobos is 'alive')[unlike the scarred Deiphobos, whose cruelty shows in every glance of his eyes.](else:)[unlike his brother Helenos, whose equally pretty face shows the calm and cold heart that accompanies his uncanny skill with a bow, which has cost you many men over the years.]          Despite the way he has been calling out mockery and threats towards the approaching Achaian forces, Alexandros quails behind his brother at the sight of Menelaos stepping out in front of the others and heading towards him.          (if: $Hector is 'alive')["Coward, why do you shrink back?" Hector upbraids Alexandros, with a disgusted expression as he turns to look at his younger brother. "Is even one opponent too much for you? How many men have fought and died already for the sake of your love affair, you slave to the pleasures of women? Their shades will oppress you forever if you cannot find the courage to enter the battlefield today."](else:)["You would dare try to hide from this fight *now*, after you have stolen the lives so many men--even our greatest brother!--to protect your adulterous marriage?" Helenos demands, scowling at his brother. "After you dared to ignore all of my warnings of what would happen to our home and our family if you went to Lacedaemon, you would *dare* try to avoid this fight?!" He places one hand on the bow over his shoulder. "I will kill you myself if you turn and run!"]          "I am not afraid," Alexandros replies, though even his voice shakes with fear. "The son of Atreus is no match for me!"          "Then get to fighting, or admit that you are no man, and return the woman at long last."          Alexandros nods miserably, and resumes his place in the Trojan line. You take this as your cue, and walk forward between the two lines. "Are we agreed upon the terms?" you call out to the enemy.          "We are agreed." $rep walks forward and nods. "Single combat to the death between Alexandros, Prince of Troy, and Menelaos, King of Lacedaemon. The winner shall have possession of Helen, and the loser's kin shall pay reparations to the winner for the deaths that have ensued in this senseless war."          You motion to your herald, and sacrificial implements are brought forward, even as lambs are brought forward by the Trojans. You and $rep sacrifice the lambs, both reciting binding oaths that the results of the duel will be honored, and that a truce will follow the duel, to remain between all Trojans and Achaians for at least the span of one year, plenty of time for the fleet to return safely home.          "Since I am the more experienced warrior, I will allow you to choose the weapon," Menelaos says, with both a cold hate in his voice and a grim mockery of the pretty prince who prefers to hide within the walls while his father's people fight and die on his behalf. "Choose you, sword or spear?"          "I prefer the sword," Alexandros says. Doubtless he hopes that Menelaos only knows the spear. If he had the courage to enter the field of battle on an ordinary day, he would know better than to think that there was any weapon with which he could overcome Menelaos (aside, perhaps, from the bow he normally prefers on the rare occasions you have seen him enter the battlefield).          "So be it," Menelaos says, drawing his sword. "You have chosen the method of your own death, now come and receive it!"          Alexandros leaps foolishly at Menelaos, slashing wildly with his sword, a blow that might surprise an inexperienced combatant, but poses no threat to Menelaos. The blow is easily blocked with his fine shield, and Menelaos' silver-studded sword soon thrusts out at Alexandros so close to the edge of Menelaos' shield that you expect the inexperienced and foolish Alexandros had no hope of seeing it until it was fully extended.          Alexandros jumps out of the way of the blow with a great agility that belies the nearly twenty years since he stole away the Spartan queen. And yet you can hear his knee crackle as he lands; clearly all those years lounging in Helen's bed have done little to keep his body as young as his face. He limps back another pace, avoiding putting his weight on his now-injured knee. Menelaos presses his advantage, and rains blow after blow against Alexandros' shield. They probably look like clumsy blows to many watching the fight as they are flat strikes aimed at the shield itself, but you can tell his goal is not to cut through the shield: he intends to weary Alexandros and his shield arm, and it does not take long before the prince's ability to hold his shield aloft is clearly flagging, even though the shield is but half the size of most.          Alexandros tries to take the initiative, and strikes a blow aimed at Menelaos' throat, but the blow is easily knocked aside, and just as easily Menelaos aims a kick at Alexandros' wounded knee, sending the Trojan crumpling to the ground, dropping his sword.          With a triumphant cry, Menelaos grabs hold of Alexandros by the horsehair crest of his helmet, and begins to drag him, still on his knees, towards the laughing and jeering Danaan forces, the strap of the helmet slowly choking the life out of the helpless prince.          Alexandros begins to scream and cry, calling out to $rep, to his people, and to Aphrodite, begging his life to be saved. $rep frowns, and doesn't move.          Not all his pleas fall on such deaf ears. The strap on his helmet breaks, and Alexandros tumbles free of Menelaos' power. Menelaos turns towards him, sword at the ready to strike him dead there on the battlefield, but a mist suddenly surrounds Alexandros, and when the mist dissipates, he is gone.          Menelaos roars with anger at his foe's cowardly escape.          You look at the other Achaian leaders, unsure what you should do now, even as Menelaos paces back and forth like a caged animal, screaming at Alexandros to come out of hiding and face him again.          "What do we do now?" you ask. "Do we wait here in the hopes they will obey the terms of the treaty and bring Helen out?"          "I can't see them doing so, considering that Alexandros was not killed," Phoinix replies, "but I don't see what else we can do other than wait, for the moment."          (if: $Achilles is 'alive')["Who can wait when that weakling is using the gods to cheat death?" Achilleus demands. "I say we cut our way through their ranks while they're not expecting a fight!"](else:)["They broke the terms of the treaty already. Why should we honor it for even a moment?" Meriones says.]          (if: $Odysseus is 'alive')["But Menelaos won the duel. According to the terms of the agreement, the Trojans *must* return Helen and pay us reparations for the lives this has cost, or they will anger the gods. If *we* should be the ones to break the treaty, then we will be the ones angering the gods. Never anger the gods when you can wait for your enemies to do so," Odysseus points out with a bit of a smirk.](else_if: $Palamedes is 'alive')["If the Trojans do not tender us the queen and considerable repayment for the lost Achaian lives, they will break the sacred oaths they themselves just swore," Palamedes points out. "If that should happen...well, that will easily rob them of any divine favor they may have now. Best to wait and see if that's going to happen first.](else:)["If I understood the oaths correctly," Antilochos says, "I believe they will be in violation of the terms if they don't return Queen Helen, since Alexandros lost the duel. Surely they will be loath to anger the gods like that. I know *I* don't want to anger them by breaking our end of the agreement."]          "We must believe in the honor of King Priam," Nestor says, "while also ill trusting in the honor of his men. We should withdraw from the field, slowly and carefully, lest one of his men should decide to attack us while our guard is down."          ["The Trojans have no honor--the truce was never valid. Attack them before they can attack us!"(click: "The Trojans have no honor--the truce was never valid. Attack them before they can attack us!")[(set: $truce to 'Achaians')(goto: "BigBattle")]]          ["Let's wait to see what happens. But keep on guard in case they attack."(click: "Let's wait to see what happens. But keep on guard in case they attack.")[(set: $truce to 'Trojans')(goto: "BigBattle")]]          ["Prepare to withdraw--slowly! Don't let them think we're giving up."(click: "Prepare to withdraw--slowly! Don't let them think we're giving up.")[(set: $truce to 'retreat')(goto: "BigBattle")]]

         (if: $truce is 'Achaian')[You give the order and your men charge at the stunned Trojans, who insult your honor even as they give battle against you.](else:)[(if: $truce is 'Trojans')[You do not have to wait long before the enemy show their true colors.] An arrow flies out from the assembled enemy and strikes Menelaos' shoulder(if: $truce is 'retreat')[ before you can even finish giving the order to carefully withdraw]. He cries out more in anger than in pain, lambasting them for their treachery. His own men hurry to safeguard their king even as the rest of the Achaian forces charge forward into battle against the enemy.]          As you were not expecting a pitched battle, you did not come with your chariot (unlike most of your allies) and are at a disadvantage on foot. You must find a position joining someone else on his chariot, but whose? (if: $Achilles is 'alive')[         [[Go with Achilleus.->BigBattleAchilles]] ](if: $AiasS is 'alive')[         [[Go with Aias of Salamis.->BigBattleAias]] ](if: $Cycnos is 'ally')[         [[Go with Cycnos.->BigBattleCycnos]] ](if: $Diomedes is 'alive' or 'ticked' or 'pissed')[         [[Go with Diomedes.->BigBattleDiomedes]] ](if: $truce is 'Achaian')[         [[Accompany Menelaos in his hunt for Alexandros.->BigBattleCoward]]](else:)[         [[Accompany Menelaos back to camp and make sure he's safe.->BigBattleCoward]]]

         Since your chariot is not here, you approach Achilleus, and request permission to accompany him in his chariot. He frowns at you until Patroclos sets a hand on his shoulder and suggests that Automedon could drive another chariot, as many of the men did not bring their charioteers today, not expecting a battle.          Achilleus does not seem entirely placated by the suggestion, but glumly agrees to it, saying that you had best be better with a bow than you are with leading an army, since Patroclos will have to be guiding the horses without Automedon present.          You grit your teeth to force yourself to overlook the insult, even as you mount the chariot. You know this is best place to witness the battle and understand the true flow of the battle, since the Trojans to a man seem to think Achilleus is the center of the Achaian army, no matter how many of the other champions cut their people to ribbons.          As the chariot races forward, you do your best with the bow, but everything is moving so fast that it is hard to get good aim at the enemy. You always knew Achilles' horses were said to be the immortal spawn of the west wind and a harpy, but you hadn't realized just *how much* better than mortal horses they really were.          As you approach the hottest part of the battle, the horses begin to slow of their own accord, displaying what you can only consider a type of wariness of the morass ahead of you. In a cluster of fighting just ahead, you can see (if: $Hector is 'alive')[godlike Hector](else_if: $Deiphobos is 'alive')[the powerful Deiphobos](else:)[shining Sarpedon, son of Zeus himself], but it is not he who frightens the horses--and indeed, frightens you as well.          Looming beside him is another figure, releasing death and destruction. Though he seems at a glance any normal man, no more tall than any other, and no better armed, there is a shadow about him, a shadow that seems twice again as tall, and the flash of golden arms seems to glow within the shadow, and brilliantly sparkles in his movements, as if the bronze armor is merely a guise, an illusion to fool the unwary.          You do not consider yourself a man given to fear (though your reactions to a few of your own comrades in this war has sometimes made you question that belief). You have always thought of yourself as a man ready to face even death with honor and dignity. But the sight of this man who fights before you teaches you at once the truest core of fear.          You are sure this is no mortal man. In fact, given how many other gods are said to side with the Trojans in battle, you cannot doubt that he is Ares himself, the blood-drenched god of bitter, brutal war, baneful and belligerent, ready to kill every man he sees, if the mood takes him.          "What are you slowing down for?!" Achilleus demands.          "It's not me," Patroclos replies. "It's the horses."          "Well?!" Achilleus now seems to aim his angry demand at the *horses*, as if he expected them to be able to answer him!          The tawny one actually looks back at his master with a light in his eyes that seems uncannily human, then seems to indicate the god ahead with a jerk of his head.          "Is that all?" Achilleus sighs, then suddenly laughs. "Actually, that looks like a great fight! I've never fought a god before."          "Achilleus, please, don't do anything rash," Patroclos begs, even as Achilleus gets down out of the chariot, taking hold of his double-tipped spear.          "Don't worry. I can handle him." Where Achilleus gets that confidence from you will never understand. Being so sure against all mortal men is one thing, but against a *god*?          (if: $Diomedes is 'alive' or 'ticked' or 'pissed')[As Achilleus is approaching the monstrous foe ahead, another chariot begins charging towards him. "Hey!" Achilleus shouts to the chariot's inhabitant. "Keep back! He's mine!"          The chariot slows to a halt, allowing you to see Diomedes within. "Excuse me, but I believe I must have misheard you," he says, sounding very amused.          "I *said*, go find yourself someone else to fight, I've already claimed him," Achilleus says, slowly enunciating every syllable, and pointing at Ares with his spear. "There are plenty of other enemies around here for you to fight."          "I have been given special dispensation by the gray-eyed goddess herself, just this once, to fight that immortal god who is lording it over our men," Diomedes says, his face contorting into a snarl. "If *you* fight him, you will only anger the gods."          "I'm sure she only gave *you* permission because she didn't know I was going to get here in time," Achilleus replies lightly.          Diomedes gets down out of his chariot and aims his spear at Achilleus. "You arrogant pup!" he shouts. "What war have *you* ever fought to completion?" he demands. "What mighty city of Hellas has ever surrendered itself to your mercies? These puny Phrygian towns you have sacked are as nothing before the mighty walls of Thebes that I threw down to avenge my father's death!"          "Tell someone else, old man," Achilleus replies. "I'm not impressed. I'm younger than you, I'm faster than you, I'm stronger than you--I'm just all around *better* than you!"          With a cry of rage, Diomedes leaps to the attack against Achilleus.          "Here, what about me?"          Stunned to hear a voice at your side, you turn and find yourself face to face with immoral Ares, the baleful god of war. You can barely breathe in his presence, so shocked and awed are you.          "I'm sorry to say that you may have to wait," Patroclos replies from beside you, astonishingly composed in the presence of the god. "They seem determined to win the right to fight you."          "That's no fun," Ares says, scowling. "What's the point of fighting a mortal who's already tired out from fighting one of his own?"          Without another word, the god wanders off into the battlefield and disappears like so much mist.          You turn to look at Patroclos. "Did that...really just happen?" you ask.          He shrugs, then hops down off the chariot, and makes his way towards his boyfriend. "Achilleus, you can stop," he calls out, from just far enough away that he isn't struck in the furious conflict between the two Achaian champions. "The foe you wanted to fight got bored and left."          Both men stop and look around, then Achilleus frowns at Patroclos, an expression so exaggerated that it's almost a pout. "Why didn't you stop him?"          "How could *I* stop a *god* from doing as he pleases, Achilleus?" Patroclos asks with a weary tone in his voice.          "Well, if this old man thinks he could fight him, how could you not be able to?" Achilleus replies, gesturing towards Diomedes.          "I am not an old man!" Diomedes bellows.          "He's not even ten years my senior," Patroclos adds. "You can't call him old unless you're going to call *me* old as well. Besides, you're approaching forty yourself, Achilleus. You're much too old to be calling anyone else old."          Achilleus' cheeks flush at the reproach as if he was still the ephebe he pretends to be, and he does not argue back.          They both return to the chariot, but you step off it, saying that you'll find your own way back to camp, as you are now feeling somewhat uncomfortable in their presence. Fortunately, Diomedes is willing to let you join him in *his* chariot for the rest of the day's battle.](else:)[Upon reaching the god of war, Achilleus leaps into battle against him, fighting surprisingly evenly against his immortal foe.          Ares strikes a light blow against Achilles' face, then steps backwards, looking fearful. "Don't--Don't tell your mother I did that!" he shouts, before vanishing into nothingness.          Achilleus rants and raves for a long time about the cowardly exit, slicing up every Trojan he can get his hands on as an example of what he thinks he can do to Ares in a rematch.          Honestly, you find yourself fascinated by what happened, wondering just how terrifying Thetis is if the idea of having marred her son's face set the god of war himself into a panic.          "Have you ever met his mother?" you ask, looking at Patroclos, who is watching Achilleus' murderous fit with concern.          "I haven't," he admits. "She left his father's court long before I arrived in Phthia." A weak chuckle. "From all his father had to say, I gather she is quite terrifying when riled."          "Much like her son, then," you conclude.          "Yes."          Eventually, Achilleus calms down, largely because there are no more living enemies for him to slaughter. Then he returns to the chariot--now soaked in blood--as if nothing had happened.          You sorely wish you had chosen someone else's chariot to ride in for this battle.]          Eventually, you manage to make it back to the camp with your own skin intact. It seems the rest of the army made it back without too many casualties; at least no one of any note was killed.          [[You were lucky in today's battle (sort of), but you must find a way to be more clever moving forwards.->NightRaid]]

         You approach the chariot of Aias of Salamis, and ask if there is room within it for you to accompany him into the battle that has arisen so unexpectedly, since your own chariot is back at the camp.          For a moment, there is nothing but silence in answer. "Only if you hold the reins," he says, his voice as slow and steady as always.          "Gladly," you reply. There is no safer place to be on a battlefield than in the shelter of the strong shield of Telamon Aias.          You take up the position of charioteer, with Aias beside you on one side, and his half-brother Teukros on the other, his bow already at the ready. Once all are in readiness, you urge the horses forward and enter the fray.          Over the course of the lengthy battle, Aias claims the lives of countless foes with his spear, and Teukros also downs many with his arrows. They are truly a perfect pair, counterbalancing each other brilliantly, and so attuned to each other that they each seem to know the other's thoughts, and react without being prompted, Aias using his mighty shield to protect his brother from incoming arrows, and Teukros using his bow to finish off enemies who are left only half-dead by Aias' strikes. You have rarely seen such a display of skill and cooperation as theirs.          (if: $Hector is 'alive')[You encounter a cluster of foes, at the center of which is Hector himself, looking more divine than mortal, even more so than usual. The sight of him is somehow both frightening and saddening to you.          It almost looks as though Hector meets your gaze before he suddenly raises his arms and lets out a cry to gain the attention of everyone around him, friend and foe alike. "Listen to me," he calls out, his voice ringing like bronze being struck with a hammer. "Our armies have viciously waged war upon each other for nine years, and still there is no accord between us! Such slaughter was not meant to commence this day! The peace accords were shattered, but let us still find a better method. If we are all to die, let us die with dignity and honor. Let the champion of the Achaians step forward, and I shall duel him in single combat. The victor–whether it be myself or my foe–shall have the armor of the loser, but the loser's body will be returned to his people, so that he may be buried with dignity, and receive the tomb of a hero, as he deserves. For nine years I have fought to defend my people, and for nine years your champion has fought to recover that which the King of Lacedaemon claims is his own. No matter who is right or wrong, we have fought bravely, and ignominious death in the mud, trampled by the hooves of horses and crushed by the wheels of chariots is unsuited for heroes such as we all are, every one of us! That is why I ask for mortal combat with your champion, so that if I must die this day, I may die in the knowledge that my body will be returned to my loving wife and son, and the parents who will mourn me. I do not doubt that the same knowledge will comfort your champion, as well. What say you?"          (if: $Achilles is not 'dead')[You suspect he intends his challenge specifically for Achilleus, but (if: $Achilles is 'sulking')[you fear what will happen if the Trojans learn Achilleus has withdrawn (whether permanently or only temporarily) from the war](else:)[he does not seem to be within hearing of Hector's words.] ]You aren't sure what to do or say in response, nor who to ask to fight him.          You don't have to be: "I will fight you," Aias calls out, stepping down off the chariot and approaching Hector.          Hector smiles and nods. You imagine there must be fear deep within his heart at the sight of mighty Aias, but he must also feel relief at having so noble and fine an opponent. "Do you prefer to duel with spear or sword?" Hector asks as Aias draws closer.          "Both!" Aias replies, making his opponent laugh.          "Very well," Hector agrees. "Let us put enough distance between ourselves and our chariots that we will not harm the horses."          Aias nods, and both men, godlike in their stature and their might, walk several lengthy paces away from the chariots into an empty space created as the other men of both sides part before them like waters passing around a boulder. Once they are clear of all obstacles, the two men stand facing each other, at the distance of several chariots from each other.          They stand there, looking at each other warily, each waiting to see whether the other would strike first, and the wait is agonizing.          Then Hector lifts his spear, and hurls it towards Aias, who lifts his mighty shield to deflect the blow. As he does so, Teukros explains to you that Aias' tower shield is unlike others: in addition to being taller and wider than other shields, it has seven layers of ox hide, and an eighth of bronze. Your vantage point on the chariot is good enough that you can see that Hector's spear in striking the shield pierced many of the layers, but did not go all the way through.          Aias throws his own spear at Hector in return for the blow, and Hector, too, uses his shield to catch the blow. The spear pierces Hector's shield, and you can hear the noble Trojan prince grunt in pain. When he pulls the spear free, blood decorates its tip, but he does not falter, and immediately throws the spear back at Aias.          Aias is not yet finished pulling Hector's spear free of his shield when his own spear comes flying towards him, and it strikes him in the thigh, a glancing blow, but one that draws much blood none the less. With an angry cry, Aias finishes pulling free Hector's spear from his shield at last, and throws it back at Hector.          But Aias' throw was weakened by his anger, and it only glances off of Hector's shield. There is the ring of metal on metal, and the tip of the spear breaks off the haft, both pieces of the spear falling uselessly to the ground.          Hector grimaces, and draws his sword. Aias likewise draws his own sword: he is too proud to strike with his long spear against a foe armed only with a short sword.          The two foes approach each other, and their swords clash together with a cry from both men and metal, a cry that evokes all the most fearsome images of Ares in his bellicose rage.          Though Aias is half a head taller than Hector, and possesses inhuman speed for his massive size, he is hampered in both attack and speed by his enormous shield, and thus the two men fight on such equal terms with each other that they trade blow after blow for hours, without either man significantly wounding the other. A small nick here, a tiny scrape there, but mostly sword meets only with the clang of the shield, or the ring of the sword.          By the time the sun begins to dip below the far horizon, the two men are still fighting with as much strength and skill as they were when they began hours earlier. Not a man had stirred in all that time, neither Achaian nor Trojan, for all were equally mesmerized by this display of preternatural skill.          However, you realize that if they keep going any longer, it will be disastrous on all counts. You summon Talthybios, and send him to interrupt the fight. He arrives at the same time as another man, one of Priam's heralds from windy Ilios. Both men use their herald's staff to part the battling heroes.          "Night has fallen," the Trojan messenger says, "and it does not suit your honors to continue this battle under Selene's gentle gaze."          "Lord Creon would not see you tarnish your incomparable battle by thus continuing it past the setting of the sun," Talthybios adds, perhaps moved to greater eloquence by the words of his Trojan peer. (You just told him to have them stop before Aias got himself hurt because he couldn't see in the dark.) "Sheathe your sword, Aias, son of Telamon."          "It was the son of Priam who initiated this combat," Aias says. "Let him agree first to end it. Otherwise I will appear a coward who could not withstand the stated challenge."          Hector smiles, and sheathes his sword. "Aias, son of Telamon, you are as wise and proper in your ways as you are mighty and skilled in battle. I consider myself blessed to have crossed blades with you."          Aias, too, sheathes his sword, and looks at Hector. "Prince Hector of Troy is famed in all lands as the finest of men. With good reason. It has been my honor to fight against you."          "Then let us exchange gifts, and part as friends," Hector says, "even if our two armies can never do likewise."          Aias nods, and withdraws a purple girdle from beneath his corselet, an expensive-looking garment. As he does so, Hector removes his silver-studded sword and its belt from across his shoulder. They exchange these gifts, to a mighty roar of approval from both armies.          You are sure that the Trojans are just as happy to have their champion return safely to their city as you are to have Aias return safely to the camp.          As you make your way back to camp, you promise Aias--and everyone else who can hear you--that you will sacrifice a fine bull to Zeus to thank and praise him for the skill of his descendent, and the whole camp will feast with songs and merriment.] (if: $Achilles is 'sulking')[         On your return to the camp, you are glad to see that the wind had not shifted at any time during the long day on the battlefield, and the Myrmidons and their petty prince have not yet sailed away. Perhaps there is still time to convince Achilleus to rejoin the fight? ]         [[You were lucky in today's battle, but you must find a way to be more clever moving forwards.->NightRaid]]

         Since your chariot is not here, you approach the invulnerable Cycnos, and request permission to accompany him in his chariot. (How better to safeguard your own life?) He agrees with a laugh, and you are soon speeding across the battlefield at his side, watching somewhat aghast as he cleaves Trojans from their lives and very nearly takes down quite a few of your own men in the process.          Is he always so reckless?          You would upbraid him for putting your men at risk, but you haven't the nerve, knowing what he could (and likely would) do to you if you angered him.          As you approach the hottest part of the battle, the horses begin to slow of their own accord, and you could swear you see them trembling. In a cluster of fighting just ahead, you can see (if: $Hector is 'alive')[godlike Hector](else_if: $Deiphobos is 'alive')[the powerful Deiphobos](else:)[shining Sarpedon, son of Zeus himself], but it is not he who frightens the horses--and indeed, frightens you as well.          Looming beside him is another figure, releasing death and destruction. Though he seems at a glance any normal man, no more tall than any other, and no better armed, there is a shadow about him, a shadow that seems twice again as tall, and the flash of golden arms seems to glow within the shadow, and brilliantly sparkles in his movements, as if the bronze armor is merely a guise, an illusion to fool the unwary.          You do not consider yourself a man given to fear (though your reactions to a few of your own comrades in this war has sometimes made you question that belief). You have always thought of yourself as a man ready to face even death with honor and dignity. But the sight of this man who fights before you teaches you at once the truest core of fear.          You are sure this is no mortal man. In fact, given how many other gods are said to side with the Trojans in battle, you cannot doubt that he is Ares himself, the blood-drenched god of bitter, brutal war, baneful and belligerent, ready to kill every man he sees, if the mood takes him.          Cycnos looks at his charioteer in disgust. "What are you stopping for?" he demands. The charioteer can only point at the looming figure before them. "Of all the cowardly..." Cycnos growls, then hops down from the chariot and approaches the dominating figure ahead of you.          The terrifying man--if man he be--turns to face Cycnos, and laughs. "You would approach me without armor? Do you long for death so badly?"          "Now, now, you know you can't hurt me, cousin," Cycnos says, laughing. "*My* father made me invulnerable, which *yours* did not, immortal though you may be."          Ares (as he evidently truly is!) scowls at Cycnos, and takes a menacing step forward, all mortal disguise falling away from him like dew. "Do you understand what you are saying and who you are saying it to?" he demands, his roar making even his allies quail with fear.          "I'm just saying hello," Cycnos says, laughing as he draws even closer.          Then, much to your own astonishment, Cycnos strikes Ares in the head, not with a fist or a blade but with his own forehead. The blow makes Ares' helmet ring like a bell, and the god steps backwards, clutching his head.          "Sounds like your head's quite hollow," Cycnos laughs. "No wonder you're down here fighting mortals who can't hope to defend themselves against you."          "I'll kill you!" Ares roars, lunging towards Cycnos.          But Cycnos sidesteps the blow, and reaches out one leg to trip the mighty god of war, laughing as he does so. "How my uncle must be ashamed to have such a son!" he exclaims, shaking his head. (if: $Hector is 'dead' and $Deiphobos is 'dead')[Sarpedon half-hides a smirk, and quietly nods his assent.]          Ares rights himself and begins letting out a bloodcurdling roar, readying his weapons. Before he can unleash his rage, however, another man appears on the battlefield between them. This one appears to be a mere ephebe, handsome and beardless, dressed only in a light tunic, but wearing winged sandals and holding the kerkyon staff. "Stop *yelling*," the new arrival says, scowling at Ares. "You'll wake the dead--and I already have too much work to do leading them down to their final resting places."          "Out of my way!" Ares bellows.          "Nothing doing," Hermes replies, shaking his head. "Father sent me to inform you that if you persist in this appalling spectacle, he will take your immortality from you and turn you into one of these fragile creatures all around you." He waves his staff in the direction of both sides of the war. "Try to remember that a god should have *dignity*, Father says."          The god of war stands there breathing heavily in fury for several long, tense moments, then promptly vanishes in a cloud, snarling out a foul oath as he does so.          With a light shrug, Hermes turns to look at the humans standing about and staring at him. "As you were," he says, smiling. Then he runs right up into the sky on his winged sandals.          For a long time, no one moves.          "So, is the battle back on?" Cycnos asks, sounding hopeful.          "I think I'd rather return to the camp," you say, trying not to sound as weary as you feel.          "Yes, let's call this day's combat over," (if: $Hector is 'alive')[Hector](else_if: $Deiphobos is 'alive')[Deiphobos](else:)[Sarpedon] says, sounding almost as weary as you are.          Cycnos sighs miserably, but doesn't argue, and both sides of the battle split company without further violence, as the rumor quickly spreads that the fighting has been ended by an act of the gods. (You hope, for the sake of future generations, that the rumor claimed it was a less embarrassing act of the gods.) (if: $Achilles is 'sulking')[         On your return to the camp, you are glad to see that the wind had not shifted at any time during the long day on the battlefield, and the Myrmidons and their petty prince have not yet sailed away. Perhaps there is still time to convince Achilleus to rejoin the fight? ]         [[You were lucky in today's battle (sort of), but you must find a way to be more clever moving forwards.->NightRaid]]

         (if: $Diomedes is 'pissed')[You think you see a momentary reaction as you inform Diomedes that you will be joining him in his chariot, since you left yours at the camp, but it is so brief that you dismiss it as your imagination.          At first, the battle seems to be going well, until you suddenly feel yourself heaved out of the chariot into a horde of the enemy who quickly hack you to pieces.          Only as you're dying do you recall that you had earlier made Diomedes really, *astonishingly* angry at you, and that maybe you shouldn't have hopped into a chariot with him... =><= ***GAME OVER*** <= [[Try again?->Title Screen]]](else_if: $Diomedes is 'ticked')[Diomedes scowls when you ask him if you may join him in his chariot, but then he sighs and says "So long as you stay out of my way," before ordering Sthenelos to advance.](else:)[You ask Diomedes if you may join him in his chariot, since you left yours in the camp, and he gladly agrees before ordering Sthenelos to advance on the enemy.] (if: $Diomedes is not 'pissed')[         As the chariot speeds through the enemy ranks, an arrow comes whizzing out of nowhere and strikes Diomedes in the shoulder. It barely nicks the skin, but causes him to growl out an oath of vengeance against the coward who attacked him from afar, asking the aid of the gray-eyed goddess in vanquishing this craven foe. (Though, in all honesty, you doubt he needs her help.) (if: $Aineias is 'alive')[         Soon, you see a Trojan chariot approaching you. It is drawn by two of the finest horses you have ever seen--only the immortal horses (if: $Achilles is 'dead')[brought by](else:)[of] Achilleus could be called better--and two men ride in it. The one holding the reins is Aineias, the alleged son of Aphrodite, and the one standing with him you recognize to be Pandaros, one of Priam's allies from Zeleia. You have barely identified them when Pandaros throws his spear at Diomedes, who catches the weapon on his shield.          In truth, it was a very good throw: it went clean through both the hide and bronze layers of Diomedes' shield, and made a reverberating clang as the tip of the spear struck his corselet. Thankfully, the spear did not manage to penetrate the armor, though, and Diomedes is uninjured.          You hear a crow of laughter from the enemy. "Did you see that, Aineias?" Pandaros laughs. "That will be all for Diomedes--so much for the champion of the Argives! My arrow may have failed, as it did for Menelaos, but my spear has slain him!"          "*Who* did you say this spear had slain?!" Diomedes roars, ripping the spear free from his shield and throwing it back at Pandaros with all his might.          The spear flies true, and catches the astonished-looking foe right in the face, driving itself down through his teeth and tongue. The body falls off the back of the chariot, causing a look of hatred to appear on Aineias' face.          "I have an idea," Diomedes says to you and Sthenelos, his voice lowering so the enemy cannot hear him. "If I can get him off his chariot to fight on foot, one of you should take Aineias' chariot back to the camp. They say his horses are descended from the ones given to Tros by Zeus in payment for Ganymedes.(if: $Achilles is not 'dead')[ Why should Achilleus be the only one in the camp with such splendid horses?]"          "An excellent plan," you agree, "though I hope good Sthenelos is able to control such magnificent animals, as I fear I cannot."          "I will have no trouble with that," Sthenelos assures you, even as Diomedes hops down off the chariot and makes his way towards Pandaros' corpse, as if to rob it of its fine armor.          "You will not have him while I breathe!" Aineias exclaims, alighting from his own chariot to defend the body.          "I will be glad to loot two corpses instead of one," Diomedes assures him with a laugh even as he swings his spear towards Aineias.          The blow only rings off his shield, giving Aineias a look of smug pride. (if: $Achilles is 'sulking' and (history:) contains "DardaniaAchilles" or "LyrnessosAchilles")["I don't see the vicious Achilleus on the field today," Aineias says, even as he thrusts his spear towards Diomedes' corselet. "Is he off ransacking another helpless village even as the war was supposed to be brought to a close? Is that the honor of the Achaians?"          Diomedes deflects his blow with his own shield, but there is a hesitation before he answers that you suspect is his reluctance to admit that (if: $Briseis is 'Creon')[your pride](else:)[his own desire] has driven Achilleus off the battlefield. "You could not expect warlike Achilleus to attend such a meeting, where all his glory was meant to die like a still-born child," Diomedes replies.          Aineias laughs, even as he dodges the blow of Diomedes' spear. "I suppose not. It's a pity; I wanted to pay him back for my past humiliation at his hands."          "Then I will entertain him instead with a tale of your humiliation at my own hands!" Diomedes shouts, striking at him with spear and shield at once. You doubt whether Achilleus would be interested in any such tale, but it made for a nice line in combat, and is serving well to distract Aineias while Sthenelos is sneaking around behind the combatants to steal his horses.          Aineias leaps to the side, dodging both blows, and](else:)[In retaliation, he] strikes at Diomedes' thigh with his spear. The blow is quickly parried, but evidently Diomedes tires of the simple exchange of blows and words between them, because he is striding away from his opponent towards an enormous stone that lies nearby.          You cannot imagine what he would want with the stone: it's about the size of a yearling calf, and looks so heavy that it should take two men to lift it.          And yet, to your astonishment, Diomedes easily lifts it, and strikes at Aineias with it, hitting him in the hip. Even across the noisy battlefield, you can hear a bone in his hip shattering.          Aineias crumples to the ground, and Diomedes strides towards him, drawing his sword in preparation to finish off the prone foe.          Even as he swings his sword, however, a woman appears in between Diomedes and his prey, a woman so indescribably beautiful that your knees feel weak simply looking upon her. She spreads her arms to either side of her to shield Aineias from Diomedes' blow.          Your angle is not the best, but you believe he tried to check his swing before it could hit the woman, but he did not do so successfully: it strikes her in the palm of her hand, causing a brief, bright flash of blood that was not red like that of a moral woman.(set: $Aphrodite to 'pissed')          The woman lets out a shriek of unimaginable agony, and runs from the battlefield towards a chariot the likes of which you have never before seen, the color of silver and edged in gold, drawn by horses the dark color of blood itself, and wearing armor of purest gold. She mounts the chariot and speaks a word to the horses, which sets them off running, but they don't pull the chariot towards the city, or towards the river, but rather towards the sky itself.          You can have no doubts: the stories are true, and Aineias is indeed the son of Aphrodite, and the golden goddess herself appeared before you to protect her son's life.          You look back at the combatants, thinking to tell Diomedes to spare Aineias' life, lest the entire Achaian force suffers Aphrodite's wrath (imagine never being loved again!), only to discover that you do not need to give such an order: Aineias' body is now held cradled in the arms of a radiant youth wearing no armor, and carrying a silver bow over his shoulder. He sets off running with Aineias as if the grown man in full armor weighs no more than a child.          How many of the gods fight for Troy this day?          "Take those horses back to the camp, Sthenelos," Diomedes says, distracting you from your contemplation of Aineias' rescuer. "I won't have *that* prize stolen from me, at least!"          Sthenelos nods, and quickly takes control of Aineias' chariot, which is soon speeding away towards the camp. Diomedes returns to his own chariot, and you urge the horses back into a run.](else:)[         Soon, you see a Trojan chariot approaching you. You do not recognize the charioteer (who, from his inferior armor, is no one of consequence) but the other man you recognize to be Pandaros, one of Priam's allies from Zeleia. You have barely identified him when Pandaros throws his spear at Diomedes, who catches the weapon on his shield.          In truth, it was a very good throw: it went clean through both the hide and bronze layers of Diomedes' shield, and made a reverberating clang as the tip of the spear struck his corselet. Thankfully, the spear did not manage to penetrate the armor, though, and Diomedes is uninjured.          You hear a crow of laughter from the enemy. "Did you see that?" Pandaros laughs to his charioteer. "That will be all for Diomedes--so much for the champion of the Argives! My arrow may have failed, as it did for Menelaos, but my spear has slain him!"          "*Who* did you say this spear had slain?!" Diomedes roars, ripping the spear free from his shield and throwing it back at Pandaros with all his might.          The spear flies true, and catches the astonished-looking foe right in the face, driving itself down through his teeth and tongue. The body falls off the back of the chariot. The now-terrified charioteer does not stop to recover it, instead turning and fleeing as quickly as he can.          Diomedes' companion, Sthenelos, hops down off the chariot in which the three of you ride, handing the reins to you. "I'll take his armor back to camp for you," he says. "You should find a more worthy foe to dispatch."          Diomedes thanks him, and you set the chariot to speeding once more through the battle.]          As you approach the hottest part of the battle, the horses begin to slow of their own accord, and you could swear you see them trembling. In a cluster of fighting just ahead, you can see (if: $Hector is 'alive')[godlike Hector](else_if: $Deiphobos is 'alive')[the powerful Deiphobos](else:)[shining Sarpedon, son of Zeus himself], but it is not he who frightens the horses--and indeed, frightens you as well.          Looming beside him is another figure, releasing death and destruction. Though he seems at a glance any normal man, no more tall than any other, and no better armed, there is a shadow about him, a shadow that seems twice again as tall, and the flash of golden arms seems to glow within the shadow, and brilliantly sparkles in his movements, as if the bronze armor is merely a guise, an illusion to fool the unwary.          You do not consider yourself a man given to fear (though your reactions to a few of your own comrades in this war has sometimes made you question that belief). You have always thought of yourself as a man ready to face even death with honor and dignity. But the sight of this man who fights before you teaches you at once the truest core of fear.          You are sure this is no mortal man. In fact, given how many other gods you have already seen fighting for the Trojans this day, you cannot doubt that he is Ares himself, the blood-drenched god of bitter, brutal war, baneful and belligerent, ready to kill every man he sees, if the mood takes him.          It is not merely you and the horses who linger unmoving. Even Diomedes seems unready to face this divine foe.          Suddenly, the form of Sthenelos appears in the chariot beside him, though Sthenelos cannot be back from the camp yet. And the gray eyes of this being standing beside Diomedes are unlike the deep brown ones of Sthenelos son of Capaneus, who fought beside Diomedes at Thebes as one of the Epigoni.          No, this is not truly Sthenelos. Can this be...?          "You are not much like your father, are you, Diomedes?" the being with Sthenelos' form says, voice too light and melodious to belong to any mortal man. "You are a taller man than Tydeus, true, but unlike you *he* was a true man of war."          Diomedes laughs at the goading words from the goddess in the guise of his close companion. "Would you urge me to fight against one of the Olympian gods, then?" he asks, gesturing towards baleful Ares. "I will do as you ask of me, as I always have."          "What god?" is the laughing reply. "I see only foes ready to be defeated by your mighty spear, son of Tydeus."          "Very well, then!" Diomedes roars, setting his sights squarely on Ares. "Into battle!"          You are terrified at the very notion of going into battle against Ares, but you hope and pray that whatever grace Athene is giving to Diomedes in this will be extended to you at least far enough to protect you from the god's wrath.          When you get close enough, Ares' attention is drawn by your approach as you run towards the immortal. He bellows out a war cry, and heads towards you, spear already swinging.          Diomedes does not wait for his arrival: he lets his spear fly, and you are certain that grey-eyed Athene is guiding the spear's flight (though she seems to have departed from the back of the chariot, perhaps unwilling to let her half-brother see her aiding his enemies)          The spear arcs through the air, and sails towards raging Ares. It strikes him cleanly, piercing his armor and his belly both.          The god screams in pain and anger, and the battlefield falls silent but for the god's furious call.          None dare fight while the wounded god bellows, and some flee towards the thick walls of the Trojan citadel, while others turn their cowardly steps towards the ships on the distant beach.          Finally, Ares rips the spear from his body, drops it to the ground, and vanishes from sight. Every man who saw him depart seems to questions his eyes, and you wonder how many of them realize who he was.          Regardless of their recognition of the divine warlord, neither side seems to have the will to fight any longer, and soon both armies are withdrawing. (if: $Achilles is 'sulking')[         On your return to the camp, you are glad to see that the wind had not shifted at any time during the long day on the battlefield, and the Myrmidons and their petty prince have not yet sailed away. Perhaps there is still time to convince Achilleus to rejoin the fight? ]         [[You were lucky in today's battle, but you must find a way to be more clever moving forwards.->NightRaid]]]

(if: $truce is 'Achaian')[         You make your way through the seething chaos to where Menelaos is mounting his chariot, still demanding that Alexandros show himself. You ask to accompany him, since your chariot is back at the camp, and he agrees gladly to your request, handing you a spare bow and quiver, so that you may take down the Trojan horde in passing.          Unfortunately, you are not the only one equipped with a bow, and before long an arrow has struck Menelaos' shoulder. He is in agony, but awake and screaming hate at the cowardly archer who brought him low. Hastily, you order his charioteer to turn towards the camp, and the man does so with great skill.](else:)[         You run over to Menelaos' men, and find that they are helping their wounded king to his feet. You offer to help him get safely back to the camp, where the sons of Asclepios will be able to heal him. He is grateful for your help, and soon enough you have gotten him to the chariot, and his charioteer is speeding back towards the camp.]          Until you are well away from the battle that recedes behind the chariot, you keep on vigil with an arrow notched in your bow, ready to strike down any Trojans that plan to follow you; this war will have been for naught if Menelaos dies, and the enemy naturally knows this just as well as you do.          When you arrive back at the camp, you help Menelaos to the hut of Machaon, who carefully removes the arrow from Menelaos' shoulder(if: $Briseis is 'Machaon')[, aided by his lovely concubine, Briseis]. After inspecting the wound, Machaon applies a poultice and carefully bandages it.          "You should be fine in a day or two," he assures Menelaos. "The tip of the arrow was barely lodged in the flesh at all, barely enough of a wound to produce blood."          Thus reassured, you help Menelaos back to his own hut to rest, then mount your own chariot to return to the fray.          By the time you get there, it is all but over, and both sides are limping away from the battlefield, having accomplished surprisingly little in the fray.          Given the course of today's events, you know things are about to change in the war. [[You must find a way to be more clever moving forwards.->NightRaid]]

         The battles since the aborted duel between Menelaos and Alexandros have not gone well for your forces. (if: $Achilles is 'sulking')[You fear that means the gods have listened to Achilleus' prayer and are denying you victory for so long as Briseis is parted from him. (if: $Briseis is 'Creon')[And yet he refused the embassy you sent to him to negotiate her peaceful return!]] The Trojans have grown so bold that they make camps in the plains outside the walls, filling the land with fire between here and the city, as if to remind you at all times of your own failures.          Given the state of things, you cannot sleep, and as you pace the camp, you find that many of the other leaders are similarly awake. So you call a meeting of all the princes of the Achaians to see what they suggest you should do now, since to continue on as you are seems a guarantee of failure and death.          Unsurprisingly, it is wise, old Nestor who provides you a solution. "Some one or two of our strongest and nimblest men should take themselves quietly across the plains and hide in the shadows to see if they can overtake some Trojan straggler, or listen to the talk around their campfires," he says. "Surely there is at least one young warrior here who feels himself up to the challenge?"          Equally unsurprising, more than half the men volunteer their services.          You will have to think carefully about who to send...(set: $Rhesos to 'alive') (if: $Odysseus is 'alive' and $Diomedes is 'alive' or 'ticked' or 'pissed')[         [[Send Diomedes.->NightRaidDiomedes]] ](if: $Achilles is 'alive')[         [[Send Achilleus.->NightRaidAchilles]] ](if: $AiasS is 'alive')[         [[Send Aias of Salamis.->NightRaidAias]] ](if: $Idomeneus is 'alive')[         [[Send Idomeneus.->NightRaidIdomeneus]] ](if: $Cycnos is 'ally')[         [[Send Cycnos.->NightRaidCycnos]] ](if: exits is 0)[         [[Perhaps you should go yourself.->NightRaidCreon]]]

         (if: $Diomedes is 'ticked' or 'pissed')[You know Diomedes has been less than pleased with you lately, but you hope that trusting him with this mission which will cover him in glory if he succeeds will help to win him back over. ]"As this is a mission which will require quick and clever thinking as well as great martial skill, surely you are the only one I can trust with it, Diomedes, if you will accept such a risk."          "It will be my pleasure," he agrees with an almost blood-thirsty grin.          "You must not go alone, however. Take with you one other, whoever you think will be of the best help to you in fulfilling your goal."          Diomedes nods, and glances around at the assembled princes for a moment. "I can imagine none who will be so useful in this task but my dear friend Odysseus," he says, and everyone at the meeting agrees with his assessment, and after borrowing some equipment (Diomedes a shield and Odysseus a helmet, which actually once belonged his grandfather, the notorious thief (and son of Hermes) Autolycos) they set out on their mission to spy on the Trojans.          It is many hours later when they return. They set out on foot, but return on horseback in the early pre-dawn light, riding on two of the finest white steeds you have seen.          You approach them with surprise and delight as they dismount just inside the camp, their armor heavily stained with blood. "Surely there must be a great tale to tell in this marvel!" you exclaim. "Such fine horses! How did you obtain them?"          In short order, the two men explain that as they approached the Trojan camps, they came upon a Trojan spy who was trying to spy on *your* encampment. Though both Diomedes and Odysseus are fleet of foot, they still had difficulty catching the speedy Trojan spy, and were nearly back at the camp on the beach by the time they did so.          "He had good reason to run with such determination," Diomedes laughs, "as (if: $Hector is 'alive')[Hector](else:)[the Trojans] had promised him the immortal horses (if: $Achilles is not 'dead')[of](else:)[left behind by] Achilleus in repayment for his deeds tonight!" He grins proudly. "I saw to it that the only recompense he received was an invitation to reside in the house of Hades."          Odysseus, too, laughed, and continued relating the tale of their exploits, explaining that the spy had told them that the Trojan camps were all guarded, but that the Trojan allies were lax in their certainty that no Achaian would dare attack them.          As the spy also told them of the newly arrived Thracian forces of Rhesos, Diomedes and Odysseus decided to go to the Thracian camp and liberate the fine horses Rhesos had brought with him. They slaughtered more than a dozen of the Thracians in their sleep--including Rhesos himself--and took his fine horses as their prize.(set: $Rhesos to 'dead')          You agree that their prize was well earned, [[and express your hope that the loss of the Thracian king will teach the Trojans the humility and fear they have lately forgotten.->TrojanRaid]]

         "As this is a mission which will require speed and the greatest skill, surely you are the only one I can trust with it, Achilleus, if you will accept such a risk."          "I guess I can go," he responds with a lazy yawn, "though it sounds a bit boring. Wouldn't you rather I wiped a few of their camps off the face of the plain?"          You grimace, fighting not to answer that question. "You must not go alone, however. Take with you one other, whoever you think will be of the best help to you in fulfilling your goal."          Achilleus doesn't think about it *at all*. You're not surprised, of course (after all, the man is attached to his hips at all times of the day or night), but you had hoped he would just this once pick some other companion to fight at his side. Not that Patroclos is not a fine warrior--there are probably only a handful better, really--but it does not look good for a man of Achilleus' years to still be clinging to his lover as if he was still but an ephebe of 18 years...          If Achilleus notices your disappointment, he does not acknowledge it, and soon the pair have disappeared into the dark night outside the camp.          It is not that long before you become aware of the fires in the Trojan camps leaping higher. Realizing that Achilleus must have acted on that absurd notion and turned their spying mission into a pitched battle of two against an army, you rally the men and everyone races towards the Trojan camps in their fastest chariots. You yourself ride in Achilleus' own chariot in the hands of his alarmed charioteer Automedon.          It is only the central camp of the Trojans that blazes with light, but you are relieved to see that it is not on fire, rather that its entire population stands with torches in hand, watching uneasily as Achilleus fights a duel with (if: $Hector is 'alive')[Hector](else_if: $Aineias is 'alive')[Aineias](else:)[Sarpedon of Lycia]. Seeing your approach, the Trojans turn and prepare themselves for battle, but you hold up your hand to stop them.          "We came in search of our comrades, and alarmed by the light," you tell them. "We do not wish a battle in the blackness of night."          The Trojans don't relax much (it's hard for you to blame them for that!) but they make no further move to attack. Ordering the rest of your men to remain vigilant, you dismount from Achilleus' chariot and head towards the single combat, alarmed at the thought of what will follow if Achilleus' maddened expression is out of desire to avenge his lover.          But no, clearly not: Patroclos stands nearby, watching the combat with worried eyes. Still, he smiles at you when you approach. "I am sorry it has turned out thus," he says, "but we may need your support when the duel is ended, so I am glad to see you."          "What happened?" you ask, since this is very much the opposite of what you asked Achilleus to do!          Patroclos sighs sadly. "As we drew near this camp, we saw a man leaving it to spy on our own encampment. The spy attempted to escape us, but his speed was no match for Achilleus' fleetness of foot, and he was caught very quickly." Patroclos frowns. "I don't know if he spoke truly or if he was *trying* to agitate Achilleus further, and as he's dead now there can be no asking him, but the spy claimed his reward should his mission be successful was to be Achilleus' own chariot and immortal horses."          "By all the gods, what idiot would admit that to the man himself? Did he not know who he spoke to?"          "I certainly hope he did," Patroclos says with a nervous sort of laugh, "as he specifically said 'your horses' in describing the prize he had demanded in payment for his services."          "And so Achilleus killed him without waiting to learn anything else?" you surmise.          "Alas, yes, before I could stop him," Patroclos sighs. "I've spoken to him so many times about the speed of his temper, but it never seems to work any improvement upon him." He shakes his head. "After such an event, Achilleus was in too much of a fury to be discreet, and the killing had been so close to this camp that the enemy were alerted to our presence anyway, so...he decided to demand an apology and payment in flesh for the insult. I tried to talk him out of *that* as well, needless to say, but it is just as needless to say that I failed."          "Then this duel is to avenge...the assumption on the part of the enemy that they would be able to defeat us and take his horses...?"          "That's not how I would put it, but yes, essentially."          You do your best to bite back any comment that you should have known better than to send such a hot-headed youth as Achilleus on such a delicate mission as this one. (Honestly, you would have been better off sending Patroclos by himself! His skills are not as great, but at least he's not ruled by madness.)          The duel is continuing on far too long. You worry that if it continues to the death, there will be a pitched battle that will end with all of you burnt to death by all those torches the Trojans hold.          Steeling yourself for the worst, you approach the combatants, calling out "Please hold your blades!" as you do so.          Unsurprisingly, it is the enemy who stops first, with an expression of relief on his face, but Achilleus also stops soon enough, and turns to scowl at you. "What do *you* want? I'm not done here!"          "Achilleus, it is the middle of the night. This is not an appropriate time for a duel, and the men on both sides are exhausted. You may finish your fight the next time you encounter him on the battlefield."          "I'm still waiting for my apology," Achilleus growls, with a sidelong glance at the enemy.          "Achilleus, why should he apologize?" Patroclos says, walking up beside you. "Our own men have often enough made bargains among themselves as to how they want to divide up the treasures and maidens in Priam's halls. How can you expect that our enemies would not act in the same manner?"          "But..." Achilleus stops almost as soon as he starts. Evidently he recognizes that Patroclos' logic is sound. (Or he has come to understand that his own was broken to begin with.)          "There is no dishonor in returning to camp after such a mighty duel," Patroclos continues in a nurturing tone of voice like a parent instructing a tired child, "but there is great shame in refusing to obey the command of your leader." He gestures towards you to reinforce his point.          There is something decidedly sullen--even petulant--in the manner in which Achilleus agrees to return to the camp by the ships, but at least he does so, and you and your whole force are able to return safely without exchanging any blows with the Trojans.(set: $Rhesos to 'alive')(set: $TrojanGenerals to it + 1)          Despite what Patroclos said, you feel that Achilleus has heaped dishonor upon himself for his immature behavior this night, [[and you hope he will mend his ways when you next trust him with battle.->TrojanRaid]]

         "As this is a mission which will require one of our greatest warriors, surely you are the only one I can trust with it, Aias, if you will accept such a risk," you say, looking at the great-hearted son of Telamon.          "Of course."          "You must not go alone, however. Take with you one other, whoever you think will be of the best help to you in fulfilling your goal."          Aias nods, but does not need to think before selecting his half-brother Teukros. They prepare themselves briefly, then set out on their mission to spy on the Trojans.          It is many hours later when they return. They set out on foot, but return on horseback in the early pre-dawn light, riding on two of the finest white steeds you have seen.          You approach them with surprise and delight as they dismount just inside the camp, their armor heavily stained with blood. "Surely there must be a great tale to tell in this marvel!" you exclaim. "Such fine horses! How did you obtain them?"          In short order, the two men explain that as they approached the Trojan camps, they came upon a Trojan spy who was trying to spy on *your* encampment. The spy was so fleet of foot in running from them that Teukros had to fire off an arrow at him, striking him in the leg and stopping him from running further. Finally stopped, the spy had told them that the Trojan camps were all guarded, but that the Trojan allies were lax in their certainty that no Achaian would dare attack them, and even more lax since it was not their own families who would die if they lost the war.          As the spy also told them of the newly arrived Thracian forces of Rhesos, Aias and Teukros decided to go to the Thracian camp and liberate the fine horses Rhesos had brought with him. They slaughtered more than a dozen of the Thracians in their sleep--including Rhesos himself--and took his fine horses as their prize.(set: $Rhesos to 'dead')          You agree that their prize was well earned, [[and express your hope that the loss of the Thracian king will teach the Trojans the humility and fear they have lately forgotten.->TrojanRaid]]

         "As this is a mission which will require a true leader's strength of mind as well as great martial skill, surely you are the only one I can trust with it, Idomeneus, if you will accept such a risk."          "Naturally, I am honored to be trusted with such a vital role," he replies.          "You must not go alone, however. Take with you one other, whoever you think will be of the best help to you in fulfilling your goal."          The Cretan king does not contemplate long before selecting his nephew Meriones to accompany him. They prepare themselves, then set out on their mission to spy on the Trojans.          It is many hours later when they return. They set out on foot, but return on horseback in the early pre-dawn light, riding on two of the finest white steeds you have seen.          You approach them with surprise and delight as they dismount just inside the camp, their armor heavily stained with blood and their own wounds plainly visible upon them. "Have you come across some powerful foe on your expedition?" you ask them. "How came you to these grievous injuries? And these marvelous horses?"(set: $Idomeneus to 'wounded1')(set: $Meriones to 'wounded1')          In short order, the two men explain that as they approached the Trojan camps, they came upon a Trojan spy who was trying to spy on *your* encampment. The spy was so fleet of foot in running from them that Meriones had to fire off an arrow at him, striking him in the leg and stopping him from running further. Finally stopped, the spy had told them that the Trojan camps were all guarded, but that the Trojan allies were lax in their certainty that no Achaian would dare attack them, and even more lax since it was not their own families who would die if they lost the war.          As the spy also told them of the newly arrived Thracian forces of Rhesos, Idomeneus and Meriones decided to go to the Thracian camp and liberate the fine horses Rhesos had brought with him. They reached the camp and the horses without difficulty, having slaughtered nearly a dozen sleeping Thracians in the process--but Rhesos himself awoke before they could kill him, and it was a terrible battle to kill him and steal his horses from his wakening men.(set: $Rhesos to 'dead')          You praise their valor as you accompany them to the healers, [[and express your hope that the loss of the Thracian king will teach the Trojans the humility and fear they have lately forgotten.->TrojanRaid]]

         "As this is a mission which will require one of our greatest warriors, surely you are the only one I can trust with it, Cycnos, if you will accept such a risk," you say.          "Why not?" he chuckles. "I've nothing better to do tonight."          "You must not go alone, however. Take with you one other, whoever you think will be of the best help to you in fulfilling your goal."          But Cycnos shakes his head. "I'll work better alone."          "Really, you ought to have help in case--"          "In case what?" Cycnos retorts, a dangerous edge to his voice. "You think some ordinary mortal can put *my* life at risk?"          You have heard several of the greatest warriors in your camp lay out many plans of how best to kill Cycnos in case he decides to return to being your enemy, and all of those plans sounded like they would be entirely effective, but this does not seem to be a good moment to mention that. "I see your point," you say instead.          "Good." Cycnos doesn't even bother with equipment (why would he when his skin is impenetrable?), and simply walks right out of the camp.          It is nearly dawn when he finally returns, riding in a magnificent chariot adorned with gold and silver,(if: (history:) contains "BigBattleDiomedes")[ so very like the one you saw Aphrodite use to flee the battlefield that it gives you chills,] pulled by two beautiful, snow-white horses. Behind his chariot are running dozens more horses, all quite fine, if less so than the ones yoked to the chariot.          "By all the gods, that is a stunning turn!" you exclaim as Cycnos alights from the chariot. "What in the world happened? Where did these horses and that chariot come from?"          Laughing, Cycnos explains that as he approached the Trojan camp to spy, he saw a man leaving it, headed towards your own camp. Cycnos caught the other man and learned that he was a spy, sent to determine the weaknesses of our camp. (if: $Achilles is 'sulking')[Surely that would have been disastrous for the war, if the Trojans should learn that Achilleus was threatening to sail back to Phthia and abandon the Achaians to ignominious defeat!] He also learned from the spy that while the Trojan camps were well guarded, their allies were lax and unguarded, particularly the camp of the newly arrived Thracian king, Rhesos, who had brought with him the finest of mortal horses, and a chariot more fit for the gods than for men.          With that knowledge in hand, Cycnos decided to take the chariot and horses for himself, and headed to the Thracian camp, letting the Trojan spy show him the way so he would get there as quickly as possible. Of course, that meant he wasn't able to kill the spy before he could wake the Thracians, so Cycnos had to fight them all awake instead of simply slaughtering some of them in their sleep. "That," he explains, "is why it took me so long. If that coward hadn't called out before I could crush his skull, I'd have only had to kill the ones between me and the chariot instead of all of them." He shrugs. "But this way works out better, don't you think? Now I get *all* their horses instead of just those two!"(set: $Rhesos to 'dead')          You agree that the prize was well earned (though you rather wish he would at least share the normal horses with the rest of the army), [[and express your hope that the loss of the Thracians will teach the Trojans the humility and fear they have lately forgotten.->TrojanRaid]]

         You frown at the assembled princes of the Achaians, realizing that none of your best choices are present here, being dead, wounded or otherwise unavailable to you. So you let out a sad sigh. "I will go myself on this mission, as only then will I have all the facts before me to plan our strategy moving forward." You hope that sounds like a reasonable excuse that will not have them realizing that you're going because you don't feel like any of them can handle it. "However, I will require some assistance," you go on. Another look at each man in turn has you decide that Nestor's son is probably the best choice to accompany you: skilled and youthful, but also mild in temperament and willing to accept instruction without question. "Antilochos, will you join me in this endeavor?"          "It's an honor to be deemed worthy of it," he replies. "I hope I will be able to live up to your faith in me."          You both prepare yourselves with leather armor and helms--so as not to make noise and alert the enemy with clanging bronze--and take only a sword as a weapon to defend yourselves should you encounter any waking foes.          As you approach the Trojan camp, you see another man slipping out of it. He might be headed to some battlefield still littered with the dead in order to strip them of their armor, or he might have more sinister aims. Either way, he must know about the state of things among the Trojans, so you indicate silently to Antilochos that the two of you must capture this man.          As you follow him, he evidently becomes aware of you behind him, and takes off running towards your camp. You quickly fall behind, but Antilochos seems to be keeping up with him, though unable to get any closer.          By the time you hear a cry of triumph from (now rather distant) Antilochos ahead of you, you are within sight of your own camp, and by the time you reach Antilochos, sitting on the prone enemy, several guards have come out from the camp to see what the ruckus is.          You all drag the enemy inside the camp and question him until he breaks down and admits everything. His name is Dolon, and for the price of the immortal horses (if: $Achilles is not 'dead')[of](else:)[left behind by] Achilleus, he was to learn all there was to know about your forces, in order to facilitate your speedy and permanent defeat.          Now that he is a captive, Dolon tries to plead for his life, promising a great ransom from his wealthy father, should he be spared. When Phoinix informs him that there will be no hope of ransom if he does not tell us everything we need to know, Dolon becomes quite loquacious, telling you everything you want to know about the Trojan plans and their camps.          The Trojans themselves guard their camps with a jealous devotion, knowing that their own families will suffer and die if the city should fall, but their allies are lax and do not bother to guard, since their own families are safely back in their homelands.          Of particular note, Dolon tells you, are the newly arrived Thracian forces accompanying their king, Rhesos, who possesses the finest of mortal horses, a pair of white steeds which pull a chariot decorated with gold and silver, sparkling as though it was made for one of the gods.          You decide that it would be wise to go to the camp of the Thracians and demolish them in their sleep, liberating the fine horses and chariot for yourself, but by this time the sun is already coming up, and the enemy would be awake by the time you could be upon them.(set: $Rhesos to 'alive')(set: $TrojanGenerals to it + 1)          [[You hope nothing will change today, so that you will be able to raid the Thracian camp tomorrow night.->TrojanRaid]]

         Despite (or perhaps because of) last night's events, you awaken in the morning to the sound of the sentries raising the alarm: the full force of the Trojans and their allies is marching towards the camp, and by the time you are able to get your own forces mobilized to fight them, there is barely room in between the ditch around your wall and the enemy in which to fight.(set: $Ialmenos to 'alive')          For them to have gotten so close so early in the day, they must have started marching as soon as last night's chaos came to an end! (if: $Achilles is 'sulking')[Is this how desperate the gods are to obey the whim of Achilleus and punish the Achaian forces for the loss of his concubine? Or does this indicate that the Trojans are aware that Achilleus will not fight, and they intend to press the advantage that gives them?]          Your men are trying to stream across the few bridges across the ditch, but they fall like deer beneath the arrows of the enemy. "Come back inside the wall!" you shout at the few men who still stand on the bridge. "Once the men are off them, push the bridges down into the ditch and burn them!" you shout. Anything to keep the Trojans on the other side of the ditch and away from the wall that is all that protects the ships of the fleet from the bloodlust of the enemy that you had been able to keep at bay for nine long years before the gods turned against you in this vile manner. (if: $Achilles is not 'sulking')[You cannot even see any *reason* the gods should have thus turned on you! (if: (history:) contains "ReturnChryseis")[Yes, there was that incident with the priest's daughter, but you set it right again, so they should not still want to punish you for it!] Will you and your men die at a cruel whim of unoffended gods?]          A cry of alarm sounds from one of the further bridges. The men were not able to push the bridge into the ditch in time, and Trojans swarm across it. Nearer still, you can see Trojans, led by (if: $Hector is 'alive')[godlike Hector,](else:)[Sarpedon, son of Zeus,] leaping across the ditch on foot, scrambling up the short bank and fighting their way past the sentries into the camp.          You hasten back to your hut for your armor and weapons. By the time you are armed and ready to fight, you can already see the smoke as the huts nearer to the wall burn.          Surely it cannot be that you have lasted this long in this war only to fail so horribly now to the death of all these great heroes of Hellas!          Some great warrior must stir up the men out of the panic that grips them and lead them into victory, driving the Trojans away before they can burn the ships and leave your army with no way to flee from their wrath. (if: $Achilles is 'alive')[         [[Achilleus will be able to whip them into a righteous frenzy! No one is better loved by the troops than he.->TrojanRaidAchilles]] ](if: $AiasS is 'alive')[         [[Aias of Salamis is often called the bulwark of the Achaians. Now is the time for him to prove he deserves the title by saving us all!->TrojanRaidAias]] ](if: $Odysseus is 'alive')[         [[No one man better encompasses the twin virtues of the goddess of war than her favorite mortal, Odysseus. He will surely be able to stir up the men to victory!->TrojanRaidOdysseus]] ](if: $Diomedes is 'alive' or 'ticked')[         [[Diomedes is one of our greatest warriors, and a favorite of Athene herself. If he could encourage his lesser forces to victory over Thebes, how can he fail to encourage this great force to victory now?->TrojanRaidDiomedes]] ](if: $Cycnos is 'ally')[         [[Cycnos is an invulnerable demi-god! Who better to remind our troops that the gods are on our side (even if they don't really seem to be just at the moment)?->TrojanRaidCycnos]] ](if: $Idomeneus is 'alive')[         [[Despite his years, Idomeneus is one of the greatest leaders of men the world has seen. He will be able to take charge of this situation.->TrojanRaidIdomeneus]] ](if: $Achilles is 'sulking')[         [[Wise old Nestor will be able to convince Achilleus to return to battle and drive off the Phrygian foe!->TrojanRaidNestor]] ](if: $Achilles is 'sulking')[         [[Who better than his own lover to coax Achilleus to return to the fight? Patroclos will talk him into rejoining the fight.->TrojanRaidPatroclos]] ](if: $Achilles is 'sulking')[         [[Phoinix was Achilleus' tutor for many years and taught him much about battle. He must know how to get the prince to stop sulking and fight off this Trojan rabble!->TrojanRaidPhoinix]] ](if: $Achilles is 'dead')[         [[We need a miracle now! If only Achilleus weren't dead! The men would follow him with hearts filled with rancor for these low enemies. Even his shade risen from the house of Hades would suffice...->TrojanRaidDeadAchilles]]]

         You set out across the seething battlefield, seeking out Achilleus. You find him near his own hut and those of his Myrmidons, fighting against the swarming hordes, who seem especially fixated on him, perhaps because they want to gain his fine armor. (It would make quite a prize: according to rumor, it was a wedding gift for his father, made by Hephaistos himself.)          As soon as he sees you, Achilleus hastily kills his current opponent and turns in your direction so quickly that it frightens you. "What's going on here?" he demands. "How did the enemy get inside the camp?!"          "Well, that was...I don't really...ah...it...just....*happened*...?"          Achilleus lets out an oath so foul that it seems to corrupt the very air around him, and if you weren't at the present moment quite terrified of him, you would upbraid him for using such a pretty face to say such vile, ugly things.          "Really, Achilleus, what *would* the king say if he heard you speaking like that?" Patroclos asks in a warm, almost laughing tone, even though he is currently pulling his spear back out of an enemy's throat.          "What my father doesn't know won't hurt him," Achilleus says, shaking his head. "What are you planning on *doing* about these guys?" he asks, looking back at you and gesturing towards the foe with his forked spear, skewering one in the process.          "I had hoped you would be able to rally the men to victory," you admit. "They are in a panic right now, but with you urging them on..."          "Why are you asking *me* to do *your* work, you lazy old coward?!"          "Achilleus, please! It's his job to make sure each task is handled by the right man," Patroclos tells him. "And since *he* certainly isn't the right man for this task, he comes to you for it."          You know he's trying to help, but you feel just as insulted by Patroclos' words as you were by Achilleus'. Possibly more so, in fact.          "Fine, I'll do it," Achilleus grumbles. "Let's go."          They head off into the camp, leaving you behind with the Myrmidons to mop up the rest of the enemies who were gathered in front of Achilleus' hut.          It is not too much longer before you see Trojans fleeing away from the beach, and running straight back out of the camp. Your men are soon chasing after them, pursuing them into the field.          You find yourself faced with the choice of accompanying them or remaining in the camp to restore order and search out any enemies who hoped to linger unseen and wreak havoc upon the unguarded camp.          You opt for the latter, and soon have gathered around you the others too old or wounded to join the battle outside. "All those who can should see to putting out any fires the Trojans lit, and make sure the bridges over the ditch are repaired or replaced; our returning army will need to be able to get back over it at the end of the day!"          You, too, get to work on restoring order to the camp. Fortunately, the smoke you saw earlier came from one hut only--probably lit aflame by accident, as who would be fool enough to burn a camp they intend to enter?--and it is already extinguished by the time you reach it.          The bridges are repaired by the time the army returns from the field. Much to your surprise, Achilleus returns battered, torn and stark naked.(if: $Hector is 'alive')[(set: $oldarmor to 'Hector')](else_if: $Aineias is 'alive')[(set: $oldarmor to 'Aineias')](else_if: $Deiphobos is 'alive')[(set: $oldarmor to 'Deiphobos')](else:)[(set: $oldarmor to 'temple')]          "What...?" is all you can say in your astonishment.          "It *should* all be over now," Achilleus grumbles, rubbing at a massive bruise on one arm. "It *would* have been all over if..." He grits his teeth and doesn't say another word, stalking off towards his hut.          "What happened?" you ask, looking at Patroclos in confusion as he, too, alights from the chariot.          "We reached the Scaian Gates before the Trojans could get them closed, and Achilleus tried to charge through them," Patroclos answered with a sigh. "The horses were stopped as if by a wall rising up out of the ground--though we saw nothing--and a voice spoke out of the air, telling us that the city would not fall today." He shakes his head. "Of course, Achilleus cannot accept such a command when easy victory lies within his sight, so he dismounted and tried to enter the city on foot."          "Alone?"          "I was right behind him," Patroclos assures you, "and our allies not far behind. But whatever god had spoken to us thus was not willing to budge from his commandment. Achilleus stumbled as if struck, his armor simply fell away from him, and the spear in his hand shattered. I did all I could to protect him as the Trojans set upon him in his exposed state, but there was nothing we could do other than retreat, even as the Trojans stole away his armor."          "There is no shortage of armor in this camp, at least," you say, with a sigh, "even if none of it can compare to the armor he's lost." Patroclos does not look even the least bit comforted by that news, so you continue. "Once the sons of Asclepios have had a look at his wounds, bring Achilleus out to the feast. He has turned this day from utter ruination to near total victory. He should be celebrated for it."          "I doubt he will be in any mood for a feast, but I'll do what I can," Patroclos promises, before following his prince towards their hut.          [[There will still be much to do when the sun rises, but for tonight you will all feast to your survival and drink in fond memory of the men you lost.->AftermathOfTheBattle]]

         You set out across the seething battlefield, seeking out Aias of Salamis, the stalwart son of Telamon. You make your way through the Trojan horde, slaying as many as you can (not nearly as many as it would have been nine years ago), headed towards the knot where the fighting is thickest, in front of the beaked ships. Surely it is there you will find Aias!          And indeed it is: there is a line of shields and men before the central ship, that of (if: $Protesilaos is 'dead')[doomed ]Protesilaos, and at the center of that line of shields is the towering shield of mighty Aias. Also behind the shield of Aias you could see his half-brother Teukros, who fired his bow safely from the shelter of his brother's shield.          You join the battle, striking at the foe with your spear, trying to reach Aias to give him the command to stir up not just these men around him, but all our troops. Even as you do so, one of the Trojans strikes the shield of Aias with such strength that the shield shakes in its master's hands. "Hold this," Aias says to one of his companions, releasing the shield. Then he turns behind him, and for a moment he vanishes from sight behind his own massive, rectangular shield as it rests on the ground in front of him.          When he appears again, you see that he is holding in his hands a massive stone, long and narrow, with a hole carved through the top; it is the anchor weight of Protesilaos' ship, which a normal man could only lift with the aid of two others. Aias hurls it at the enemy, and the man whose blow had been so powerful falls to the ground with a crushed skull, his blood and brains splattering the sand beneath his feet. Then Aias Telamoniades takes up his shield again, and you take advantage of the temporary terror of the Trojans to get close enough to speak to him.          "Aias, you must rally the men to victory over these overwhelming foes!" you shout. "They all love you and recognize your strength and ability. If you call them to fight harder, they will do so!"          Aias hesitates, but his brother smiles and urges him on. Trusting you with his position in the defensive line, Aias takes his mighty shield with him and sets off to rally the troops.          You have a hard fight against the Trojans who still try to get past you to burn the ships, but after a little while their numbers thin, and they finally disperse.          You hardly dare lower your shield, despite the lack of opponents, until Talthybios arrives with a relieved smile on his face.          "The Trojans have retreated from the camp," he tells you, "and Aias leads the men in pursuing them back towards their own walls."          Greatly relieved, you finally put down your shield, and turn to the other men. "All those who can should join the pursuit," you say. "The rest of you see to putting out any fires the Trojans lit, and make sure the bridges over the ditch are repaired or replaced; our returning army will need to be able to get back over it at the end of the day!"          You, too, get to work on restoring order to the camp, even as many of the men who had been fighting beside you rush to join the battle in the field. Fortunately, the smoke you saw earlier came from one hut only--probably lit aflame by accident, as who would be fool enough to burn a camp they intend to enter?--and it is already extinguished by the time you reach it.          The bridges are repaired by the time the army returns from the field. Many are wounded or missing (thankfully, (if: $Deiphobos is 'dead' or $Aineias is not 'alive')[none of note are dead](else:)[only Ascalaphos, favorite son of Ares, was lost among the men of note(set: $Ascalaphos to 'dead')], though many of the great generals have light wounds), but Aias looks depressed.          "Did something amiss happen?" you ask him. "You should look more cheerful--you have saved us all!"          "I heard the voice of Apollo himself," he explains. "Telling me he would not allow me to take the city on this day."          You set a comforting hand on his shoulder. "The fact that your onslaught even concerned the city's guardian god should be a comfort to you and a great honor on your name, not something to leave you disconsolate," you assure him. "Come, let us prepare a great feast in honor of Aias and his might!" you exclaim, rallying the other men around you to let out a joyful cry.          [[There will still be much to do when the sun rises, but for tonight you will all feast to your survival and drink in fond memory of the men you lost.->AftermathOfTheBattle]](set: $oldarmor to 'only')

         You set out across the seething battlefield, seeking out Odysseus. You find that he is already at one of the gates through the wall, attempting to block any more Trojans from entering. When the Trojans reach him before he can finish what he is attempting, you hurry to assist him in fighting them off, then explain that you were hoping he could stir up the rest of the Achaian troops to stand and fight rather than allow themselves to degrade into panic on seeing the enemy swarming through the camp.          "I should think that was *your* job," he comments, "but I will do as you ask."          You sting at the rebuke, but allow it to pass without remark. (He's not wrong, after all, though you hate to admit it.)          As Odysseus departs to do your bidding, you continue to fight at the gate, attempting to slow the entry of the enemy, but it feels futile, and you soon have to flee inwards or risk losing your life.          However, it is not too much longer before you see Trojans fleeing away from the beach, and running straight back out of the camp. Your men are soon chasing after them, pursuing them into the field.          You find yourself faced with the choice of accompanying them or remaining in the camp to restore order and search out any enemies who hoped to linger unseen and wreak havoc upon the unguarded camp.          You opt for the latter, and soon have gathered around you the others too old or wounded to join the battle outside. "All those who can should see to putting out any fires the Trojans lit, and make sure the bridges over the ditch are repaired or replaced; our returning army will need to be able to get back over it at the end of the day!"          You, too, get to work on restoring order to the camp. Fortunately, the smoke you saw earlier came from one hut only--probably lit aflame by accident, as who would be fool enough to burn a camp they intend to enter?--and it is already extinguished by the time you reach it.          The bridges are repaired by the time the army returns from the field. Many are wounded or missing (thankfully, (if: $Deiphobos is 'dead' or $Aineias is not 'alive')[none of note are dead](else:)[only Ascalaphos, favorite son of Ares, was lost among the men of note(set: $Ascalaphos to 'dead')], though many of the great generals have light wounds), but Odysseus does not seem entirely pleased.          "Did something amiss happen?" you ask him. "You should look more cheerful--you have saved us all!"          "I had thought I saw an opening to end the war today," he explains, "but Athene herself warned me away, forbidding me to make any further attempt."          You set a comforting hand on his shoulder. "That doesn't sound like a reason to be unhappy to me! How many men can say that they have ever conversed with a goddess?"          Odysseus chuckles. "You might be surprised if you truly knew the answer to that." He shakes his head. "I am more disappointed that she felt I could not be trusted to understand my own limitations than anything else."          "You should instead count yourself fortunate to merit her protection," you assure him. "Come, let us prepare a great feast in honor of Odysseus and the victory he has led us to!" you exclaim, rallying the other men around you to let out a joyful cry.          [[There will still be much to do when the sun rises, but for tonight you will all feast to your survival and drink in fond memory of the men you lost.->AftermathOfTheBattle]](set: $oldarmor to 'only')

         You set out across the seething battlefield, seeking out Diomedes. You find him in the thick of the fight, about the midpoint of the camp, trying to impede the Trojans from gaining the beach and lighting the curved ships on fire. As you join him in the fight, you take what moments you can to explain to Diomedes that you were hoping he could stir up the rest of the Achaian troops to stand and fight rather than allow themselves to degrade into panic on seeing the enemy swarming through the camp.          (if: $Diomedes is 'ticked')[He scowls at you for a moment before answering. ]"You won't be sorry to have trusted me with this," he assures you, before returning his attention to the foes at hand.          As soon as Diomedes has cut down enough of this knot of enemies that you can handle the rest, he charges off to urge on the men.          It is not too much longer before you see Trojans fleeing away from the beach, and running straight back out of the camp. Your men are soon chasing after them, pursuing them into the field.          You find yourself faced with the choice of accompanying them or remaining in the camp to restore order and search out any enemies who hoped to linger unseen and wreak havoc upon the unguarded camp.          You opt for the latter, and soon have gathered around you the others too old or wounded to join the battle outside. "All those who can should see to putting out any fires the Trojans lit, and make sure the bridges over the ditch are repaired or replaced; our returning army will need to be able to get back over it at the end of the day!"          You, too, get to work on restoring order to the camp. Fortunately, the smoke you saw earlier came from one hut only--probably lit aflame by accident, as who would be fool enough to burn a camp they intend to enter?--and it is already extinguished by the time you reach it.          The bridges are repaired by the time the army returns from the field. Many are wounded or missing (thankfully, (if: $Deiphobos is 'dead' or $Aineias is not 'alive')[none of note are dead](else:)[only Ascalaphos, favorite son of Ares, was lost among the men of note(set: $Ascalaphos to 'dead')], though many of the great generals have light wounds), but Diomedes does not seem entirely pleased.          "Did something amiss happen?" you ask him. "You should look more cheerful--you have saved us all!"          "I had thought I saw an opening to end the war today," he explains, "but Athene herself warned me away, forbidding me to make any further attempt."          You set a comforting hand on his shoulder. "That doesn't sound like a reason to be unhappy to me! How many men can say that they have ever conversed with a goddess?"          Diomedes laughs sadly. "My father did," he says. "And I fear I will never live up to him in her estimation."          This sounds to you as if he is coming dangerously close to talking about Athene as any other man might about his wife. "You should instead count yourself fortunate to merit her protection," you say, in the hopes of changing the subject. "Come, let us prepare a great feast in honor of Odysseus and the victory he has led us to!" you exclaim, rallying the other men around you to let out a joyful cry.          [[There will still be much to do when the sun rises, but for tonight you will all feast to your survival and drink in fond memory of the men you lost.->AftermathOfTheBattle]](set: $oldarmor to 'only')

         You set out across the seething battlefield, seeking out Cycnos. You find him in the midst of the turmoil before the boats, laying about him on both sides with a spear held in each hand. The Trojans seem to have given up on burning the boats, and are now throwing their torches at Cycnos, as if they hope to burn *him* instead.          It does them no good, of course. His skin is evidently fireproof as well as impervious to all forms of penetrative harm.          Soon enough, the few surviving enemies have run off, seeking less indestructible foes, leaving Cycnos laughing at them for their frail cowardice.          "I suspect you could take the city all by yourself," you comment as you approach him.          "Probably, but why would I want to?"          To put an end to this war so everyone could go home and stop dying? You don't have the nerve to say so, however. "Could you go around the camp and remind our men that you are here and on our side--that they need never fear so long as you are our ally? Having the enemy in our camp has demoralized them and made them forget."          "Not much of a challenge, but I suppose it can't hurt," Cycnos replies, shrugging as he walks off.          You slowly follow in his wake, never quite catching up, and by the time you reach the wall around the camp, the battle has returned to the field as the Trojans have receded before the son of Poseidon like a wave of his father's ocean.          You find yourself faced with the choice of accompanying them or remaining in the camp to restore order and search out any enemies who hoped to linger unseen and wreak havoc upon the unguarded camp.          You opt for the latter, and soon have gathered around you the others too old or wounded to join the battle outside. "All those who can should see to putting out any fires the Trojans lit, and make sure the bridges over the ditch are repaired or replaced; our returning army will need to be able to get back over it at the end of the day!"          You, too, get to work on restoring order to the camp. Fortunately, the smoke you saw earlier came from one hut only--probably lit aflame by accident, as who would be fool enough to burn a camp they intend to enter?--and it is already extinguished by the time you reach it.          Late in the day, when much of the work you need to do to the camp has already been done, you are suddenly thrown off your feet by an earthquake. The shaking is so tremendous that you cannot regain your footing until it stops, at which time several of the huts near you have partially fallen.          Once the shaking has subsided, you stand and look around you at the new devastation, scanning watchfully for fires caused by lit braziers. You spot a few, and spend quite a while rushing about with the others present in the camp to extinguish them all.          By the time you are done, the army has returned from the field. To your surprise, Cycnos is being carried seated in a chariot, as though a badly wounded man, yet you can see no sign of injury upon him.          "What happened?" you ask.          "That rat Apollo tried to kill me!" Cycnos roars, then winces in pain. "I was about to take the city, and when I wouldn't stop just because he told me to, he reached right down my throat to choke my heart in my breast. If my father hadn't sent that quake to drive him off..."          Your mind reels in much the way your body did during the earthquake. That had all been an act of the Earthshaker to safeguard his son's life? (What might he have done if you hadn't thought to send Nestor out to talk to Cycnos when you first arrived? The thought terrifies you utterly.)          Cycnos hauls himself to his feet, though it looks like it takes considerable effort to do so. "Don't worry about me," he says, slapping you on the shoulder so hard it nearly knocks you off your feet. "I'll be all right in a day or two. How's the camp?"          "We've righted some of the damage already, but it will be days before we've fully repaired it." All the more so given the earthquake damage to the crude and hastily-constructed huts that were never meant to last even through one winter, let alone nine years and a massive earthquake. You shake your head, trying to look cheerful. "But never mind that! At least we didn't lose very many men, and no one of importance. We should feast tonight to celebrate your great victory in the field today."          [[There will still be much to do when the sun rises, but for tonight you will all feast to your survival and drink in fond memory of the men you lost.->AftermathOfTheBattle]](set: $oldarmor to 'only')

         You set out across the seething battlefield, seeking out Idomeneus. You find him just as he is letting out a mighty roar, a fierce battle cry as he leaps forward into the Trojan horde. Though he entered battle in such a hurry that he left his helmet behind and the foe can see that his hair is streaked with gray, still they fall back, seized in their hearts with fear of the godlike son of Deucalion. Surely, you have chosen the right man to stir up the Achaian troops to fight on to victory!          (if: $Deiphobos is 'alive')[By the time you can get anywhere near him, Idomeneus is locked into a fearsome battle with Deiphobos and his men, and has been for some time, as you had to fight many enemies yourself before you could draw close. Idomeneus throws his spear at Deiphobos, who hides behind the white circle of his shield, letting the spear fly over his head. The throw was an impressive one, and Idomeneus' spear strikes the Trojan in the heart, and as he falls to the ground, the end of the spear quivers in time with the beating of his heart until that finally stops as his life flees his body.          "Will we continue on in this way?" Idomeneus asks, looking at Deiphobos. "Another of your side has gone to the house of Hades, three now for the one you have slain. Do you wish to continue this cowardly game, or will you finally fight me as one man to another? Do not tell me that Deiphobos is as much of a woman as Alexandros!"          "I fear nothing, old man!" Deiphobos retorts, growling in his hatred. "You will learn what happens when you challenge your younger and better foes to single combat! You may be a king where you come from, but here you're just another foe too old to lift a sword with any strength!"          "Do not judge me so hastily, boy," Idomeneus snarls, with a cold smile that must instill fear in all lesser men, "before you learn just what manner of son of Zeus you see before you! For in a line unbroken, I come directly from the seed of Kronion himself! On Europa was Minos fathered, and he took as his wife Pasiphae, daughter of the radiant Helios, and begat upon her noble Deucalion, my father! And now I stand here upon the Trojan shores, a bane to your father and all his people! Now, take up your weapon and face me if you dare!"          Deiphobos stares at him with an unwavering jaw for just a moment, then takes off running back through his thronging allies. Shouting curses upon the coward's name, Idomeneus runs after him, and you have no alternative but to run after Idomeneus, but the Trojans fight as cornered beasts and do everything in their power to prevent your passage further.          (if: $Aineias is 'alive')[Even as you fight, you can hear voices from ahead. You can hear the pleading voice of Deiphobos urging one of his allies to take on his duel for him: "Do not say you will allow the husband of your elder sister to die unavenged! Is that the kind of brother that you would be?"          "Who are you to speak of brothers?" the other replies, his voice soft and melodious, but edged with hate. The golden tone to his voice would identify him as Aineias, the son of golden Aphrodite, even to those who had never faced him on the field before. "Was it not your own brother who brought this calamity upon us all?"          "You care nothing for poor Hippodameia, widowed by the invading Achaians?"          "I didn't say that," Aineias answers coldly. "I will avenge my brother, you may be assured of that. But you, craven coward! Turning to flight so easily, have you decided to mold yourself on Alexandros now?"          "I only wanted to save the glory of avenging Alcathoos for you, the younger brother of his beloved wife," Deiphobos claims, with a toadying voice that makes you sick, though you hear it only at a distance through the clamor of the battle that rages on in between yourself and the two Trojan princes.          "To think that I am denied glory while you are permitted to parade about as if a peacock on display," Aineias growls. "But I will not fail ever again. Lead the way, and I'll retrieve my brother's body, unspoiled by our enemies."          You only have time to kill a single foe before you hear the voice of godlike Idomeneus laying a new challenge to his foe, insisting on a proper duel. Aineias' laughter is even more like that of a god than his voice, and you feel ashamed to realize that the sound of his laughter makes you tremble a bit at the idea of fighting against him. "You are alone and isolated among your enemy, Idomeneus, son of Deucalion. But have no fear; your corpse will suffer no degradations beyond the loss of its armor."          "Were it your divine mother herself challenging me, even then I should not feel fear," Idomeneus assures him. "As one who is of the line of Zeus himself, I fear nothing, not even my own death."          "Then you may die a bold and noble death," Aineias replies pleasantly, "but remember that anything you have to say about the line of Zeus will apply to me as well; was he not the father of my mother, Aphrodite?"          Idomeneus laughs at that. "So he was," he agrees. "It is a pity we could not have met on terms of peace; we are practically brothers!"          "Such are the fortunes of war," Aeneas answers. "Common blood or no, I cannot give you quarter; you have killed the husband of my mortal sister, who raised me in place of my mother. I owe it to the shade of Alcathoos to rend your life from your body."          "Then let us fight, and let no man try to come between us!" Idomeneus roars back.          By this time, Menelaos and Ascalaphos, the favorite son of Ares himself, have joined you in attempting to reach the side of the Cretan king. With their spears, you are finally able to reach him, but by then his duel with the son of Anchises is already underway, and you do not dare to interfere. Your troops form a line behind Idomeneus, prepared to leap to his defense if his life should fall in danger, while the enemy are likewise assembled behind Aineias, led by Deiphobos and Helenos, who aims his bow threateningly at you all, an arrow at the ready, should any dare attempt to interrupt the duel.          Idomeneus throws his spear at Aineias, but it strikes the other's gold-edged shield and falls to the ground. In response, Aineias throws his spear at Idomeneus, who holds his shield of two circles in front of his body, letting the spear strike it and fall harmlessly away. Cautiously, they both stoop and retrieve the other's spear. Idomeneus is faster, despite being a score of years older than Aineias, and he makes another throw at Aineias before he can get his shield back up in front of him.          The son of Aphrodite raises his shield as quickly as he can, and the spear strikes its rim, flying askance from the blow and striking one of the Trojans in the throat, sending his life out upon the blood-spattered sands. Aineias glances at the death that was wrought, then turns towards the King of Crete with hatred in his eyes. He throws again, and this time the far-shadowing spear flies straight through Idomeneus' shield and strikes him heavily in the thigh.(set: $Idomeneus to 'wounded1')          The son of Deucalion groans in pain, and begins to retreat from the field of battle. Even as you despair at seeing the hero you had selected to rouse the troops falling too injured to fight, you join his nephew Meriones and the others in fighting to defend the Cretan king, even as the Trojan foes begin to rail and mock at him for fleeing. Deiphobos calls him a coward, and throws his spear with surprising strength.          The throw misses Idomeneus, and strikes instead Ascalaphos, sending the son of Ares to his knees for one moment. Then he pitches forward into the dust, his life gone.(set: $Ascalaphos to 'dead') Even as Deiphobos begins to crow his own praises for killing such a worthy opponent, Meriones throws his spear at him, and you hope it will silence his tongue forever.          Deiphobos hides behind his shield once more, but the spear passes through it, and sticks into the flesh between the corselet and the shoulder guard.(set: $Deiphobos to 'wounded1')          Screaming in agony, Deiphobos drops his shield, falling backwards amongst his allies. You and your allies all advance, hoping for the glory of finishing off that son of Priam. But the arrows of Helenos keep you back until Deiphobos can escape your grasp. Even after his brother has safely fled from you, Helenos continues to rain arrows upon you, while Aineias lashes out at your men with his spear, costing at least one man's life with every stroke.          "Damned cowardly archers!" Menelaos shouts. "I'll kill every last one of you myself!" With that he throws his spear at Helenos, and it flies with such perfection that it strikes through both his bow and his hand, sending the Trojan prince reeling backwards, his face contorted in agony, though he–unlike his brother–maintains silence despite his pain.(set: $Helenos to 'wounded')          His ruined bow still pinned to his hand by the spear of Menelaos, Helenos retreats back through the crowd of your enemies. But his departure gives you no sense of victory or accomplishment, for Aineias still rages on before you, killing without mercy and without fear, as he can see that none of you here present are capable of defeating him.          Worse still, to whom will you now turn to stir up the men?          By the time you, Meriones and Menelaos have managed to drive off Aineias with a light injury, the fighting in the camp has largely ceased.          Several of the ships have been burnt, most of the slaves awaiting trading in Lemnos were freed, and a few of the huts near the wall have been looted, but as the sun goes down, you find that Ascalaphos was the only man of note who lost his life, and Idomeneus' was the worst injury.          The Trojans fled more or less due to nightfall than to any kind of loss on the field, but at least you've survived. [[It may be difficult to pick up the pieces, but you will have to do your best.->AftermathOfTheBattle]]](else:)[You eventually catch up to Idomeneus, who immediately complains to you about Deiphobos' cowardly escape. What can you say but to agree that it was very cowardly of the man, particularly given that he is one of Priam's most skilled sons in the art of warfare.]](else:)[You find Idomeneus fighting a small group of enemies whose faces are unknown to you, and whose armor suggests they are no one special.] (unless: $Deiphobos is 'alive' and $Aineias is 'alive')[         You explain to Idomeneus that you were hoping he would be able to rile the troops into fighting at their best and driving off the Trojan foes.          Touched by your confidence in him, the Cretan king sets off to inspire the men with his words and deeds, leaving you to mop up his unrefined opponents.          By the time you are done with that task, the battle is already leaving the camp, as the troops have been worked into a suitable frenzy by Idomeneus.          You remain in the camp to shore up the defenses and kill any Trojan stragglers while most of the army follows the foe onto the field. They return shortly before dusk, and Idomeneus reports that although they made no real inroads on the city itself, the enemy have all fled back within the city's walls.          It's true that the battle could have gone better, but you thank the gods that it did not go much worse: no one of name was killed, and very few received wounds that will not heal in a day or two.          [[There will still be much to do when the sun rises, but for tonight you will all feast to your survival and drink in fond memory of the men you lost.->AftermathOfTheBattle]]](set: $oldarmor to 'only')

         You make your way across the seething battlefield that is your camp, heading for the hut of wise old Nestor. Upon arriving, you find him being defended by his eldest son, Thrasymedes, and explain the situation to him, begging him for his advice on how to coax Achilleus to return to battle.          "I believe only Patroclos can get through to him," Nestor tells you. "If Patroclos is reluctant to try, remind him of the tale I told him of Cleopatra, wife of Meleagros." You cannot imagine how *that* would be useful (does this have something to do with Protesilaos somehow?), but you promise that you will. Then you hurry onwards until you find yourself in the area where the Myrmidons have their huts. They all watch you uncertainly as you head towards the hut of Achilleus.          Patroclos already stands at the door of the hut, looking out at the chaos with wide, trembling eyes. You plead with him to convince Achilleus to return to the fight and bring his Myrmidons--fresh and ready to fight, unlike the other men in the camp, panicked and weary--and save the camp from being overrun and destroyed, the ships burned and the army left with no place to hide and no way to escape death. You assure him that every demand of Achilleus' will be met: Briseis will be returned to him, (if: $Briseis is 'Diomedes')[no matter what Diomedes might have to say about the matter, ]and he will be provided with vast treasures and cities to rule, so long as he rouses himself back to the fight.          You are just preparing to pass on Nestor's mention of Protesilaos' parents-in-law when Patroclos agrees to your terms, and disappears inside the hut.          You begin to pace nervously long before anyone emerges again. When he does, the light flashing off his glorious armor momentarily blinds you, and you have one triumphant moment where you think Patroclos has succeeded, but then the flashing light fades from your sight and you see the face under the nodding plume is not that of Achilleus, but of Patroclos.          "What are you doing?" you ask him, astonished.          "Achilleus still will not fight, but I'll fight in his place," he says, smiling at you. "Don't worry; I spar with him every day. The enemy won't recognize any difference in my fighting style. They'll be too frightened at the very thought of Achilleus to worry about whose face they see."          You have severe doubts about all of this, but as Patroclos is already gathering the Myrmidons and heading off to rally the men, what can you do but follow after and hope for the best?          Though even the Trojans do not seem taken in by the ruse (after all, their faces could not be more different, Achilleus' almost feminine prettiness and the rugged masculinity of Patroclos are like night and day to each other), they flee as if they are, and that is all that matters. Their fear is no doubt greatly fueled by seeing how easily Patroclos killed Sarpedon, that mighty son of Zeus himself.(set: $Sarpedon to 'dead')(set: $TrojanGenerals to it - 1) Your men are soon chasing after the fleeing enemy, pursuing them into the field.          You find yourself faced with the choice of accompanying them or remaining in the camp to restore order and search out any enemies who hoped to linger unseen and wreak havoc upon the unguarded camp.          You opt for the latter, and soon have gathered around you the others too old or wounded to join the battle outside. "All those who can should see to putting out any fires the Trojans lit, and make sure the bridges over the ditch are repaired or replaced; our returning army will need to be able to get back over it at the end of the day!"          You, too, get to work on restoring order to the camp. Fortunately, the smoke you saw earlier came from one hut only--probably lit aflame by accident, as who would be fool enough to burn a camp they intend to enter?--and it is already extinguished by the time you reach it.          The bridges are soon repaired, and although many were wounded during the fighting in the camp, thankfully, (if: $Deiphobos is 'dead' or $Aineias is not 'alive')[none of note are dead](else:)[only Ascalaphos, favorite son of Ares, was lost among the men of note(set: $Ascalaphos to 'dead')]. Though of course that could change when the rest return to report on the rest of the battle... (if: $Hector is 'alive' or $Aineias is 'alive')[         You are hopeful that your army will return from the field with tidings of victory, but are surprised and alarmed to see one chariot return alone in great haste, carrying only Antilochos, son of Nestor. He does not acknowledge you, but heads directly for the camp of the Myrmidons.          You follow straight on his heels, and are there in time to hear him pronounce the dire truth to Achilleus that Patroclos has been slain by (if: $Hector is 'alive')[Hector(set: $oldarmor to 'Hector')](else:)[Aineias(set: $oldarmor to 'Aineias')], his armor knocked from his body while he still lived by the unseen hand of some dire god. Now, Antilochos tells him, Menelaos and many of our finest warriors fight to defend the body, but that the enemy fight with the determination of lions, desperate to defile the body of the man who has slain so many of their kin this day. As he tells him, Antilochos weeps profusely, and holds Achilleus' hands as if he fears the man will take his life here and now.(set: $Patroclos to 'dead')(set: $AchillesMadness to it + 1)          Achilleus rises and strides from the hut, his face smeared with dirt and tears, and walks out of the camp, standing in the ditch before the camp. There he lets out a cry, a bellowed wail that has combines the sorrow of twice-bereaved Orpheus with the rage of terror-inducing Typhoeus. The sound sets your soul to quivering in fear, even though you know he is your ally (even if you are currently quarreling); what must it do to his foes?          Broken and weeping, Achilleus allows Antilochos to lead him back inside his hut.          You cannot think what else to do but wait in agony for some sign from the rest of the army.          It takes too long, but eventually the sign comes; the chariots begin to approach, the horses' hooves kicking up a storm of dust. The first chariot to arrive is driven by Menelaos himself, and carries all that remains of Patroclos.          You help him to clean and dress the corpse before it is delivered to the already grieving Achilleus.          [[You fear what Achilleus will do in his wrath, and hope that none of it will be directed towards any but his lover's killer.->AchillesSwearsVengeance]]](else:)[         You hope to see the army return at the end of the day with tales of victory in battle, and are thus surprised to see a single chariot returning far too soon. As the chariot enters the camp, you see it is being driven by Antilochos, Nestor's son, and carries as passengers both Menelaos and Patroclos, who is for some reason both naked and grievously wounded.(set: $Patroclos to 'wounded')          The chariot comes to a halt and you accompany the other two as they aid Patroclos--who is only able to walk by leaning on the both of them for support--to enter Achilleus' hut.          "Patroclos!" Achilleus lets out a cry of alarm at the sight of his lover, and rushes over to him. "What happened?! Who did this to you?" he demands, taking both of the other man's hands in his own.          "It might be most true to say Apollo did it," Patroclos replies, with a weak laugh. "I'm sorry, Achilleus. He struck your armor off me. Now some Trojan or other has it."(if: $Deiphobos is 'alive')[(set: $oldarmor to 'Deiphobos')](else:)[(set: $oldarmor to 'temple')]          "I don't care about the armor--I care about you! What happened to *you*?" Achilleus repeats, lifting both Patroclos' hands towards his chest. "Tell me everything."          "I...I forgot my promise," Patroclos admits with a grimace of pain or shame or both. "I didn't stop at the edge of the camp. I was stirred up for the fight, and...I was mad enough to think I could take the city myself." He shakes his head, though the gesture makes him wince in pain. "The fourth time I laid my hand upon the wall, I heard a voice come out of nowhere, telling me the city would never fall to me."          "And yet you pressed on?" Achilleus asked, his voice shaking.          "No! I am not such a great fool as that!" Patroclos exclaimed. "I would never disobey a direct command from a god. I merely continued to fight outside the walls. To win as much of the war for you as I could, to make it that much easier for you when you returned to the field." He lets out a miserable sigh. "I suppose my actions still outraged the city's protector. Killed too many of their men..."          "But what man gave you so many terrible wounds?" Achilleus asks. "A god I cannot kill, but a man--no man shall live who dares hurt you thus!"          "No one of any note," Patroclos says. "The only one I saw whose name I knew was Euphorbos, who struck me from behind while I was still dazed by the god's blow, but Menelaos killed him already." Patroclos frowns. "I was quite surrounded by them, and despite that I fled as best I could, there were too many to avoid all their spears."          Achilleus just stands there, breathing heavily, then (despite that you and Menelaos and Antilochos are all still present in the hut) he leans in and kisses Patroclos with a passion you have rarely used even on your favorite concubine, let alone your wife. "They will all suffer for what they've done to you, I promise," Achilleus tells him after releasing his lips. "Antilochos, fetch Machaon or Podaleirios. Patroclos needs their healing skills immediately," he says, without looking away from Patroclos' face. "And the rest of you *get out*!"          It isn't just you and Menelaos who flee the hut as Antilochos hurries off to seek the sons of Asclepios; the servants and slaves flee, too.          After taking a moment or two more to compose yourself, you look at Menelaos. "Aside from Patroclos' injuries, how fares the battle?" you ask, as if nothing bizarre just happened in that hut (to say nothing of Patroclos' claims of having been disarmed by a god!).          "A bit more chaotic than most, but I believe we will more or less win the day," Menelaos replies. "It is hard to be sure, really."          You nod--what else can you do--and set about preparations for the army's return, all the while thinking over what rewards you ought to offer Achilleus for his partial accord with your earlier offer.(if: $Briseis is 'Diomedes')[ You will have to speak to Diomedes when he returns from the battle and see if you can convince him to return the girl.]          [[You worry about what the future holds following this strange day's events.->AchillesSwearsLesserVengeance]]]

         You make your way across the seething battlefield that is your camp, until you find yourself in the area where the Myrmidons have their huts. They all watch you uncertainly as you head towards the hut of Achilleus.          Patroclos already stands at the door of the hut, looking out at the chaos with wide, trembling eyes. You plead with him to convince Achilleus to return to the fight and bring his Myrmidons--fresh and ready to fight, unlike the other men in the camp, panicked and weary--and save the camp from being overrun and destroyed, the ships burned and the army left with no place to hide and no way to escape death. You assure him that every demand of Achilleus' will be met: Briseis will be returned to him, (if: $Briseis is 'Diomedes')[no matter what Diomedes might have to say about the matter, ]and he will be provided with vast treasures and cities to rule, so long as he rouses himself back to the fight.          Patroclos agrees to your terms, and disappears inside the hut.          You begin to pace nervously long before anyone emerges again. When he does, the light flashing off his glorious armor momentarily blinds you, and you have one triumphant moment where you think Patroclos has succeeded, but then the flashing light fades from your sight and you see the face under the nodding plume is not that of Achilleus, but of Patroclos.          "What are you doing?" you ask him, astonished.          "Achilleus still will not fight, but I'll fight in his place," he says, smiling at you. "Don't worry; I spar with him every day. The enemy won't recognize any difference in my fighting style. They'll be too frightened at the very thought of Achilleus to worry about whose face they see."          You have severe doubts about all of this, but as Patroclos is already gathering the Myrmidons and heading off to rally the men, what can you do but follow after and hope for the best?          Though even the Trojans do not seem taken in by the ruse (after all, their faces could not be more different, Achilleus' almost feminine prettiness and the rugged masculinity of Patroclos are like night and day to each other), they flee as if they are, and that is all that matters. Their fear was no doubt greatly fueled by seeing how easily Patroclos killed Sarpedon, that mighty son of Zeus himself.(set: $Sarpedon to 'dead')(set: $TrojanGenerals to it - 1) Your men are soon chasing after the fleeing enemy, pursuing them into the field.          You find yourself faced with the choice of accompanying them or remaining in the camp to restore order and search out any enemies who hoped to linger unseen and wreak havoc upon the unguarded camp.          You opt for the latter, and soon have gathered around you the others too old or wounded to join the battle outside. "All those who can should see to putting out any fires the Trojans lit, and make sure the bridges over the ditch are repaired or replaced; our returning army will need to be able to get back over it at the end of the day!"          You, too, get to work on restoring order to the camp. Fortunately, the smoke you saw earlier came from one hut only--probably lit aflame by accident, as who would be fool enough to burn a camp they intend to enter?--and it is already extinguished by the time you reach it.          The bridges are soon repaired, and although many were wounded during the fighting in the camp, thankfully, (if: $Deiphobos is 'dead' or $Aineias is not 'alive')[none of note are dead](else:)[only Ascalaphos, favorite son of Ares, was lost among the men of note(set: $Ascalaphos to 'dead')]. Though of course that could change when the rest return to report on the rest of the battle... (if: $Hector is 'alive' or $Aineias is 'alive')[         You are hopeful that your army will return from the field with tidings of victory, but are surprised and alarmed to see one chariot return alone in great haste, carrying only Antilochos, son of Nestor. He does not acknowledge you, but heads directly for the camp of the Myrmidons.          You follow straight on his heels, and are there in time to hear him pronounce the dire truth to Achilleus that Patroclos has been slain by (if: $Hector is 'alive')[Hector(set: $oldarmor to 'Hector')](else:)[Aineias(set: $oldarmor to 'Aineias')], his armor knocked from his body while he still lived by the unseen hand of some dire god. Now, Antilochos tells him, Menelaos and many of our finest warriors fight to defend the body, but that the enemy fight with the determination of lions, desperate to defile the body of the man who has slain so many of their kin this day. As he tells him, Antilochos weeps profusely, and holds Achilleus' hands as if he fears the man will take his life here and now.(set: $Patroclos to 'dead')(set: $AchillesMadness to it + 1)          Achilleus rises and strides from the hut, his face smeared with dirt and tears, and walks out of the camp, standing in the ditch before the camp. There he lets out a cry, a bellowed wail that has combines the sorrow of twice-bereaved Orpheus with the rage of terror-inducing Typhoeus. The sound sets your soul to quivering in fear, even though you know he is your ally (even if you are currently quarreling); what must it do to his foes?          Broken and weeping, Achilleus allows Antilochos to lead him back inside his hut.          You cannot think what else to do but wait in agony for some sign from the rest of the army.          It takes too long, but eventually the sign comes; the chariots begin to approach, the horses' hooves kicking up a storm of dust. The first chariot to arrive is driven by Menelaos himself, and carries all that remains of Patroclos.          You help him to clean and dress the corpse before it is delivered to the already grieving Achilleus.          [[You fear what Achilleus will do in his wrath, and hope that none of it will be directed towards any but his lover's killer.->AchillesSwearsVengeance]]](else:)[         You hope to see the army return at the end of the day with tales of victory in battle, and are thus surprised to see a single chariot returning far too soon. As the chariot enters the camp, you see it is being driven by Antilochos, Nestor's son, and carries as passengers both Menelaos and Patroclos, who is for some reason both naked and grievously wounded.(set: $Patroclos to 'wounded')          The chariot comes to a halt and you accompany the other two as they aid Patroclos--who is only able to walk by leaning on the both of them for support--to enter Achilleus' hut.          "Patroclos!" Achilleus lets out a cry of alarm at the sight of his lover, and rushes over to him. "What happened?! Who did this to you?" he demands, taking both of the other man's hands in his own.          "It might be most true to say Apollo did it," Patroclos replies, with a weak laugh. "I'm sorry, Achilleus. He struck your armor off me. Now some Trojan or other has it."(if: $Deiphobos is 'alive')[(set: $oldarmor to 'Deiphobos')](else:)[(set: $oldarmor to 'temple')]          "I don't care about the armor--I care about *you*! What happened to you?" Achilleus repeats, lifting both Patroclos' hands towards his chest. "Tell me everything."          "I...I forgot my promise," Patroclos admits with a grimace of pain or shame or both. "I didn't stop at the edge of the camp. I was stirred up for the fight, and...I was mad enough to think I could take the city myself." He shakes his head, though the gesture makes him wince in pain. "The fourth time I laid my hand upon the wall, I heard a voice come out of nowhere, telling me the city would never fall to me."          "And yet you pressed on?" Achilleus asked, his voice shaking.          "No! I am not such a great fool as that!" Patroclos exclaimed. "I would never disobey a direct command from a god. I merely continued to fight outside the walls. To win as much of the war for you as I could, to make it that much easier for you when you returned to the field." He lets out a miserable sigh. "I suppose my actions still outraged the city's protector. Killed too many of their men..."          "But what man gave you so many terrible wounds?" Achilleus asks. "A god I cannot kill, but a man--no man shall live who dares hurt you thus!"          "No one of any note," Patroclos says. "The only one I saw among my assailants whose name I knew was Euphorbos, but Menelaos killed him already." Patroclos frowns. "I was quite surrounded by them, and despite that I fled as best I could, there were too many to avoid all their spears."          Achilleus just stands there, breathing heavily, then (despite that you and Menelaos and Antilochos are all still present in the hut) he leans in and kisses Patroclos with a passion you have rarely used even on your favorite concubine, let alone your wife. "They will all suffer for what they've done to you, I promise," Achilleus tells him after releasing his lips. "Antilochos, fetch Machaon or Podaleirios. Patroclos needs their healing skills immediately," he says, without looking away from Patroclos' face. "And the rest of you *get out*!"          It isn't just you and Menelaos who flee the hut as Antilochos hurries off to seek the sons of Asclepios; the servants and slaves flee, too.          After taking a moment or two more to compose yourself, you look at Menelaos. "Aside from Patroclos' injuries, how fares the battle?" you ask, as if nothing bizarre just happened in that hut (to say nothing of Patroclos' claims of having been disarmed by a god!).          "A bit more chaotic than most, but I believe we will more or less win the day," Menelaos replies. "It is hard to be sure, really."          You nod--what else can you do?--and set about preparations for the army's return, all the while thinking over what rewards you ought to offer Achilleus for his partial accord with your earlier offer.(if: $Briseis is 'Diomedes')[ You will have to speak to Diomedes when he returns from the battle and see if you can convince him to return the girl.]          [[You worry about what the future holds following this strange day's events.->AchillesSwearsLesserVengeance]]]

         You set out across the seething battlefield, headed for the section of the camp that houses the Myrmidons, who chafe in their huts, eager to join the battle but knowing that they are forbidden from doing so. You are swiftly directed to Phoinix's hut, and explain to him why you have come.          "I have tried many times to convince Achilleus to give up his resentment," Phoinix tells you, "but that was before the camp was thus under siege. I am sure I will be able to convince him now."          You follow Phoinix to Achilleus' hut, telling him all the gifts that you will personally provide for Achilleus should he save the camp. Not only the return of his concubine, (if: $Briseis is 'Diomedes')[no matter what Diomedes may have to say in the matter, ]but also fine treasures of every sort, a full half of your own share of the spoils.          You do not have the nerve to follow Phoinix into Achilleus' hut to see how the negotiations go.          You're still waiting there when the Trojans surround and overpower you.          As he's leading your soul down to the house of Hades, Hermes tells you that you should be glad to have died so quickly; Achilleus has refused to return to the fight, even if every man in the camp should have to die, and as far as he can tell, they every one certainly will, some of them particularly horribly.          You wonder where you went so terribly wrong, and wish you had never agreed to Menelaos' request to take over for Agamemnon. =><= ***GAME OVER*** <=          [[Try again?->Title Screen]]

         You make your way across the seething battlefield that is your camp, until you find yourself in the area where the Myrmidons have their huts. You head to the hut of the leader of the Myrmidons, Menesthios, the son of Achilleus' sister. (You recall being introduced to the both of them in Aulis before the sailing and being quite perplexed to see that uncle and nephew were so alike in age that you could not even guess which was the elder of them...though you actually suspected the nephew to be the elder. The tale you were told was that Peleus had been married before being given Thetis as a bride, and that his first wife died, according to rumor due to the jealous intervention of another woman who wished to have Peleus for herself. (Which probably meant she actually died in childbirth, and Peleus had tried to make her death sound more flattering to himself. You know several men who had told tales like that about wives who had died naturally, or through their husband's abuse.))          Menesthios (who took over control of the Myrmidons on his uncle's sudden and unexpected death when the fleet first arrived in the Troad) is not present in his hut, of course, having long since led his men out to fight against the enemy swarming the camp. Other than Menesthios' slaves, the only one in the hut is Patroclos, who sits mournfully staring at Achilleus' long-empty armor, which still shines brightly, either through years of careful maintenance by his bereaved lover or because the legends are true and it really was a wedding gift to Peleus from Hephaistos himself.          "Did you need something?" Patroclos asks, looking at you. Though it has been nine years now since Achilleus died, Patroclos' eyes are still red as though he has recently been weeping.          "I had hoped to stir the men up with a miracle," you tell him, explaining that you had wanted to ask Menesthios to go into this battle in his late uncle's armor, pretending to be his shade risen from the house of Hades and stirring up the men to fight all the harder.          "He wouldn't do it," Patroclos tells you. "More than that, he *couldn't* do it. He can't fight the way Achilleus could." He gets to his feet. "But I can."          You start to object, but are unsure how you could do so without giving grievous offense.          "I taught Achilleus combat when he was first returned from Scyros," Patroclos informs you, even as he gently picks up the helm, staring at it as if he can see the face of his long-dead boyfriend in it. "Our combat style is identical, even if I do not have the divine strength that only failed him once in his all-too-short life."          As much as you want to tell him that he would only be throwing his life away in vain if he dons that fabulous armor and makes himself a target for the enemy, you can't. In fact, you suspect he knows that. He is certainly acting like he wishes for death to take him so that he can finally be reunited with the one he loves.          "The men may not be fooled, knowing your face so well," you say (a problem which would not have plagued Menesthios, as he does resemble his dead uncle, though he is much less pretty than Achilleus was), "but the enemy only saw him the once. They may well mistake you for his shade, risen to avenge himself." You hesitate a moment. "As long as you can draw them out of the camp, that may be enough to save us all."          Patroclos nods, and begins donning the armor.          You leave the hut and set about the camp to do whatever you can to put the enemy to flight and save the ships. You do not have to do this for long, though, before the enemy begin to flee the camp in terror. Evidently the ruse is working--or Patroclos really is as skilled as he says. (Honestly, you have rarely seen him in combat yourself, as you do not typically find yourself fighting near the Myrmidons.) Your men are soon chasing after the fleeing enemy, pursuing them into the field.          You find yourself faced with the choice of accompanying them or remaining in the camp to restore order and search out any enemies who hoped to linger unseen and wreak havoc upon the unguarded camp.          You opt for the latter, and soon have gathered around you the others too old or wounded to join the battle outside. "All those who can should see to putting out any fires the Trojans lit, and make sure the bridges over the ditch are repaired or replaced; our returning army will need to be able to get back over it at the end of the day!"          You, too, get to work on restoring order to the camp. Fortunately, the smoke you saw earlier came from one hut only--probably lit aflame by accident, as who would be fool enough to burn a camp they intend to enter?--and it is already extinguished by the time you reach it.          As you were going through the camp to seek out straggling enemies and bring aid to wounded comrades, you learn that while many of your men were wounded during the battle within the camp's walls, (if: $Deiphobos is 'alive' and $Aineias is 'alive')[only Ascalaphos, favorite son of Ares, was killed among those of note.(set: $Ascalaphos to 'dead') But the enemy also lost a demi-god: Patroclos himself slew Sarpedon, a son of Kronion Zeus.(set: $Sarpedon to 'dead')](else:)[none of the princes were slain, while the enemy lost Sarpedon, the son of Zeus, to Patroclos' spear.(set: $Sarpedon to 'dead')](set: $TrojanGenerals to it - 1)          The bridges are repaired by the time the army returns from the field. In fact, their return is so late that the sun has entirely vanished from the sky, and you can see only by torchlight as the chariots return. The lead chariot contains Menelaos, Antilochos and all that is left of Patroclos.(set: $Patroclos to 'dead')          Though you had honestly expected this outcome (and suspect it is what Patroclos wanted), you cannot help feeling saddened to see such a fine, kind man reduced to an abused and naked corpse. "How did it happen?" you ask, since the armor of Achilleus should have protected him from most fatal blows.          "I did not have the best view," Menelaos says, as he steps down out of the chariot, "but it appeared as though his armor was removed from his body by some unseen hand while he still lived." He shakes his head sadly. "He tried to flee his foes after that, but he had gotten too far ahead of us, and the enemy were able to kill him despite our attempts to save him."          "It is a terrible loss for us all," you say, because what else *can* you say? Antilochos is weeping piteously, and he was one of the closest of Patroclos' friends. In the face of Antilochos' grief, you can't say what you really think, that he wanted to die this way, and is happier now.          "I'm afraid it was all we could do to recover his body unsoiled," Menelaos continues. "The armor was lost to the enemy."(if: $Hector is 'alive')[(set: $oldarmor to 'Hector')](else_if: $Aineias is 'alive')[(set: $oldarmor to 'Aineias')](else_if: $Deiphobos is 'alive')[(set: $oldarmor to 'Deiphobos')](else:)[(set: $oldarmor to 'temple')]          "His remains are more important than his armor," you agree. "After all, the armor will be recovered in the course of the war, even if not until the day we tear down the mighty walls of Ilios."          There is nothing left to say, and the men go their separate ways, leaving the Myrmidons to care for Patroclos' remains.          [[All in all, you have won a great victory today, but the mood in the camp is somber regardless, and all you can think about is the dire work in the days ahead.->AftermathOfTheBattle]]

(if: $Achilles is 'sulking')[(goto: "NowWhat?")](else:)[         The morning after the battle, you rise and survey the camp.          There are still dead bodies here and there, and many of the huts have damage that has yet to be repaired.          On top of that, the men who died need their funerals seen to.          You summon Talthybios, and tell him to go to the city and request a week's truce in order that the dead may be buried respectfully. You promise to return any Trojan dead left in the camp should this request be accepted. It's a standard arrangement, and you have no doubts that Priam will accept it.          All that remains now is to see to it that the camp is restored to order. You trust the friends and relations of the dead to see about organizing their funerals, and you do not doubt that every man will quickly see to fixing any damage to his own hut, but you will not leave the walls and the ditch to fate and the whims of the men.(if: $oldarmor is not 'only' and $Achilles is not 'dead')[          You do not have time to begin seeing to the repairs of the camp before Achilleus confronts you, demanding to know who has the best armor that isn't being used right now, since he needs to replace the armor he lost in the battle. While you are trying to find a way to tell him that you really have no way of knowing that, you hear a woman's voice behind you saying that it won't be necessary. Turning, you see five incomprehensibly beautiful women standing nearby. (if: $Oenone is 'contemplating' or 'tempted')[(if: (history:) contains "BigBattleDiomedes" and $Aineias is 'alive')[The four in the back are very much peers of the nymph Oenone in beauty, while the one in front outshines her completely, and is even competition for golden Aphrodite herself!](else:)[The four in the back are very much peers of the nymph Oenone in beauty, while the one in the front outshines her completely, and you are sure that she must be a goddess, for who other than a goddess could be *that* beautiful?]](else:)[(if: (history:) contains "BigBattleDiomedes" and $Aineias is 'alive')[Only the fairness of Aphrodite herself can outshine these five women.](else:)[You have never seen (or even imagined) women so radiant as these five.]] Each of them carries a piece of armor, and the woman in the lead gently nudges you aside as if you were a mere chick on the ground.          "Mother?" Achilleus says, sounding highly perplexed. It does not surprise you to learn this surpassingly beautiful woman is the divine Thetis, most powerful of the daughters of Nereus; she is clad in a gossamer gown, just the color of the wine-dark sea, and her hair–the same shade of red as Achilleus' own hair–is braided up on her head, and hundreds, perhaps thousands of pearls are strung through the braids like bubbles of foam upon the sea. And, now that you see them both together, you can see how much his face resembles hers.          Her attendants, you figure, are probably some of her many sister Nereids. One of them carries a helmet, crafted of solid bronze with a golden plume, so beautifully crafted that it makes even the most elaborate helms of the other Achaians look plain and shabby. Another carries a cuirass, its bronze polished to a mirror-like shine, and like the helmet decorated with stars of gold and silver. The third of Thetis' attendants carries a pair of bronze greaves, and the fourth carries arm guards, made of bronze with stripes of gold at the wrists, and silver by the elbows. Thetis herself carries a shield, the likes of which no mortal man has ever seen before. In row upon row of figures, it depicts tales of the greatness of the gods, and of heroes of past generations, and even shows the daily life of mortals and immortals alike, all with such a lifelike quality that you could swear the figures moved and breathed.          "I had Hephaistos craft you new armor," Thetis says, holding the shield out towards her dear son. "It will protect you far better than any other armor ever could."          Achilleus accepts the magnificent shield from his mother gratefully, but does not say anything.          "I expect that you will be more cautious with your life from this point out," Thetis says sternly. "That is the price you must pay me for this armor. I do not wish to be bereaved of my son."          Achilleus nods absently. "I'm always careful," he says.          Thetis frowns at the non-committal answer, then gestures to the women accompanying her, and they each place the armor they bear in front of Achilleus' feet, then all five of them turn and walk straight into the sea, where they quickly disappear beneath the waves.          In the time it takes you to recover from the bizarre sight, Achilleus has wandered off with his new armor.          You try to regain your wits and focus on the task in hand.]          Someone will have to be assigned to make sure that everything is taken care of.          [[Nestor is too old to do any of the physical work, so that makes him ideal to supervise the younger men at work.->MinorSortie]]          [[Phoinix is ideal for this sort of thing.->MinorSortie]]          [[I had best do it myself, or I will never be sure it is done *right*.->MinorSortie]] (if: $Odysseus is not 'dead' and is not 'exiled')[         [[Let Odysseus put his wiles to use for this. Maybe he'll come up with a way to make the new walls more secure.->MinorSortie]] ](if: $Palamedes is not 'dead' and is not 'exiled')[         [[Palamedes is gifted with invention. Let him invent a better protection for the camp while he supervises the clean-up.->MinorSortie]]]]

         You are watching the funeral pyres for the men who died in yesterday's battle when you see the smoke from the fires begin to drift out towards the sea.          At first, this means nothing to you, but then you feel the suddenly heavy atmosphere in the camp and realize that it *does* mean something very significant: the wind is now suitable for Achilleus to return home to Phthia.          If the battle in the camp has demonstrated anything at all, to your mind it is that you do not *need* Achilleus to turn the tide of any battle, no matter how dire it seems.          And yet, surely the Trojans would not have been so bold in the first place if Achilleus had not withdrawn from the fight, and the men would not have lost heart enough to allow it to happen.          Concerned, you call a meeting of the most important princes and lay the problem out before them.          (if: $Odysseus is not 'dead' and is not 'exiled')["It is a fact, however unfortunate, that the common troops believe Achilleus is necessary to bring the war to a successful conclusion," Odysseus says, shaking his head sadly. "We should not let him leave if there is anything we can do to prevent it."](else_if: $Palamedes is 'alive' or 'guarded')["We may not truly need him," Palamedes says, "but most of the men believe we do. They will be disconsolate if he leaves."](else:)["Even if it was wrong, the prophecy has led the people to believe we need Achilleus to win this war," Meriones says. "If he leaves, I think we may face desertion by large numbers of the other men."]          "It would hardly be setting a good example, would it?" Menelaos adds. "Letting one of the commanders of the war withdraw completely over a mere quarrel. I worry that you would lose all control over the army if he does leave."(if: $Cycnos is 'ally')[          "It's not like we need him. I can do more for this war than that pup can!" Cycnos exclaims pounding his fist into his thigh. "Let him go! All it will get him is eternal humiliation!"](else_if: $AiasS is not 'dead')[          "I will take up the slack if he departs," Aias of Salamis says, speaking slowly, as always. "Surely the prophecy only requires the seed of Aiakos, not Achilleus. My father is his brother. My blood is as good as his. And my strength even greater."]          (if: $Diomedes is 'alive' or 'ticked' or 'pissed')["The problem isn't Achilleus or lacking Achilleus. The problem is that prophecy. What's it actually say? Maybe people are just wrong about it," Diomedes comments.](else:)["Perhaps we need to reexamine the prophecy itself," Nestor suggests. "You should send for Calchas and ask him to read the omens again."]          You weigh their opinions for a moment, then announce that you will go speak to Calchas about the prophecy, since he was the one who first pronounced it. (Given that you are quite positive that it was he who gave the reading of divine omens that caused Agamemnon to withdraw from this war (for whatever reason it was), and (if: (history:) contains "ReturnChryseis")[it was his prophecy regarding the anger of Apollo that led to your current situation](else:)[he has at various times over the last nine years pronounced divine omens that have led to disasters for the army], you sometimes wonder if Calchas is even on your side, and if you might not be better off doing the *opposite* of what he says, but consulting him still seems like a good idea, just at the moment.)          You find Calchas in the midst of reading sacrificial entrails...which bothers you, considering you ordered no sacrifice. "Who ordered this bird sacrificed?" you ask, staring at the rent remains.          "Achilleus," Calchas tells you. "He wants to know if he will have clear sailing home."          "What do you plan to tell him?"          "These entrails have nothing to say, except that this bird did not eat well lately," Calchas replies. "I will likely tell him that his divine mother will not allow anything to happen to him while he is in a boat at sea. It is most certainly true, and requires no omen to be foretold."          You frown. "I suppose the gods would frown on you telling him a lie."          "Naturally." Calchas' voice is cold.          "Yes, I thought as much." You let out a sigh. "What is the truth of the prophecy from so many years ago?" you ask. "About this war requiring Achilleus."          Calchas shakes his head. "I was in a trance when I made that prophecy. I only know my words as they have been repeated to me by others."          "And what *were* those words?"          "According to one of the witnesses, they were that the war would fail without the son of Peleus on the field of battle. And according to another, they were that the war would fail without the participation of the son of Peleus."          "So one of them would be satisfied by his having been here at all," you conclude, "and the other would not. But might the other not be satisfied by a grandson of Peleus?"          "It might, yes, just as Achilleus is sometimes referred to as Aiakides, so could his own son be called Peleides," Calchas agrees. "But has Achilleus any son old enough to fight?"          "I believe I've heard a rumor that he has a son, but I don't know where or how old, or even if the rumor is true. But I know for a fact that he has a nephew, the son of his elder half-sister, product of Peleus' first marriage. The young man is about Achilleus' age, and one of the leaders of the Myrmidons here in the camp."          "Then he will sail along with Achilleus, so what does it matter?"          Calchas' words are grim, and his tone darkly amused. You suspect he actually *wants* to see the war fail. (He does, after all, serve the divine twins who are both said to fight on the side of the Trojans.)          You leave again, and realize that no one is going to make this decision for you. You must decide, *now*, what to do about Achilleus and his departure plans.          [[As long as he will leave behind his nephew, the prophecy should be met enough to satisfy the common men. Let Achilleus run home like a coward, then, as long as Menesthios remains!->LetHimLeave]]          [[Perhaps Nestor can convince him to stay. For the good of the men, even if he is not truly needed for the war.->NestorTalks]]          [[Surely, as his former tutor, Phoinix can convince him to remain!->PhoinixTalks]]          [[I must apologize to Achilleus and do whatever he demands of me.->CreonApologizes]]

(if: $AchillesMadness is 7)[(goto: "AchillesKillsEveryone")](else:)[         As the dawn comes, you rise and begin making arrangements for Achilleus to receive the payments you promised him for returning to the fight (even though he himself has yet to do so, you have no doubts that he will do so now, to avenge his lover). (if: $Briseis is 'Diomedes')[While some of your most trusted servants are seeing to the gold and arms, you go to speak to Diomedes, planning to explain to him that Briseis must be returned to Achilleus, lest he decide to turn his wrath on those who made him withdraw from the fight rather than on the Trojan enemy. When you arrive, you find that Briseis is weeping on the floor of the hut, and you are momentarily afraid that Diomedes has been abusing her, but he tells you that she has not stopped crying since she learned that Patroclos had been slain. That being the case, he appears quite glad to send her back to Achilleus. You don't ask if he has shared his bed with her, and hope Achilleus won't ask, either.] You take Briseis to Achilleus' hut yourself, asking her why she sheds so many tears for Patroclos when he was her competition for Achilleus' affections.(set: $Achilles to 'alive')          "He often promised me that he would see to it that Achilleus marry me upon returning to his homeland. How can he keep that promise now?" She wipes futilely at her tears. "He was such a goodly, kind soul, so full of gentleness and peace. Who would ever wish to harm him?"          "The several hundred Trojans he killed yesterday all had friends and relations who would want to avenge them," you tell her. Not that you're completely convinced by that number, but both Antilochos and Menelaos asserted that they had seen him kill at least forty men personally, and several of the other princes likewise claim to have seen similar feats. You are content to let the exaggeration (assuming it *is* exaggeration) stand, however, as a final testament to the great love the whole army had for such an unoffending man, even if it is an overstatement of his martial prowess.          When you arrive at Achilleus' hut, you find him lying beside the corpse, holding it in his arms. Frankly, that nauseates you a little, but even as he rises Achilleus shows no evidence of feeling any shame at the gesture.          You attempt to talk to Achilleus about his eventual return to the battlefield, but cannot get far before he silences you.          "Let me be!" Achilleus shouts, without turning his tear-stained face away from the body of his eternal companion. (if: $Odysseus is 'alive')[(set: $consoler to "Odysseus")](else_if: $Palamedes is 'alive' or 'guarded')[(set: $consoler to "Palamedes")](else:)[(set: $consoler to "Phoinix")]          You wait uneasily in that hut filled only with the weeping of Achilleus and Briseis as they kneel beside the body. Eventually, $consoler arrives. "You should take some food," $consoler says gently. "You will need your strength."          "My strength is lying dead before me!" Achilleus shouts back. "How could you let this happen!? If you're such a crafty tactician, why didn't you stop this from happening?!"          "If I could have, I most certainly would have," $consoler says apologetically, bowing his head solemnly. "I would have done anything in my power to save him, had I been there with him."          The silence resumes then, as you and $consoler wait for some form of reply from Achilleus. You are still straining to think of what to say when $consoler speaks again. "You will not honor his memory by this display," he says, almost gently. "He would want you to think of the future."          "The future," Achilleus repeats dully. "The future's been taken away from me now. After the war, we were going to go back to Scyros, and claim my son from Deidameia. Patroclos was going to help train him, the way he helped me when I left Scyros."          After another uncomfortable silence, you quietly tell $consoler to go arrange for some food to be sent. "You need to eat," you remind Achilleus, "if you are to have strength for revenge."          "Revenge..." Achilleus repeats, a seed of hardness growing in his voice that encourages you to think he will come around shortly.          Then you and $consoler leave the hut, and you pause in the fresh and mercifully quiet air away from all that weeping, trying to imagine where you can come up with armor fine enough to replace that which Achilleus just lost. You wonder what happened to the armor Sarpedon was wearing when Patroclos killed him; as a son of Zeus, surely he had armor worthy of another demi-god.          While you are still contemplating, you are astonished to see five incomprehensibly beautiful women approach you. (if: $Oenone is 'contemplating' or 'tempted')[(if: (history:) contains "BigBattleDiomedes" and $Aineias is 'alive')[The four in the back are very much peers of the nymph Oenone in beauty, while the one in front outshines her completely, and is even competition for golden Aphrodite herself!](else:)[The four in the back are very much peers of the nymph Oenone in beauty, while the one in the front outshines her completely, and you are sure that she must be a goddess, for who other than a goddess could be *that* beautiful?]](else:)[(if: (history:) contains "BigBattleDiomedes" and $Aineias is 'alive')[Only the fairness of Aphrodite herself can outshine these five women.](else:)[You have never seen (or even imagined) women so radiant as these five.]] Each of them carries a piece of armor, and they walk into Achilleus' hut without paying you the least heed. Astonished, you follow them inside.          "Mother?" Achilleus is exclaiming to the woman in the lead, even as you enter the hut. It should not surprise you to learn this surpassingly beautiful woman is the divine Thetis, most powerful of the daughters of Nereus; she is clad in a gossamer gown, just the color of the wine-dark sea, and her hair–the same shade of red as Achilles' own hair–is braided up on her head, and hundreds, perhaps thousands of pearls are strung through the braids like bubbles of foam upon the sea. And, now that you see them both together, you can see how much his face resembles hers.          Her attendants, you figure, are probably some of her many sister Nereids. One of them carries a helmet, crafted of solid bronze with a golden plume, so beautifully crafted that it makes even the most elaborate helms of the other Achaians look plain and shabby. Another carries a cuirass, its bronze polished to a mirror-like shine, and like the helmet decorated with stars of gold and silver. The third of Thetis' attendants carries a pair of bronze greaves, and the fourth carries arm guards, made of bronze with stripes of gold at the wrists, and silver by the elbows. Thetis herself carries a shield, the likes of which no mortal man has ever seen before. In row upon row of figures, it depicts tales of the greatness of the gods, and of heroes of past generations, and even shows the daily life of mortals and immortals alike, all with such a lifelike quality that you could swear the figures moved and breathed.          "I had Hephaistos craft you new armor," Thetis says, holding the shield out towards her dear son. "It will protect you far better than any other armor ever could."          Achilleus accepts the shield, but his mother tells him that he must swear not to kill Patroclos' killer, because his own death will follow swiftly if he does. When he does not answer right away, she again insists that he promise to let the killer live.          Achilleus holds tightly to the shield, and does not look into his mother's eyes. "I won't make that promise," he says after a lengthy pause. "I will not be the sort of man who makes a promise with no intention of keeping it."          "Surely it's not so much to ask! Do you not want to live to see your children and grandchildren? You haven't even met the child you already have!" Thetis exclaims, her voice rising in fury, like the waves of the ocean in a fierce storm.          "I would rather die tomorrow than betray myself!" Achilles shouts back. "Better to die in battle as a legend than to live to old age as a forgotten coward! I will not spare him; he will die for what he's done to Patroclos."          Thetis raises her hand in anger, as if she means to strike Achilles, but he doesn't budge; he stands there looking at her, his expression plaintive yet defiant. Thetis lowers her hand, trembling with her whole body. "I…I have warned you of the consequences of your actions. To do any more would be in defiance of the will of Zeus," she says sadly. "But I beg you to think of those who still live, and will be pained by your loss, before you act in vengeance and mindless wrath."          Thetis gestures to the women accompanying her, and they each place the armor they bear in front of Achilleus' feet, then all five of them walk out of the hut again.          You follow them curiously, and continue to watch them as they walk into the sea, where they quickly disappear beneath the waves.          You contemplate returning to the hut to ensure that Achilleus intends to rejoin the war, but decide against it for now, assuming that he will want to see to his lover's funeral first.          [[You make the rounds of the rest of the camp, ensuring that everyone will be ready whenever Achilleus decides to set out in his quest for vengeance.->Vengeance]]]

         As the dawn comes, you rise and begin making arrangements for Achilleus to receive the payments you promised him for returning to the fight (even though he himself has yet to do so, you have no doubts that he will do so now, to avenge the near-death of his lover). (if: $Briseis is 'Diomedes')[While some of your most trusted servants are seeing to the gold and arms, you go to speak to Diomedes, planning to explain to him that Briseis must be returned to Achilleus, lest he decide to turn his wrath on those who made him withdraw from the fight rather than on the Trojan enemy. When you arrive, you find that Briseis is weeping on the floor of the hut, and you are momentarily afraid that Diomedes has been abusing her, but he tells you that she has not stopped crying since she learned that Patroclos had been mortally wounded. That being the case, he appears quite glad to send her back to Achilleus. You don't ask if he has shared his bed with her, and hope Achilleus won't ask, either.] You take Briseis to Achilleus' hut yourself, assuring her as you do so that Patroclos' wounds were dire, but not mortal, and that the sons of Asclepios assure you that he will live, though he may not be healed enough to fight for years to come, if ever.(set: $Achilles to 'alive')          "Oh, that is such good news!" Briseis exclaims, wiping away her tears. "He is such a goodly, kind soul, so full of gentleness and peace. Who could ever wish to harm him?"          "The several hundred Trojans he killed yesterday all had friends and relations who would want to avenge them," you tell her. Not that you're completely convinced by that number, but both Antilochos and Menelaos assert that they had seen him kill at least forty men personally, and several of the other princes likewise claim to have seen similar feats. You are content to let the exaggeration (assuming it *is* exaggeration) stand, however, as you fear what Achilleus might do if you try to correct it. (At some point, though, you would like to ask Patroclos himself just how many men he *actually* killed in that battle. So long as Achilleus never finds out that you asked.)          Within the hut, you find Achilleus entirely focused on rebinding one of the wounds to Patroclos' arms, to the extent that he does not seem aware of your presence until Briseis kneels down beside him, placing a gentle hand on his thigh, even as she smiles down at Patroclos and says how glad she is that he is in a better state than the rumors said.          "My men are bringing you all the treasures I offered before," you tell Achilleus, though you're not sure he's actually listening, "and Menelaos has offered you the rule of several cities in Laconia." Sadly, your own lands do not have any towns lacking in leadership of their own such that you would dare give them away to someone else!          Achilleus so completely ignores you that you are thinking about excusing yourself when you hear someone else arrive in the hut behind you. Turning, you see five incomprehensibly beautiful women standing just inside the hut. (if: $Oenone is 'contemplating' or 'tempted')[The four in the back are very much peers of the nymph Oenone in beauty, while the one in the front outshines her completely, and you are sure that she must be a goddess, for who other than a goddess could be *that* beautiful?](else:)[You have never seen (or even imagined) women so radiant as these five.] Each of them carries a piece of armor, and the woman in the lead gently nudges you aside as if you were a mere chick on the ground.          "Mother?" Achilleus says as he turns to look at the new arrivals. It does not surprise you to learn this surpassingly beautiful woman is the divine Thetis, most powerful of the daughters of Nereus; she is clad in a gossamer gown, just the color of the wine-dark sea, and her hair–the same shade of red as Achilles' own hair–is braided up on her head, and hundreds, perhaps thousands of pearls are strung through the braids like bubbles of foam upon the sea. And, now that you see them both together, you can see how much his face resembles hers.          Her attendants, you figure, are probably some of her many sister Nereids. One of them carries a helmet, crafted of solid bronze with a golden plume, so beautifully crafted that it makes even the most elaborate helms of the other Achaians look plain and shabby. Another carries a cuirass, its bronze polished to a mirror-like shine, and like the helmet decorated with stars of gold and silver. The third of Thetis' attendants carries a pair of bronze greaves, and the fourth carries arm guards, made of bronze with stripes of gold at the wrists, and silver by the elbows. Thetis herself carries a shield, the likes of which no mortal man has ever seen before. In row upon row of figures, it depicts tales of the greatness of the gods, and of heroes of past generations, and even shows the daily life of mortals and immortals alike, all with such a lifelike quality that you could swear the figures moved and breathed.          "I had Hephaistos craft you new armor," Thetis says, holding the shield out towards her dear son. "It will protect you far better than any other armor ever could."          Achilleus accepts the magnificent shield from his mother gratefully, but does not say anything.          "I expect that you will be more cautious with your life from this point out," Thetis says sternly. "That is the price you must pay me for this armor. I do not wish to be bereaved of my son."          Achilleus nods absently. "I'm always careful," he says.          Thetis frowns at the non-committal answer, then gestures to the women accompanying her, and they each place the armor they bear in front of Achilleus' feet, then all five of them walk out of the hut again.          You follow them curiously, and continue to watch them as they walk into the sea, where they quickly disappear beneath the waves.          Realizing that maybe following his mother out of his hut was a bit rude to Achilleus, you return to the hut, but his attention is still focused entirely on the new armor, and you doubt he noticed you had left.          "It's magnificent," Patroclos is saying, as Achilleus holds the shield where he can see it from his pallet. "You finally have armor truly worthy of you."          You want to vomit.          You clear your throat to put that thought out of your head, and smile at Achilleus as he glances over at you, seemingly aware of you for the first time today. "Will we be able to count on you from here on out, noble Achilleus?" you ask.          He nods. "I won't rest until they all suffer for what they've done to Patroclos," he assures you.          [["I'm glad to hear it. We will certainly win the war soon to avenge his honor," you say.->MinorSortie]]          [[You don't think that's the right sentiment to take away from this experience, but wisely hold your tongue.->MinorSortie]]

         You wake in the morning choking on smoke.          Charging out of your hut, you see that the camp is on fire.          You dash back inside to fetch your arms. Once you are in your armor, you run once more into the camp, looking for the enemy.          But no matter how hard you search, you see no Trojans, nor any of their allies, only dead or panicking Achaians.          Eventually you hear the anguished scream of a woman, and hurry towards the sound, wondering in horror that some Trojan would kill the women he ought to be rescuing.          The sound came from inside a hut, and (link-reveal: "you rush inside to face the enemy.")[(show: ?first)] |first)[         Inside the hut you are stymied to see no enemies, only half a dozen corpses--both slaves and their Achaian owner--and Achilleus, his back to you, wearing Patroclos' corselet.          "(link-reveal: "What happened here?")[(show: ?second)]" you ask him, astonished that the killer could have escaped before either you or Achilleus reached the hut.] |second)[         Achilleus turns to look at you, a crazed expression on his face, and (link-reveal: "a bloody sword in his hand.")[(show: ?third)]] |third)[         The thought that Achilleus himself was the killer does not occur to you until he is upon you.          You do not have time to cry out before the sword is at your throat, (link-reveal: "and the world goes dark.")[(show: ?fourth)]] |fourth)[         Some curious horror allows you to remain conscious--after a fashion--and watch as Achilleus carries your head through the camp, so you see every strike and hear every scream and every cry of astonishment and horror as he slaughters more than half the Achaian army.          The only survivors are those who succeed in fleeing by boat before he can reach them. You hope the finest of the army are among them, as there are many of the heroes whose deaths you do not witness, but you don't know how long Achilleus was on this rampage before you encountered him.          When the camp is nothing but a sea of flames and corpses, Achilleus turns his steps towards the city, tossing your head behind him into the fire.          Only then does Hermes arrive to lead your shade to the land of the dead. He takes you straight to the three judges of the dead: Minos, Rhadamanthys, and Aiakos, grandfather of Achilleus. They stare at you sternly, and show you a window onto the plains of the living, in which Achilleus is still on his rampage, now slaughtering the people of Troy, burning the city as he goes, either impervious to the flames or not caring as they burn him.          Only after he has torn down the palace and slaughtered the royal family does a thunderbolt strike Achilleus down, leaving nothing behind but cinders and a crater.          "Do you understand what you have done?" Aiakos demands of you as the window disappears again. (link-reveal-goto: "Not at all.", "Title Screen")[(alert: "Your consistent torment of Achilleus has driven him mad! All this slaughter is *your* fault! To Tartaros with you!")] (link-reveal-goto: "I'm afraid I do.", "Title Screen")[(alert:"It hardly matters now. Since you and your whole army are dead and the war is abominably ruined.")]]

         Much to your surprise, it is not long before Achilleus appears before you, fully decked out in his new divine armor, (if: (history:) contains "BigBattleDiomedes" or "BigBattleCycnos")[and looking more impressive and terrifying than Ares himself.](else:)[looking as though he might be Ares himself rather than a mortal man.]          "Why is the army not ready to assault the citadel?" he demands of you.          "I...y--the battle was only yesterday," you stumble verbally. "The men need time to lament, to recover, and to hold funerals for the dead."          "No." Achilleus scowls. "There will be no funeral until his killer is dead."          You pray fervently that either he doesn't really mean that or his mother has given him something to keep the corpse fresh, because otherwise...you don't even want to think about it. "I don't know if the men can be prepared so soon after--"          "Resting *our* men means letting *their* men rest, too," Achilleus points out coldly. "*I* will not rest until Patroclos' shade can rest, and he will never rest easy until I've slain the entire Trojan race. Every death will be a sacrifice to Patroclos' memory. I don't care who tries to stop me. Even the gods themselves."          There's no winning this argument. You can see that. He doesn't want to see reason; he wants to see blood. And if he doesn't get to see (if: $Hector is 'alive')[Hector's](else:)[Aineias'], he might decide to settle for *yours*. "All right, if you are so determined, I'll have those men who are well and rested enough to fight prepare to set out at once."          Achilleus leaves without another word, and you hasten to do as you have promised. While you are surprised how many of the men are ready to return to the fight, even those who are ready to fight are surprised to learn that there is going to *be* another battle today. (if: $Ascalaphos is 'dead')[Ialmenos in particular seems quite enraged to hear that there will be a battle when his brother Ascalaphos has not yet had his funeral. After glancing around to make sure Achilleus will not overhear, you tell him that you agree with him completely.]          You cannot bring yourself to join the battle, being abjectly terrified of the carnage the newly enraged Achilleus will wreak (especially given the sort of carnage he can wreak (and often has done) when he's relatively calm!), so you can only pace the camp awaiting messages from heralds and the returning wounded to tell you how the battle fares.          Most of the messages, at first, are simple and routine where Achilleus is involved: the enemy flee before him and he rampages after them in a manner befitting Ares himself. (if: $Ascalaphos is 'dead')[(An irony, considering that today's rampage is preventing the funeral of a genuine *son* of Ares!)]          After a while, though, those returning from the battle have odder tidings.          First there are the Myrmidons coming back laden with prisoners--a dozen of them, all told, all pretty young men, some still ephebes--and then the other men who return in a panic to report that Achilleus has enraged a river god by dumping so many Trojan corpses in its bed. They claim (and you hope it is *only* a claim) that when the river god requested that Achilleus please dump his bodies on dry land, Achilleus mouthed off to him instead of agreeing to the quite reasonable request, and so the river began to flood in an attempt to drown Achilleus, even as he ran away like a scared rabbit.          The next reports are more confusing still, something about flames simply appearing and disappearing at the edge of the flooding river, causing it to retreat back within its banks. (You find yourself speculating about Hephaistos being summoned to rescue Achilleus from the disaster of his own making, but quickly dismiss the idea as madness. The entire story of the angry river god is probably merely someone's tall tale being magnified on the outskirts of the battle, and never really happened at all. Surely. You hope.)          Eventually, word catches you that Achilleus has begun to confront (if: $Hector is 'alive')[Hector](else:)[Aineias], who is now wearing Achilleus' former armor. Not that the divine armor seems to have given Patroclos' killer any confidence to face his enraged boyfriend, as the reports indicate Achilleus having to chase his chariot all around the walls of the city. (Again, you hope this is exaggeration, but you can't be sure.)          Night is beginning to fall when Achilleus returns to the camp, beaming triumphantly, despite that his brilliant new armor is coated and besmirched with the blood of countless men.          As the chariot enters the camp, you are horrified to see that a naked corpse is being dragged behind it in the dust. Achilleus brings the chariot to a stop outside his own hut, and goes inside as you approach, appalled to recognize the corpse as that of (if: $Hector is 'alive')[the noble prince Hector(set: $Hector to 'dead')(set: $killer to 'Hector')](else:)[Aineias, son of golden Aphrodite(set: $Aineias to 'dead')(set: $killer to 'Aineias')]. Surely such an important and worthy man's body should never be so abused!(set: $Apollo to 'pissed')(set: $TrojanGenerals to it - 1)          From within the hut, you hear Achilleus' voice. "You see, I've kept my word to you," he says, and you know even without looking inside that he is addressing the dead man within. "As a gift, I bring you the body of murderous $killer, so that your shade can watch as the dogs devour him! Now you can rest avenged, and I'll give you the most glorious funeral any man has ever had, though it can never be as fine as you deserve, greatest and best of Achaian men! Then I'll send each and every man of the Trojan race down to the depths of Erebos, and their shrieks and the laments of their enslaved widows will be your eternal funeral dirge!"          You back away from the hut as he emerges again, afraid he will be angry that you overheard him. "Prepare wood," he tells you as if you were the underling and he the leader of the army (though that's probably how he's always seen it anyway). "I want to hold the funeral as soon as possible."          "It's already night," you point out, though you really should not need to do so! "It can't be held until tomorrow."          Achilleus grimaces, and lets out a deep sigh. "I suppose not," he admits. "The preparations must begin at first light."          [["It may take another full day to gather enough wood for the pyre, but we'll be sure to prepare for the funeral as quickly as possible," you assure him.->FuneralOfPatroclos]]          [["Yes, of course," you agree, because what else can you do? If you argue, you might end up in the same state as $killer.->FuneralOfPatroclos]]

(if: $Diomedes is 'ticked')[(set: $Diomedes to 'alive')](if: $Diomedes is 'pissed')[(set: $Diomedes to 'alive')]         By the time you rise in the morning, Achilleus is already supervising the gathering of wood and the construction of the funeral bier. Since it does not appear that you will be needed for this, you are going through the camp and checking in on all the other bereaved men who need to hold funerals for their friends and kinsmen.          Due to that, you happen to be in the camp of the Myrmidons when you suddenly hear the voice of Briseis call out in alarm from within Achilleus' hut. Concerned that someone who lost a friend or relation in the battles Achilleus refused to enter has decided to take vengeance on the woman who was Achilleus' excuse to withdraw, you enter the hut in great haste.          Within, you only find the corpse of Patroclos, already washed and dressed for the funeral (no doubt by Achilleus himself) and an assortment of female slaves. Two of the women stand near the body: Briseis and an unfamiliar woman with dark red hair. The latter woman has a knife in her hands, and you recognize the knife as having belonged to Patroclos.          "Iphis! What are you doing?!" Briseis is exclaiming, even as you enter the room, reaching to take the blade away from the other woman.          "I want to cut my hair off now, before Achilleus comes back!" the other exclaims. "He'll never let me burn my hair along with the body! But isn't that my privilege, my right?" Her 'right'? She must have belonged to Patroclos, then, but you didn't know he had ever shared his bed with anyone other than Achilleus. (Not that you spend much time probing into the sex lives of your men, but with all the gossip that has flown about those two over the last nine years, you had rather assumed he didn't even have a taste for women.)          Briseis sighs in relief. "Thank the gods!" she exclaims. "I thought you wanted to harm yourself! Here, give it to me," she adds, holding out her hand. "I'll cut it for you."          You watch uncertainly as Briseis shears the other woman's hair, and sets it in her hand. "Here," she says. "Be quick about it, in case Achilleus returns."          It is only when Patroclos' slave goes to place her hair inside his tunic that Briseis notices your presence. She gasps, and runs over to take your hand in a supplicating manner. "Please, don't tell Achilleus!" she begs. "Iphis is bereaved enough already--don't make her suffering worse!"          "Of course not," you assure her. Given how Achilleus is behaving just at present, that would surely end up with the poor woman slaughtered like a brute beast. You would not be able to live with yourself if you caused such an outrage.          You tender your sympathies to the bereaved slave girl (who seems to resent the sentiment, no doubt blaming you for the quarrel that led to her master's death, which you have to admit is not entirely wrong) and leave the hut again to help with the other funerals.          Because Achilleus is insisting that Patroclos have a funeral pyre large enough for a dozen men, it will take all day for enough wood to be gathered, but enough wood was already at hand to build more reasonable pyres for the other men lost in battle over the last few days.          You spend most of the day at (if: $Ascalaphos is 'dead')[the funeral of Ascalaphos, whose brother is outraged that so few other men of importance turn up, as so many are helping with the preparations for Patroclos' funeral, despite that Patroclos held no rank, while Ascalaphos was the King of Orchomenos.](else:)[these funerals, trying to console grieving relations.]          It is almost nightfall when you see Achilleus leading the procession towards the massive pyre that has been built just outside the camp. He rides in his chariot with the body of Patroclos seated in the chariot, which still drags the naked corpse of $killer behind it in the dirt. Following the chariot and keening are about a dozen female slaves, then the mourning Myrmidons. It is already a larger production than any of the other funerals have gotten over the nine years of this war, despite the relative insignificance of the man being buried! (Yes, everyone liked him, as he was possibly the nicest and most kind man in the camp, and he was certainly a skilled warrior, but he still held no rank whatsoever, even if his father was (allegedly) an Argonaut.)          Once Achilleus has laid the body on the bier, the funeral feast begins, and it is quite a feast, you have to admit. During the feast, Achilleus keeps apart from the other men, alone with his grief, and his closest friends discuss their fears for his safety: they worry that now he has accomplished his revenge, he may take his own life. You're not sure you would regret it if he *did*, honestly. You certainly wouldn't regret it if he killed himself *after* the war was over.          As the funeral feast winds down, Achilleus climbs back atop the pyre, and turns to look in the direction of the wine-dark sea. Suddenly, he draws his sword, and for a moment you think that he will take his own life here and now, to leave this world along with his lover. (Such an action would certainly excuse the grandeur of the funeral, and yet...)          "When I was a boy, my father, Peleus, promised a lock of my hair to the River Spercheios," Achilleus says, his voice surprisingly calm, and yet so loud that it seems as though one of the Winds was magnifying it, as if to carry it all the way back to his aged father. "When I became a man, I was to deliver that lock to the river god, as thanks for preserving my life." He removes the helmet from his head, and drops it to the ground beside the pyre, where one of his Myrmidons hastily retrieves it. "But I had sworn I would not return to Phthia until Troy had fallen to my spear, and so I have never yet sundered that lock, nor any other. And Spercheios has not kept his word, thus I need not keep mine!" With his free hand, he gathers his long, red hair, then uses the sword in his other hand to sever it all. What remains of his hair flies wild on being freed, ringing his face with red that seems, in the dim light of the torches, the color of thick, fresh blood. An appropriate color for a man whose life has been steeped in the stuff. "I will never again see my homeland, and this offering can be given to a more worthy recipient," Achilleus continues, as he bends and places the hair into Patroclos' hands.          Then he sheathes his sword again, and climbs back down off the bier, to the loud lamentation of his Myrmidons. You wonder how many of them mourn for my Patroclos, and how many mourn because their prince has pronounced his own death sentence as well?          Most of the Achaians are being sent away now, as Achilleus wants only those closest to the dead man to remain behind. His slaves, too, are leaving, except Iphis, who lingers at the edge of the clearing, watching Patroclos' body with tears still in her eyes.          Even as you're wondering if you should depart now, you see the Myrmidons lead out the twelve Trojan prisoners you saw them bringing back yesterday, and Achilleus explains them to Patroclos' corpse even as he slaughters them one by one, heaping their bodies on the edges of the pyre, as if they're only kindling. "I took these men prisoner in the battle yesterday," he says, "having selected them personally as the best possible offerings, as an honor guard of slaves to accompany you into the house of Hades."          Once the twelve men are dead and laid along the edges of the bier, along with a number of sacrificed animals–even two of the dogs Achilleus keeps in his hut!–he lights the pyre himself. But the corpse of $killer still lies behind Achilleus' chariot, unmourned, unburned and unburied.          As the pyre begins to burn more brightly, and the flames start to mask the body from view, Achilleus sits down nearby, watching the fire with tears in his eyes. He keeps nothing and no one with him but a fine golden cup, and a krater of wine.          Realizing you have surely remained too long, you head back to your hut to get some sleep; a pyre that size will burn all night.          When you wake, you go back out to the site of the pyre, and find that Achilleus is already giving instructions to his men, telling them to gather up Patroclos' bones and place them in a golden amphora which his mother gave him, one large enough to hold his own bones as well. In his talk of the barrow he wants built over the amphora, too, he makes it clear to all who hear him that he intends the barrow as well to be used as his own final resting place, and it's making the men weep to hear their champion speak of his own demise so casually. Antilochos is crying so poignantly at the thought of Achilleus taking his own life that he can't even help gather the bones, and can only pour the wine Achilleus provided to douse the few remaining flames.          There is a brief scene as Patroclos' slave girl tries to help gather his bones, but is forbidden from doing so by all present. You see her point--she is almost as close to being the dead man's widow as Achilleus is--but for a slave (and a female one, at that!) to handle a nobleman's bones would be a tremendous insult to his memory, no matter what sort of relations he had with that slave in life.          With the bones safely stowed in the amphora--which Nestor informs you was a wedding gift to Achilleus' parents from Dionysos himself (though you don't know how *Nestor* would know that, as you doubt he was present at the wedding)--and a surprisingly large barrow built over them, the funeral games begin, and the other princes become quite caught up in them.          You can't bring yourself to care about them, though. Just as with the funeral itself, these games are greater than any that have been given for the other dead in this war, even kings and princes. Yet Patroclos gets this great honor just because his boyfriend is a demi-god whose presence in this war was demanded by a prophecy?          It doesn't seem right. It doesn't seem fair. It even seems dishonest, as surely all those princes cannot truly believe this funeral is appropriate in relation to the others.          When the games are over and the prizes all distributed, as most of the others disperse to their own huts, Achilleus mounts his chariot and begins to drag the naked corpse of $killer behind him around the barrow. Twelve times he circles it, then unties the corpse and rides off, leaving it exposed beside the barrow where the crows and dogs can feed on it.          "Shouldn't we do something about this disrespectful treatment of an important enemy?" Nestor asks you, staring at the body with concern. "It will surely anger the gods."          You sigh sadly.          [[I don't dare try to intervene; who knows what Achilleus would do to me if I did.->RansomingTheBody]]          [[Achilleus is so favored by the gods that I doubt even this will turn them against him.->RansomingTheBody]]

         (if: $Diomedes is 'ticked')[(set: $Diomedes to 'alive')](if: $Diomedes is 'pissed')[(set: $Diomedes to 'alive')](if: $Briseis is 'Creon' or 'Diomedes' and $Achilles is not 'left')[With the specter of Achilleus withdrawing finally dismissed, and his ire (if: $Patroclos is 'wounded')[transferred to the enemy, where it belongs,](else:)[soothed,] you can finally stop worrying and return all your focus to the war effort.](else_if: $Achilles is 'left')[Knowing Achilleus has withdrawn despite all efforts to make him remain in the war, you are determined to win a victory over the enemy as soon as possible to prove to the men that Achilleus does not need to be here, or at least that his nephew will satisfy the prophecy.](else:)[After the humiliation of the camp being temporarily overrun by the enemy, you are eager to set out to the field and teach them a lesson!]          Today's battle must be a strong, decisive victory. You must put the best possible man in the center of the line of chariots, to ensure that the enemy are completely routed. (if: $Achilles is 'alive')[         Send Achilleus.(click: "Send Achilleus.")[(set: $todays to 'Achilleus')(goto: "MinorSortieOutcome")] ](if: $Menesthios is 'alive')[         Send Menesthios. (click: "Send Menesthios.")[(set: $todays to 'Menesthios')(goto: "MinorSortieOutcome")] ](if: $AiasS is 'alive')[         Send Aias of Salamis.(click: "Send Aias of Salamis.")[(set: $todays to 'Aias')(goto: "MinorSortieOutcome")] ](if: $Diomedes is 'alive')[         Send Diomedes. (click: "Send Diomedes.")[(set: $todays to 'Diomedes')(goto: "MinorSortieOutcome")] ](if: $Odysseus is 'alive')[         Send Odysseus. (click: "Send Odysseus.")[(set: $todays to 'Odysseus')(goto: "MinorSortieOutcome")] ](if: $Cycnos is 'ally')[         Send Cycnos. (click: "Send Cycnos.")[(set: $todays to 'Cycnos')(goto: "MinorSortieOutcome")] ](if: $Idomeneus is 'alive')[         Send Idomeneus. (click: "Send Idomeneus.")[(set: $todays to 'Idomeneus')(goto: "MinorSortieOutcome")] ](if: $Ascalaphos is 'alive')[         Send Ascalaphos. (click: "Send Ascalaphos.")[(set: $todays to 'Ascalaphos')(goto: "MinorSortieOutcome")] ]         Send Menelaos. (click: "Send Menelaos.")[(set: $todays to 'Menelaos')(goto: "MinorSortieOutcome")]

         Rather than waste your breath trying to talk Achilleus into staying(if: $Briseis is 'Diomedes')[ (and risk turning Diomedes against you!)], you make your way to the huts of the Myrmidons, who are half-heartedly trying to move all their armor and treasures to their boats, and search until you find Achilleus' nephew, Menesthios.          He looks at you blankly as you approach him. "I can't talk Achilleus into staying, so don't bother asking," he says.          "I wasn't going to ask that," you assure him. "I was, in fact, going to ask *you* to stay." In response to his curious look, you explain about the nebulous wording of the original prophecy.          "It didn't mean me," Menesthios assures you, with a weary shake of his head. "My grandfather may be a son of Zeus, but I'm nobody."          "I thought your father was a river god," you counter.          Menesthios colors dramatically. "My mother is married to an ordinary man," he assures you.          "Yes, so I've heard," you agree. There's a lull, and you feel like you might be reaching him. "You've spent the last nine years being completely overshadowed by your uncle because of his divine mother. Wouldn't you like to have everyone in the camp praising *you* instead as the instrument the gods selected to bring down the mighty walls of Troy?"          Menesthios hesitates for a moment, then smiles weakly. "It does sound nice," he agrees, "but I don't know that they will ever think that way."          "When the citadel falls and Achilleus is back in Phthia on the other side of an ocean, *then* they will."          Menesthios is completely won over by your words, and goes to see Achilleus and ask him to leave the Myrmidons behind when he sails.          You can hear the shouting from halfway across the camp.          Menesthios comes to see you shortly after his uncle stops bellowing at him. "He was less than cooperative," Menesthios says, in a stunning display of understatement, "but about a third of the Myrmidons volunteered to remain behind despite him." (set: $Achilles to 'left')(set: $Menesthios to 'alive')          "Better than nothing," you say, smiling at him. "I know you will be just as important to the war effort as he ever was, if not more so."          Not long after, you watch 35 of the 50 ships Achilleus brought as they sail away, riding heavy in the water with the weight of the gold, arms and slaves Achilleus is taking with him.          [[But you know you don't need him to win this war. And the men will accept his nephew as fulfilling the prophecy. You're sure of it.->MinorSortie]]

         You go to speak to Nestor in his hut, and ask him if he cannot apply his wisdom to convince Achilleus to remain and fight out the rest of the war.          "Will you be willing to make concessions if he asks?" Nestor asks you. (if: $Briseis is 'Creon')["Will you return his concubine, untouched?"          "I have already offered her untouched return once, and he rebuffed me. I will be glad to offer it again," you assure him, "and she remains untouched by me." And probably by Achilleus, as well, no matter how he sulks over having had her taken away. "I also offered great payments of wealth, arms and land. All were dismissed without even consideration."](else_if: $Briseis is 'Diomedes')["Can you convince Diomedes to return Briseis to him?"          "I can try, but if he was willing to listen to me, I don't think he would have taken her in the first place. Do you think you could talk to him, as well? Everyone respects you so highly," you say, pleading with him. Only after you've said it do you realize that you just implied--practically outright *stated*--that no one respects *you*, even though you are supposedly the one in charge of this war.]          Nestor smiles, and nods. "I will speak to the young man and see if I may persuade him to remain, but I cannot promise I will succeed."          "Of course. I do not ask the impossible, only that you do what you can. I well know how stubborn he is."          You both leave the hut, and you follow uneasily as Nestor makes his slow way through the camp, pausing frequently to chat pleasantly with various other princes along the way. (if: $Briseis is 'Diomedes')[He heads first to the hut of Diomedes, and he is not inside long before he emerges and tells you that Diomedes is willing to return the girl if it will mean that Achilleus remains in the camp. Then he heads towards the camp of the Myrmidons.]          The portion of the camp occupied by the Myrmidons bustles with activity as they reluctantly prepare to sail back to Hellas. Nestor makes his way to Achilleus' hut, then turns to look at you. "You should wait out here," he says. "To avoid complicating the matter."          You agree eagerly, and wait uneasily as Nestor disappears inside. You hear a few snatches of the conversation, including Nestor gently reproaching both Achilleus and Patroclos for having so little concern for the lives of the men they are abandoning in this war, and reminds Achilleus that his own position is so like that of Menelaos that he should be especially loath to leave the Spartan king without his aid, since they are now like brothers. (if: $Briseis is 'Creon')[(You dislike entirely the idea of being compared to Alexandros in any way, but dare not object.)](else:)[(You doubt Diomedes would much care for that comparison, but you're not about to tell him about it!)]          You also hear Patroclos urging Achilleus to relent, and Nestor reminding him that his reputation will never recover if he should leave, and that he will be forever remembered as a coward who turned and ran when he should have stayed and fought.          That seems to be the argument that finally reaches him, and your heart leaps when you hear Achilleus agree to remain in the war. Nestor leaves the hut with a smile on his face, followed by Patroclos, who quickly begins ordering the Myrmidons to stop loading the ships, because they will not be sailing after all. The Myrmidons cheer the news even as you hurry back to make all the arrangements to have Briseis returned to Achilleus, and all the gold and arms you promised sent to his hut.(set: $Achilles to 'alive')          [[At long last, things are looking up again! You hope the next battle will be the one to shatter the walls of mighty Ilios.->MinorSortie]]

         You go to see Phoinix in his hut among the Myrmidons, and explain that you are hoping that he will be able to convince Achilleus not to sail.          "I don't see how I can do so now when I have failed so many times in the past," Phoinix replies bitterly.          "I have no one else to turn to," you tell him, desperately. "Please!"          Phoinix sighs, and tells you to wait in his hut, then leaves. He returns much sooner than you would have liked, and he does not look pleased.          "He agrees to leave the Myrmidons behind under the command of his sister's son, Menesthios," Phoinix tells you. "I'm sorry. That was the best I could do."          "Hopefully Menesthios will be enough to satisfy the prophecy," you say with a miserable sigh.(set: $Menesthios to 'alive')(set: $Achilles to 'left')          You return to your hut, but rather than entering, you lean against the back wall, watching the sea. You don't move from that spot until you have seen Achilleus' proud ship sail away, leaving the war behind.          [[Have you doomed the war effort by driving him away, or was the prophecy mere nonsense? You hope things will turn out well, but fear the worst.->MinorSortie]]

         You make your way to the section of the camp where the Myrmidons bustle about like ants, scurrying to load their ships. You enter the hut of Achilleus and kneel before him in supplication, begging him not to leave the war and abandon Queen Helen to remain forever in the hands of the Trojans.          "Given how much more attractive that cowardly Alexandros is than Menelaos, she might be happier where she is," Achilleus comments coldly. (if: $Briseis is 'Creon')[You cannot take that as anything but an attack on you, since you are so much less attractive than the Achilleus.]          "Please, I beg you, think of the men you are abandoning," you continue. "They will lose all heart if you sail away without them. In their despondence, they will be all too easy prey for the Trojans, and their lives will be forfeited to your pride."          A disdainful snort suggests that Achilleus does not care in the least about anyone he would be leaving in the camp. (if: $AiasS is 'alive')[A shocking thought, considering he would leave behind at least two cousins!] You feel this conversation would go better if Patroclos was here, but he seems to be elsewhere, probably supervising as the Myrmidons prepare to leave.          "Are you willing to accept what this will do to your reputation?" you ask. "People will forever call you a coward..."          "There will be other wars," Achilleus replies lightly. "I won't lack for opportunities to prove my valor." He smirks cruelly. "Maybe I'll take over a few of the kingdoms back in Hellas, left with no king and little in the way of an army."          The very notion sets a chill in your blood. If he were to sail now, your army might return--in victory or defeat--to a Hellas unified under the rule of Achilleus, and then what would happen to you and the other princes?          "Please, tell me what I must do to persuade you to stay," you say, fighting not to cry as you see how far you have fallen. "I will do whatever you require of me."          "Oh really?" A positively wicked smile. "All the gold you've taken until now?"          Your heart seizes up in your chest. Can he really be *that* greedy? "If that is what you want..."          "All your slaves?"          "If that is what you want..." you repeat, desperate not to think about it. If Achilleus takes all the plunder you have received so far, then if the army *cannot* conquer the city, you will have spent the last nine years suffering through this war for literally nothing.          "A public apology, in front of all the troops."          "Of course." No one will ever respect you again! It's hard to keep from crying.          "And the untouched return of Briseis, of course."          (if: $Briseis is 'Creon')["Of course," you agree. "I have not so much as touched her shoulder in passing."](if: $Briseis is 'Diomedes')["If I can convince Diomedes to return her, I will do so gladly."]          For a moment, all is silence in the hut, except for the noise of the Myrmidons outside.          "Fine," Achilleus says with a miserable sigh. "I'd rather you truly *meant* it instead of being forced into it, but I do hate to run from a fight. As soon as Briseis is back in my arms, I will order the Myrmidons to stop preparing our departure."          You thank Achilleus profusely, and hurry out of the hut to do his bidding. (if: $Briseis is 'Creon')[You return to your hut and send for Talthybios, telling Briseis while you wait for the herald that she is being returned to Achilleus. She is surprisingly delighted, considering that Achilleus is the one who killed her husband all those years ago. (Though at this point she has been with Achilleus longer than she was with Mynes.) Not surprisingly, Talthybios is almost as delighted as Briseis when you give him his instructions.](if: $Briseis is 'Diomedes' and (history:) contains "NightRaidDiomedes")[You hurry to Diomedes' hut and explain the situation to him, begging him to return the girl, inwardly praying that he hasn't had his way with her yet, though you fear he has done so repeatedly.          Diomedes sighs and shakes his head. "I shouldn't--we don't *need* him. But she cries every time I try to touch her. I don't want a concubine who won't sleep with me. I'll have my herald send her back."          You thank him profusely, and head back to your own hut, where you begin to make the preparations to meet the rest of Achilleus' demands.]          (if: $Briseis is 'Diomedes' and ((history:) contains "NightRaidDiomedes") is false)[You hurry to Diomedes' hut and explain the situation to him, begging him to return the girl, inwardly praying that he hasn't had his way with her yet, though you fear he has done so repeatedly.          "Why should I?" Diomedes snarls in response. "What do I gain by allowing someone else to have the greatest share of the glory? So long as Achilleus fights at Troy, no one else will be remembered or regarded for their role." He chuckles grimly. "Besides, what have *you* ever done for me? No, the girl stays with me. And she'll come to love me more than him in time. After all, *I* didn't kill her husband and reduce her to slavery."          Horrified, you try to talk him out of it, but the longer you talk, the more irate he becomes, until you flee his hut in fear of your life.          All you can do is watch miserably as Achilleus sails away with half his Myrmidons. Thankfully, the other half elected to stay under the command of his nephew Menesthios, so there is at least a small chance that the prophecy does not doom the war to failure now that Achilleus has left.(set: $Achilles to 'left')(set: $Menesthios to 'alive') [[You can only hope that you have not lost all hope of winning the war and recovering Queen Helen.->MinorSortie]]](else:)[It makes you miserable, watching every bit of your loot handed over to Achilleus (what in the name of all the gods will he do with it all?), and the idea of having to apologize to him in front of the whole host is humiliating in the extreme, but at least the war should get back on track now that he is no longer refusing to fight.(set: $Creon to 'paranoid')(set: $Achilles to 'alive')          [[You hope things will pick up in the war soon to distract you from this disaster.->MinorSortie]]]

         It is the twelfth day since the funeral games of Patroclos, and you are watching in disgust as Achilleus once more drags the corpse of $killer around the bier twelve times before leaving it ignominiously untended in the dust.          And yet, *is* it untended? It has not rotted, and you have never once seen a crow land on it, or a dog attempt to feed on it. Even the sun's heat seems to be avoiding the body. Perhaps some god is preserving it in honor of the dead man's noble soul? (if: $killer is 'Aineias')[If so, surely it is his own mother, Aphrodite, who protects the corpse from spoiling.]          Still, protected or not, you cannot bear to see this continue. And yet, what can you do? You are quite terrified of what Achilleus will do if you should cross him again.          And yet, will not this ghastly behavior bring down the wrath of the gods, as Nestor suggested? (After all, is Nestor *ever* wrong?)          Your anguish over this dilemma prevents you from sleeping at night, and you find yourself pacing through the camp as the rest of the men sleep.          Because of this nocturnal rambling, you happen to see (if: $killer is 'Hector')[an old man being led to Achilleus' hut by an unfamiliar man holding a herald's staff. Once the old man has disappeared inside the herald notices you and smiles impishly. "You won't tell anyone, right?" he asks with a wink.          "Who are you?" you ask. "Who was that man?"          "I'm no one suspicious," the herald assures you. "Just a herald. And that was King Priam, come to beg for the return of his son's body." His friendly mien suddenly drops, and you feel a chill. "You *won't* do anything to ambush a bereaved old man." The words are a threat, very palpably.          "As I have been given deep unease by the disrespect being paid to Prince Hector's corpse, it would be most shameful and even dishonest of me to do so," you assure him.          "Glad to hear it. I'll be back for him in the morning, and if I don't find him alive..." The herald walks off without finishing his sentence. You try to follow him, but he disappeared behind one of the other huts, and now you cannot find him. ](else:)[a crippled old man being carried to Achilleus' hut in the company of Menelaos himself. After the old man and the youth carrying him disappear inside the hut, you approach Menelaos. "Who was that?" you ask. "What's going on?"          "That was one of Antenor's sons," Menelaos tells you. "You recall Antenor, yes? The one who was my host when I tried to get Helen back peaceably."          "Yes, but what--who was the other man?"          "He says his name is Anchises, and that he is--was--the father of Aineias." Menelaos sighs sadly. "He's come to beg to ransom his son's body."          "I hope Achilleus will agree to the request," you say. "But is there anything to stop him from killing the both of them? Should we intervene?"          "Archelochos is a skilled warrior," Menelaos assures you. "I doubt Achilleus would try to ambush him in such close quarters." He pauses thoughtfully. "That's odd, though; now that I think of it, I thought Archelochos was killed recently..."          "Has he a brother?" you ask. "Perhaps it was one of his brothers who was killed."          "He has a lot of them." Menelaos laughs. "Trojans seem to breed large families!" The smile fades from his lips. "You don't think--that isn't why Helen won't return to me, is it? Has she borne children to that cowardly snake?"          You nearly voice your first thought, that surely Helen must be far past her child-bearing years by now, but thankfully stop yourself just in time. "I'm sure Alexandros or his brothers would have mentioned it in battle if she had," you say instead.          Menelaos agrees, and asks you to keep Anchises and Archelochos a secret. "I swore to the boy, by the hospitality his father gave me, that I would allow no harm to come to them."          "And rightly so," you agree. "I will do nothing to allow harm to come to them; I would very much like to see Aineias' body restored to his family for proper burial. Enemy or no, he was a worthy man and deserves better treatment." ]         You return to your hut and find that now sleep comes easily.          You wake in the morning refreshed, feeling better than you have since the funeral.          Leaving the hut, you find Achilleus approaching you. "I wanted to talk to you about something," he says, his face more calm and far less deranged than it has been since his lover's death.          "Of course. Did you want to come inside?"          But Achilleus shakes his head. "No, no. But..." He frowns, rubbing his fingers through his bristly-short mourning hair. "I made a deal I maybe shouldn't have," he says, sounding almost sheepish.          "Oh?" You have trouble containing a smile, having some idea what he's going to say.          "I agreed to let the father of $killer ransom his body," Achilleus says, his voice almost stumbling.          "And what about that could be wrong?" you ask.          "Well, Patroclos might object," he says, "but that wasn't actually the deal I meant. In the process, I also promised him a truce for mourning and funerals. But I suppose I don't actually have that right."          He *supposes* he doesn't have that right? You hope you're keeping your expression level and not exposing your disgust at his presumption.          [["A funerary truce is most appropriate after the loss of someone so important."->LargerSortie]]          [["I will be glad to honor the truce. Our men could use the rest, too."->LargerSortie]]

         Given the importance of this battle to the morale of the men, it is crucial for every able soldier to be in the field. Therefore, you, too, are accompanying $todays into battle, though you merely take your place along the line with the others, ready to smite every enemy who comes in range of your spear.          (unless: (history:) contains "TrojanRaidAchilles" or "TrojanRaidDeadAchilles" or "AchillesSwearsLesserVengeance" or "TrojanRaidCycnos")[The Trojans are riled up today, convinced that they have and will retain the greater power on the field. ]$todays leads the men forward with a battle cry that rattles the nerve of the enemy, and fires up the Achaian men to fight their hardest.          The battle is fearsome, and lasts most of the day, but ends with the Trojans retreating back inside the walls of their city.          As the chariots and the foot soldiers make their way back to the camp, you realize that no one of importance has died or even been wounded.          You hold a massive feast that night to celebrate the victory, inspiring your troops greatly.          [[Surely the end of the war cannot be far off now!->GetSuppliesFromLemnos]]

         Given the strange way the war has played out this year, you realize suddenly that the camp's supplies have dwindled to almost nothing, because the Trojans have given you no time to go out raiding nearby settlements for food. (Could that have been their aim?!)          You will need to send not merely a single ship to Lemnos to trade off slaves and treasures for supplies, but a small fleet of ships, bearing away all too much of the loot that has built up over the last nine years.          But it must be done: what good would it do to hold onto the gold if the whole army starves to death?          It is not a dangerous or long trip to Lemnos, so there is no risk to the lives of the men who go (except if any particularly stupid pirates attack, but the risk there would be for the pirates, not for your men!), but you must make sure to send someone capable and trustworthy enough to keep control over the treasure, the supplies and the sailors, while also not sending anyone you might need in the field of battle between now and their return in a few days.          [[Send Antilochos.->LargerSortie]]          [[Send Meriones.->LargerSortie]]          [[Send Teukros.->LargerSortie]] (if: $Protesilaos is 'alive')[         [[Send Protesilaos.->LargerSortie]]]

         It's been almost a month since the last battle.          The men are refreshed and rested, and raring to tear through the enemy lines and topple the towers of Ilios.          You have a good feeling about this battle. Like maybe it could be the *final* battle, the one that sees the Scaian Gate shattered and your forces pouring onto the streets of the city.          Who will you place at the center of the line to inspire the men while also bearing the brunt of the enemy's focus?          [[I'll do it myself.->LargerSortieCreon]] (if: $Achilles is 'alive')[         [[Achilleus.->LargerSortieAchilles]] ](if: $Menesthios is 'alive')[         Menesthios.(click: "Menesthios.")[(set: $todays to 'Menesthios')(goto: "LargerSortieGeneral")] ](if: $AiasS is 'alive')[         Aias of Salamis.(click: "Aias of Salamis.")[(set: $todays to 'Aias')(goto: "LargerSortieGeneral")] ](if: $Diomedes is 'alive')[         Diomedes.(click: "Diomedes.")[(set: $todays to 'Diomedes')(goto: "LargerSortieGeneral")] ](if: $Odysseus is 'alive')[         Odysseus.(click: "Odysseus.")[(set: $todays to 'Odysseus')(goto: "LargerSortieGeneral")] ](if: $Idomeneus is 'alive')[         Idomeneus.(click: "Idomeneus.")[(set: $todays to 'Idomeneus')(goto: "LargerSortieGeneral")] ](if: $Cycnos is 'ally')[         [[Cycnos.->LargerSortieCycnos]] ](if: $AiasL is 'alive')[         Aias of Locris.(click: "Aias of Locris.")[(set: $todays to 'Aias')(goto: "LargerSortieGeneral")] ]         Menelaos.(click: "Menelaos")[(set: $todays to 'Menelaos')(goto: "LargerSortieGeneral")]

         Your forces line up for battle around you as your chariot takes up the central position in the line. (if: $Creon is 'paranoid')[You can feel the eyes of all the other princes on you, some of them laughing inwardly, and the others accusing with their gazes, saying that you do not belong on a field of battle at all, let alone in the place of prominence above so many men better than yourself. ]You speak a few words to rally the troop before the charge begins, then all becomes chaos and dust as you enter battle.          The Trojans, too, are well rested, and they are fighting with ten times their usual strength. But thanks to your leadership, your own men are also fighting beyond their peak, and there are no casualties among your noble warriors(set: $injury to (random: 1,10))(if: $injury < 5)[.](else_if: $injury is 5)[, though Meriones was slightly wounded.](else_if: $injury is 6)[, though Antilochos was slightly wounded.](else_if: $injury is 7)[, though Teukros was slightly wounded.](else_if: $injury is 8)[, though Machaon was slightly wounded.](else_if: $injury is 9)[, though you received a slight injury.](else:)[, though Podaleirios was slightly wounded.]          Sadly, though your troops performed excellently, you made no real inroads on the city itself.          [[Clearly, the day of conquest has yet to come.->ScoutingMission]]

         Your forces line up for battle, with Achilleus riding in his magnificent chariot at the center, his immortal stallions pawing at the dirt as if they thirst for the blood of the enemy as much as their master does.          (if: $Patroclos is 'alive')[Achilleus speaks a few words to rally the troops, and Patroclos echoes them, leading the entire army to chorus Achilleus' words back at him. This swells Achilleus' already-massive ego, and also unnerves the enemy, who look like they already want to bolt straight back inside the city to hide.          Unsurprisingly, it's not long before they *do*, in fact, retreat back behind the walls and wait out the storm of Achilleus' onslaught, which falls uselessly against the walls themselves.](else:)[Achilleus raises his forked spear above his head and lets out a blood-curdling cry for vengeance before his charioteer sets the horses loose running. The rest of the army echoes his cry and quickly follows, though no one can keep up with Achilleus' horses, and you soon lose sight of him in the fracas.          (if: $Patroclos is 'dead')[The Trojans may be just as rested as your men, but they are disheartened by their recent losses at Achilleus' hands, and they fight badly;](else:)[The Trojans are just as rested as your men, but they are soon disheartened by Achilleus' sudden and deep desire to slaughter every single Trojan in existence, and their growing fear causes them to fight badly;] the battle is over by midday, and the enemy have retreated inside the city to cower in fear as Achilleus prowls on foot before the Scaian Gate, howling at them to come out and face him like men. (You don't blame them for not rising to the challenge. You wouldn't want to fight him, either.)]          Sadly, despite all Achilleus' intense efforts, you made no real inroads on the city itself.          [[Clearly, the day of conquest has yet to come.->ScoutingMission]]

         Your forces line up for battle, with Cycnos riding proudly in his chariot at the center. He speaks a few words to rally the troops before the charge begins, then all is chaos and dust.          The Trojans, too, are well rested, and they are fighting with ten times their usual strength. They also seem to have learned that nothing they do will stop Cycnos, because whenever the enemy see him coming, they wheel away from him like so many birds.          You observe that this is making Cycnos visibly more and more frustrated as the battle continues onwards. By the end of the day, he's so irritated that he tears apart one of the enemy with his bare hands, severing the man's limbs from his torso.          This terrifies the enemy into retreating back within the city, and Cycnos is too wound up to be able to follow them at speed, so they are able to retreat successfully. (Honestly, you're a bit glad of that. Given how worked up Cycnos is, he might slaughter innocents if he entered the city right now.)          [[Clearly, the day of conquest has yet to come.->ScoutingMission]]

         Your forces line up for battle, with $todays riding proudly in his chariot at the center. He speaks a few words to rally the troops before the charge begins, then all is chaos and dust.          The Trojans, too, are well rested, and they are fighting with ten times their usual strength. But thanks to $todays' leadership, your own men are also fighting beyond their peak, and there are no casualties among your noble warriors(set: $injury to (random: 1,10))(if: $injury < 5)[.](else_if: $injury is 5)[, though Meriones was slightly wounded.](else_if: $injury is 6)[, though Antilochos was slightly wounded.](else_if: $injury is 7)[, though Teukros was slightly wounded.](else_if: $injury is 8)[, though $todays was slightly wounded.](else_if: $injury is 9)[, though you received a slight injury.](else:)[, though Podaleirios was slightly wounded.]          Sadly, though your troops performed excellently, you made no real inroads on the city itself.          [[Clearly, the day of conquest has yet to come.->ScoutingMission]]

         A realization creeps in on you with the dawn: it will soon be the start of the tenth year of this seemingly endless war.          You call a meeting of the other princes and mention that fact. Nestor is the first to speak in response. "It was prophesied that Troy would fall in the tenth year," he says.          "Yes, I remember," you say, and you sigh sorrowfully when you think that you had originally hoped that meant the tenth year since the initial sailing, not the tenth year of constant warfare.          "So...what is this meeting about, exactly?" Menelaos asks. "Do you have some new plan to get my wife back?"          "I wish I could say I do. I was hoping, though, that someone among our number might have new ideas for strategies--even tricks--that we have not yet tried." You run your eyes across some of the trickier minds in the room, but no one volunteers anything. (if: $Oenone is 'contemplating' or 'tempted')[You sorely wish you could count on being able to find Oenone again and win her cooperation, but you dare not mention her without feeling sure she will help you.]          "The question, to my mind," Phoinix says, "is why now? Did the gods simply decree it would take ten years because they wanted to watch so much suffering, or is something about to happen which will allow the war to end?"          You agree that it's a good question, and send Talthybios to fetch Calchas, the original source of the prophecy. (At least, you *think* he is. Certainly, he's the only seer among your men, so who else could you ask?) When Calchas arrives, you repeat Phoinix's question, if there is any divine significance to the ten year figure.          Calchas laughs at your question. "You are unfamiliar with how divine visions work, clearly," he says. "Such meticulous details are not provided."          "That's it?" you ask, after he does not elucidate further. "You really can't give us *any* insight?"          "I cannot," he confirms. "But all the omens I have read lately indicate a coming change."          (if: $Briseis is 'Creon' or 'Diomedes')[Given all the upheavals the army has been through lately, you can certainly believe it! ]"All right, thank you, Calchas. You may resume your duties, or remain for the rest of the meeting, as it pleases you." (You're learning lately that you need to tiptoe around the feelings of all your men lately; everyone is easily enraged after nearly ten years of warfare.)          Calchas does not leave, evidently wanting to witness the rest of the discussion. Lovely. Just what you wanted.          "Does anyone have any suggestions as to what our next move should be?" you ask.          (if: $Odysseus is 'alive')["We cannot decide our next move unless we know what *their* next move is," Odysseus remarks. "Or rather, if they are planning something. The change to which Calchas refers may be a change on the enemy's part. Perhaps Hatti has gotten over its transition woes and is ready to back them up at last. Perhaps some brilliant new strategist has arrived, or a boy has become a man who will be a warrior capable of overpowering even our best."](else_if: $Palamedes is not 'dead' and is not 'exiled')["Before contemplating our next gambit, we should reflect upon what our enemy may be planning," Palamedes says. "Calchas sees omens of change, but are they changes on our side or the enemy's? We must know the answer to that first."](else:)["It comes back to what I was talking about before, doesn't it?" Phoinix says, shaking his head. "We need to know why the tenth year. We need to know if the Trojans are plotting something. If they are, it might be something we can take advantage of to end the war."]          You nod, contemplating his words. "Yes, you're right," you agree. "We must send someone to learn what the Trojans are planning, if anything."          You see several of the most eager young warriors start, as if to volunteer for the task. "It should be someone who will not attract attention to himself," Nestor comments. "Someone who will not allow himself to be provoked into combat."          That leaves out most of the men at the meeting! And from the looks on their faces, they know it...and don't like it.          You will have to make a decision before any of the unsuitable candidates can volunteer despite Nestor's words. (if: $Odysseus is 'alive')[         [[Pick Odysseus.->ScoutingOdysseus]] ](if: $Menesthios is 'alive')[         Pick Menesthios.(click: "Pick Menesthios.")[(set: $todays to 'Menesthios')(goto: "ScoutingGeneral")] ](if: $Meriones is 'alive')[         Pick Meriones. (click: "Pick Meriones.")[(set: $todays to 'Meriones')(goto: "ScoutingGeneral")] ](if: $Antilochos is 'alive')[         Pick Antilochos. (click: "Pick Antilochos.")[(set: $todays to 'Antilochos')(goto: "ScoutingGeneral")] ](if: $Teukros is 'alive')[         Pick Teukros. (click: "Pick Teukros.")[(set: $todays to 'Teukros')(goto: "ScoutingGeneral")] ]         [[Pick Menelaos.->ScoutingMenelaos]]

         "Surely this is precisely the sort of mission at which you will excel over all others, Odysseus," you say.          "I'm not sure if that is flattering or insulting," he replies with a laugh, "but I suppose you are right, either way, and it will be my honor to make myself useful to the army in this manner."          Towards evening, Odysseus leaves in rags obtained from the slaves in the camp, disguising his face and hair with dirt off the ground, until he appears in every way merely a disgusting, unwashed peasant.          He does not return to camp until the following night. Word reaches you of Odysseus' return long before he comes to see you, as he took the time to bathe and change into his own clothing before presenting himself.          "What do you have to report?" you ask. "Were you successful?"          "Nearly more so than I had expected," Odysseus says, nodding.          "What do you mean?"          (if: (history:) contains "Y1E3Odysseus")["I entered the city in the hopes of making my way back to the home of Antenor, since we are already bound by ties of guest-friendship,](else:)["I made my way into the city in stealth, planning to listen to rumors among the city guards at night,] but as I walked through the streets, I encountered Helen herself, who was pacing the streets in a sleepless night."          "Helen?!" you repeat, in astonished disbelief.          "I should have liked to bring her away with me as proof," Odysseus tells you with a smirk, "but alas that there was no way to do so." He shakes his head. "Though I have not seen her since her marriage to Menelaos, she recognized me, even through my disguise."          "She recognized you? In that disguise and after more than twenty years? How is that possible?" Some of Odysseus' own men didn't recognize him in that disguise! (He had, in fact, almost fallen under attack by the sentries on his way both out of and into the camp.)          "She is a daughter of Zeus, after all," Odysseus says with a shrug. "However it was that she recognized me, she hid me from an approaching patrol, and shared what she knows with me."          "Then she wants us to win? But if she is tired of Alexandros, why does she not leave the city and return to Menelaos on her own?"          "She said that Alexandros rarely lets her out of his sight(if: $Deiphobos is 'alive')[, and that lately his brother Deiphobos has been acting covetous of her, to the point that she fears he will force himself on her if he ever catches her unguarded]. Even if she had her full liberty within the city, the guards on the gates would never let her leave, and she fears both Menelaos' wrath and the hatred of our troops."          "I hope you at least reassured her on one of those points."          "Indeed, I was able to set her mind at ease that Menelaos wants her back most desperately, and that he will be greatly relieved to learn that she has long wished nothing but to return to him."          You begin to wonder about the truth of any of this account. *If* Odysseus really encountered Helen, what possible reason is there to believe she meant any of what she said to him? And more importantly, Odysseus is a known liar; why are you crediting his tales of running into the runaway Queen of Sparta in the streets? It is more likely he coerced information out of some poor slave girl who works in the palace. But calling him on the insanity of his story is probably not a good idea.          "But what did she have to say about the enemy's plans moving forward?" you ask.          "She told me that Queen Penthesileia, daughter of Ares himself, recently arrived in Troy with a large contingent of her honor guard. She came to receive purification, having accidentally slain her sister, and in thanks for Priam's aid, she has agreed to put her troops to work defending the city, and sworn to personally raise the siege and kill our champions."          "And did Helen think she stood any chance of doing so? Or I suppose she would have no way of telling."          "Queen Helen, having been raised beside her brothers the peerless warriors Castor and Polydeuces, is an excellent judge of martial skill," Odysseus assures you. "She believes the Amazon queen to be easily the peer of any of our great warriors. However, daughter of Ares or no, she is still but one foe; she adds but one mighty warrior to the enemy's numbers, and we still have far more such heroes than the enemy do."          "True enough," you say, though you aren't entirely convinced that you need to take the Amazon queen all that seriously. "Any other news of the enemy?"          "The court also received word from a relation of King Priam's, the son of Eos by Priam's abducted brother Tithonos," Odysseus tells you. "Evidently his mother passed along the news to him that his father's homeland was in dire peril, and he even now marches to aid the city."          "Oh, lovely. More demi-god enemies."          "Only one more," Odysseus laughs. "We still have plenty of semi-divine allies, more than enough to outmatch these two new enemies."          You don't feel so confident about that, when all your demi-gods and sons of demi-gods have been so utterly incapable of tearing down the walls for the last nine years. Particularly considering the two new demi-gods will be bringing hordes of fresh troops with them, when all your troops have been at this for nine long years now.          But what can you say to that effect that he won't dismiss just as readily?          Not wanting to bother trying, you suggest that he go and take some well-earned rest, [[as you begin to make your plans for the year to come...->YearTen]]

         "Menelaos, do you want to handle this?" you ask, since he had looked as eager to volunteer as the young hot-heads. "You have been inside the city walls before, perhaps that will be to your advantage?"          "I was just thinking the same thing," Menelaos says, with a smile. "I believe I will be able to get into the city the same way I was able to get out, as long as I am disguised and alone. Once there, I should be able to contact Antenor."          "If you go, you must be *very* careful," you tell him. "This whole war is for naught if anything happens to you."          "I'll be careful," he assures you. The words have an ominous tone to your ears, but you try not to let your doubts show.          Near evening, Menelaos slips out of the camp in garments "borrowed" from some local peasant, with a heavy cloak and hat to hide his face and distinctive red hair. After he disappears from sight, you go to see Calchas and have him sacrifice a chicken to Zeus and the other Olympians, praying for Menelaos' safe return. (Success would also be nice, but you're more worried for his safety in the long run. What in the world were you thinking, allowing him to go? If the Trojans should capture and kill him, there would no longer be any excuse to continue fighting, and the entire army would have no choice but to turn around and leave, with the city undefeated. Then all your names (but especially *yours*) would live on forever as the most pathetic bunch of failures that Hellas ever produced!)          Much to your great relief, Menelaos returns safely the following day.          "I was able to successfully contact Antenor," he tells you, "and he told me what little he could in exchange for assurances that he and his family will be spared when the city falls."          "Of course. That's only right," you agree.          "Precisely so." Menelaos nods. "Antenor is not as welcome in Priam's court as he once was, because he has always urged the immediate return of Helen."          "Then Priam is still unwilling to see reason, even after everything?"          "It is more accurate to say that Alexandros has become a larger fixture at court over the years of the war, and his father cannot refuse him anything." Menelaos frowns. "Antenor suspects that Alexandros has insinuated himself into the court in order to escape the battlefield where I would finally be able to rid the world of him."          "That does seem to be the kind of man he is," you agree. "But what news was Antenor able to pass along about the Trojans' plans?"          "Very little, unfortunately. He did say that the Queen of the Amazons recently arrived, seeking purification from blood guilt, and the rumor is that she and the troops who accompanied her will be joining the war to thank Priam for purifying her."          Amazons? That could be good or bad or possibly neither? There are so many conflicting rumors about them that you don't even know how to react.          "He also said that it sounded like there were additional reinforcements on the way."          "Hatti?" you ask.          "I don't think so, from the way Antenor talked about it, but I suppose it could be," Menelaos admits. "We'll be in trouble if the reinforcements *do* come from Hatti."          You can only agree, and as Menelaos departs to get some well-earned rest, [[you begin to make your plans for the year to come...->YearTen]]

         "$todays, do you think you can handle this mission?" you ask.          "It will be my honor, Lord Creon," he replies.          That evening, $todays departs the camp dressed in a shabby tunic "borrowed" from some local farmer.          He returns late the following day, and comes directly to see you. "I was not able to learn much," $todays says, "but when I made my way among the peasants in the towns nearest the city, I heard many rumors of new allies arriving soon to assist the Trojans in fighting us off." He pauses uncomfortably. "I'm sorry; I did not dare try to enter the city itself. There was too much chance someone might see and recognize my face..."          "That's quite all right, $todays," you assure him with a smile. "The fact that they will soon be receiving reinforcements is undoubtedly what Calchas' omens were indicating. Now that we know about them, we can make preparations."          You dismiss $todays to get some well-earned rest, [[and begin to make your plans for the year to come...->YearTen]]

(if: $Odysseus is 'wounded1')[(set: $Odysseus to 'alive')](else_if: $Odysseus is 'wounded2')[(set: $Odysseus to 'wounded1')](if: $Idomeneus is 'wounded1')[(set: $Idomeneus to 'alive')](if: $Achilles is 'wounded1')[(set: $Achilles to 'alive')](if: $Patroclos is 'wounded1')[(set: $Patroclos to 'alive')](if: $AiasS is 'wounded1')[(set: $AiasS to 'alive')](if: $Teukros is 'wounded1')[(set: $Teukros to 'alive')](if: $Diomedes is 'wounded1')[(set: $Diomedes to 'alive')](if: $Ascalaphos is 'wounded1')[(set: $Ascalaphos to 'alive')](if: $Menelaos is 'wounded1')[(set: $Menelaos to 'alive')](if: $Protesilaos is 'wounded1')[(set: $Protesilaos to 'alive')](if: $Antilochos is 'wounded1')[(set: $Antilochos to 'alive')](if: $AiasL is 'wounded1')[(set: $AiasL to 'alive')](if: $Podaleirios is 'wounded1')[(set: $Podaleirios to 'alive')](if: $Helenos is 'wounded')[(set: $Helenos to 'alive')](if: $Deiphobos is 'wounded')[(set: $Deiphobos to 'alive')](set: $Alexandros to 'alive') <img src="YearTen.jpg" width="600" height="530">          As you look upon the dawning of the tenth year, you reflect that if the prophecies were true, this will be the final year of the war. [[You hope that it will indeed end with your army successful.->YearTenRally]]

         You decide to hold a massive feast for all the troops tonight. The feast, of course, begins with a huge sacrifice to all twelve Olympian gods, a bull to each of them, and an extra calf being burnt whole for Zeus. With the sacrifice, you offer up your pleas to the gods for the war to end swiftly and successfully, and with as few casualties as possible.          Once the gods' share is burnt and the rest of the meat is cooking for the men, you give them a speech to raise their spirits (though between the anticipation of the meat and the wine they are already imbibing, their spirits are already pretty high, in truth).          "For nine full years we have fought on these shores to bring down the weighty walls of windy Ilios," you begin. "For nine years we have brought death and destruction to these foreign peoples, and we have lost friends and kinsmen to their blades in the process." (if: $Patroclos is 'dead' and $Achilles is not 'dead')[You glance uncomfortably at Achilleus, wondering if he is going to be offended that you didn't add 'lovers' to the list of those lost, but he doesn't seem angry, just weepy.] You raise one hand towards the sparkling night sky above you. "But this is the year all that will end!" you announce to the cheers of the troops. "This is the year we will crush those walls and restore the stolen queen to her husband--this is the year that will see Troy on the face of the world no longer!" The men are wild with enthusiasm for that statement, but you don't think it's the least bit likely. Cities are often torn down in war, but almost always they are rebuilt within a few years, because there are always survivors who escape the enslaving grasp of their city's enemies. Still, it sounded good.          [[As the feast begins, you settle in to your food while thinking about what strategies you will have to pursue to make good on the grandiose claims you have just made.->IntroducingNewFoes]]

         Word reaches you one morning that the Trojans are already assembled in the field and marching towards the camp. Worse, the reports claim that their numbers are swollen by foes in armor unlike that of the Trojans and their usual allies.          Today's battle, then, will show you just what (if: (history:) contains "ScoutingOdysseus")[sort of allies the Amazons and Ethiopians will be for Priam](else_if: (history:) contains "ScoutingMenelaos")[other ally Priam has gained in addition to the Amazons, and if either will prove useful to him](else:)[sort of men the new allies $todays heard about are, and if they will be able to do anything to impede you from taking the city].          It is important that you put the best possible hero front and center to ensure that the Trojans' new allies are sufficiently afraid of your forces. Who will you choose for this task? (if: $Achilles is 'alive')[         [[Achilleus->NewFoesRevealed]] ](if: $AiasS is 'alive')[         [[Aias of Salamis->NewFoesRevealed]] ](if: $Diomedes is 'alive')[         [[Diomedes->NewFoesRevealed]] ](if: $Cycnos is 'ally')[         [[Cycnos->NewFoesRevealed]] ](if: $Odysseus is 'alive')[         [[Odysseus->NewFoesRevealed]] ](if: $Idomeneus is 'alive')[         [[Idomeneus->NewFoesRevealed]] ](if: $Menesthios is 'alive')[         [[Menesthios->NewFoesRevealed]] ](if: $Ascalaphos is 'alive')[         [[Ascalaphos->NewFoesRevealed]] ]         [[Myself->NewFoesRevealed]]          [[Menelaos->NewFoesRevealed]]

         As your army approaches the enemy, you see that the Trojans and their familiar allies are marching on the wings, with their new allies in the center. To one side you see a troop of Amazons mounted directly on horseback and led by a single chariot, while on the other side are a contingent of Ethiopians with many Egyptian-style chariots. (You do wonder how the Ethiopians got here without the men you left behind in Lyrnessos alerting you of their arrival! For that matter, how long has it been since you heard from Lyrnessos? You tell yourself that you must send a herald to check on them as soon as the battle is over, in case the Ethiopians retook Lyrnessos in passing.)          The Amazons on horseback are deadly foes: they ride nimbly through the battlefield and attack your men with arrows, riding away again before they can be counterattacked with bow or spear. They all wear sleeved tunics and patterned leggings, most wearing only leather armor, sometimes with a few bronze plates sewn on. (if: (history:) contains "ScoutingGeneral")[The rumors spreading across the field of battle say that the woman riding in the sole Amazon chariot is their queen, who is named Penthesileia, and when the men call her a daughter of Ares, you think they mean literally, rather than the general expression sometimes used to indicate all Amazons and their lust for battle. She certainly displays enough skill with the spear and bow to be the daughter of a god. You will have to be very careful about who you send up against her in battle if you don't want to lose any princes to her.](else:)[Of course, the woman in the chariot is their queen, Penthesileia, and the more you see her skill in battle, the more you are certain that it was neither rumor nor empty compliment when she was said to be the daughter of Ares: she displays a level of skill and strength that few mortal men ever have, and surely that no mortal woman without divine blood could. You will have to use caution whenever she is said to be taking the field!](set: $Penthesileia to 'alive')(set: $Memnon to 'alive')(set: $TrojanGenerals to it + 2)          The Ethiopians are no less dangerous, though their combat methods are at least more standard. Like their Egyptian neighbors, they wear little in the way of armor, though they do at least wear helmets, which in combination with their rectangular shields do a good job of protecting them from most blows. Their king--who you are told is named Memnon--wears a much fancier helmet with a golden horsehair crest in the Trojan style, and has a shirt of gilded scales to defend his life against the weapons of your army. (if: (history:) contains "ScoutingOdysseus")[You can easily believe that Odysseus was right about him being the son of the rosy-fingered dawn, as he](else:)[According to the rumors, Memnon's mother is the rosy-fingered dawn herself, and his father is Tithonos, a brother of King Priam's who Eos abducted and married, conferring immortality upon him in the process. You find yourself eager to believe the rumors, as Memnon] seems to glow from within, and exhibits a power and strength you have rarely seen before.          Despite the glorious new armies joining the fight, the battle is surprisingly short, and the enemy are soon returning to the citadel without having suffered any particular loss. It is as though the Trojans only wanted to have this battle in order to show off their beautiful new allies, and--that having been accomplished--are retreating again before any of the luster can be chipped away.          And "beautiful" is certainly the word for both new enemy armies. In fact, for the entire march back to camp, you hear nothing among the common troops but arguments over whether the fair Amazons or the lustrous Ethiopians are the finer opponents to look at. All the men seem to agree that if today's opponents are any indication of the general population, then it is a lucky man indeed who can take an Amazon for a wife, and that the Ethiopians surely must have the most beautiful men in the world. As to their leaders, the common men seem to think that even Helen herself surely cannot match up to Penthesileia, and they are all agreed that it is impossible for any man to be as beautiful as Memnon, as he is more fine of face than even Achilleus (if: $Achilles is 'dead')[was](else:)[is]. (if: $Achilles is 'alive')[You expect that if he gets word of *that* conclusion, Achilleus will be most irate.(if: $Patroclos is not 'dead')[..though perhaps Patroclos will be the more upset by the claim?]]          Of course, you think the men are much too focused on the appearances of the enemy (and far too lusty in their hopes of capturing as many of them alive as possible to enslave to their desires) and not spending nearly as much time as they should focusing on their deadly skills.          But maybe *that* was the real aim of the Trojans in this otherwise pointless little sortie? To lull your troops into thinking only of desire instead of preparing themselves for the difficult battles to come?          Well, you must not allow yourself to fall into the same trap!          You call a meeting of the other princes after all have returned to camp, and tell them that their prime focus in battle whenever possible should be to eliminate these deadly new foes by removing their semi-divine leaders.          They agree with a grim determination, and you set your mind to preparing for the next battle, whatever it should be.(click-goto: "whatever it should be.", (either: "Penthesileia", "Memnon"))

         As you are preparing to ride forth to today's battle, you hear a rumor that the enemy forces are being led by Penthesileia and her Amazons.          You decide to set one of your best warriors the specific task of tracking down and defeating this daughter of Ares. Which one do you send? (if: $Achilles is 'alive')[         [[Achilleus->PenthesileiaAchilles]] ](if: $AiasS is 'alive')[         [[Aias of Salamis->PenthesileiaAias]] ](if: $Diomedes is 'alive')[         [[Diomedes->PenthesileiaDiomedes]] ](if: $Cycnos is 'ally')[         [[Cycnos->PenthesileiaCycnos]] ]         [[Menelaos->PenthesileiaMenelaos]] (if: $Ascalaphos is 'alive')[         [[Ascalaphos->PenthesileiaBrother]]](else:)[         [[Ialmenos->PenthesileiaBrother]]]

         As you are preparing to ride forth to today's battle, you hear a rumor that the enemy forces are being led by Memnon and his Ethiopians.          You decide to set one of your best warriors the specific task of tracking down and defeating this son of the dawn. Which one do you send? (if: $Achilles is 'alive')[         [[Achilleus->MemnonAchilles]] ](if: $AiasS is 'alive')[         [[Aias of Salamis->MemnonAias]] ](if: $Diomedes is 'alive')[         [[Diomedes->MemnonDiomedes]] ](if: $Cycnos is 'ally')[         [[Cycnos->MemnonCycnos]] ](if: $Odysseus is 'alive')[         [[Odysseus->MemnonOdysseus]] ](if: $Menesthios is 'alive')[         [[Menesthios->MemnonMenesthios]]]

         You feel no concern as you set off to today's battle: if Achilleus cannot defeat Penthesileia, then surely no man can. (Besides, to judge by past experience, there's the chance his *face* will defeat her will to fight even if his spear cannot conquer her.)          As the battle wears on and you witness more and more of your men falling to the arrows of the Amazons, you are certainly eager for the battle's end and hopefully the news of the death of the Amazon Queen.          (if: $Briseis is 'Machaon' or 'ransomed')[Upon the return of the army to the camp, however, you are stunned to see Achilleus riding in on his chariot with the Amazon Queen standing beside him, her weapons in the care of Patroclos. "How did this come to be?" you ask, stunned, you approach the chariot.          "It would be a waste to kill such a perfect woman!" Achilleus exclaims, getting down from the chariot and offering Penthesileia his hand to help her down.          She rebuffs him, hopping lightly down on her own. "If you think you can enslave the daughter of Ares to your bed, you are sorely mistaken," she says, glaring at Achilleus.          "And if I asked you to become my queen when I inherit my father's kingdom?" Achilleus asks, apparently entirely unconcerned by her rancor.          Penthesileia's face is a mask of shock for a moment, and you think you see a hint of a blush on her cheeks before she scowls at him. "I swore to King Priam that I would remove you from this war," she says. "I will never bed down with his enemy."          "If you'll be my wife, I'll withdraw from the war," Achilleus promises her eagerly, before you can say a word to stop him.          She smiles. "That sounds acceptable."          "Wait, what about the war?" you demand. "Will you turn your back on everyone who has died and--"          "A woman such as this is worth any price," Achilleus says lightly, without even looking at you.          He is soon leading her back towards his hut, shouting instructions to his Myrmidons that they will be sailing back to Phthia immediately. You turn to Patroclos in desperation, begging him to intervene and prevent this disaster.          "I don't think I can," he says, shaking his head. "Even I am not safe from his wrath in matters of the heart."          "But...aren't you...I mean..."          "The two things are entirely different," Patroclos says, sounding surprisingly unconcerned, despite that he has had precious little competition for his boyfriend's affection for the last nine years. "Besides, I don't think Achilleus could ever do better for a wife than an Amazon queen, particularly one who's also the daughter of a god."          You do all you can to try to stop him--appealing to the wisdom of Nestor and Phoinix, offering him countless cities and royal brides--but in the end, it is all in vain, and Achilleus sets sail before the sun goes down, taking 40 of his 50 ships with him. The other ten ships and their crew remain behind under the command of Achilleus' nephew Menesthios and the advisement of Phoinix, but it is small compensation to watch your former champion so hastily give up the war just for one little demi-goddess!(set: $Achilles to 'eloped')(set: $Penthesileia to 'eloped')(set: $Patroclos to 'withdrawn')(set: $Menesthios to 'alive')(set: $TrojanGenerals to it - 1)          You pray that the next battle will not bring any equally dire events.(click: "the next battle will not bring any equally dire events.")[(if: (history:) contains "Memnon")[(goto: "DeathOfAchilles")](else:)[(goto: "Memnon")]]](else:)[After the battle, you have returned to the camp for some time when you realize that Achilleus has not yet returned. You find the camp of the Myrmidons and ask if they know what happened to their prince. One of them explains that he saw Achilleus setting off in his chariot towards the city, but that he knows nothing more, because Achilleus ordered the other men to return to camp.          Alarmed, you are just making preparations to go after him when he finally returns. His face is marred with dirt and his eyes and nose are red as if he has been weeping copiously. (if: $Patroclos is 'dead')[It reminds you of the way he looked just after the death of Patroclos...]          "What happened?" you ask him. "Your men said you set off to the city alone."          "I wanted to return her body to her people," Achilleus explains, his voice aching. "I didn't *mean* to kill her..."(set: $Penthesileia to 'dead')(set: $TrojanGenerals to it - 1)(set: $PenthDeath to 'canon')          "Who?" you ask, as he surely can't mean the Amazon Queen, since you yourself specifically *ordered* him to kill her!          "Queen Penthesileia," Achilleus sighs sadly. "I've never seen such a beautiful woman! And so skilled in battle!" He shakes his head. "That was her downfall. She was too good, and I had to fight her seriously. Instinct took over, and before I knew it...I had killed her."          "What else would you have done with her?" Surely he didn't think he could have enslaved the very queen of the Amazons? (if: $Briseis is 'Creon' or 'Diomedes')[Not to mention that surely he was not suddenly ready to replace Briseis after he put up such a fuss over having her taken away!]          "I thought she would make the perfect wife, of course," Achilleus replies, looking at you as if you are insane. "Imagine the sons she could have borne me!"          You can't exactly argue with that, but it still feels a bit *off*. (if: $Briseis is 'Creon' or 'Diomedes')[Especially since Briseis claimed Achilleus is planning to free and marry her upon his return to Phthia.(if: $Patroclos is 'dead')[..though given that he so recently claimed he would never return to Hellas alive, his sudden desire to take a wife is especially twisted, it seems to you.]]          (if: $Thersites is 'alive')[While you are still unsure how to respond (or if you even want to try), you are surprised to see Calchas approaching at a fast pace. "Lord Creon, I have received a strong vision regarding the battle that just ended," he says.          "Oh?" you say, keeping guarded. A vision could mean some grave disaster looming, or it could indicate the first steps towards finally winning the war.          Calchas nods, and looks grimly at Achilleus. "Is it true?" he asks.          "Are you asking *me*?" Achilleus replies, sounding insulted. "Is *what* true?"          "Have you committed murder this day?"          "It wasn't murder!" Achilleus shouts, gesturing with both arms. "I didn't mean it, but that doesn't make it murder! She entered battle against me--what else was going to happen?!"          Calchas just stands there silently for a moment. "The murder of one of *our* men," he clarifies.          Achilleus looks puzzled for a moment. "One of our...?" he repeats, then shakes his head. "I don't remember anything. Did one of my throws go too far? I didn't notice anything."          Calchas scowls. "The vision indicated a very purposeful murder," he insists. "A decapitation."(set: $Thersites to 'dead')          "Oh, *that*. That doesn't count," Achilleus says, shaking his head. "He was a commoner."          "Wait, what are you saying?" you ask, aghast. "You killed one of our men?"          "It was just that wretch Thersites. He was mocking me for regretting killing Penthesileia," Achilleus says. "He deserved it."          "That's not really..." You stop before you can start, not wanting to make him any madder. "Regardless of whether or not he deserved it, it's not appropriate for you to take a man's life without his receiving a proper judgment," you say, trying to stay calm. "You'll need to be purified of the blood guilt."          "Are you joking?"          "The gods will curse us if you remain in the camp without being purified," Calchas says. "The vision was very clear on that point."          Achilleus sighs and lets out some very unpleasant and sacrilegious oaths. "Fine," he mutters. "There are lots of kings here. Someone can just purify me and--"          "You must be purified *in exile* before you can return cleansed," Calchas reminds him.          Even more appalling swearing follows. You really wonder how in the world Achilleus even learned such language, given that he was supposed to have had a very sheltered upbringing. There is certainly no possible way he learned that sort of thing from the centaur Cheiron!          "It will only be two days away from the battle at most," you assure him. "Some king or other may go with you, in case you can't find a cooperative local monarch." Not to mention that unless he goes all the way to Lemnos, most of the local kings are already dead, many at Achilleus' own hands.          Achilleus agrees to the plan only in the most grudging of ways, but before the day is out he is on board a ship with (if: $Odysseus is 'alive')[Odysseus](else:)[Nestor], headed for the port of Methymna in Lesbos.          You know they will only be gone a day, but you are still fearful of what will happen if another battle looms before they return. You make a small sacrifice to the gods, begging them to let the next battle wait until after Achilleus returns.(click: "begging them to let the next battle wait until after Achilleus returns.")[(if: (history:) contains "Memnon")[(goto: "DeathOfAchilles")](else:)[(goto: "Memnon")]]](else:)[The inconstancy of the son of Peleus notwithstanding, the important thing is that the Amazon Queen is no longer a threat to your men, and you hope her troops will return to their people without her present, though obviously you will find out one way or the other in the next battle.(click: "though obviously you will find out one way or the other in the next battle.")[(if: (history:) contains "Memnon")[(goto: "DeathOfAchilles")](else:)[(goto: "Memnon")]]]]

         You feel no concern as you set off to today's battle: if gigantic Aias of Salamis cannot defeat Penthesileia, then surely no man can.          As the battle wears on and you witness more and more of your men falling to the arrows of the Amazons, you are certainly eager for the battle's end and hopefully the news of the death of the Amazon Queen.          When the battle ends and you return to camp, Aias comes to your hut and presents to you the arms of the Amazon queen.(set: $Penthesileia to 'dead')(set: $TrojanGenerals to it - 1) "She was a very deadly opponent," he says, nursing a slight wound on one arm, little more than a scratch. "Many of my men were killed."          "I am sorry to hear of the loss of your troops, but I am glad I chose the right man for this task," you say. "Let us consecrate her armor and weapons to Ares, in case the rumor is true that he was her father, in the hopes that he will not withdraw his favors from our war over her death."          Aias agrees that this is a wise idea, and the two of you go to the makeshift shrines in the camp, where Aias places Penthesileia's arms in front of the shrine to Ares, uttering a solemn vow to build a new temple to Ares in Salamis on his return after the war, which will forevermore house the weapons and preserve the memory of her great skill and courage.          You are delighted this has worked out so well, and hope that without their queen, the rest of the Amazons and their deadly arrows will depart from the war, though obviously you will find out one way or the other in the next battle.(click: "though obviously you will find out one way or the other in the next battle.")[(if: (history:) contains "Memnon")[(goto: "DeathOfAchilles")](else:)[(goto: "Memnon")]]

         You feel no concern as you set off to today's battle: if Diomedes of Argos, dear to the war goddess Athene, cannot defeat Penthesileia, then surely no man can.          As the battle wears on and you witness more and more of your men falling to the arrows of the Amazons, you are certainly eager for the battle's end and hopefully the news of the death of the Amazon Queen.          When the battle ends and you return to camp, Diomedes comes to your hut and presents to you the arms of the Amazon queen.(set: $Penthesileia to 'dead')(set: $TrojanGenerals to it - 1) "I am not sure I have ever faced a more deadly opponent," he says, and you notice a huge wound on his arm that is still oozing blood as he speaks.(set: $Diomedes to 'wounded1') "I lost track of how many of my men she killed."          "I am sorry to hear of the loss of your troops, but I am glad I chose the right man for this task," you say. "Let us consecrate her armor and weapons to Ares, in case the rumor is true that he was her father, in the hopes that he will not withdraw his favors from our war over her death."          Diomedes agrees that this is a wise idea, though he insists on dedicating part of the spoils to his patron goddess. The two of you go to the makeshift shrines in the camp, where Diomedes places Penthesileia's weapons in front of the shrine to Athene, and her armor in front of the shrine to Ares, uttering a solemn vow to build a new temple to Ares in Argos on his return after the war, which will forevermore house the armor and preserve the memory of her great skill and courage. (You assume he intends to take the weapons back to Argos as well, to be housed in some already-standing temple to Athene, but you don't bother asking.)          You are delighted this has worked out so well, and hope that without their queen, the rest of the Amazons and their deadly arrows will depart from the war, though obviously you will find out one way or the other in the next battle.(click: "though obviously you will find out one way or the other in the next battle.")[(if: (history:) contains "Memnon")[(goto: "DeathOfAchilles")](else:)[(goto: "Memnon")]]

         You feel no concern as you set off to today's battle: if the invulnerable Cycnos cannot defeat Penthesileia, then surely no man can.          As the battle wears on and you witness more and more of your men falling to the arrows of the Amazons, you are certainly eager for the battle's end and hopefully the news of the death of the Amazon Queen.          When the army returns to camp, you seek out Cycnos eagerly. "How did you fare with your task?" you ask him. "Were you able to kill the Amazon?"          Cycnos shakes his head. "I didn't even try to," he says.          "What?!"          "It would be such a waste, sacrificing the life of such a skilled warrior when she's not even involved in this conflict," Cycnos says. "I was able to convince her to take her troops and go home by (if: (history:) contains "MemnonCycnos")[informing her that I had already promised Memnon I would not allow any harm to fall to Priam, Hecabe and any of their children who survive to the city's fall."](else:)[promising her that I will see to it that Priam, Hecabe and any of their children who survive to the city's fall will be free and unmolested upon the war's conclusion."](set: $Penthesileia to 'withdrawn')(set: $TrojanGenerals to it - 1)          "Oh." (if: (history:) contains "MemnonCycnos")[It should not surprise you that Cycnos used the same technique against the Amazon queen that he did against the Ethiopian king, but for some reason it does. However, this time a thought occurs to you that did not the first time.](else:)[That idea had not in fact occurred to you.] "Yes, that will be--that's fine as far as the Amazons go, but won't there be trouble if we let Priam and his sons live? They might want vengeance."          "I'm going to take them all back to Colonai with me as my guests," Cycnos tells you. "It'll be fine. I won't let them nurse any grievances." He pauses, then laughs. "Oh, of course, there's one exception: if Alexandros is still living when the city falls, then I have Penthesileia's blessing to hand him over to Menelaos to be killed in whatever manner he deems best fitting."          "Her blessing?" you repeat, chuckling.          "Yes, she finds him most appalling. And her troops have threatened to kill him several times already, in fact."          You both laugh at that--though it does beg the question of why no one in the city has ever murdered Alexandros if he's so obnoxious--and you promise to hold a feast tonight to celebrate Cycnos' complete (and bloodless!) victory over the Amazon forces.          It's only a momentary pause, but the evening's gaiety does much to calm your state of mind.(click: "the evening's gaiety does much to calm your state of mind.")[(if: (history:) contains "Memnon")[(goto: "DeathOfAchilles")](else:)[(goto: "Memnon")]]

         You actually feel a fair bit of concern as today's battle begins. Was it really wise to set Menelaos on this task? Yes, he is often said to be dear to Ares (appropriate for the king of Sparta, one of the largest cult centers for the war god), but his skill falls far short of so many of the others in the camp...          As the battle wears on and you witness more and more of your men falling to the arrows of the Amazons, you are certainly eager for the battle's end and hopefully the news of the death of the Amazon Queen.          You decide to seek out Menelaos and see if he needs any help defeating her.          It takes your charioteer some time to find Menelaos on the seething battlefield. When you do, it is just in time to see the Amazon Queen strike the spear out of his hand.          There is too much chaos in between you and the Spartan king for you to save him with bow or spear. Seeing no choice, you leap down from your chariot and run to his aid.          Penthesileia grabs Menelaos' sword and tears it out of his hands, causing him to drop his shield as well.          "Tell me your name, warrior," she says, putting the tip of her sword near his throat. "I will have it enshrined in my father's temple along with the names of all the other worthy foes I have vanquished."          "Menelaos, son of Atreus," he says, the misery in his voice carrying to you clearly even though you are still too far to interfere.          To your surprise, Penthesileia returns her sword to its sheath. "Then even that was a lie," she muses.          "What was?" Menelaos asks, as you finally draw near.          "Prince Alexandros claimed that you never take to the field, being afraid of dying on his blade." She laughs. "I knew you could not fear *him*, but I thought you might quail from battling his brothers. But now I see that is not the case. You are a fine warrior, and your queen was a fool to leave you for an obnoxious peacock like Alexandros."          With that, she hops into her own chariot and is away before either of you can speak.          "I don't suppose this means she will withdraw her support from the enemy?" you ask.          "The gods don't seem to wish to grant us even that kindness," Menelaos sighs.          You look at him, and realize that he is bleeding in several places. "Come, let's get you back to the camp and bandaged up before you take any more serious injuries," you say.          Miserably, Menelaos agrees, and you both return to the camp in your own chariot.          You hope that the next battle will reveal that the Amazons have indeed gone home, but you fear they will not have done so. Only time will tell...(click: "Only time will tell...")[(if: (history:) contains "Memnon")[(goto: "DeathOfAchilles")](else:)[(goto: "Memnon")]]

         Rumors are already flying among the men even before the army has finished deploying. They say that while Memnon's armor may look no different from that worn by Egyptian nobles, it was actually made by Hephaistos and is every bit as impenetrable as (if: $oldarmor is 'only')[the armor Hephaistos gave to Peleus as a wedding present, which now serves as] Achilleus' armor. They also say even more outlandish things, including that Eos herself swoops down onto the field of battle to rescue her son whenever his life is in danger (and yet while all of them claim this has happened repeatedly, not one man can be identified who has actually seen it happen), and that Memnon is both immortal and invulnerable. They say he is here to destroy us all, they say he is here to take over rule of Troy for himself, they say if we do not defeat him, he will conquer Hellas...honestly, you don't believe a word of it.          Well, you *might* believe the part about his armor having been made by Hephaistos. Though you doubt that would make it actually impenetrable.          In any case, since Achilleus is going after him, hopefully there will be no need to worry about Memnon after today's battle.          You are so nervous about the battle that you cannot settle your nerves enough to actually enter the fray, and must spend the day pacing the camp and fretting to the empty walls of your hut. (if: $Creon is 'paranoid')[You sent away all your servants and slaves in the vain hope that no one will know you are spending the day muttering to yourself, but of course it will be common knowledge by the time the battle is over. You can do nothing humiliating but the whole world knows about it. You will be a laughing stock for all eternity even if you do manage to bring this war to a successful conclusion.]          When the army begins to return, you make your way to the gates of the camp, hoping for news.          To your surprise, you see Achilleus' and Nestor's chariots coming in together. As they come closer, you realize that Nestor's chariot is being driven by Automedon, Achilleus' charioteer.          You hurry over just in time to see Achilleus dismount his chariot and walk over to Nestor's, lifting out of its bed the body of Nestor's son Antilochos.(set: $Antilochos to 'dead')          "What happened?" you ask, feeling concern choke your voice.          "He gave up his young life to save my few remaining years," Nestor tells you, his own voice trembling.          "Who...?" You can't even finish voicing the question. Who could be so heartless as to target an old man like Nestor? What possible glory could there be in killing such an aged target?          "I already avenged him," Achilleus tells you, before walking into the camp with the corpse, headed towards Nestor's hut.(set: $Memnon to 'dead')(set: $TrojanGenerals to it - 1) Nestor slowly follows him, his hoary head bowed in mourning for his youngest son.          (if: $Patroclos is 'alive')["It was Memnon," Patroclos tells you as he, too, alights from the chariot. "He said he had attempted to kill Nestor because surely Nestor comes up with all our strategies, and without his tactics, we would flounder and fail."          "Over such a mistake he would have..."          "He said he deeply regretted the very idea of killing such an old man," Patroclos tells you, "and I believed him."          "But Achilleus was able to kill him?"          "Yes, though it was a difficult fight. I feared for his life several times." Patroclos smiles, but it's filled only with sorrow. "Some supernatural force removed the body from the field as soon as the fight was over, taking it straight into the air. Achilleus said he could see the faint outlines of figures carrying the body, though he didn't know who they were. Sent by Eos so she could give her son a proper funeral, I assume."          Not sure what you can say to that, you only nod, and Patroclos seems to take it as an end to the conversation, following his prince in the direction of Nestor's hut.](else:)["Who did this thing?" you ask, looking at Automedon, since there is no one else to ask.          "Memnon," Automedon informs you. "He thought Nestor must have been providing our strategies, and wanted to eliminate him to cripple our war efforts."          "But Achilleus said he killed him, yes?"          "Yes. They fought for a very long time; Memnon was a very skilled opponent. And when he died, his body rose up into the sky." Automedon's voice goes quiet. "I was afraid that meant he was not really dead, but Achilleus said Eos must have been reclaiming her son's corpse."          "I...see...?"          You don't, actually, not at all. But if Memnon is gone--dead or simply floated away forever--then hopefully his soldiers will return home, and the Trojans will be short that many more defenders.]          It has been a very sobering day, and there will be much grief in the camp, but at least Memnon is gone. You try to console yourself with that knowledge, and hope that the next battle will be less bitter.(click: "and hope that the next battle will be less bitter.")[(if: (history:) contains "Penthesileia")[(goto: "DeathOfAchilles")](else:)[(goto: "Penthesileia")]]

         Rumors are already flying among the men even before the army has finished deploying. They say that while Memnon's armor may look no different from that worn by Egyptian nobles, it was actually made by Hephaistos and is completely impenetrable. They also say even more outlandish things, including that Eos herself swoops down onto the field of battle to rescue her son whenever his life is in danger (and yet while all of them claim this has happened repeatedly, not one man can be identified who has actually seen it happen), and that Memnon is both immortal and invulnerable. They say he is here to destroy us all, they say he is here to take over rule of Troy for himself, they say if we do not defeat him, he will conquer Hellas...honestly, you don't believe a word of it.          Well, you *might* believe the part about his armor having been made by Hephaistos. Though you doubt that would make it actually impenetrable.          In any case, since Telamon Aias is going after him, you pray there will be no need to worry about Memnon after today's battle.          You are so nervous about the battle that you cannot settle your nerves enough to actually enter the fray, and must spend the day pacing the camp and fretting to the empty walls of your hut. (if: $Creon is 'paranoid')[You sent away all your servants and slaves in the vain hope that no one will know you are spending the day muttering to yourself, but of course it will be common knowledge by the time the battle is over. You can do nothing humiliating but the whole world knows about it. You will be a laughing stock for all eternity even if you do manage to bring this war to a successful conclusion.]          When the army begins to return, you make your way to the gates of the camp, hoping for news.          When you see the chariot containing Aias enter the camp, you hurry over. "How did it go?" you ask eagerly. "Were you able to face Memnon?"          "I was," he says.          "And?"          Aias' face is overtaken momentarily by a frown. "It was not..." He stops, and rubs his chin, as if he's unsure what to say.          "Were you able to kill him or not?"          "No."          Your heart sinks at Aias' word.          "But I did defeat him," Aias continues, with a small smile. "His mother came to rescue him. He still lives, but he will not fight us again."(set: $Memnon to 'rescued')(set: $TrojanGenerals to it - 1)          "Well, that's the part that matters!" you exclaim, laughing. "You had me worried for a bit there. Are his troops going to withdraw as well?"          "I do not know," Aias admits. "But they were never the threat."          "That's true," you agree. "But I apologize: I should not be stopping you from cleaning off the grime of the battle and taking your rest. We will speak more of the battle tonight," you say, promising to hold a feast in his honor in celebration of Memnon's defeat.          You would feel better if you knew for a fact that the Ethiopian troops were going to withdraw, but just knowing that their demi-god king is no longer aiding Troy is a great relief, and you feel much more confident as you look forward to the next battle.(click: "you feel much more confident as you look forward to the next battle.")[(if: (history:) contains "Penthesileia")[(goto: "DeathOfAchilles")](else:)[(goto: "Penthesileia")]]

         Rumors are already flying among the men even before the army has finished deploying. They say that while Memnon's armor may look no different from that worn by Egyptian nobles, it was actually made by Hephaistos and is completely impenetrable. They also say even more outlandish things, including that Eos herself swoops down onto the field of battle to rescue her son whenever his life is in danger (and yet while all of them claim this has happened repeatedly, not one man can be identified who has actually seen it happen), and that Memnon is both immortal and invulnerable. They say he is here to destroy us all, they say he is here to take over rule of Troy for himself, they say if we do not defeat him, he will conquer Hellas...honestly, you don't believe a word of it.          Well, you *might* believe the part about his armor having been made by Hephaistos. Though you doubt that would make it actually impenetrable.          In any case, since Diomedes is going after him, you pray there will be no need to worry about Memnon after today's battle.          You are so nervous about the battle that you cannot settle your nerves enough to actually enter the fray, and must spend the day pacing the camp and fretting to the empty walls of your hut. (if: $Creon is 'paranoid')[You sent away all your servants and slaves in the vain hope that no one will know you are spending the day muttering to yourself, but of course it will be common knowledge by the time the battle is over. You can do nothing humiliating but the whole world knows about it. You will be a laughing stock for all eternity even if you do manage to bring this war to a successful conclusion.]          When the army begins to return, you make your way to the gates of the camp, hoping for news.          When you see the chariot containing Diomedes enter the camp, you hurry over. As you reach him, though, you see he is badly wounded. (set: $Diomedes to 'wounded1') "What happened? Who gave you such a terrible injury?" you ask.          "Memnon," Diomedes says, with a sad sigh. "I vastly underestimated him."          "Then he is still aiding the enemy?" you ask with dread. If he could give Diomedes(if: (history:) contains "BigBattleDiomedes")[, a man capable of wounding vicious Ares himself,] such an injury, then who could ever defeat him?          "It's not quite that bad," Diomedes tells you with a roguish smile. "I *was* able to defeat him. Not to the death, though; his mother came to rescue him, but he was badly enough wounded that he won't be fighting us again."(set: $Memnon to 'rescued')(set: $TrojanGenerals to it - 1)          "Well, that's the part that matters!" you exclaim, laughing. "You had me worried for a bit there. It is a great relief to know Memnon will no longer be troubling us. But right now your wounds need care! Go see if the sons of Asclepios can help you."          Diomedes thanks you for your concern, and makes his way into the camp.          You would feel better if you knew for a fact that the Ethiopian troops were going to withdraw, but just knowing that their demi-god king is no longer aiding Troy is a great relief, and you feel much more confident as you look forward to the next battle.(click: "you feel much more confident as you look forward to the next battle.")[(if: (history:) contains "Penthesileia")[(goto: "DeathOfAchilles")](else:)[(goto: "Penthesileia")]]

         Rumors are already flying among the men even before the army has finished deploying. They say that while Memnon's armor may look no different from that worn by Egyptian nobles, it was actually made by Hephaistos and is completely impenetrable. They also say even more outlandish things, including that Eos herself swoops down onto the field of battle to rescue her son whenever his life is in danger (and yet while all of them claim this has happened repeatedly, not one man can be identified who has actually seen it happen), and that Memnon is both immortal and invulnerable. They say he is here to destroy us all, they say he is here to take over rule of Troy for himself, they say if we do not defeat him, he will conquer Hellas...honestly, you don't believe a word of it.          Well, you *might* believe the part about his armor having been made by Hephaistos. Though you doubt that would make it actually impenetrable.          In any case, since the invulnerable Cycnos is going after him, surely there will be no need to worry about Memnon after today's battle.          You are so nervous about the battle that you cannot settle your nerves enough to actually enter the fray, and must spend the day pacing the camp and fretting to the empty walls of your hut. (if: $Creon is 'paranoid')[You sent away all your servants and slaves in the vain hope that no one will know you are spending the day muttering to yourself, but of course it will be common knowledge by the time the battle is over. You can do nothing humiliating but the whole world knows about it. You will be a laughing stock for all eternity even if you do manage to bring this war to a successful conclusion.]          When the army begins to return, you make your way to the gates of the camp, hoping for news.          When you see the chariot containing Cycnos enter the camp, you hurry over. "How did it go?" you ask eagerly. "Were you able to face Memnon?"          "Do you doubt me that much?" Cycnos asks as he gets down from his chariot.          "I don't doubt you in the slightest!" you assure him, perhaps a bit hastily. "But I couldn't be sure you would be able to find him in the chaos of battle..."          "A flimsy excuse of a doubt," Cycnos says, shaking his head. "I had no difficulty locating the son of the dawn."          "And...? Were you able to kill him?"          Cycnos sighs. "You're really hung up on that, you know? It's all killing and looting with you Achaians."          "Er..."          "I admit I fought him a bit," Cycnos says, "but the more we crossed blades, the more I felt it would be a waste to let him die. His people need him--they are always under threat of Egyptian invasion, after all--and why should he lay down his life for a city that is predestined to fall?" Cycnos shakes his head. "Nestor was nearby, so I called on him for help, and between the two of us we were able to explain to Memnon why it would be better for him to return home to safeguard his own people instead of the homeland his father was abducted from."(set: $Memnon to 'withdrawn')(set: $TrojanGenerals to it - 1) Cycnos laughs. "Of course, I had to promise him that I wouldn't allow any harm to befall any of the royal family after the walls are torn down, but (if: (history:) contains "PenthesileiaCycnos")[since I had already made the same promise to Penthesileia, that was easily done!](else:)[as it was already my inclination to protect them, given my late wife was Priam's daughter, I did not hesitate to make that promise.]" He looks at you sharply. "You're not going to suggest that I did wrong by letting him withdraw instead of killing him."          "Of course not! All that matters to me is that he is no longer trying to stop us from getting Menelaos his wife back." And, at this point, taking the treasure house of Priam and using its contents to keep our troops from tearing us all to shreds in their hatred of how long this war has kept them here.          "Glad to hear it," Cycnos says as he strides away into the camp.          You have to admit that sometimes it feels more like *he* is the one running the army than you are, but it is certainly a relief having him on your side! (You shudder at the thought of how terribly things might have turned out if you had not thought to send Nestor to talk to him...)          You give orders for a fine feast tonight in celebration of Cycnos and the withdrawal of the Ethiopian forces. At the feast, you pour out libations to the gods, asking them to make the next battle be as successful as this one was.(click: "asking them to make the next battle be as successful as this one was.")[(if: (history:) contains "Penthesileia")[(goto: "DeathOfAchilles")](else:)[(goto: "Penthesileia")]]

         Rumors are already flying among the men even before the army has finished deploying. They say that while Memnon's armor may look no different from that worn by Egyptian nobles, it was actually made by Hephaistos and is completely impenetrable. They also say even more outlandish things, including that Eos herself swoops down onto the field of battle to rescue her son whenever his life is in danger (and yet while all of them claim this has happened repeatedly, not one man can be identified who has actually seen it happen), and that Memnon is both immortal and invulnerable. They say he is here to destroy us all, they say he is here to take over rule of Troy for himself, they say if we do not defeat him, he will conquer Hellas...honestly, you don't believe a word of it.          Well, you *might* believe the part about his armor having been made by Hephaistos. Though you doubt that would make it actually impenetrable.          In any case, since the wily Odysseus is going after him, you pray there will be no need to worry about Memnon after today's battle.          You are so nervous about the battle that you cannot settle your nerves enough to actually enter the fray, and must spend the day pacing the camp and fretting to the empty walls of your hut. (if: $Creon is 'paranoid')[You sent away all your servants and slaves in the vain hope that no one will know you are spending the day muttering to yourself, but of course it will be common knowledge by the time the battle is over. You can do nothing humiliating but the whole world knows about it. You will be a laughing stock for all eternity even if you do manage to bring this war to a successful conclusion.]          When the army begins to return, you make your way to the gates of the camp, hoping for news.          When you see the chariot containing Odysseus enter the camp, you hurry over. "How did it go?" you ask eagerly. "Were you able to face Memnon?"          Had you taken one more moment to look before you spoke, you would have held your tongue. Odysseus is badly wounded, to the point that you fear he might lose a limb.(set: $Odysseus to 'wounded2')          "I am sorry to say that I did encounter Memnon," he tells you. "And you can see the results of my failure. I am lucky to have escaped with my life."          "That is most dire news," you say, before turning to the nearest troops. "Help Odysseus get back to his hut," you tell them. "I will fetch the sons of Asclepios myself to see to your injuries. Hopefully their father's arts will prove helpful to your condition."          You don't wait for a reply, but set off straight away. Fortunately, Machaon is already back in his hut after the day's battle, and he is uninjured, so you are able to send him to tend to Odysseus immediately.          Soon you are once again pacing nervously in your hut. Near nightfall, Machaon comes to report to you that he and his brother have done all they can for Odysseus, and though he may not be fit to fight for many long months--if not years--he should not lose the arm that was so particularly badly damaged.          It is a small consolation, but you must take what you can get. You thank Machaon for the news, and head off to the shrines to offer sacrifices to the gods and beg that your next battle will prove less costly.(click: "beg that your next battle will prove less costly.")[(if: (history:) contains "Penthesileia")[(goto: "DeathOfAchilles")](else:)[(goto: "Penthesileia")]]

         Rumors are already flying among the men even before the army has finished deploying. They say that while Memnon's armor may look no different from that worn by Egyptian nobles, it was actually made by Hephaistos and is completely impenetrable. They also say even more outlandish things, including that Eos herself swoops down onto the field of battle to rescue her son whenever his life is in danger (and yet while all of them claim this has happened repeatedly, not one man can be identified who has actually seen it happen), and that Memnon is both immortal and invulnerable. They say he is here to destroy us all, they say he is here to take over rule of Troy for himself, they say if we do not defeat him, he will conquer Hellas...honestly, you don't believe a word of it.          Well, you *might* believe the part about his armor having been made by Hephaistos. Though you doubt that would make it actually impenetrable.          In any case, since Menesthios, grandson of Peleus, is going after him, you pray there will be no need to worry about Memnon after today's battle.          You are so nervous about the battle that you cannot settle your nerves enough to actually enter the fray, and must spend the day pacing the camp and fretting to the empty walls of your hut. (if: $Creon is 'paranoid')[You sent away all your servants and slaves in the vain hope that no one will know you are spending the day muttering to yourself, but of course it will be common knowledge by the time the battle is over. You can do nothing humiliating but the whole world knows about it. You will be a laughing stock for all eternity even if you do manage to bring this war to a successful conclusion.]          When the army begins to return, you make your way to the gates of the camp, hoping for news.          When you see the chariot containing Menesthios enter the camp, you hurry over. "How did it go?" you ask eagerly. "Were you able to face Memnon?"          Had you taken one more moment to look before you spoke, you would have held your tongue. Menesthios is badly wounded, to the point that you fear he might lose a limb.(set: $Menesthios to 'wounded1')          "Unfortunately, yes," he tells you. "He barely got a scratch, and I'm lucky he didn't kill me."          "That is most dire news," you say, before turning to the nearest troops. "Help Menesthios get back to his hut," you tell them. "I will fetch the sons of Asclepios myself to see to your injuries. Hopefully their father's arts will prove helpful to your condition."          You don't wait for a reply, but set off straight away. Fortunately, Machaon is already back in his hut after the day's battle, and he is uninjured, so you are able to send him to tend to Menesthios immediately.          Soon you are once again pacing nervously in your hut. Near nightfall, Machaon comes to report to you that he and his brother have done all they can for Menesthios, and though he may not be fit to fight for many long months--if not years--he should not lose the arm that was so particularly badly damaged.          It is a small consolation, but you must take what you can get. You thank Machaon for the news, and head off to the shrines to offer sacrifices to the gods and beg that your next battle will prove less costly.(click: "beg that your next battle will prove less costly.")[(if: (history:) contains "Penthesileia")[(goto: "DeathOfAchilles")](else:)[(goto: "Penthesileia")]]

         You feel no concern as you set off to today's battle: who better to send to fight against a daughter of Ares than a son of Ares? There is nothing her divine blood can do for her that the exact same divine blood in him will not counter!          As the battle wears on and you witness more and more of your men falling to the arrows of the Amazons, you are certainly eager for the battle's end and hopefully the news of the death of the Amazon Queen.          At the end of the day's battle, as the chariots are arriving back at the camp, a sudden shout of alarm passes among the men. You turn and are astonished to see the chariot of Queen Penthesileia driving into the camp.          "Lower your arms, men of Hellas!" she cries as she approaches. "I do not come here to fight you."          "What did you come here for, then?" you ask, stepping forward.          "Are you the leader of these men?" she asks.          "I am."          "Good, then you may take possession and ensure that proper rites are held," she replies.          "Rites?" Your heart gives a jump. Does she mean funerary rites? Your eyes hastily scan the assembled men, trying to figure out who is missing...          "It is possible that it will not matter," Penthesileia continues, as she steps down out of her chariot. "He may have been lying about his parentage." She turns and lifts a corpse out of the bed of the chariot.          You wince at the sight of the body. "Ah..." So much for the blood of Ares being equal to itself!          Penthesileia sets the body down at your feet. "He said that he, too, was fathered by Ares. Is it true?" she asks.          "Yes, he is (if: $Ascalaphos is 'alive')[said to be Ares' favorite son](else:)[the son of Ares]."          (if: $Ascalaphos is 'alive')["Has my father no other sons that he would favor one this weak?"          You cough. "He's said to have had quite a lot of them, actually..."          "Distressing," is her only response.          ]"May I ask what...er...why...ah..." You're not even sure what to ask or how to ask it.          "When he challenged me to combat and identified himself as a son of Ares, I decided I would spar with him lightly," Penthesileia says, looking down at the corpse sadly. "I thought it would be a good exercise. I did not mean to kill him! I was not expecting he would be so weak."          If a demi-god like (if: $Ascalaphos is 'alive')[Ascalaphos](else:)[Ialmenos], one of the greatest warriors in the Achaian camp, is weak to this woman, how will anyone defeat her?          "In case it was true that he was my half-brother, I wanted to see his remains handed over safely to his allies," Penthesileia continues, with a sad sigh. "But now that I know it is true and I have again accidentally spilled shared blood..." She shakes her head. "I have failed King Priam."          "What?" Do you dare hope...?          "It may have been in battle, but he was still my brother. I must be purified of his death." Penthesileia shuts her eyes sadly. "I will go to see the Great King in Hattusa. He will purify me."          "Hattusa!" Your heart begins to pound in your breast as if it's trying to escape. "You won't tell the Great King what's happening here, will you?" You can't possibly win this war if the entire force of the land of Hatti is deployed to protect Troy!          "I do not see how I could avoid doing so," Penthesileia replies, as she returns to her chariot. "But I would not worry yourself too much over it. His reign is still unstable. He will not likely commit more than a few thousand men, I'm sure."          You do not feel consoled. Not at all.          Still, as you watch the Amazon Queen speed away in her chariot, you are at least slightly relieved to know that the Amazons will be withdrawing from the war.(set: $Penthesileia to 'purified')(set: $TrojanGenerals to it - 1)          Though that knowledge was not worth (if: $Ascalaphos is 'alive')[Ascalaphos'](else:)[Ialmenos'] life. And certainly not worth knowing that you have only a few short weeks before the Trojans are likely to get massive reinforcements from Hattusa.          (if: $Ascalaphos is 'alive')[You have some of your men convey Ascalaphos' remains back to his brother's hut,(set: $Ascalaphos to 'dead')](else:)[You have some of your men convey Ialmenos' remains back to his hut,(set: $Ialmenos to 'dead') and continue giving the usual post-battle orders.]          This has been a bitter stalemate of a battle, and you can only hope the next one will go more smoothly for you and your men.(click: "you can only hope the next one will go more smoothly for you and your men.")[(if: (history:) contains "Memnon")[(goto: "DeathOfAchilles")](else:)[(goto: "Memnon")]]

         Much to your surprise, you hear news that the Trojan army is mustering under the direct command of Prince Alexandros.          You immediately suspect that something is amiss, and send out fast riders to gather what information they can. They return to report that they heard Alexandros giving a speech to his men in which he made the bold claim that through him Apollo himself is riding out to war with them.          You're not sure if there is--or even *can* be--any truth to that claim, or how best to counter it even if there is any truth to it.          What you *are* sure of is that if anyone can manage to kill Alexandros, then this war will surely be over, because what possible excuse could the Trojans have to continue holding Helen when her abductor/secondary-husband is dead?          You announce to the assembled troops that Alexandros will be riding out to battle today, and that every man among them should do all that is within their power to take his life if they happen to see him! (Between his girlishly pretty face and the leopard skin he likes to drape over his slender shoulders, he's quite hard to mistake for anyone else.)          As you're getting ready for the battle, your charioteer informs you that the axle of your chariot has snapped. You will have to ride with one of the other warriors today. Who will you go with? (if: $Achilles is 'alive')[         [[Achilleus->ProbablyDeathOfAchilles]] ]         [[Menelaos->EarlyDeathOfAlexander]] (if: $AiasS is 'alive')[         Aias of Salamis(click: "Aias of Salamis")[(set: $todays to 'Aias')(goto: "NobodyDiesToday")(set: $origin to 'Salamis')] ](if: $Diomedes is 'alive')[         Diomedes(click: "Diomedes")[(set: $todays to 'Diomedes')(goto: "NobodyDiesToday")] ](if: $Odysseus is 'alive')[         Odysseus(click: "Odysseus")[(set: $todays to 'Odysseus')(goto: "NobodyDiesToday")] ](if: $AiasL is 'alive')[         Aias of Locris(click: "Aias of Locris")[(set: $todays to 'Aias')(goto: "NobodyDiesToday")(set: $origin to 'Locris')] ](if: $Protesilaos is 'alive')[         Protesilaos(click: "Protesilaos")[(set: $todays to 'Protesilaos')(goto: "NobodyDiesToday")] ](if: $Menesthios is 'alive')[         Menesthios(click: "Menesthios")[(set: $todays to 'Menesthios')(goto: "NobodyDiesToday")] ](if: $Ascalaphos is 'alive')[         Ascalaphos(click: "Ascalaphos")[(set: $todays to 'Ascalaphos')(goto: "NobodyDiesToday")] ](if: $Ialmenos is 'alive')[         Ialmenos(click: "Ialmenos")[(set: $todays to 'Ialmenos')(goto: "NobodyDiesToday")] ](if: $Idomeneus is 'alive')[         Idomeneus(click: "Idomeneus")[(set: $todays to 'Idomeneus')(goto: "NobodyDiesToday")]]

         You ask to join Achilleus in his chariot. (if: $Patroclos is 'alive')[(if: (history:) contains "BigBattleAchilles")[He grumbles about your "perpetual" demands to take up space in the chariot and force Patroclos to handle charioteer duties, but does not try to stop you, even as Patroclos dismisses Automedon.](else:)[Achilleus glares at you and asks you just how many people you think a chariot can hold, but Patroclos gently quiets him by saying that Automedon could probably use the day off.]](else:)[He doesn't so much agree as grunt a reply that doesn't *seem* to be a refusal.]          The chariot takes off in advance of the rest of the line, headed towards the mass of the enemy. It is not long before you come into sight of the highly decorated chariot that is carrying Alexandros.          At the sight of you, Alexandros fires off an arrow straight at your face, but Achilleus uses his shield to deflect the projectile. Seeing that his arrow did nothing against Achilleus' shield, Alexandros orders his charioteer to wheel about.          You decide to repay him for the attempt on your life by firing an arrow at Alexandros' unprotected back.          Unfortunately, you miss him.          You *do*, however, hit one of his horses, bringing his chariot to an abrupt stop.          Achilleus leaps from the chariot and sets out towards Alexandros at a run, promising to end him. With a look of sudden hate on his face, Alexandros raises his bow and takes aim at Achilleus. (set: _test to (random: 1,2))          (if: _test is 1 and $Apollo is not 'pissed')[The arrow strikes Achilleus in the thigh, having gone just below his shield. Achilleus lets out a bellow of pain and rage, and begins calling Alexandros some particularly offensive names, even as the Trojan charioteer cuts the connection to the dead horse and sets the remaining horse to running in order to save the cowardly prince.          Meanwhile, you and Patroclos have dismounted from the chariot and are beside Achilleus. "It's not really too bad," you tell him, looking at the wound. "Even a normal man should be healed from that in a week or two. Given what you're like, you'll probably be back on the field by tomorrow."          Achilleus turns his venom against you and your idiocy for thinking *that* was his concern.          You do your best to ignore it, and do not help his lover in getting him back to the chariot to take him back to camp.          You remain on the field as Achilleus is rushed out of the battle with his injury. It feels like a hollow battle now that Alexandros has fled, however.          [[You hope the next battle will prove more useful.->IWannaMeetHelen]]](else:)[(if: $Apollo is 'pissed')[The arrow flies strangely from Alexandros' bow, its path almost seeming to curve, until it strikes Achilleus in the back of his ankle, penetrating straight through the flesh below his greave.](else:)[Alexandros fires at Achilleus, but the arrow is caught on his tasseled shield. As Alexandros prepares to fire again, Achilleus leaps at him, swinging his spear in the process.          As Alexandros dodges the blow, he blindly releases the arrow he had notched, and it flies straight through the back of Achilleus' ankle, cutting below his greave.]          While the wound does make you wince--such an injury could easily cost a normal man the use of his foot for the rest of his life--you are taken entirely by surprise when Achilleus suddenly falls forward onto his face in the mud.          Astonished, you hurry over to him even as Alexandros takes advantage of the moment to flee. Achilleus still hasn't moved, and when you turn his body over, you see no sign of life; his expression is a blank mask of surprise and agony, and he does not seem to be breathing.          *Is it possible to die of shock?* you wonder, seeing no other possible explanation.(set: $Achilles to 'dead')          Meanwhile, the others around you have noticed Achilleus' sudden collapse. Enemies are beginning to approach, their eyes fixed more on Achilleus' fine armor than on you. Fortunately, allies are approaching as well, and (if: $AiasS is 'alive' and $Odysseus is 'alive')[Aias of Salamis and Odysseus are the first to reach you.          By the time they recover from their shock at Achilleus' inexplicable demise, the enemy have surrounded you, and all three of you are fighting to defend the corpse. "We cannot continue like this!" Odysseus exclaims. "One of us needs to get him to safety while the others hold off the enemy!"          You look around and see that Achilleus' chariot is now further than it was, its horses perhaps spooked by their master's sudden death, but not an impossible distance. "His chariot isn't too far away," you say, "but I could never carry him that far, even without his armor!" Admittedly, if you discarded the armor, the enemy *might* let you past with the body, but you can't stand the idea of Achilleus' divine armor ending up in Trojan hands(if: $oldarmor is not 'only')[for a second time].          "I can," Aias says, before handing you his spear and placing his shield on his back. Then he bends and picks up Achilleus' body in his arms as though the grown man was nothing but a child.          You and Odysseus fight to defend Aias and his precious cargo until he is safely on the chariot, which immediately takes off running back towards the camp.](else:)[you are soon joined by enough allies to push back the enemy hordes long enough to load Achilleus' body onto his chariot.]          With Achilleus' remains safely on their way back to the camp, there is nothing left but to fight your own way back out of the knot of enemies (who have admittedly lost most of their interest now that the divinely crafted armor is gone) and make your mournful way back to camp.          Once the battle is concluded, the entire camp is cloaked in misery and confusion. The only thing to do now is to [[prepare for the funeral.->FuneralOfAchilles]]]

         You join Menelaos in his chariot, and instruct the charioteer to take up the central position in the battle line.          As the charge begins and you approach the Trojan lines, you spot Alexandros directly in front of you. Screaming for a rematch, Menelaos urges his charioteer onwards.          As soon as you are close enough, Alexandros fires his bow at Menelaos, but the Spartan king catches the arrow on his shield; it penetrates the bronze but sticks in the ox hide beneath.          Seeing that his arrow has failed, Alexandros has his charioteer turn away from you, heading back towards the city.          Your own chariot is in hot pursuit, but you are gaining precious little ground. Alexandros is almost back to the city gates when you think you are finally close enough that you can risk a shot from your own bow. You fire at the charioteer (not wanting to rob Menelaos of his justly deserved vengeance) but miss, hitting one of the horses instead. This is just as good (maybe better), as it brings the chariot to a halt while both men in the chariot hack at the yoke connecting the chariot to the dead horse.          They cut free from the dead horse shortly before you are upon them, and have to wheel away from the gates in an attempt to continue fleeing from you.          With another arrow, you bring down the charioteer, and a third arrow takes out Alexandros' remaining horse.          Letting out a cry of triumph, Menelaos leaps from his chariot to pursue Alexandros on foot as soon as the chariot draws near.          The futility of the gesture written on his face, Alexandros turns to attempt to fight the enraged Spartan as soon as he is too near to escape from.          The matter is quickly settled, because Alexandros was prepared only to fire arrows from his chariot; he has a sword on him, but no shield. Once Menelaos manages to strike the sword from his hand, Alexandros is without any method of defending himself.          As Menelaos raises his sword to strike Alexandros down, you see a mist forming up around Alexandros, just as it did at the end of the duel.          But Menelaos does not check his swing, and cuts through the gathering mist in a fierce sideways blow.          When the mist clears, Alexandros' body is gone, but his head remains.          Menelaos stoops to pick up the head, and returns to the chariot, instructing his charioteer to take him to the gates of the city. Once there, he shows the head to the elders watching on the wall, and demands the return of his wife, now that the man who took her away has died.          You have to wait for several hours, but eventually the gate is opened, and a wagon emerges, pulled by four straining oxen. The wagon is so loaded down with gold that it leaves deep ruts in the earth.          It is not the wagon that makes Menelaos let out a triumphant cry and toss aside Alexandros' head, however: it is the sight of a lone woman walking behind it, her wrists bound and connected by rope to the back of the wagon.          Menelaos rushes over and cuts the rope with his sword, before demanding that she look at him.          "How can I?" Helen answers, her voice shaking. (And you have to admit that she is even more beautiful than you had ever imagined; it is easy to see why so many are willing to die for her sake!) "What excuse can I give for my unforgiveable conduct?" She turns her tear-streaked face towards him, her eyes squeezed shut. "I deserve your blade every bit as much as he did."          Evidently Menelaos does not agree, because he takes her into his arms and kisses her passionately.          You're not convinced that forgiving her is a good idea, but you don't actually care at this point.          All that matters is that the war is over, the troops can be compensated with all that gold Priam has provided, and you *don't* have to slaughter every soul in the city.          That, you consider, is a job well done.          (And if Helen runs away from her husband again, you will have the good sense not to help him get her back a second time!) =><= Congratulations! [[*You win!*->Nostoi]]

         You join $todays on his chariot, and are soon away towards the battle.          Early on in the fight, you spot Alexandros in the distance, and order the charioteer to turn towards him. (It's not that you want to steal the kill for yourself. You just want to make sure that he dies! You'd be perfectly happy to watch $todays kill him rather than do it yourself.)          Seeing you coming towards him, Alexandros raises his bow to fire at you. The arrow whizzes just over your head, damaging the plume on your helmet.          You raise your own bow to retaliate, and strike Alexandros' charioteer.          In terror, the pretty prince grabs the reins out of the corpse's hands, and wheels the horses around as fast as they will go, headed straight back to the city.          You attempt to follow him, but the enemy close ranks behind him, and you are blocked off.          At the end of the day, you are depressed to learn that you, personally, foiled the first opportunity to get rid of Alexandros since the goddess rescued him from his duel with Menelaos.          But at least no one of importance died or was injured on your side of the battle. That must count for something, surely? (if: $Creon is 'paranoid')[The men aren't *really* laughing at you as you walk past, right? They're just laughing about some quiet little joke they're sharing...all of them...together...in unison...]          You want to come up with something spectacular to do for the next battle to make up for this failure, but you aren't sure you can think of anything.(click: "you aren't sure you can think of anything.")[(if: $Achilles is 'alive')[(goto: "IWannaMeetHelen")](else:)[(goto: "FaffingAbout")]]

         You are beginning to feel entirely drained of all strength and willpower by the war.          Are you leading this army, or is this army leading you?          Do you have any control over your destiny, or are you mere flotsam atop a cresting wave?          You completely failed to end Alexandros. (if: $Penthesileia is 'alive')[(if: $Memnon is 'alive')[You failed to eliminate either of the Trojans' new demi-god allies.](else:)Memnon may no longer be a threat, but the Amazon queen still harries your forces.](else_if: $Memnon is 'alive')[You may not have to worry about the Amazons anymore, but the Ethiopians are still backing up the Trojans in battle after battle.] (if: $Hector is 'alive')[Worst of all, the true Trojan champion, Prince Hector, still rallies his people to victories over your men. But maybe there's something you can do about him?]          Maybe there is some way you can personally turn this war around before Hattusa hears about it and sends reinforcements to Troy.          Or maybe you should just lie back on the ocean waves and see where they carry you, since you are nothing more than a piece of helpless driftwood... (if: $Hector is 'alive')[         [[I must deal with Hector!->Hector]] ]         [[Maybe I'll go riding.->Riding10]]          [[I think I'd like to be amused; I'll send for a bard.->BardsTale10]]

         You are surprised to see Phoinix enter your hut one afternoon and request a private audience with you.          Alarmed by the worry you see on his face, you send everyone else away. "Tell me what is wrong," you say. "Surely Achilleus is not feuding with someone in camp(if: $Briseis is 'Creon' or 'Diomedes')[ again]?"          "Alas, it is not that simple," Phoinix sighs.          "I find it deeply worrisome that you find the idea of Achilleus in a fit of temper 'simple.' Just what *is* wrong, then?"          Phoinix looks around carefully, as if afraid that he will be overheard by his prince despite that the two of you are quite alone in your hut. "He says he wants to meet Helen, to see with his own eyes the woman we have all been fighting over for all this time."          You're not quite sure how to react to that. "So would I," you agree, "but what's that to do with anything?"          "He's begun speaking with someone about arranging a secret meeting."          "Someone?" you repeat. "Who?"          "I fear it may be one of the gods," Phoinix says, his worry even more heavy in his voice than on his face. "Whoever it is, I have seen Achilleus speaking with him several times, clearly the same individual, yet with different forms."          "Surely if the gods are involved, there can be no harm of it," you say.          "I'm afraid he intends to seduce her," Phoinix says with great urgency.          Given what you know of Achilleus and his apparently insatiable lust, you don't doubt it. The idea does give you some concern, and yet...you're just not sure.          What should you say to Phoinix?          [[It's harmless, surely.->CanonishVersion]]          [[Perhaps Menelaos should be told?->PoorMenelaos]]          [[He's already over-sexed, what more does he want?->TakeMyToysAndGo]] (if: $Cycnos is 'ally')[         [[Have Cycnos 'train' the lust out of him.->CycnosTheWinButton]]]

<img src="ship.jpg" width="600" height="315"><center> #NOSTOI ##ASCALAPHOS (if: $Ascalaphos is 'dead')[Ascalaphos, favorite son of Ares, died in battle under your command.](else:)[Ascalaphos, favorite son of Ares, returned home to Orchomenos, (if: $storm is 'on')[though he lost some of his ships due to the massive storm that ravaged the Achaian fleet on the way home, ]where he (if: $Achilles is 'left' or 'eloped')[was astonished to find that Achilleus had conquered it. After some negotiations with his former comrade, he was allowed to take up a position running Orchomenos as Achilleus' representative.](else:)[resumed his reign and lived out his days in about as much peace as you would expect from someone with his parentage.]] Under Agamemnon, Ascalaphos was killed in the ninth year of the war. ##IALMENOS (if: $Ialmenos is 'dead')[Ialmenos, like his twin brother Ascalaphos, died in battle under your command.](else:)[(if: $Ascalaphos is 'dead')[Ialmenos survived the war and returned home to Orchomenos, (if: $storm is 'on')[though he lost some of his ships due to the massive storm that ravaged the Achaian fleet on the way home, ]where he (if: $Achilles is 'left' or 'eloped')[was astonished to find that Achilleus had conquered it more than half a year earlier. After some negotiations with his former comrade, he was allowed to take up a position running Orchomenos as Achilleus' representative.](else:)[took over his twin brother's throne and lived out his days in relative peace.]](else:)[Ialmenos returned home with his brother after the war ended, (if: $Achilles is 'left' or 'eloped')[though they were both surprised to find that their home was now under the control of Achilleus. Ascalaphos negotiated to gain the right to run Orchomenos as Achilleus' underling, but Ialmenos chafed to see his brother reduced to a puppet, and](else:)[but] soon left to seek his fortune elsewhere, and ended up in Colchis, where he founded a city.]] Under Agamemnon, Ialmenos survived the war, and rather than inheriting his late brother's kingdom, ended up founding a city near Colchis. ##AIAS OILEIADES (if: $AiasL is 'alive')[(if: $storm is 'on')[During the voyage home, (if: $Athene is 'pissed')[Athene sent a massive storm to ravage the Achaian fleet due to the army's refusal to punish Aias for desecrating her temple,](else:)[a massive storm swamped many of the Achaian ships,] and Aias' ship was one of the ones that sank. Aias himself did not drown, but climbed up onto a promontory just out of the water and immediately set to bragging about his survival. Poseidon hurled a thunderbolt at him and killed him for his hubris.](else_if: $storm is 'localized')[Athene sent a storm to swamp Aias' ship and drown him for desecrating her temple.](else:)[Aias returned to Locris (if: $Achilles is 'left' or 'eloped')[only to find that Achilleus had conquered it, killing his father in the process. Aias attempted to avenge his father, and was killed by Achilleus.](else:)[to inherit his father's throne. He eventually died at the hands of the Heracleidai as they conquered all of Hellas.]]](else_if: $AiasLDeath is 'FirstDay')[Aias of Locris was the first of your men to die upon arrival in the Troad.](else_if: $AiasLDeath is 'stoned')[You had Aias of Locris stoned to death for committing rape inside a temple.](else:)[Aias of Locris drowned after falling overboard during a ship battle against the Egyptians.] Under Agamemnon, Aias of Locris survived the war but died on the voyage home, due to having enraged the goddess Athene by raping Cassandra inside Athene's temple. The goddess sent a storm to destroy the Achaian fleet, costing the lives of a great many Achaians and captive Trojans. ##AIAS TELAMONIADES (if: $AiasS is not 'dead')[(if: $storm is 'on')[Despite losing several of his ships to the storm, ]Aias returned home safely to Salamis, (if: $Achilles is 'left' or 'eloped') [which he was surprised to learn was now a vassal of Phthia. Achilleus (if: $Achilles is 'eloped')[and Penthesileia] had put Attica to the sword in conquering it, but as Telamon was his father's brother, Achilleus had won the allegiance of Salamis by negotiation (and promising a future marriage between some as-yet unborn daughter of his and one of Aias' sons), leaving his uncle in charge of all of Attica. This was rather confusing news to Aias, and he insisted on speaking to Achilleus about it personally. In the course of the discussion, Aias found himself gladly promising to serve Achilleus as his shield in all future battles (of which there were to be many). He lived out a long and satisfying life, fighting alongside his cousin, and leaving most of the affairs of running Attica first to his father and then to his brother.](else:)[where his father welcomed him home gladly. His wife had died giving birth to his son, Philaios, so he married his concubine Tekmessa, and made her son Eurysakes his heir. Aias lived a long life and was greatly revered by his subjects, receiving divine honors almost immediately upon his eventual death. His sons briefly ruled Salamis together, then gave the island to Athens.]](else_if: $AiasSDeath is 'FirstDay')[Despite his great strength, Aias of Salamis was the first Achaian to die in the war. When his father, Telamon, learned of this, he never forgave you for having wasted his son's life.](else_if: $heir is 'Odysseus' or 'Diomedes')[Aias took his own life in the final year of the war. Despite his ignominious end, he was already being given divine honors in his native Salamis by the time his father died.](else:)[Aias of Salamis did not survive the war, but he was granted divine honors in Salamis.] Under Agamemnon, Aias of Salamis committed suicide in the final year of the war, falling on the same sword Hector had given him at the conclusion of their duel. Agamemnon forbade him from receiving a warrior's cremation, though Odysseus persuaded him to allow a burial rather than leaving the body out to rot as was Agamemnon's inclination. Aias was worshipped in Salamis, and was regarded as one of the greatest (and most tragic) heroes of the war all throughout Hellas. ##TEUKROS (if: $heir is 'Odysseus' or 'Diomedes')[(if: $storm is 'on')[Despite losing several of his ships to the storm, ]Teukros returned home safely to Salamis, bringing along his brother's concubine and son as well as the tragic tidings of his suicide. Telamon raged against his illegitimate son for failing to stop Aias from committing suicide, and Teukros fled Salamis in shame, eventually settling in Cypros, where he founded a town that he named Salamis after his homeland.](else_if: $AiasS is 'dead')[(if: $storm is 'on')[Despite losing several of his ships due to the massive storm that ravaged the Achaian fleet on the way home, ]Teukros returned home safely to Salamis. Telamon never accepted him as a suitable replacement for Aias, and made Aias' son Philaios his heir. Teukros soon left to seek a life elsewhere, eventually ending up in Cypros, where he founded a town that he named Salamis.](else:)[Teukros accompanied his brother back to Salamis, where he lived out his days in contentment.] Under Agamemnon, Teukros survived the war and returned home with his brother's concubine, son, and the bitter news of his brother's suicide and ignominious burial. His father banished him for his failure to protect his brother in both life and death, and Teukros ended up in Cypros, where he founded a town that he named Salamis after the homeland he had been expelled from. When his father died, he attempted to attend the funeral games, but his nephew Eurysakes prevented him from taking part. ##DIOMEDES (if: $Diomedes is 'dead')[Diomedes did not survive the war, having drowned in battle against the Egyptian forces that he himself had enraged.](else_if: $Diomedes is 'dead traitor')[Having been turned against the Achaian forces by your actions, Diomedes was killed in battle by his fellow Hellenes. The people of Argos refused to believe the tales of other returning warriors, and insisted on believing that you had murdered Diomedes and all his men.](else:)[(if: $storm is 'on')[Though he lost ships and men to the storm that ravaged the returning Achaian fleet, ]Diomedes returned safely home to Argos, (if: $Achilles is 'left' or 'eloped')[which he was astonished to find now under the control of Achilleus, who had conquered it some months earlier. Diomedes joined many of his former comrades in fighting against Achilleus' monolithic reign, but too many of their erstwhile allies had joined up with Achilleus, and they were defeated. Diomedes fled Hellas and headed west, ending up in Apulia, where he obtained a new city to rule over.](else:)[(if: $Aphrodite is 'pissed')[where he was barred entry, because Aphrodite had avenged her injury at his hands by spurring his wife to betray him with another man. Diomedes wandered for some time, eventually settling in Apulia, where he was granted a new city to rule over.](else:)[where he was given a hero's welcome, as was appropriate for one of the greatest heroes of the Achaian forces. He lived out his days in relative peace in Argos.]]] Under Agamemnon, Diomedes was one of the greatest heroes of the war, and returned home safely, only to be barred entry to Argos, where his wife given his throne to her lover. He eventually ended up in Apulia, where he gained a new throne. According to some, he was turned into a bird when he died. ##NESTOR (if: $storm is 'on')[Nestor was the first to sail back to Hellas, and thereby escaped the storm that ravaged the rest of the fleet. He](else:)[Nestor] returned safely home to Pylos at the end of the war, where he (if: $Achilles is 'left' or 'eloped')[was astonished to find that Achilleus had recently conquered all of Messenia. Nestor was opposed to accepting Achilleus' rule, but all his sons preferred to align themselves with Achilleus, so he grudgingly accepted it, becoming a mere advisor in his own kingdom.](else:)[ruled in peace and wisdom for the rest of his days. He was succeeded by his eldest son, Thrasymedes, who had fought by his side at Troy.] Under Agamemnon, Nestor was the first to sail back to Hellas, and thereby escaped the storm that Athene sent to ravage the rest of the fleet. He returned safely to Pylos and ruled in peace and wisdom for many years to come; he was still ruling ten years later, when Odysseus' son Telemachos came seeking news of his father's whereabouts. He was eventually succeeded by his eldest son, Thrasymedes. ##ANTILOCHOS (if: $Antilochos is 'alive')[Antilochos survived the war and returned home to Pylos with his father, Nestor. (if: $Achilles is 'left' or 'eloped')[Upon their homecoming, they were taken by surprise by the news that Achilleus had conquered Messenia. As Achilleus was still nearby, Antilochos went to speak to him about it personally, because of the great friendship Achilleus had always shown him. He left the meeting convinced that unification under Achilleus was the best thing for all of Hellas, and became one of Achilleus' closest advisors and confidantes.](else:)[(if: $Achilles is 'alive')[He spent much of his life not in Pylos but in Phthia, with Achilleus.(if: $Patroclos is 'dead')[…who, some said, had taken Antilochos as his boyfriend.]]]](else:)[Antilochos was killed by Memnon, King of Ethiopia, but was promptly avenged by Achilleus. (if: $Achilles is 'dead')[His bones were buried in the same barrow as those of Achilleus(if: $Patroclos is 'dead')[ and Patroclos].]] Under Agamemnon, Antilochos was killed by Memnon, King of Ethiopia, but was promptly avenged by Achilleus, who then gave him a lavish funeral (if not as lavish as the one he had given Patroclos). Following the funeral, Antilochos' bones were placed in a fine vessel and laid to rest in the same barrow that held the golden amphora with Patroclos' bones (where Achilleus' own bones would soon rest, eternally mingling with those of his lover). (if: $Cycnos is 'ally')[##CYCNOS Cycnos, the invulnerable son of Poseidon, returned home to Colonai to rule in peace and prosperity. (if: $Penthesileia is 'withdrawn' or $Memnon is 'withdrawn')[He brought all the surviving members of the Trojan royal family to Colonai as his honored guests, and kept them safe from any Achaian reprisals.] After a few years, he began helping the Trojan survivors to rebuild their city. Under Agamemnon, Cycnos was killed by Achilleus on the first day of the war, either by strangulation or crushing.] ##ODYSSEUS (if: $Odysseus is 'alive')[(if: $storm is 'on')[The storm that ravaged the Achaian fleet sent all of Odysseus' ships drastically off-course. It took him ten years of wandering to return home to Ithaca, and he lost every single one of his men in the process. Upon his return, (if: $Achilles is 'left' or 'eloped')[he found his son administrating Ithaca, Cephalonia and the surrounding regions in a Hellas that had been unified ten years earlier by Achilleus. Highly confused by this development, Odysseus found little he could do other than accept it and finally settle back down to spend his declining years with his ever-faithful wife, Penelope.](else:)[he found his palace crawling with men trying to marry his wife (and gain his title), and slaughtered them all. This did not win him any friends.]](else:)[Despite clear sailing and fine winds, Odysseus managed to get lost on the way home from Troy, and spent ten years wandering and sleeping around until he finally got home only to discover (if: $Achilles is 'left' or 'eloped')[his son administrating Ithaca, Cephalonia and the surrounding regions in a Hellas that had been unified ten years earlier by Achilleus. Highly confused by this development, Odysseus found little he could do other than accept it and finally settle back down to spend his declining years with his ever-faithful wife, Penelope.](else:)[his house full of men who wanted to marry his wife (and gain his title). He slaughtered them all, which did not win him any friends.]]](else_if: $Odysseus is 'exiled')[You sent Odysseus back to Ithaca in disgrace over his feud with Palamedes. He didn't actually *reach* Ithaca until about the same time you were setting sail from Troy, (if: $Achilles is 'left' or 'eloped')[long enough that Achilleus had already conquered the island and moved on. Odysseus only spent a few nights with his wife before setting out to see how the rest of Hellas was faring under Achilleus' rule and decide just which side he wanted to be on. In the end, he decided there was little point in fighting a losing war, and offered his services to Achilleus as an advisor. This let him spend *most* of his remaining years with his wife.](else:)[ but at least he found his wife faithfully waiting for him and unmolested by any lecherous types.]](else_if: $OdysseusDeath is 'FirstDay')[Odysseus was the first Achaian to die in this war, much to the surprise of pretty much everyone. His wife Penelope never remarried. (Most people said that having had to put up with Odysseus surely put her off the very idea of men and marriage.)](else:)[Odysseus did not survive the war. His son, Telemachos, inherited control of Ithaca once he was old enough.] Under Agamemnon, Odysseus was a vital hero of the war, not so much for his skill with his weapon but for his stratagems, including the Trojan Horse ploy. When Athene sent a storm to swamp the Achaian ships in vengeance for Aias of Locris desecrating her temple, Odysseus' ships were all blown off course, too, even though he had been the only one demanding that Aias be punished for his actions. He spent ten years sleeping his way around the Mediterranean, losing every single one of his ships and men in the process, before finally coming home and finding his house full of men trying to marry his wife. He killed them all, winning himself many enemies in the process. Though there are many tales of how he died, one of the most popular asserts that he was eventually (if unwittingly) killed by one of the bastard sons he fathered in the ten years it took him to get home from Troy. ##PALAMEDES (if: $Palamedes is 'alive')[Palamedes survived the war, and (if: $storm is 'on')[escaped the storm that devastated the Achaian fleet, returning](else:)[safely returned] to Euboia. (if: $thorse is 'yup')[He will long be revered for having developed the cunning Trojan Horse strategy.]](else_if: $Palamedes is 'exiled')[Palamedes returned home to Euboia in some disgrace, but he used the time wisely, setting as many minds as he could against Odysseus, whose actions had led to his untimely return. His clever inventions served him well in his long life, winning him great renown and influence.](else:)[You had Palamedes executed due to his feud with Odysseus.] Under Agamemnon, Palamedes was stoned to death by Odysseus and Diomedes on accusations of treason. (At least, that's usually what is said to have happened. Other claims have been made.) Palamedes is often credited with having invented dice, part of the Greek alphabet, and even sometimes is claimed to have been the one who really came up with the Trojan Horse. ##IDOMENEUS (if: $Idomeneus is 'alive')[Idomeneus(if: $storm is 'on')[, despite being hampered by the storm that destroyed so much of the Achaian fleet,] safely returned to Crete, (if: $Achilles is 'left' or 'eloped')[which became the center of the resistance against Achilleus' unification of Hellas, since it was so far from the mainland that Achilleus hadn't gotten around to conquering it yet. Idomeneus fought for the resistance until his own death at the hands of (if: $Achilles is 'eloped')[Penthesileia](else:)[Achilleus' forces.]](else:)[where he ruled for many years, eventually passing on his throne to his son.]](else:)[Idomeneus did not survive the war, but he was revered in his homeland of Crete.] Under Agamemnon, Idomeneus returned home safely, but traditions vary as to what happened next: some say he made a foolish promise to sacrifice whatever first greeted him (which ended up, of course, being his child), others say that his wife betrayed him and he had to flee, and others say he ruled on in peace. Whatever the truth of his fate was, more than a thousand years later, the locals would point out a building they said was his tomb at Knossos. ##MERIONES (if: $Idomeneus is 'alive')[Meriones accompanied his uncle back to Crete, (if: $Achilles is 'left' or 'eloped')[which became the center of the resistance against Achilleus' unification of Hellas, since it was so far from the mainland that Achilleus hadn't gotten around to conquering it yet. Meriones was not comfortable taking part in the combat, as he had been friends with Achilleus, but could not go against his uncle's wishes, either. Following his uncle's death, he switched sides and joined up with Achilleus, helping to bring the fighting to a swift resolution.](else:)[where he lived out his days in peace.]](else:)[(if: $storm is 'on')[Despite the storm that plagued the Achaian fleet, ]Meriones made it safely back to Crete, where he passed on the sad news of his uncle's death.] Under Agamemnon, Meriones returned home safely, and very little more is known about him, except that by Roman times, it was claimed that he and his uncle were both buried in the same tomb at Knossos. ##ACHILLEUS (display: "AchillesFate") Under Agamemnon, Achilleus died in the tenth year of the war, killed by an arrow from Alexandros, guided by the hand of an angry Apollo. He was given a magnificent funeral, and his bones interred in the same golden amphora that already held the bones of Patroclos. Their barrow became a pilgrimage site for centuries to come. (Though by the time his descendent Alexandros of Macedon came to pay his respects, the barrow had been replaced with two tomb-temples, one dedicated to each of them.) According to some, Achilleus was later deified and given control over a special section of the afterlife on the White Isle, where he and many of the other heroes of the Trojan War--but especially Patroclos and Aias of Salamis--spent their eternity together. Varying traditions gave him many different wives in the afterlife, in one case even Helen herself. ##PATROCLOS (if: $Patroclos is 'dead')[Patroclos died in the ninth year of the war, lifting the Trojan siege on the camp. His noble sacrifice saved many Achaian lives (if: $Briseis is 'Achilles')[and forced Achilleus to set aside his quarrel over Briseis and return to the war.]](else:)[(if: $Achilles is 'dead')[Patroclos remained behind when the rest of the Achaian army sailed back to Hellas. He continued to tend to Achilleus' tomb until his own death, at which time a friendly local obeyed his wishes and placed his bones inside the tomb along with Achilleus'.](else:)[Patroclos spent the rest of his days at Achilleus' side, accompanying him in everything, and providing him with a constant love that no one else could.]] Under Agamemnon, Patroclos died in the ninth year of the war, leading the Myrmidons into battle while Achilleus continued to sulk over the insult that had been delivered to his honor when Briseis was taken away from him. Patroclos' death led to Achilleus making up with Agamemnon and returning to the war to take a cruel vengeance on Hector, Patroclos' killer, before holding a magnificent funeral for Patroclos, which ended with Patroclos' bones deposited in a golden amphora which Achilleus specified would eventually hold his own bones as well. Even in death, they remained inseparable.(if: $Menesthios is 'alive' or 'wounded1')[ ##MENESTHIOS Menesthios survived the war and returned home to Phthia(if: $storm is 'on')[, though he did lose one ship in the storm that engulfed the entire Achaian fleet]. When he arrived, he was surprised to find (if: $Achilles is 'withdrawn')[that his uncle Achilleus was behaving in an even more immature fashion in Phthia than he had in his final days at the war.](else:)[that his uncle Achilleus had conquered all of Hellas in the time since he had sailed away from the camp on the Trojan shore. As a loyal Myrmidon, Menesthios fought in his uncle's many wars to maintain his grip on Hellas. Sadly, he was killed in battle within a few years.] Under Agamemnon…actually, Menesthios was so completely overshadowed by his uncle that no one really noticed he existed. (He's mentioned in the *Iliad* once, but that's about it.)](if: $Neoptolemos is 'alive' or 'wounded1')[ ##NEOPTOLEMOS (if: $Helenos is 'Neoptolemos' and $storm is 'on')[Warned by Helenos of the impending storm that would wreck so much of the Achaian fleet, Neoptolemos was able to avoid the storm and its damage. ]Neoptolemos made his way to his father's homeland of Phthia, where he met his grandfather Peleus, but he was not content to remain there. He conquered Epeiros, before going to Laconia to be given Hermione, the daughter of Menelaos and Helen, as his wife. He was slain at Delphi shortly thereafter. Under Agamemnon, Neoptolemos was one of the most brutal of the Achaian warriors at Troy, slaying King Priam and his youngest son Polites on an altar to Zeus, sacrificing Polyxena at his father's tomb, and tossing Hector's infant son off the walls of the city. After the war, Helenos (who had been alotted to Neoptolemos as part of his share of the slaves taken in the war) warned him of the impending storm, allowing him to avoid it and safely reach Hellas. He conquered Epeiros and had three sons by Andromache before going to Lacedaemon to receive the hand of Hermione that Menelaos had promised him as a reward for joining the war. Soon thereafter, he was slain at Delphi, either by Hermione's other husband, Orestes, by Apollo (possibly acting through Orestes), or by the people of Delphi; various accounts say that he was either killed in a quarrel over who had rights to Hermione or that he was looting Delphi in seeking a blood price for his father's death at Apollo's hands. His eldest son by Andromache, Molossos, went on to found an Epirote dynasty that would produce famous individuals like Pyrrhos (origin of the saying "a Pyrrhic victory") and Olympias, the mother of Alexandros III of Macedon (aka Alexander the Great).] ##PROTESILAOS (if: $Protesilaos is 'dead')[(if: $ProtesilaosDeath is 'FirstDay')[Protesilaos was killed by Hector soon after disembarking on the Anatolian shore. He was the first Achaian to die.](else:)[Protesilaos drowned after falling overboard during a sea battle against the Egyptians…of all the odd ways for an Achaian at the Trojan War to die!]](else:)[Protesilaos survived the war(if: $storm is 'on')[, just barely escaped from the storm that ravaged the Achaian fleet] and made it home to his beloved wife. (if: $Achilles is 'left' or 'eloped')[When he got there, he found out that the entire region--all of Hellas, in fact--had been conquered by Achilleus…but seeing as Phylace was so close to Phthia that it may as well have been part of it anyway, he didn't see that it mattered much. Besides, he didn't want to do anything to risk his remaining time with Polydora.]] Under Agamemnon, Protesilaos was the first to disembark when the ships arrived, and was also the first to die when Hector came to try and stop them from landing. His marriage had been so brief that even Hades and Persephone felt sorry for him and his widow, and allowed Hermes to bring Protesilaos' shade up to the surface to have one last exchange with his beloved wife, who may have gone just slightly crazy after his shade was taken away again. (There is, of course, some debate as to just who his wife *was*. According to the poet of the *Cypria*, it was Polydora, daughter of Meleagros, while later poets said it was Laodamia, daughter of Acastos.) ##PHILOCTETES (if: $Philoctetes is 'going home')[Unwilling to overlook his grudge against Odysseus, Philoctetes refused to rejoin the war, instead going first to Lemnos and then back to Meliboia. (if: $Achilles is 'left' or 'eloped')[He was still so weakened by his ten year long isolation that he did not care in the slightest that Achilleus had conquered his homeland.]](else:)[(if: $ParisDeath is 'canon')[Having fulfilled](else:)[Having failed to fulfill] his prophesied duty of killing Alexandros, Philoctetes survived the rest of the war and returned home to Meliboia a much wealthier man.(if: $Achilles is 'left' or 'eloped')[ He did not particularly care about coming home to find his father reduced to a vassal of Achilleus, as his long period of isolation had left him rather dreading the idea of ever inheriting the throne.]] Under Agamemnon, Philoctetes was recovered from his abandonment during the tenth year of the war and brought to Troy to fulfill a prophecy forced out of Helenos, Prince of Troy. He fatally wounded Alexandros, though the prince did not die on the battlefield. Following the war, he returned home to Meliboia and inherited his father's throne. ##MACHAON Machaon survived the war and went home. Under Agamemnon, he was killed by Eurypylos in the final year of the war. (text-style: "subscript")[(…he should have died in this version, too, only I forgot and didn't kill him...)] ##PODALEIRIOS Podaleirios survived the war and was headed home by land along with the seer Calchas when Calchas encountered Mopsos in Colophon, a soothsayer even better than he was, and subsequently died of envy. He ended up settling in Caria rather than returning to Thessaly, though opinions differ on how that happened, exactly. Under Agamemnon…actually, exactly the same thing happened. Podaleirios was utterly unaffected by your presence at the war. ##CREON (if: $AchillesDeath is 'FirstDay')[You were on your way home from the war when your ship was sunk by an enraged Thetis who personally drowned you for having ordered her son to be the first to disembark when you *knew* that would cause his death.](else:)[You set sail for Hellas (if: $storm is 'on')[and only barely weathered the massive storm, which sank almost half your ships], and (unless: $Memnon is 'withdrawn' or $Penthesileia is 'withdrawn' or $Hector is 'captive')[took Cassandra to Delphi before heading home. You were told there that she would become the next Pythia, and that Apollo was grateful to you for bringing her safely to his hands. Then you] headed home(if: $home is not '...')[ to $home], (if: $Achilles is 'left' or 'eloped')[though you were astonished to learn that it had been conquered by Achilleus while you were gone! (if: $Achilles is 'left')[You fled Hellas in a hurry upon hearing rumors that Achilleus had left orders with all his generals to kill you on sight. You ended up heading west across the sea and settling in with some very nice people who called themselves the Rutuli…](else:)[Tired of war, you decided to just accept that you had lost your throne to Achilleus and his Amazon, settling in to be a minor nobody for the rest of your life.]](else:)[ where you settled back in to your former life, wishing you hadn't lost the last ten years of your life to bloodshed and misery. (if: $Creon is 'paranoid')[You spent much of the remainder of your life telling yourself you didn't see men hiding smirks when you came into their field of vision, but your tolerance began to wane over time, and after ten years or so, you started having to punish them for mocking you. You were eventually expelled from your throne, hunted down and slaughtered as a tyrant.](else:)[You tried to use your position to influence a love of peace in your people over a love of war. It wasn't really all that effective, unfortunately…]]] Under Agamemnon, you didn't exist. :P ##MENELAOS AND HELEN (if: $storm is 'on')[The massive storm that assailed all the Achaian fleet sent Menelaos' ships far astray, ending up in Egypt, where Menelaos and Helen were taken to the palace of Ramses as guests.(if: $Ramses is 'pissed')[..or rather Helen was a guest and Menelaos was more of a prisoner for the first year or so, until Helen managed to convince Ramses that Menelaos had honestly, truly had absolutely *nothing* to do with the massacre of the troops he had sent to help the Trojans in their defensive war.] They remained in Egypt for eight years before finally heading home to Sparta, where Helen was saddened to see that the tiny little girl she had left behind was now a fully grown woman (who really hated her) who considered herself married to her double-cousin Orestes, even though Menelaos had promised her hand to Neoptolemos (despite that he was younger than she was). In order to save face, the royal couple decided to tell the people of Lacedaemon that Helen had never gone to Troy, but had been a prisoner in Egypt all that time, while a cloud in her image had accompanied Alexandros to his homeland. Surprisingly, they actually seemed to believe it.](else:)[Menelaos and Helen sailed successfully home to Laconia, where Helen was at first ashamed to show her face after all the suffering that had been caused by her actions. By the time of her daughter's marriage to Neoptolemos and the visit of Telemachos shortly thereafter, she was completely recovered from any shame, and Menelaos didn't seem to care, either…though he did seem tempted to leave his throne to his son by his concubine rather than to Hermione.] Under Agamemnon, their ship went off course in the storm sent by Athene to avenge the desecration of her temple, and the Spartan royal couple spent eight years in Egypt living as the guests of a king known to the Hellenes as Proteus. After that time, they returned to Sparta and soon married off their only daughter to Neoptolemos, though she ended up married to her double-cousin Orestes after Neoptolemos' death. (In some versions, she was already married to him, in fact. And then in one of Euripides' plays, he tried to murder her and then was forced to marry her by a god. Seriously. He tried to throw her off the roof of the palace after he "killed" her mother, but then Apollo took Helen to paradise and ordered Orestes to marry Hermione instead of killing her. Because that makes so much sense. Maybe the whole play was actually supposed to be a fever dream as Orestes continued to suffer from the psychological onslaught of the Furies…) Upon Menelaos' death, he and Helen were given a place on the Elysian Fields…except in the version where she's with Achilleus on the White Island. (Really, not a lot of consistency in some of this stuff…) </center> [[Continue->Trojans]]

         You lead the supervision for Achilleus' funeral, since his loss is a loss for the entire army, as he was both the Achaian champion *and* designated by prophecy as necessary for the successful completion of the war. (You have not yet stopped to wonder if that means the war is now lost with his death. You don't want to have that conversation with anyone.)          (if: $Patroclos is 'dead')[You are preparing for a funeral that will outdo even the funeral that Achilleus gave for his lover, Patroclos. The task is made slightly easier, of course, by the fact that you do not have to build a barrow or decide what vessel should hold his bones after the cremation, since Achilleus made it very clear he wanted his bones to share the same golden amphora that contain Patroclos' bones.](else:)[The funeral you are preparing will outdo any of the other funerals that have been held by the Achaian army on Phrygian soil, and you hope it will in fact be long remembered as one of the greatest and most lavish funerals ever held.]          Shortly before the funeral is to begin, loud wailing heralds the arrival of new mourners from the sea: approaching the sound you see a dozen or more beautiful women walking out of the water, led by the most beautiful of them all, her face already streaked with tears even before it has dried from the sea water. (if: $oldarmor is 'only')[You do not need Phoinix to tell you that this is Thetis, the bereaved mother, for who else could she be? Her hair is just the same flame red color as Achilleus' own, and her face is remarkably like his was, though even more beautiful.](else:)[You remember Thetis from when she brought her son the new armor that failed to save his life, but are still swept away by her sheer beauty.] Thetis and her sisters enter Achilleus' hut and chase out all his servants, slaves and mourners, (if: $Patroclos is not 'dead')[(if: $Briseis is 'Achilles')[except for his concubine, Briseis, and his lover, Patroclos.](else:)[except for his lover, Patroclos.]](else:)[except for his concubine, Briseis.]          You leave them to prepare the body for the funeral pyre (what other reason could they have had to go into his hut, you reason), and set about finishing the other preparations, including the building of the pyre and readying the funeral feast.          You have barely finished when Thetis and the other Nereids bring out the body in procession, followed by his concubine(if: $Patroclos is not 'dead')[ and lover], then by his Myrmidons. Thetis herself places the body on the bier, weeping copiously as she does so.          (if: $Patroclos is not 'dead')[You allow Patroclos to make a speech before the feast begins. He speaks of what a great man Achilleus was, not only on the battlefield, but also of his great kindness and gentleness off of it. (You suspect that this is a side of Achilleus that either Patroclos' excessive fondness has dreamed up or that was never shown to anyone *except* Patroclos. Certainly *you* never saw anything gentle or kind about Achilleus.) At the conclusion of his speech, Patroclos shears off his hair in mourning, and places it in Achilleus' hands before returning to join the other mourners.](else:)[You make a short speech about what a great man Achilleus was, focusing of course on his deeds in battle, because what else really was there to praise about him? He was selfish and jealous and possessed a temper that placed his own allies in danger as frequently as it did his enemies. And maybe someday you'll have the bravery to say so when others can hear, but you aren't idiot enough to say it at his funeral, particularly not with his immortal and supremely powerful mother right there listening.]          The speech over with, you start the feast, but no one is in a festive mood, and people seem to get so little pleasure from the feast that you feel sorry for the animals that had to give up their lives for it, as you might as well have been serving sand, for all the response the food is getting. (if: $Patroclos is not 'dead')[(if: $Briseis is 'Achilles')[The mood is especially soured by the sight of Patroclos sitting there refusing all food and crying so heavily that only Briseis' tears can match his.](else:)[The mood is particularly soured by the way Patroclos weeps even more than Thetis, going so far as to refuse food in his great grief.]](else:)[The bereaved concubine Briseis is crying so heavily where she sits beside Thetis that you keep wishing you could send her back to Achilleus' hut, but you suspect Thetis would punish you for sending away the closest thing she has to a daughter-in-law. (You just hope Thetis will take the weeping woman back to the ocean floor with her so you won't have to listen to her crying after the funeral ends!)]          As the feast wears on, you find your curiosity overwhelming your sense of self-preservation, and you approach Thetis, begging her permission to ask her a question about her son's death. She seems reluctant, but agrees to hear your question. "I was just...wondering if you could explain *how* he died," you explain. "The wound he received would not have killed an ordinary man, and he was so much more than an ordinary mortal, yet it took his life all but instantly..."          Thetis lets out a mournful sigh. "That is his miserable father's fault," she says firmly.          You're not sure what to make of that answer. "I don't understand," you admit after it becomes clear she does not intend to explain herself.          "As his father is mortal, my son was born mortal," Thetis says, wiping at her tears. "I wished to make him immortal. There are few ways to do so. The simplest is to coat an infant in ambrosia then place it in the fire to burn away its mortality." She scowls, and her sorrow is suddenly and terrifyingly overcome by her fury. "That *impossible* mortal Peleus came upon me as I was doing so and snatched my baby out of the flames before the process could be completed! Where his hand gripped the back of his ankle and wiped away the ambrosia, there my Achilleus remained fully mortal. No, more than that, all his mortality became *concentrated* in that spot."          It all makes a terrible sense to you now. "That is truly awful," you agree sadly. "I am sure his father greatly regrets what he did..."          Thetis snorts derisively. "What use is regret to me? Nothing immortal can regret. That is for mortals. We mourn, we do not regret."          You cannot imagine a way to answer that, and ultimately decide not to try, saying instead that you will leave her to mourn in peace before returning to less weepy companions.          When the feast is over, (if: $Patroclos is not 'dead')[Patroclos lights](else:)[you light] the pyre, and everyone but the most close mourners departs to take an evening's miserable rest.          [[Tomorrow, you must oversee the funeral games.->ContestOverArms]]

         You are determined that not only must you deal with Hector, you must do it *on your own*. No one else's plan, no reacting to the whims and wiles of the enemy, nothing. It must be *you* who does it.          Or, you reflect, at least it must be your own idea.          Actually killing Hector is best left to younger, more skilled men.          After you spend half a day thinking of nothing but how you can lure Hector out to his death, you realize that it would probably have been better if you hadn't made such a firm decision to come up with the plan on your own.          The only thing you can actually think of is to send him a message requesting a meeting to discuss peace.          You're not sure if he'll take the bait, but what else can you do?          You spend an agonizingly long time planning out *precisely* what you want to say in the message.          Then, as you're dictating it to Talthybios, you realize you forgot to decide on a meeting place.          Picking a meeting place on neutral ground takes you another agonizingly long time, but eventually you decide on Thymbria, near the temple of Apollo, (if: (history:) contains "TroilosAiasL")[despite the rape of one of his sisters there by one of your own men.](else:)[despite the murder of his brother Troilos there by your own command.]          You send Talthybios to the city with the message, requesting the meeting for the following day in the afternoon.          When Talthybios returns, he says that Hector received the message, but would not answer regarding whether or not he would show up.          Not a promising answer, but what can you do but put your plan into motion, just in case he does in fact cooperate? (set: _result to (random: 1, 6)) (if: _result is 1)[         You wait at the designated meeting place, with two dozen picked men hiding nearby, ready to leap out and murder Hector when he arrives.          Unfortunately, he *doesn't* arrive.(if: $Deiphobos is 'alive')[ You are surprised to see his younger brother Deiphobos come riding up as the meeting time arrives.          "Where is Hector?" you ask. "Have you authority to negotiate in his place?"          "Hector didn't trust you," Deiphobos replies, dismounting from his horse. "He thought this was a trap."          You walk up to him sadly. "Hector is a very good man," you say, "and very wise. To be honest, I'm glad he decided not to arrive. He deserves an honorable death in combat."          Before Deiphobos can react, you stab him with the dagger you had hidden in your sleeve. (He really ought to have wondered why you were wearing a baggy-sleeved robe as if you were a lowly bard!) He doesn't die straight away, and tries to draw his sword even as you back away.          Your archers put him down before the sword is all the way out of its scabbard.(set: $Deiphobos to 'dead')(set: $TrojanGenerals to it - 1)          It wasn't the result you were hoping for, but finally ridding the world of Deiphobos (who, unlike his eldest brother, has never been called a good man) at least made the whole exercise worthwhile. [[You hope your next ploy in this war will be even more successful.->FetchQuest]]](else:)[ You are surprised to see his younger brother Helenos ride up instead.          "Where is Hector?" you ask. "Have you authority to negotiate in his place?"          Helenos smiles tightly, without dismounting from his horse. "Hector didn't trust you, perceiving that this was the most obvious of traps," Helenos tells you. "I have come in his place because my visions showed me the harm you will do if you continue to wait here without anyone arriving. I should rather sacrifice my own life than all of Thymbria."          You are quite insulted by the implication that you would ravage the entire region just because your trap failed(unless: (history:) contains "Year1Event1choice1")[ (does he think you're Achilleus?!)], but you do your best to hold it in. "Since you are so eager to part with your life," you say, "it makes me wonder if you don't have some reason to want to keep your life out of *our* hands." You gesture to your men to come forward, and they surround the prince's skittish horse. "Perhaps your gifts of prophecy can be put to use for *our* purposes."          Helenos sighs sadly, and dismounts, allowing your men to take him captive.(set: $Helenos to 'enslaved')(set: $TrojanGenerals to it - 1) "I had, for a short while, hoped my visions of life in slavery were false ones, but I suppose the gods do not bother sending visions of events that will not come to pass or may be altered."          It wasn't the result you were hoping for, but obtaining the prophetic prince and keeping his visions from alerting the enemy to your plans cannot by any means be considered a bad thing! (Not for *you*, anyway.) [[You hope your next ploy in this war will be even more successful.->FetchQuest]]]](else_if: _result is 2)[         You go to the planned meeting place with only an honor guard composed entirely of the most elite troops. Aside from one fellow king (who you will tell Hector is there as an advisor and witness), the others hide.          Your plan is to negotiate with Hector as if in good faith, and serve him poisoned wine in the process. If that doesn't work, your men come out of hiding and kill him. Not the best plan, but no one offered a better one when you explained it to them.          All your hopes of success are dashed quite completely, however, when you see that the approaching horseman is not Hector, but his younger brother, Helenos.          Before Helenos is in earshot, you turn to your fellow king for advice. (if: $Odysseus is not 'dead' and is not 'exiled')["Helenos is reputed to be a very powerful seer," Odysseus says, "perhaps even more powerful than Calchas. We would do well to capture him and gain his powers of prophecy for ourselves."](else_if: $Idomeneus is 'alive')["He's not as dangerous, but ridding Priam of any of his sons will be useful to us," Idomeneus says.](else:)["If we negotiate with Helenos and show no indication of treachery," Nestor tells you, "we might be able to have a second meeting to which Hector *will* present himself."]          You nod, agreeing with his words.          Helenos does not dismount from his horse. "I have only come to inform you that you will not be killing my brother today," he shouts at you. "I foresaw your trap and warned him of your intention to poison him!"          If he knew you planned on using poison, his prophetic powers must be the real thing! Seeing the prince beginning to turn his horse to flee, you signal your archers, who fire and kill the horse.          (if: $Odysseus is 'alive')["We want him alive!" Odysseus shouts to the men as they come out of hiding. "He will be very useful to us."          The men surround Helenos and lift the corpse of his horse off his leg, taking him prisoner in the process. Helenos' expression is resigned and unsurprised; you get the feeling he always knew it would end up like this.](else:)[Helenos leaps from his horse as it falls, preventing himself from being pinned beneath its body, and takes off running into the temple of Apollo.          By the time you follow him inside, he is already clasping the statue of the god. (A hideous Hatti-style statue, more of a column with a face and hands than anything that could be said to resemble Apollo in any way.) "I do not wish to defile a temple with your blood," you tell him. "Please give up and prevent anything tragic from happening." You cannot afford to anger Apollo(if: (history:) contains "ReturnChryseis")[ again], after all.          "I take refuge with my guardian god," Helenos says, shaking his head, "and will not leave this place unless you give Apollo your oath that neither you nor any of those under your command will bring any harm to me."          Well, he's certainly well-versed in protecting his own skin! "If I do, will you submit yourself willingly to slavery?" you ask. After all, his gift of prophecy might be useful!          Helenos laughs. "I have already seen the outcome of the war, though I had hoped to change it. I see now the futility of fighting against fate."          "That did not answer my question."          He sighs. "My visions have showed me my life in slavery in a particularly distant portion of Hellas," he clarifies, "and how my time as a slave will end. If you will obey the will of the gods and see that I am not harmed, I will cooperate as a slave."          Surprisingly reasonable. Almost suspiciously so, really, but what can you do? "Very well," you say. "I give my solemn oath to radiant Apollo that I will not harm you, and that I shall give orders that no other man should harm you, either. If any man in my command defies that order, I will have him suitably punished."          Helenos nods, and releases the statue, submitting himself to your men.] (set: $Helenos to 'enslaved')(set: $TrojanGenerals to it - 1)         It wasn't the result you were hoping for, but obtaining the prophetic prince and keeping his visions from alerting the enemy to your plans cannot by any means be considered a bad thing! (Not for *you*, anyway.) [[You hope your next ploy in this war will be even more successful.->FetchQuest]]](else_if: _result is 3)[         You wait near the temple, with more than two dozen of your men concealed in hiding nearby.          Approaching hoof beats alert you to Hector's approach, though you are surprised to see that he comes accompanied by five of his own men, all six of them in full armor. Fortunately, none of the other five are men of note, so you hope your own men will be able to handle them in addition to Hector.          Hector dismounts, and walks up unnervingly close to you. "What makes you willing to negotiate *now*, after more than nine years of warfare, when you were not willing to negotiate before?" he demands, as his own men dismount behind him.          "We were always willing to discuss peace," you assure him, "so long as the Queen of Sparta was returned."          "And has that changed?" Hector asks. "My brother remains adamant that he will not be parted from her."          "That is a pity," you say. "I should have liked to see a peaceful resolution and not have to resort to this sort of trickery." You signal to your men, who leap out of hiding and begin to charge the Trojans.          "Villain!" Hector shouts, drawing his sword and striking towards you.          An arrow from one of your men nicks his hand, forcing him to check his swing at least long enough for you to scramble away and hide in the temple until the fighting is done. (You tell yourself that you are hiding only because you did not dare wear your armor and thus signal your deception to the approaching enemy.)          When the sounds of combat cease to ring, you peek outside and see that though they lost many soldiers in the process, your men have been successful: the Trojans, including godlike Hector, lie dead in front of the temple.(set: $Hector to 'dead')(set: $TrojanGenerals to it - 1)          "What do you want done with the bodies, Lord Creon?" one of your men asks.          (if: $oldarmor is 'Hector')["Hector is wearing the armor of Peleus," you comment. "Recover it so we may return it to him when we return to Hellas.](else:)["Take Hector's armor so we may dedicate it to the gods in thanks for their help in removing this deadly foe.] You may take the armor of the other men if you wish to divide it among yourselves, but leave all the bodies as they lie. The Trojans will recover them soon enough, and I do not wish to rob them of a proper funeral. It was bad enough we had to kill them through such underhanded means to begin with."          Your men quickly act on your instructions, and soon you are all making your way back to the camp with Hector's armor and six fine Dardanian horses as well as the knowledge that you have finally removed the Trojan champion. [[You hope your next ploy in this war will be even more successful.->FetchQuest]]](else_if: _result is 4)[         You have taken your place near the temple, waiting for Hector with all the signals of an official negotiation: you brought with you wine and no men other than the herald Talthybios, and you are neither armed nor wearing your armor.          Of course, you do have half a dozen archers waiting in hiding in case Hector tries to attack you, but you doubt you will need them, as the prince is a very honorable man. (Alas that it turns out *you* are not one!)          Hector soon arrives, fully armed, but accompanied only by a herald. "If you mean some treachery by this..." Hector warns as he dismounts his horse.          "I want only to discuss terms for a peaceful resolution to this agonizingly long conflict," you tell him.          "Why?" Hector asks suspiciously. "After you have fought so long to destroy us, why give up now?"          "There are several reasons," you say, to buy yourself a little time. "When we first sailed, there was a prophecy that we would see victory in the tenth year of the war, though we hoped it meant the tenth year since the original skirmish, of course. Recently, we have learned that the oracle spoke the prophecy wrong: it is not that we will succeed in the war in the tenth year, it is that the war will *end* in the tenth year."          "You received another prophecy that spoke of your defeat?" Hector asks hopefully.          "No, we did not," you say, since *that* would surely encourage him to refuse negotiations and return to the fight. "But we *have* gotten reports from Hellas that several of our homes have fallen under siege in our absence." (if: $Achilles is 'left')[Unfortunately, that is not a lie...](else:)[You shake your head sadly.] "We are all quite desperate to return home and save our own lands, but if we turn and run without achieving our aim...that will be worse for all of us. Therefore, we are hoping that you will have the wisdom to allow us to negotiate the return of Helen to Sparta."          Hector frowns. "Alexandros insists he will not part with her."          You can't allow one horny prince to ruin your plan! "Perhaps we can work something out," you suggest. "Helen, after all, is the rightful Queen of Sparta by birth. If she truly prefers Alexandros as a husband, would it not be better for her to obtain a proper nullification of her marriage to Menelaos and then return to Sparta to make Alexandros its new king?"          Hector stares at you in disbelief. "Menelaos would allow that?"          "I had hoped to avoid having to admit this," you say, "but Menelaos has fallen ill. We aren't sure how much longer he will live." You see a gleam in Hector's eye and realize that was a mistake. "At least, I should say that *I* fear for his life. The others do not, and he in fact swears that he will soon be entirely well again. The sons of Asclepios both assert that he will *not* likely recover enough to fight or rule again. Tyndareos will be needing a new son-in-law to take over the throne he has given to Menelaos…"          Hector pauses, looking thoughtful. "I believe Alexandros will be willing to accept that deal," he finally says. "Let us agree on a time and place to set the details out before my father's court."          "Gladly," you agree. "Shall we also offer libations to the gods and share some wine ourselves as a first seal to the deal?"          Hector smiles so warmly that you immediately regret that your plan is successful. You don't want to kill him at all, and especially not so ignominiously, but you cannot back down with so many witnesses. "I would be glad to share some wine with you," he says.          You duly produce the wine and cups you brought with you, pouring out a few drops straight for the gods, then giving Hector the cup already coated in poison and pouring it full with wine.          You both drink together, then you watch sadly as the poison takes its effect and Hector falls to his knees.          "I am sorry to have done this to you," you tell him as he is dying, "but we must win this war at any cost, or all our lives will surely be forfeit to our own people when we return. Please know that you have my great respect, and that I will allow your herald here to return with your unspoiled body so that your family may mourn you properly."          You stand there and watch sadly until Hector breathes his last. Then you and Talthybios help the weeping Trojan herald to load Hector's body onto his horse before everyone returns.(set: $Hector to 'dead')(set: $TrojanGenerals to it - 1)          The plan was successful and you have removed Hector as an obstacle, but you hate yourself for the way you did it. You sacrifice a bull and burn it whole as an offering to Zeus and the other Olympian gods as an apology for the treacherous act you committed today. [[You hope that no matter what happens next in this war, it will not leave you so conflicted.->FetchQuest]]](else_if: _result is 5)[          You, Nestor and Phoinix stand unarmed and without armor at the designated meeting place, appearing for all the world like a genuine peace delegation: nothing but older men without weapons, what else could you be but a peace delegation?          Hector approaches with several of his own men following after him, all of them fully armed, but without shields. That should be enough to allow your plan to succeed…you hope. If it is not, then you, Nestor and Phoinix will surely lose your lives…          Once Hector is far enough from his horse to be unable to easily flee, you give the signal, and your hidden archers open fire on the Trojans, focusing primarily on Hector as he approaches you.          It is honestly much closer than you would have preferred, but your men do succeed in killing Hector before he can kill you. One of his men manages to escape into the temple of Apollo, but the others are also killed.(set: $Hector to 'dead')(set: $TrojanGenerals to it - 1)          "Should we go after that last man, Lord Creon?" one of the archers asks as they all come out of hiding to strip the corpses of their armor.          "No, don't anger the gods by defiling a temple," you say. "Besides, Hector was a good man, and it is only right that someone be present to return his body to his family for a proper funeral. (if: $oldarmor is 'Hector')[We will want to return the armor he is wearing to Peleus when we return to Hellas.](else:)[We will dedicate his armor to the gods in thanks for their aid in this victory.]"          Once the armor has been collected from the bodies, you all return to the camp, pleased by your great victory. [[You hope the next step in this war will go as well!->FetchQuest]]](else:)[          You wait with the herald Talthybios for Hector's arrival, with some twenty of your men in hiding nearby.          Much to your astonishment, Hector shows up alone and without armor, though he does have his sword with him, which will make him easily able to slay *you*, but should allow your men to take him out without *too* much trouble.          As he dismounts and approaches you, you come to a decision, and signal the men to come out of hiding before Hector can reach you. "Treachery!" Hector shouts, drawing his sword.          "You are without armor," you remind him. "You can't kill all of us without taking a fatal wound yourself."          "Maybe not, but I can certainly take you with me, villain," Hector says, glaring at you.          "I'm sure you could, yes," you admit, "but think of your family and your people."          "They will be saved if I end you," Hector insists, taking a step towards you.          "If I die, the war will keep going," you say, and you hope it's true. "But if you submit yourself to captivity now, I promise you that we will spare your family when the city falls, and we will release you to lead the remains of your people, so long as you swear you will attempt no vengeance on us."          Hector hesitates, conflicting worries written on his face.          One of your archers grows impatient, and fires an arrow at Hector, striking him in the thigh and driving him to his knees.          "Don't kill him!" you shout to your men. "I want to take him alive. The Trojan people are well loved by the gods, or they would never have been able to hold out so long against our army. If we keep Hector alive, then the gods will surely be grateful to us for giving him the opportunity to rebuild Troy after we tear down its walls."          "Do not expect *me* to be grateful," Hector snarls, even as he allows your men to bind his wrists.(set: $Hector to 'captive')(set: $TrojanGenerals to it - 1)          "I hope you will be grateful in time, but I certainly don't expect it now," you agree. "I really do respect you very highly, or I would not go to such an extent to allow you to live," you assure him.          Hector does not seem the least bit consoled by that as your men take him back to the camp as a prisoner, but you are feeling very good about how today played out, and you sacrifice twelve bulls--one to each of the Olympian gods--in thanks, using the rest of the meat to hold a huge feast in celebration of Hector's captivity. [[You also add in a prayer to the gods to make your next move in this war equally successful.->FetchQuest]]]

         You take your finest horse (one of the ones looted from Dardania, actually) and go out for a ride across the Phrygian countryside.          It's honestly rather depressing; all the years of warfare have done terrible things to the countryside, and most of the villages and huts you pass by are nothing but burned-out husks. (set: _ride to (random: 1,6)) (if: _ride is 1)[         You encounter a small Trojan patrol as you're riding. There are just enough of them that you struggle a little defeating them, but you are able to escape unscathed. ](else_if: _ride is 2)[         You come across a local girl trying to herd about a dozen goats. She's having so much difficulty with the task that she is crying.          You decide to help her with her goats. As you do so, she talks to you about her family and her life. She was only about a year old when your forces arrived (not that she knows who you are, thank Zeus!), so she has never known anything but this war-torn land. Her elder brothers all died in the fighting, and her elder sisters are either captives in your camp or have been taken to Lemnos, and her father is dead, leaving this poor girl and her younger brother as the only ones who can help her mother maintain their tiny farm.          Riddled with guilt, you give the girl your horse, and walk back to camp. ](else_if: _ride is 3)[         You are surprised to come across an odd beast as you travel. It has the body of a leopard, the wings of an eagle, and the head of a goat. You suspect it may be an offspring of the Chimera (which met its end, you believe, about a week's voyage to the south of here), as it is decidedly hostile, and breathing fire at you.          Fortunately, you had a bow with you, and you are just able to bring the beast down, though you sustained light burns in the process.          You take the beast's corpse back with you; its skin will look imposing draped across your shoulders in battle. ](else_if: _ride is 4)[         When you stop at a local river to get a drink for both yourself and your horse, you are astonished to see the river god rise up out of the water and curse you for the desolation you have brought to his lands and his people.          You apologize to the river god, explaining that you did not wish to be running this war, and you would have refused the position if you had known just how long and miserable it would actually be.          He does not seem to be accepting your apology, so you decide to return to the camp as quickly as your frightened horse can run. ](else_if: _ride is 5)[(if: $Oenone is 'contemplating')[         You encounter Oenone again in your ride, and try to convince her to help you put an end to the war. You promise her that if she can get a small force of your men inside the city to recover Helen, you will do whatever she wants with Alexandros.          Oenone seems tempted by your offer, but admits that she does not even know just what she wants Alexandros' fate to be; she isn't sure if she wants to see him die for betraying her, or if she just wants him back again.(set: $Oenone to 'tempted')](else_if: $Oenone is 'tempted')[         Coming across Oenone on your ride again, you ask her if there is anything you can do to help her make up her mind. She says there is not, and that she will contact you if she decides to help you.](else:)[         While you are riding, you encounter the most fabulously beautiful woman you have ever met. She is dressed very simply, but is very haughty when you attempt to speak to her.          After several attempts to coerce her to talk, she explains that she is the nymph Oenone, the true wife of Alexandros, spurned for his stolen Spartan bride. You ask her if she would be willing to help you put an end to the war, and she says she will think about it.(set: $Oenone to 'contemplating')] ](else_if: _ride is 6)[         You ride nearly all day, and return to camp shortly before sunset.          Absolutely nothing happened.]          [[Surely something will happen soon that you will need to react to.->FetchQuest]]

         You send for a bard, and settle down with a nice meal and some well-mixed wine.          When the bard arrives, he asks if there is any particular song you would like to hear. "Sing of the glory of the heroes of old," you tell him. (set: _song to (random: 1,6))          (if: _song is 1)[The bard sings a long, mournful song of the fate of Orpheus, doomed to die alone after failing to recover his wife Eurydice from the house of Hades. ](if: _song is 2)[The bard sings a sweeping epic about the twelve deadly tasks laid before the great Heracles by the cowardly Eurystheus. ](if: _song is 3)[The bard sings of the voyage of the *Argo* to recover the Golden Fleece from Colchis. (if: $home is 'Iolcos')[You aren't sure if the bard is trying to flatter you or insult you by his choice of song, but it grates either way.](else_if: $home is 'Corinth')[You wonder if this is some kind of oblique attack on you, as if he has mistaken you for the previous King Creon of Corinth, the one who was burned to death in Medea's vengeance for the murder of her children.] ](if: _song is 4)[The bard sings of the tragic fate of the Seven against Thebes and the eventual vengeance gained by their sons. (if: $home is 'Thebes')[You feel decidedly insulted by his choice of subject matter. Yes, you wouldn't have gained the Theban crown without the actions of the Epigoni, but you also weren't one of them.](else:)[Idly, you wonder if he learned this song to curry favor with Diomedes. Or if Diomedes put him up to singing it for you, to remind you of just how much more experience Diomedes has in this type of warfare than most of the rest of you do.] ](if: _song is 5)[The bard sings of the heroism of Perseus as he defeats the terrifying Gorgon Medusa. You suspect this song was a great favorite of Agamemnon's, given the constant future-flattery it contains for Mycenae. ](if: _song is 6)[The bard sings you an Athenian epic about the triumph of Theseus over the Minotaur in the labyrinth hidden beneath the palace at Knossos. (unless: $Idomeneus is 'dead')[You reflect with a grim, inward chuckle that he would not sing the song so boldly if Idomeneus could hear, given that the Cretan king has always denied that his grandfather ever did anything so monstrous (and even more so denied that his grandmother ever gave birth to a half-bull monster) and insisted that the Athenians sent in tribute merely served a year at one of the temples in Knossos and were always safely returned afterward.] ]          It is a pleasant enough waste of a day, but you still go to sleep that night knowing that you must face the war again tomorrow.          [[Surely something will happen soon that you will need to react to.->FetchQuest]]

         Calchas comes to see you in your hut one morning. "All the omens have been very clear lately," he tells you. "We are very close to victory in this war."          "Well, that's good news!" you exclaim, but the look on Calchas' face tells you that you spoke too soon.          "We are very close, but we cannot *achieve* that victory unless we have something we currently lack."          You sigh. Somehow you had just *known* that was coming. "And what is it that we lack?" you ask, allowing all your exhaustion to infect your voice.          "The Bow of Heracles. The city will not fall unless we have it."          "I thought we did," you object. "I mean, the man who owned it died on the voyage here, but surely he didn't take it with him when he fell overboard, right?"          Calchas smirks for a moment, then laughs. You're not sure you've ever heard Calchas laugh before. It wasn't really something you wanted to hear. "Philoctetes did not fall overboard," Calchas informs you, "nor is he dead, according to the omens I have seen."          "Oh? Well, why didn't he arrive with the rest of us, then? No one mentioned anything to me other than that he was gone." Given the way this army seems to run itself most of the time, that does not, unfortunately, surprise you in the least.          "He was bitten by a serpent--a divine guardian--and left behind on an uninhabited island because the wound was infected and smelled too badly," Calchas says.          "I can see why no one was willing to admit that they had done that," you moan, "but I really wish people would let *me* make the decisions if they want to claim that I'm in charge!" You shake your head. "I'll organize an expedition to fetch him immediately."          "I wonder if any ship will even allow him on board when his wound still festers and rots with such a foul smell?" Calchas says, musing in a decidedly mocking tone.          "After ten years?! How is that possible?!"          "That is the omen which has been shown to me," Calchas says, shaking his head. "I know nothing more."          "Your omens are surprisingly detailed compared to the ones most seers read." Usually they just look at the flight of the birds and say whether or not it's likely to rain.          "Yes, the gods have greatly blessed me," Calchas says with great satisfaction.          You hadn't really meant it as a compliment, but you don't want to explain it. "I'll see to it that one of the sons of Asclepios accompanies the expedition," you say. "They'll be able to heal him."          Calchas nods, finally looking satisfied. (if: $Achilles is 'dead')["You might wish to have the expedition sail on a bit farther while they are gone," he says.          "Oh? Why? To where?"          "To Scyros," Calchas says. "Achilleus' son lives there in the care of his grandfather, Lycomedes. While Achilleus' bones being here *might* satisfy the prophecy, his son's presence will certainly do so."          "Ah, that is good news indeed!" you exclaim. "If his son knows how to fight at all, his presence will surely encourage the men greatly! I'll make sure they go to Scyros as well, then."]          The question, though, is who to send? (if: $Odysseus is not 'dead' and is not 'exiled')[         Odysseus(click: "Odysseus")[(set: $todays to 'Odysseus')(goto: "CanonFetch")] ](if: $Diomedes is not 'dead' and is not 'dead traitor')[         Diomedes(click: "Diomedes")[(set: $todays to 'Diomedes')(goto: "CanonFetch")] ](if: $Achilles is 'alive')[         [[Achilleus->PeleidesFetch]] ](else_if: $Menesthios is 'alive')[         [[Menesthios->PeleidesFetch]] ]         [[Nestor->NestorFetch]]          [[Phoinix->CanonFetch]]

         In the morning, you (if: $Patroclos is not 'dead')[watch helplessly as Patroclos collects](else:)[supervise the collection of] Achilleus' bones to place in (if: $Patroclos is 'dead')[the amphora with Patroclos' bones.](else:)[the golden amphora provided by Achilleus' mother.] After the bones are deposited in the amphora, (if: $Patroclos is 'dead')[it is placed in the barrow he himself had built](else:)[you supervise the erection of an impressive barrow, in which the amphora is placed with due ceremony.]          Once the barrow is closed over the bones, the funeral games begin. They are the most impressive and large funeral games that have been held in this camp, but you lack any interest in them.          Once the games are over, you realize there is an argument between some of the most important of the princes. You make your way to them and learn that the argument is over who will get the divinely crafted armor of Achilleus. Though you suspect all of them want the armor, you find it is only two who are truly pressing their own right to have it.          (if: $AiasS is 'alive' and $Odysseus is 'alive')[Aias of Salamis and Odysseus are locked in argument over the armor. Not wanting to have to choose between these two great warriors, you ask them both to outline their cases, in the hopes that the process with suggest an obvious solution.          "Achilleus was my cousin," Aias says, starting his argument with a particularly obvious but compelling fact. "Now that he is gone, I am the strongest warrior left in our army. I was the one who carried his remains to the chariot and got them safely back to camp. He would wish me to have the armor."          You find all his arguments convincing, if not necessarily compelling, and prompt Odysseus to make *his* case.          "Aias is certainly my superior in strength and skill on the battlefield," Odysseus agrees, "but that is the more reason the armor should go to *me*; his great strength means he can survive a blow unaided which would end me, and my strategies are of greater importance to the war effort than mere skill of arms. And it was I who fought the enemy away to allow Aias to carry the remains back unspoiled. But more importantly, if it was not for me, Achilleus would never have joined the war to start with, and all he accomplished for us would have been un-done. For only I saw through the female disguise his mother left him in at the court of Lycomedes, and only I came up with the method to induce him to expose his true nature."          You're not sure which side you should agree with, and the other princes seem equally torn. You send for Calchas and ask him what the gods wish, while Phoinix goes to ask Trojan prisoners who they fear more. Calchas says the gods wish for the armor to remain with Achilleus' blood relations, but the Trojans say that they fear Odysseus more than Aias, because of his treacherous wiles.          It's clear that no one will make this decision for you. You will have to choose, and take responsibility for the consequences.          [[Give the armor to Aias.->AiasArmor]]          Give the armor to Odysseus.(click: "Give the armor to Odysseus.")[(set: $heir to 'Odysseus')(goto: "OdysseusArmor")]          Doesn't Achilleus have a son? We should save it for him.(click: "Doesn't Achilleus have a son? We should save it for him.")[(set: $heir to 'Neoptolemos')(goto: "FamilyArmor")] (if: $Patroclos is not 'dead')[         Give the armor to Patroclos.(click: "Give the armor to Patroclos.")[(set: $heir to 'Patroclos')(goto: "FamilyArmor")] ](if: $oldarmor is 'only')[         The armor was Peleus' first. Let us send it back to him when the war is over.(click: "The armor was Peleus' first. Let us send it back to him when the war is over.")[(set: $heir to 'Peleus')(goto: "FamilyArmor")]]](else_if: $Diomedes is not 'dead' and is not 'dead traitor' and $AiasS is not 'dead')[Aias of Salamis and Diomedes are locked in argument over the armor. Not wanting to have to choose between these two great warriors, you ask them both to outline their cases, in the hopes that the process with suggest an obvious solution.          Unfortunately, they both basically come down to "I'm the strongest now that Achilleus is gone" with Aias making the additional point that he is Achilleus' cousin, while Diomedes points out that his strategic knowledge makes him the more valuable asset to the army.          You're not sure which side you should agree with, and the other princes seem equally torn. You send for Calchas and ask him what the gods wish, while Phoinix goes to ask Trojan prisoners who they fear more. Calchas says the gods wish for the armor to remain with Achilleus' blood relations, but the Trojans say that they fear Diomedes more than Aias, because he is more clever.          It's clear that no one will make this decision for you. You will have to choose, and take responsibility for the consequences.          [[Give the armor to Aias.->AiasArmor]]          Give the armor to Diomedes.(click: "Give the armor to Diomedes.")[(set: $heir to 'Diomedes')(goto: "OdysseusArmor")]          Doesn't Achilleus have a son? We should save it for him.(click: "Doesn't Achilleus have a son? We should save it for him.")[(set: $heir to 'Neoptolemos')(goto: "FamilyArmor")] (if: $Patroclos is not 'dead')[         Give the armor to Patroclos.(click: "Give the armor to Patroclos.")[(set: $heir to 'Patroclos')(goto: "FamilyArmor")] ](if: $oldarmor is 'only')[         The armor was Peleus' first. Let us send it back to him when the war is over.(click: "The armor was Peleus' first. Let us send it back to him when the war is over.")[(set: $heir to 'Peleus')(goto: "FamilyArmor")]]](else:)[You ask the two claiming the armor to explain why they think they should have it, but you aren't really convinced by what they say.          You decide that neither of them have a good claim to the armor, and that you should give it over to someone who *does*.          Doesn't Achilleus have a son? We should save it for him.(click: "Doesn't Achilleus have a son? We should save it for him.")[(set: $heir to 'Neoptolemos')(goto: "FamilyArmor")] (if: $Patroclos is not 'dead')[         Give the armor to Patroclos.(click: "Give the armor to Patroclos.")[(set: $heir to 'Patroclos')(goto: "FamilyArmor")] ](if: $oldarmor is 'only')[         The armor was Peleus' first. Let us send it back to him when the war is over.(click: "The armor was Peleus' first. Let us send it back to him when the war is over.")[(set: $heir to 'Peleus')(goto: "FamilyArmor")]]]

         You turn to Aias, and nod your head at him. "I believe that Achilleus would prefer you to have his armor, as his cousin and his rival for mightiest warrior of the Achaians." you say.          "This may be a case where the dead man's wishes should be overruled by the needs of the living," (if: $Odysseus is 'dead' or 'exiled')[Diomedes](else:)[Odysseus] says with a note of bitterness in his tone, "but you are likely right about his wishes."          The note in (if: $Odysseus is 'dead' or 'exiled')[Diomedes](else:)[Odysseus]' voice and the look in his eyes alarms you.          Is he going to want revenge?          Have you decided your own death by giving the armor to Aias?          You decide to sleep with one eye open for the rest of the war.(set: $Creon to 'paranoid')(set: $heir to 'Aias')          [[You hope that whatever this war next throws at you will be less unpleasant.->FetchQuest]]

         "This is a very difficult decision," you admit, "but I believe $heir is correct in that he will put the armor to its best use for the sake of the war."          Even as you are handing over the armor to $heir, Aias bellows out an almost wordless objection before storming away in a rage.          What was *that* all about?          Unlike his now-deceased cousin, Aias is not a man typically given to such outbursts.          Still, you write it off as nothing. He'll have a bit too much wine to drown his anger, and (link-reveal: "by morning everything will be fine.")[(show: ?first)] |first)[         You awaken early to a tumult in the camp.          There is shouting everywhere. Someone has come into the camp in the night and slaughtered the herds. Pieces of cow, pig and goat are everywhere.          You join in the search in case the villain did not escape, and following the blood trail, you make your way to the beach, where you are appalled to find Aias of Salamis lying dead where he has thrown himself on his own sword.(set: $AiasS to 'dead')          His half-brother Teukros kneels nearby, weeping.          "What happened here?" you ask.          Teukros hesitates before he answers. "He...he wanted vengeance. Against you, against $heir, against all the princes who didn't speak up to defend his right to that armor." He is momentarily choked by his tears. "Tekmessa and I tried to stop him, but he set out in spite of us to take his revenge."          "But if he wanted vengeance on me, why did he kill those animals?"          Teukros shakes his head. "I was slow to follow him and lost his trail. I went to check on all the princes and found no one disturbed. It was almost dawn when I found him killing sheep. He nearly killed me, too, when I went to stop him. When I asked what he was doing slaughtering the herds, he looked around in confusion before answering." Teukros sobs again. "Some god threw a veil over his eyes to deceive him. He *thought* he was killing you and $heir and-and everyone..."          "And when he saw what he had really wrought, he took his own life in shame?" you conclude.          Teukros nods sadly. "I couldn't stop him."          You aren't sure what to do or what to say. Such madness...          "This is partially my fault," $heir says from beside you, though you hadn't noticed him arriving. "It was surely Athene who blinded him to the truth. To protect me."          You don't doubt that one bit. But it doesn't really resolve the central problem. That Aias was not insane but deluded by a goddess you accept without question. That he had *intended* to murder you and half the host in your sleep, you also accept without question.          But what is the right thing to do here? Do you punish the corpse--and thereby his survivors--for what he did, or for what he intended to do, or do you take his suicide as his own self-punishment and accept that his debt of guilt is settled?          Unsure what to do, you call a meeting of the most senior kings and princes, and explain to them what happened, asking their advice on how to proceed.          Many are opposed to allowing Aias a warrior's cremation after such ignominious acts, and some even insist that he should not be buried at all, but left to rot like the traitor he attempted to become.          "This will forever plague my conscience," $heir says, "but even more so if he is not given a proper burial. If you will not bury him for his own sake, or for the sake of his brother and son, then bury him for *my* sake."          "One act of madness should not destroy all that was earned by ten years of being the most reliable man in our forces," Nestor says. "He should be given a proper warrior's cremation to satisfy the shades of all the enemies he slew, and to console the father he has left bereft of legitimate sons."          That, at least, seems like something you can agree with. "Yes," you say, "for Telamon's sake if for no other reason, we must give him a proper cremation. But it will be a small one, with no funeral games, and no feast beyond what must be cooked and eaten of everything he killed."          This decision seems to satisfy the other princes, and when you relay the news to Teukros, he is so grateful that he is momentarily robbed of speech.          You leave Teukros in Aias' hut along with Aias' concubine and small son, so that they may mourn in peace. You, meanwhile, begin to give the orders for the funeral and the general clean-up of the camp.          [[You have all of the inedible parts of the dead animals burnt as offerings to the gods, begging that whatever happens next in this awful war should be less dire.->FetchQuest]]]

         You look at the two claiming the armor and sigh, shaking your head. "It is not that either of you are undeserving of the armor, but I believe Achilleus would prefer another receive it." (if: $heir is 'Patroclos')[You turn to look at Patroclos. "I think he would want you to have it," you say, "or at least to decide which of these men should have it."          "I don't think I could ever be worthy of wearing his armor," Patroclos says with a sad sigh, "and I believe both of these men are far more worthy than I am. But...I...I don't know if I can...I should like to hold onto it for a little while, if I may be forgiven for such selfishness."          Though neither claimant (or anyone else, for that matter) looks particularly pleased by what Patroclos says, no one voices any objection, either, and you consider the matter settled.          [[Hopefully whatever comes next in this war will not be so contentious from within the army.->FetchQuest]]](else_if: $heir is 'Neoptolemos')[You turn to look at Phoinix. "I believe Achilleus has--had--a son, is that not so?"          Phoinix nods. "Yes, he said he left one of Lycomedes' daughters pregnant when he departed from Scyros."          "Then surely we should hold this glorious armor for his son," you say, though the way Phoinix described it you aren't sure the child was in fact a son, and might not be a daughter.          Even those claiming the armor agree that it is the right thing to do.(if: $AiasS is 'alive' and $Odysseus is 'alive')[..and Odysseus claims that he had intended to hand the armor over to Achilleus' son in the first place.]          You ask Phoinix to take charge of the armor until it can be taken to Scyros and given to Achilleus' son.          You are grateful that this was settled so amicably, [[but you still hope that whatever comes next in this war will contain a bit less inner strife.->FetchQuest]]](else_if: $heir is 'Peleus')[You turn to look at Phoinix. "Since this armor originally belonged to Achilleus' father, surely it would only be right to return it to him, don't you think?"          "Yes, it might well," Phoinix agrees, "especially since it was a wedding present from the gods."          Though those claiming the armor look a little bit annoyed, no one objects, and you consider the matter settled, handing the armor over to Phoinix to keep safe until the war's end.          You are grateful that this was settled so amicably, [[but you still hope that whatever comes next in this war will contain a bit less inner strife.->FetchQuest]]]

         "What can he possibly do?" you say, trying to laugh. "Let it be. He'll give up in time, or if he doesn't, he'll at least realize he has to tear down the walls to do it."          "I fear the god aiding him will be able to succeed in setting up the meeting," Phoinix insists.          "Yes, but what harm can there be in one meeting?" you counter. "Even if he *does* seduce her, what would that matter? She's been cuckolding her husband for the last twenty years. One night with a second adulterous mate would not really change anything."          Phoinix coughs slightly. "I suppose not, if you put it like that. I still dislike it, though."          "As do I, but I really doubt anything will come of it." Except that you will be quite consumed with jealousy if he both successfully meets and beds Helen.          Phoinix doesn't like your decision, but agrees to abide by it.          And true to your prediction, nothing does seem to come of it, though a few days later you do feel like there is even more swagger in Achilleus' step than usual.          It's *probably* just your imagination.          Right?          [[Well, either way, at least this was a relatively harmless diversion.->FetchQuest]]

         The more you think about it, the more you worry about what might happen if Phoinix is right and Achilleus plans to seduce Helen.          Having seen both men, you can say with conviction that while Alexandros is prettier in a womanish way, Achilleus is the more attractive overall, and if the woman is shallow enough to pick her lover on looks alone, there would be nothing to stop her discarding Alexandros for Achilleus.          On the surface of it, that might be good, since it would end the war, but then it would start a *new* war, since the oath to Tyndareos would still hold, and everyone would then be expected to get her back from Achilleus.          And *he* wouldn't avoid battle like Alexandros, because what mortal man can defeat Achilleus?          "Maybe you should let Menelaos know," you say, "but caution him not to do anything rash."          Phoinix agrees, and leaves your hut.          The next day, you are called out of your hut by the sound of men screaming in rage.          Worst of all, you recognize the voices as belonging to Menelaos and Achilleus.          You run towards the sound, but you're too late: by the time you get there, Achilleus has killed Menelaos in a fit of counter-jealousy. (Or so it is described by Achilleus' slaves, who assert that Menelaos started the quarrel by jealously accusing Achilleus of attempting to steal his already-stolen wife.)          Whatever caused the quarrel, whatever made Achilleus decide to strike with his blade rather than his fist, it has put an unpleasant and unexpected end to this war: without the injured party, what reason is there to keep fighting? =><= ***GAME OVER*** <= [[Try again?->Title Screen]]

         The more you think about it, the more disgusted you are by Achilleus' behavior. "He's already got gods-only-know how many slave girls, (if: $Patroclos is not 'dead')[not to mention constantly going to the bed of that 'friend' of his!](else_if: $Antilochos is not 'dead')[not to mention the rumors that he's taken Nestor's son as a boyfriend since his lover died!](else:)[on top of that concubine he got into such a snit over!] How much sex can one mortal man need?!"          Phoinix just stares at you for a moment, then apologizes for having bothered you with this, and excuses himself.          You put the entire idiotic episode out of your head and don't think another thing about it until the next day, when one of your men comes running in to report that Achilleus is preparing to sail back to Hellas with most of his fleet.          You attempt to go talk to Achilleus and find out what he's upset about and why he's leaving, but none of the Myrmidons will let you come anywhere near him.          Only after the ships have sailed away--ten of them remain, under the direction of Achilleus' nephew Menesthios--do you manage to find Phoinix to ask him what in the name of all the gods just happened.(set: $Achilles to 'withdrawn')(set: $Menesthios to 'alive')(if: $Patroclos is not 'dead')[(set: $Patroclos to 'withdrawn')]          "I'm sorry to say that Achilleus overheard us yesterday," Phoinix says. "He was grievously insulted by your insinuation that he is in some way ruled by his lusts, and nothing I said could convince him to overlook the insult."          It hadn't so much been an insinuation as a shouted declaration, you have to admit, but the fact that Achilleus took *this* much umbrage at it only proves that you were right about him.          Unfortunately, it also means that you are now without his skills on the battlefield.          [[Hopefully, the war will end swiftly enough that his absence won't destroy your chances of victory.->FetchQuest]]

         "I do see your concern," you tell Phoinix, "though I'm not sure if I entirely share it. Still, there *could* be problems if anything should happen. Don't worry about it. I'll send Cycnos to train him. He'll work the fellow so ragged he won't have any energy left to think about women!"          Phoinix laughs. "You might be underestimating Achilleus' limitless energy, but even if it doesn't wear him out, it should at least occupy enough of his time that he won't be able to try to meet her. And if his already excellent combat abilities should improve even further, all the better."          "Precisely," you agree, laughing.          Phoinix departs, and you summon Cycnos, explaining that you want him to train up Achilleus in hand to hand combat against armed opponents, as you had a dream that felt ominously prophetic in which he lost all his weapons and had to try to fight without them. (if: $oldarmor is not 'only' and $Patroclos is 'alive')[Since it had happened once already, it was surely not an unreasonable fear!]          "Nothing simpler!" Cycnos asserts, before leaving your hut.          That evening, you hold a small feast, just to give you an opportunity to see how things seem to be faring with Achilleus.          He is decidedly glaring at you, but he is also acting exhausted, so you're quite sure your plan has worked perfectly.          [[If only everything could work out so well!->FetchQuest]]

         You watch with satisfaction as the ship sails away from the camp, carrying (if: $Achilles is 'alive')[Achilleus](else:)[Menesthios] and Podaleirios with it. You are sure that all will go well with the voyage. Surely, if Philoctetes has been living in misery all this time, he will be eager to return, bow in hand.          It will be a (link-reveal: "long wait")[(show: ?first)] for the ship to return! |first)[         The camp has come under attack by Eurypylos, King of Teuthrania. He is a grandson of Heracles, so he really ought to be on our side, but you're not about to try telling *him* that!          In all the madness, you don't even notice that a ship is arriving until you hear a cry go through the camp that Eurypylos is dead. *Then* you realize that the ship has returned at last!          You hurry to the beach, passing by panicked and retreating enemies as you do so, and find (if: $Achilles is 'alive')[Achilleus](else:)[Menesthios] in the process of stripping the fine armor from Eurypylos' corpse.          "You returned just in time," you tell him, relieved to have reinforcements arrive at such a crucial moment. "Were you able to retrieve Philoctetes?" (if: $Odysseus is 'dead' or 'exiled')[         "He's gone off to join the fight," he tells you, without looking away from what he's doing. "He's a real mess; just looks like a mass of walking hair."          You find that perplexing, but set out through the camp and the dwindling battle to see for yourself. Eventually, you come across some of the Myrmidons in the company of the tragic figure himself: emaciated, dressed only in rags of rabbit skin, and with a lion's mane of uncut and unwashed hair and beard surrounding his face, he hardly looks human, and certainly doesn't look civilized. And yet he stands there firing the majestic Bow of Heracles at the retreating enemy, and you cannot doubt that he is, in fact, Philoctetes.          "Philoctetes?" you exclaim. "What *happened* to you?!"          "Ten years abandoned on a deserted island at the command of that snake in the grass, Odysseus," Philoctetes snarls. "I have prayed every day of that time that he should spend just as long in misery and anguish, wandering the world far from his home!"          (if: $Odysseus is 'exiled')[It's hard for you to imagine Odysseus ever meeting such a fate, but you don't dare say so. You're just glad that he's gone from here and you won't have to deal with a confrontation between the two men.](else:)["Then I am sure it will please you to learn he is already dead," you say.          "(if: $Achilles is 'alive')[Achilleus](else:)[Menesthios] already told me. And no, it was not so pleasing as you think," Philoctetes answers. "He needed to spend longer suffering first. But being dead is better than being alive, in his case."]          You're not sure what to say about that, all the more so since you're not entirely sure how Odysseus figured in the abandonment of Philoctetes in the first place. You therefore decide to change the subject. "We need to finish removing the enemy from the camp," you say, "and then you need food, proper clothing, a bath, and to have your hair trimmed."          "Ah, by the gods, how I've missed all those things!" Philoctetes sighs delightedly. "The company of a woman might not go amiss, either."          "There are plenty of them in the camp," you assure him. "I'll make sure the one who comes to help you bathe is willing to help you with...other things..." There will be a lot more masterless slaves after today than there were yesterday. It shouldn't be hard to arrange. (set: $Philoctetes to 'alive')          Once the battle is completed, you make the arrangements for Philoctetes to be well cared for and placed in one of the huts of the men who have died, then you go to make offerings to the gods to thank them for their aid in bringing the Bow of Heracles and its bearer to help [[bring down the walls of Ilios at long last.->DeathOfAlexander]]](else:)[         He stops what he's doing, and takes a bow off his own shoulder, then tosses it to you. You recognize the elaborate bow with its gold inlay as the Bow of Heracles.          "I don't understand," you say. "What about Philoctetes? Had he...died?"          (if: $Achilles is 'alive')["He was being such a stubborn little rat that I took it from him. You only needed the bow, not him, right?"          "Stubborn little...what--what did he--what happened?"          But Achilleus has finished with the corpse and is already striding off in search of more enemies. Podaleirios joins you, looking sorrowful. "Philoctetes insists that his abandonment was because of Odysseus, and he refused to return unless we gave him permission to kill Odysseus. I think he would have seen reason eventually, but Achilleus grew impatient..."          You frown, looking down at the bow in your hand. True, all Calchas had said was that the bow was required, not its bearer, but this didn't feel right at all. "Were you able to heal his injury?"          "I didn't have the opportunity," Podaleirios admits sadly.          "Once the battle is over, go back without Achilleus and heal him, see if you can talk him into getting over his grudge against Odysseus. If you can't...at least take him somewhere civilized; Calchas said he was on an uninhabited island."          "Yes, he is quite ragged from all that time alone," Podaleirios agrees sadly.          "Well, even if we can't convince him to rejoin the army, we can at least rescue him from *that* fate.          Podaleirios agrees, and as soon as the battle in the camp is over, he sets sail again, this time without the hot-headed son of Peleus.          Unfortunately, he returns alone, reporting that Philoctetes would not listen to reason, but that he was now safely healed and delivered to Lemnos, where he could acquire passage back to Hellas.](else:)["No, he lives still," Menesthios tells you, "but he said he had been abandoned on orders of Odysseus, and he refused to come join us without being given permission to kill Odysseus in vengeance."          "Oh dear." *That* would never have gone well! "What...where is he now? You didn't just take his bow and leave him, did you?"          "Of course not. Podaleirios healed his foot, and we took him to Lemnos. He's staying with the son of Jason to get his strength back, and once he's recovered he'll go back home."] (set: $Philoctetes to 'going home')          It's a blow, you have to admit, but at least you have the Bow of Heracles now, and at least Philoctetes is no longer marooned on a deserted island. That, you hope, at least counts for something. [[But will it be enough to satisfy the prophecy and let you win the war?->DeathOfAlexander]]]]

         You watch with satisfaction as the ship sails away from the camp, carrying Nestor and Podaleirios with it. You are sure that all will go well with the voyage. Surely, if Philoctetes has been living in misery all this time, he will be eager to return, bow in hand.(if: $Achilles is 'dead')[ You are slightly less sure about the son of Achilleus--what if he doesn't know how to fight or is a prince in the Alexandros mold who prefers the comfort of the court to the rigors of the battlefield?--but if he is anything like his father, surely he will be eager to come and shed the blood of the enemy who cost him his father. Even if he probably never *knew* his father...          Since Scyros is further than Lemnos, the voyage there will likely take them about two days, and the return voyage may take longer unless the wind shifts to be with them both directions.]          It will be a (link-reveal: "long wait")[(show: ?first)] for the ship to return! |first)[         The camp has come under attack by Eurypylos, King of Teuthrania. He is a grandson of Heracles, so he really ought to be on our side, but you're not about to try telling *him* that!          In all the madness, you don't even notice that (if: $Achilles is 'dead')[several ships are](else:)[a ship is] arriving until you hear a cry go through the camp that Eurypylos is dead. *Then* you realize that Nestor has returned at last!          Some of the enemy are retreating in chaos, while the rest are panicking at the news their king is dead, making them easy targets for your men.          You take advantage of the chaos to make your way to the beach to see the ship and praise Nestor for his timely arrival!          When you arrive at the beach, you find the body of Eurypylos lying there, already denuded of its armor. (if: $Achilles is 'dead')[The head has nearly been severed from the neck, and looking around you see no sign of the armor or the man who killed him. Asking around, you are pointed towards the barrow that holds Achilleus' bones.          As you approach the barrow, you see a figure wearing Achilleus' armor kneeling in front of the tomb, with Eurypylos' armor leaning against the tomb nearby. At the sound of your approach, the figure rises, drawing his sword--Achilleus' sword--and aiming it at you. You are astonished by how much the boy resembles Achilleus as he was at the time of the first sailing.          "I'm not your foe!" you exclaim.          "Who are you, then?" the boy demands.          "I am Creon, King of(if: $home is '...')[--it doesn't matter.](else:)[$home.] I am the leader of this expedition against Troy," you explain. "And you must be the son of Achilleus."          "That's right," he agrees, lowering the sword only a little. "I am Pyrrh--Neoptolemos, son of Achilleus and Deidameia, daughter of Lycomedes. But how do I know you are who you say you are?"(set: $Neoptolemos to 'alive')          "Well..I..." How are you supposed to prove a thing like that? The battle still rages, so it will take you too long to be able to find Nestor to vouch for you!          While you are still floundering for an answer, you hear someone else approaching you, and Neoptolemos smiles. "Here, do you know this old fart?" he asks the person behind you.          Trying to hide your horror at being referred to as an 'old fart,' you turn to see who the other person is, and you recoil in horror at the sight of him. He is emaciated, dressed in rags made from rabbit skins, and has long, matted and unkempt hair and beard. He is evidently some barbarian who has never seen civilization! Why would the boy expect him to know you?          "Yes, I know him," the man replies, in a familiar voice. "This is Lord Creon, leader of this pathetic rabble of an army."          "Philoctetes?" you say in awe, more recognizing the ornate bow and quiver slung over his shoulder than his voice. "By all the gods, what has happened to you?!"          "Ten years abandoned on a deserted island at the command of that snake in the grass, Odysseus," Philoctetes snarls. "I have prayed every day of that time that he should spend just as long in misery and anguish, wandering the world far from his home!"          (if: $Odysseus is not 'dead')[It's hard for you to imagine Odysseus ever meeting such a fate, but you don't dare say so.](else:)["Then I am sure it will please you to learn he is already dead," you say.          "Not really," Philoctetes answers. "He needed to spend longer suffering first. But being dead is better than being alive, in his case."]          "Now that I've paid my respects to my father's grave and left him the armor of the first worthy foe I've ever killed as an offering, I want to get back to the battle before all the enemies are taken by someone else," Neoptolemos suddenly says, pushing past you both before taking off running towards the battle still going on in the camp.          "A disturbing bloodlust in one so young," you cannot help commenting.          "His father wasn't so different," Philoctetes tells you.          "I didn't really know him at the time of the first sailing," you admit, then shake your head. "But we need to finish removing the enemy from the camp," you say, "and then you need food, proper clothing, a bath, and to have your hair trimmed."          "Ah, by the gods, how I've missed all those things!" Philoctetes sighs delightedly. "The company of a woman might not go amiss, either."          "There are plenty of them in the camp," you assure him. "I'll make sure the one who comes to help you bathe is willing to help you with...other things..." There will be a lot more masterless slaves after today than there were yesterday. It shouldn't be hard to arrange.](else:)[The tip of an arrow sticks out of the back of his neck where it went all the way through his throat. "What an astonishing shot!" you exclaim. "Who did this?"          You are pointed towards the emaciated man who is currently putting on Eurypylos' corselet over garb made up of rabbit-skin rags. He has nothing on his feet, and one foot is hideously scarred. When he finishes with the corselet, you can see his face at last, and are appalled by it: he looks as though he has never cut or even washed his hair or his beard. The sight of such a ragged and mangy man wearing such a fine corselet is more than a little jarring, possibly even horrifying.          But then you notice the ornate bow and quiver he is picking up off the beach and realize who he is. "Philoctetes?" you exclaim. "What *happened* to you?!"          "Ten years abandoned on a deserted island at the command of that snake in the grass, Odysseus," Philoctetes snarls. "I have prayed every day of that time that he should spend just as long in misery and anguish, wandering the world far from his home!"          (if: $Odysseus is not 'dead')[It's hard for you to imagine Odysseus ever meeting such a fate, but you don't dare say so.](else:)["Then I am sure it will please you to learn he is already dead," you say.          "Not really," Philoctetes answers. "He needed to spend longer suffering first. But being dead is better than being alive, in his case."]          You're not sure what to say about that, all the more so since you're not entirely sure how Odysseus figured in the abandonment of Philoctetes in the first place. You therefore decide to change the subject. "We need to finish removing the enemy from the camp," you say, "and then you need food, proper clothing, a bath, and to have your hair trimmed."          "Ah, by the gods, how I've missed all those things!" Philoctetes sighs delightedly. "The company of a woman might not go amiss, either."          "There are plenty of them in the camp," you assure him. "I'll make sure the one who comes to help you bathe is willing to help you with...other things..." There will be a lot more masterless slaves after today than there were yesterday. It shouldn't be hard to arrange.] (set: $Philoctetes to 'alive')          Once the battle is completed, you are able to find Nestor, who introduces you to some of the men who came from Scyros on the new ships, explaining that he was able to convince Lycomedes to send additional troops along with his grandson.          You make the arrangements for Philoctetes to be well cared for and placed in one of the huts of the men who have died, then you go to make offerings to the gods to thank them for their aid in bringing the Bow of Heracles and its bearer to help [[bring down the walls of Ilios at long last.->DeathOfAlexander]]]

         You watch with satisfaction as the ship sails away from the camp, carrying $todays and Podaleirios with it. You are sure that all will go well with the voyage. Surely, if Philoctetes has been living in misery all this time, he will be eager to return, bow in hand.(if: $Achilles is 'dead')[ You are slightly less sure about the son of Achilleus--what if he doesn't know how to fight or is a prince in the Alexandros mold who prefers the comfort of the court to the rigors of the battlefield?--but if he is anything like his father, surely he will be eager to come and shed the blood of the enemy who cost him his father. Even if he probably never *knew* his father...          Since Scyros is further than Lemnos, the voyage there will likely take them about two days, and the return voyage may take longer unless the wind shifts to be with them both directions.]          It will be a (link-reveal: "long wait")[(show: ?first)] for the ship to return! |first)[         The camp has come under attack by Eurypylos, King of Teuthrania. He is a grandson of Heracles, so he really ought to be on our side, but you're not about to try telling *him* that!          In all the madness, you don't even notice that a ship is arriving until you hear a cry go through the camp that Eurypylos is dead. *Then* you realize that the ship has returned at last!          Some of the enemy are retreating in chaos, while the rest are panicking at the news their king is dead, making them easy targets for your men.          You take advantage of the chaos to make your way to the beach to see the ship and praise $todays for his timely arrival!          When you arrive at the beach, you find the body of Eurypylos lying there, already denuded of its armor. (if: $Achilles is 'dead')[The head has nearly been severed from the neck, and looking around you see no sign of the armor or the man who killed him. Asking around, you are pointed towards the barrow that holds Achilleus' bones.          As you approach the barrow, you see a figure wearing Achilleus' armor kneeling in front of the tomb, with Eurypylos' armor leaning against the tomb nearby. At the sound of your approach, the figure rises, drawing his sword--Achilleus' sword--and aiming it at you. You are astonished by how much the boy resembles Achilleus as he was at the time of the first sailing.          "I'm not your foe!" you exclaim.          "Who are you, then?" the boy demands.          "I am Creon, King of(if: $home is '...')[--it doesn't matter.](else:)[$home.] I am the leader of this expedition against Troy," you explain. "And you must be the son of Achilleus."          "That's right," he agrees, lowering the sword only a little. "I am Pyrrh--Neoptolemos, son of Achilleus and Deidameia, daughter of Lycomedes. But how do I know you are who you say you are?"(set: $Neoptolemos to 'alive')          "Well..I..." How are you supposed to prove a thing like that? The battle still rages, so it will take you too long to be able to find $todays to vouch for you!          While you are still floundering for an answer, you hear someone else approaching you, and Neoptolemos smiles. "Here, do you know this old fart?" he asks the person behind you.          Trying to hide your horror at being referred to as an 'old fart,' you turn to see who the other person is, and you recoil in horror at the sight of him. He is emaciated, dressed in rags made from rabbit skins, and has long, matted and unkempt hair and beard. He is evidently some barbarian who has never seen civilization! Why would the boy expect him to know you?          "Yes, I know him," the man replies, in a familiar voice. "This is Lord Creon, leader of this pathetic rabble of an army."          "Philoctetes?" you say in awe, more recognizing the ornate bow and quiver slung over his shoulder than his voice. "By all the gods, what has happened to you?!"          "Ten years abandoned on a deserted island at the command of that snake in the grass, Odysseus," Philoctetes snarls. "I have prayed every day of that time that he should spend just as long in misery and anguish, wandering the world far from his home!"          (if: $Odysseus is not 'dead')[It's hard for you to imagine Odysseus ever meeting such a fate, but you don't dare say so.](else:)["Then I am sure it will please you to learn he is already dead," you say.          "Not really," Philoctetes answers. "He needed to spend longer suffering first. But being dead is better than being alive, in his case."]          "Now that I've paid my respects to my father's grave and left him the armor of the first worthy foe I've ever killed as an offering, I want to get back to the battle before all the enemies are taken by someone else," Neoptolemos suddenly says, pushing past you both before taking off running towards the battle still going on in the camp.          "A disturbing bloodlust in one so young," you cannot help commenting.          "His father wasn't so different," Philoctetes tells you.          "I didn't really know him at the time of the first sailing," you admit, then shake your head. "But we need to finish removing the enemy from the camp," you say, "and then you need food, proper clothing, a bath, and to have your hair trimmed."          "Ah, by the gods, how I've missed all those things!" Philoctetes sighs delightedly. "The company of a woman might not go amiss, either."          "There are plenty of them in the camp," you assure him. "I'll make sure the one who comes to help you bathe is willing to help you with...other things..." There will be a lot more masterless slaves after today than there were yesterday. It shouldn't be hard to arrange.](else:)[The tip of an arrow sticks out of the back of his neck where it went all the way through his throat. "What an astonishing shot!" you exclaim. "Who did this?"          You are pointed towards the emaciated man who is currently putting on Eurypylos' corselet over garb made up of rabbit-skin rags. He has nothing on his feet, and one foot is hideously scarred. When he finishes with the corselet, you can see his face at last, and are appalled by it: he looks as though he has never cut or even washed his hair or his beard. The sight of such a ragged and mangy man wearing such a fine corselet is more than a little jarring, possibly even horrifying.          But then you notice the ornate bow and quiver he is picking up off the beach and realize who he is. "Philoctetes?" you exclaim. "What *happened* to you?!"          "Ten years abandoned on a deserted island at the command of that snake in the grass, Odysseus," Philoctetes snarls. "I have prayed every day of that time that he should spend just as long in misery and anguish, wandering the world far from his home!"          (if: $Odysseus is not 'dead')[It's hard for you to imagine Odysseus ever meeting such a fate, but you don't dare say so.](else:)["Then I am sure it will please you to learn he is already dead," you say.          "Not really," Philoctetes answers. "He needed to spend longer suffering first. But being dead is better than being alive, in his case."]          You're not sure what to say about that, all the more so since you're not entirely sure how Odysseus figured in the abandonment of Philoctetes in the first place. You therefore decide to change the subject. "We need to finish removing the enemy from the camp," you say, "and then you need food, proper clothing, a bath, and to have your hair trimmed."          "Ah, by the gods, how I've missed all those things!" Philoctetes sighs delightedly. "The company of a woman might not go amiss, either."          "There are plenty of them in the camp," you assure him. "I'll make sure the one who comes to help you bathe is willing to help you with...other things..." There will be a lot more masterless slaves after today than there were yesterday. It shouldn't be hard to arrange.] (set: $Philoctetes to 'alive')          Once the battle is completed, you make the arrangements for Philoctetes to be well cared for and placed in one of the huts of the men who have died, then you go to make offerings to the gods to thank them for their aid in bringing the Bow of Heracles and its bearer to help [[bring down the walls of Ilios at long last.->DeathOfAlexander]]]

         Much to your surprise, you hear news that the Trojan army is mustering under the direct command of Prince Alexandros. (if: $TrojanGenerals < 5)[On thinking about it for a little while, you realize that this is not actually *that* surprising, as the enemy are running out of powerful warriors to lead their armies.]          You failed last time, but this time you *need* to kill Alexandros! The war can never be finished while he lives...          You must send someone who will be able to kill him! Who will it be? (if: $Philoctetes is 'alive')[         [[Philoctetes->TrueDeathOfAlexander]] ]         [[Menelaos->DifferentDeathOfAlexander]] (if: $Achilles is 'alive')[         [[Achilleus->AchillesAlexander]] ](else_if: $Neoptolemos is 'alive')[         Neoptolemos(click: "Neoptolemos")[(set: $todays to 'Neoptolemos')(goto: "HelenosInstead")] ](else_if: $Menesthios is 'alive')[         Menesthios(click: "Menesthios")[(set: $todays to 'Menesthios')(goto: "HelenosInstead")] ](if: $Diomedes is 'alive')[         Diomedes(click: "Diomedes")[(set: $todays to 'Diomedes')(goto: "HelenosInstead")] ](if: $Odysseus is 'alive')[         Odysseus(click: "Odysseus")[(set: $todays to 'Odysseus')(goto: "HelenosInstead")] ](if: $AiasS is 'alive')[         Aias of Salamis(click: "Aias of Salamis")[(set: $todays to 'Aias')(goto: "HelenosInstead")] ](if: $Cycnos is 'ally')[         Cycnos(click: "Cycnos")[(set: $todays to 'Cycnos')(goto: "HelenosInstead")]]

         Deciding this day's battle is too important for you to avoid being in the center of things, you ask to join Philoctetes in his chariot, and instruct the charioteer to take up the central position in the battle line.          As the charge begins and you approach the Trojan lines, you spot Alexandros directly in front of you. The charioteer speeds the horses onwards towards the Trojan prince, and Philoctetes looses an arrow from the Bow of Heracles, though you would have sworn you were much too far away for any arrow to ever hit him.          As you watch the arrow's flight, you realize that it was not an exaggeration when they said that the Bow of Heracles never misses. The arrow seems to defy all logic, and you could swear its path even swerves as it seeks out its target.          The arrow strikes Alexandros in the thigh, causing him to cry out and fall off the back of the chariot. Your own charioteer barely stops in time to prevent the horses from trampling Alexandros as he struggles back to his feet.          Without even getting down from the chariot, Philoctetes notches another arrow, and sends it flying towards Alexandros, even as the Trojan tries to fire an arrow of his own.          Philoctetes' arrow strikes Alexandros in his eye, causing him to cry out in agony and drop his bow, arrow unprepared to fly.          Only now does Philoctetes dismount from the chariot and walk over to Alexandros, drawing his sword and using it to cut the other man's throat.(set: $Alexandros to 'dead')(set: $TrojanGenerals to it - 1) (set: $ParisDeath to 'canon')          "I suppose that's your war won, then," he comments, looking back at you with a grin that would be quite winning if his cheeks were not still so emaciated.          "It looks that way," you agree. You suspect Menelaos will be disappointed he didn't get to take down Alexandros himself, but such is life.          As Philoctetes is about to strip Alexandros' body of its armor, (if: $Deiphobos is 'alive')[his brother Deiphobos comes charging over in his chariot, screaming "You will not have him!"          Deiphobos leaps out of his chariot, swinging his spear at Philoctetes. Philoctetes is able to avoid the blow, but cannot get enough distance from his enraged assailant to be able to fire his bow at him. You do what you can to aid him with your own bow, but it's not really enough.          More chariots appear, some your own allies and some other Trojans. Given how they should all hate Alexandros for having caused this war, it surprises you that they are willing to raise such a battle for his remains.          But a large and ugly battle does ensue, and unfortunately it ends with Deiphobos loading Alexandros' unspoiled remains onto his chariot and successfully escaping.          Still, at least Alexandros is dead! After returning to camp at the conclusion of the battle, Menelaos sends his herald to the city, demanding the return of his wife now that her false husband is dead, along with reparations for all the lives lost over this affair.          The herald returns late, with the message that Deiphobos is now calling Helen his wife.](else_if: $Helenos is 'alive')[an arrow lands in the ground nearby, having narrowly missed Philoctetes. Looking around, you see another chariot approaching, containing Prince Helenos. The chariot comes to a stop before Philoctetes can finish aiming his bow at the men riding in it, and Helenos walks up so close to Philoctetes that it is impossible for him to finish aiming his bow.          "You will not dishonor my brother's body," Helenos tells Philoctetes quietly. "He was a vain and selfish man, but he was my brother and I will die to protect him if I must."          "A pointless waste of your life," you tell him, even as you watch his charioteer load Alexandros' body into the chariot.          "I will not allow my parents to suffer by seeing his body abused(if: $killer is 'Hector')[as Hector's was]."          "Even if it costs you your own life?" you ask, aiming your bow at his face.          "I have seen countless visions of my old age," Helenos tells you calmly, even as his charioteer begins to drive away with Alexandros' body. "You will not kill me."          "Shall I prove his visions wrong?" Philoctetes suggests with a laugh.          "No, let's take him prisoner," you say. "He could be useful to us."(set: $Helenos to 'enslaved')(set: $TrojanGenerals to it - 1)          The charioteer has some rope, which you use to bind Helenos' hands before the three of you head back to the encampment.          After returning to camp at the conclusion of the battle, Menelaos sends his herald to the city, demanding the return of his wife now that her false husband is dead, along with reparations for all the lives lost over this affair.          The herald returns late, with a blunt refusal. The enemy will not even trade Helen for Prince Helenos, abandoning him to whatever fate you might have in store for him.](else:)[Trojan reinforcements arrive, forcing Philoctetes to abandon the corpse with its fancy armor untouched.          Still, even as you flee from these new enemies, you both laugh gladly at the knowledge that Alexandros is dead and the war must now surely end.          After returning to camp at the conclusion of the battle, Menelaos sends his herald to the city, demanding the return of his wife now that her false husband is dead, along with reparations for all the lives lost over this affair.          The herald returns late, with a blunt refusal.]          It is frustrating to know that the war will continue despite the death of Alexandros, but what else can you do other than keep fighting? (if: $Penthesileia is 'purified')[Though you reflect that you must fight *quickly*, because if Hattusa is going to send reinforcements, they will likely arrive any day now.]          [[You must fight onwards, to the very end.->BreachTheWalls]]

         Deciding this day's battle is too important for you to avoid being in the center of things, you ask to join Menelaos in his chariot, and instruct the charioteer to take up the central position in the battle line.          As the charge begins and you approach the Trojan lines, you spot Alexandros directly in front of you. Screaming for a rematch, Menelaos urges his charioteer onwards.          As soon as you are close enough, Alexandros fires his bow at Menelaos, but the Spartan king catches the arrow on his shield; it penetrates the bronze but sticks in the ox hide beneath.          Seeing that his arrow has failed, Alexandros has his charioteer turn away from you, heading back towards the city.          Your own chariot is in hot pursuit, but you are gaining precious little ground. Alexandros is almost back to the city gates when you think you are finally close enough that you can risk a shot from your own bow. You fire at the charioteer (not wanting to rob Menelaos of his justly deserved vengeance) but miss, hitting one of the horses instead. This is just as good (maybe better), as it brings the chariot to a halt while both men in the chariot hack at the yoke connecting the chariot to the dead horse.          They cut free from the dead horse shortly before you are upon them, and have to wheel away from the gates in an attempt to continue fleeing from you.          With another arrow, you bring down the charioteer, and a third arrow takes out Alexandros' remaining horse.          Letting out a cry of triumph, Menelaos leaps from his chariot to pursue Alexandros on foot as soon as the chariot draws near.          The futility of the gesture written on his face, Alexandros turns to attempt to fight the enraged Spartan as soon as he is too near to escape from.          The matter is quickly settled, because Alexandros was prepared only to fire arrows from his chariot; he has a sword on him, but no shield. Once Menelaos manages to strike the sword from his hand, Alexandros is without any method of defending himself.          As Menelaos raises his sword to strike Alexandros down, you see a mist forming up around Alexandros, just as it did at the end of the duel.          But Menelaos does not check his swing, and cuts through the gathering mist in a fierce sideways blow.          When the mist clears, Alexandros' body is gone, but his head remains.(set: $Alexandros to 'dead') (set: $ParisDeath to 'Menelaos')          Menelaos stoops to pick up the head, and returns to the chariot, instructing his charioteer to take him to the gates of the city. Once there, he shows the head to the elders watching on the wall, and demands the return of his wife, now that the man who took her away has died.          You both wait there until you can hear the Trojan army returning from the field. You and the charioteer urge Menelaos to hurry into the chariot so you may escape, lest the enemy fall upon you as a group and slaughter you.          Menelaos proudly shows off Alexandros' head to the entire camp, until a Trojan messenger arrives to request its return for proper burial. Menelaos tells the herald that he will only exchange the head for his wife.          The herald departs and does not return.          Menelaos puts the head on pole in front of the camp. It's rather a gruesome trophy, but it makes the men happy, so you don't say anything, and continue on, hoping that the Trojans will soon deliver Helen to ransom Alexandros' head.          Three days later, the head disappears in the night. All the sentries swear that no one approached it. Some of the men conclude that some scavenging bird must have made off with it to eat the little flesh it had, while others conclude that the same god retrieved it who had earlier saved Alexandros from Menelaos' wrath.          You're not sure which you believe, but you are quite positive that it doesn't matter. What you know for sure is that the war *should* be over, and yet it is not.          (if: $Deiphobos is 'alive')[Rumor reaches your ears a few days later that Prince Deiphobos is now calling himself Helen's husband. The rumor drives Menelaos into a frothing rage worthy of an angry god, such that no one dares come near him for days after. Personally, you doubt that Helen is willing to call Deiphobos her husband: unlike Alexandros, Deiphobos is quite ugly, and although he is skilled in battle, he is nearly as cowardly as Alexandros was. However, whether or not she is willing does not change that there is now another claiming possession of her, and your fight has not materially changed; you still must tear down the walls of Troy to recover Menelaos' wife from the bed of another man.          ]It is frustrating to know that the war will continue despite the death of Alexandros, but what else can you do other than keep fighting? (if: $Penthesileia is 'purified')[Though you reflect that you must fight *quickly*, because if Hattusa is going to send reinforcements, they will likely arrive any day now.]          [[You must fight onwards, to the very end.->BreachTheWalls]]

         Deciding this day's battle is too important for you to avoid being in the center of things, you ask to join Achilleus in his chariot. (if: $Patroclos is 'alive')[(if: (history:) contains "BigBattleAchilles" or "ProbablyDeathOfAchilles")[He grumbles about your "perpetual" demands to take up space in the chariot and force Patroclos to handle charioteer duties, but does not try to stop you, even as Patroclos dismisses Automedon.](else:)[Achilleus glares at you and asks you just how many people you think a chariot can hold, but Patroclos gently quiets him by saying that Automedon could probably use the day off.]](else:)[He doesn't so much agree as grunt a reply that doesn't *seem* to be a refusal.]          The chariot takes off in advance of the rest of the line, headed towards the mass of the enemy. It is not long before you come into sight of the highly decorated chariot that is carrying Alexandros.          As the chariot is drawing closer and closer to Alexandros (who began to flee as soon as he laid eyes on Achilleus approaching him), you begin to take aim at him with your bow, but Achilleus snatches it out of your hands, insisting on taking the shot himself. (if: $Philoctetes is 'going home')[He makes an intrigued remark about having wondered just how good the Bow of Heracles really is before letting the arrow fly. You don't know if it's the legendary bow or merely Achilleus' raw strength and great skill, but the shot is amazing, nearly miraculous.](else:)[Achilleus fires the arrow straight at Alexandros.]          The arrow strikes Alexandros in the back of the neck, and he tumbles forward over the front of the chariot, which rolls right over him, though the wheels appear to have missed him.          As Achilleus' chariot is brought to a stop, you all three leap off and run over to where Alexandros is squirming in the mud, his life blood running out around the arrow that goes all the way through his throat.          With a laugh, Achilleus steps on the back of his neck, grinding the prince's pretty face into the blood and mud until you have to look away in disgust and horror. By the time you look back, Alexandros is dead, and Achilleus is stripping him of his armor.(set: $Alexandros to 'dead') (set: $ParisDeath to 'Achilles')          Something about the entire experience leaves you feeling as bedraggled and torn as the naked corpse behind you in the mud as the chariot drives away again, and you are soon asking to be let off the chariot to return to camp.(if: $Philoctetes is 'going home')[ When he drops you off near the back lines, Achilleus takes the Bow of Heracles from you, saying that it will be put to better use in his own hands than in yours. Honestly, the only surprise there is that he had ever surrendered it to you in the first place.]          After the rest of the army returns to the camp, Menelaos sends his herald to the city to demand the return of his wife and reparations to be paid the Achaian army for all the deaths that have occurred due to Alexandros' actions.          (if: $Deiphobos is 'alive')[The response the herald brings back is that Deiphobos has already begun to call Helen *his own* wife, and that she will not be returned.](else:)[The response the herald brings back is the most curt possible refusal.]          It is frustrating to know that the war will continue despite the death of Alexandros, but what else can you do other than keep fighting? (if: $Penthesileia is 'purified')[Though you reflect that you must fight *quickly*, because if Hattusa is going to send reinforcements, they will likely arrive any day now.]          [[You must fight onwards, to the very end.->BreachTheWalls]]

         Deciding this day's battle is too important for you to avoid being in the center of things, you ask to join $todays in his chariot, and instruct the charioteer to take up the central position in the battle line.          As the charge begins and you approach the Trojan lines, you spot Alexandros directly in front of you. The charioteer speeds the horses onwards towards the Trojan prince, and you aim your bow at him. Even as you fire the arrow, Alexandros' charioteer begins turning, so your shot misses, but it is enough to set the cowardly prince fleeing back towards the gates of the city.          (if: $Helenos is 'alive')[As you pursue the fleeing Alexandros, another chariot interposes itself between the two chariots. This one carries Prince Helenos, who attempts to defend his brother with his own bow.          $todays fires his bow at Helenos, missing him but hitting one of his horses, bringing his chariot to such an abrupt halt that your horses panic and rear up in their desperate attempt not to collide with the chariot in front of them. You and $todays both leap from the chariot in fear that it might be overturned.          Approaching the other chariot, $todays prepares to kill Helenos, who does not resist him. Glancing in the direction that Alexandros went, you cannot even see him; he got away from you, and you can only pray that someone else will have managed to slay him.          "Hold your spear, $todays," you say. "Let's take this one alive. He could be useful to us."          $todays nods, and grabs Helenos, dragging him back to the chariot.          At the end of the day's battle, you are saddened to learn that no one managed to kill Alexandros, and he once again escaped with his life. However, you still try to leverage what little advantage you have, and send a herald to offer an exchange with the Trojans: if they return Helen, you will return Helenos.(set: $Helenos to 'enslaved')          The herald returns with the report that a young woman who looks like the mirror of Helenos began raving at him, calling him many inscrutable names (most in the tongue of Hatti, which he suspected meant they were particularly vile) and insisting that his bargain must be accepted. For some reason, that made the king reject the bargain without even giving it a serious ear.          When you tell your prisoner that, it makes him laugh with surprising vigor. "My sister is always right, you know, but no one will believe her." He smiles sadly. "But it is all right. My powers are no weaker than hers, and I have seen my fate--all of our fates. I have worked for many years to prevent them, but I see now why the gods forced others to view her as mad: we are not *allowed* to change our fates, and being permitted to see them was meant as a punishment, not a blessing."          You're not sure what to make of that. You contemplate asking Calchas about it, but suspect that will not go well.          Instead, you decide to just go dine, have some particularly strong wine, and try to set the entire day's events out of your mind.](else:)[Unfortunately, Alexandros' chariot is pulled by horses far more fleet than yours, and his charioteer knows the terrain better. He is soon long gone from your sight.          You go about the business of battle, hoping someone else will succeed in putting an end to Alexandros.          However, at the end of the day's battle, you are saddened to learn that no one managed it, and he once again escaped with his life.]          It is frustrating to see your warriors consistently fail to kill one coward, but what else can you do other than keep fighting? (if: $Penthesileia is 'purified')[Though you reflect that you must fight *quickly*, because if Hattusa is going to send reinforcements, they will likely arrive any day now.]          [[You must fight onwards, to the very end.->BreachTheWalls]]

         You have been musing for some time on the necessity to end this war as soon as possible.          The urgency of it is made all the more evident this morning by two short, simple visits.          The first is from Calchas, who says the omens are favorable for the city to fall in two days' time.          The second is from a herald sent by the men you had stationed in Lyrnessos. The city was contacted by the Great King in Hattusa, who is gathering his army to come lift the siege and save Troy from you (and did not realize that Lyrnessos was no longer under the control of his vassals).          Judging by the herald's message, you have at most two weeks before the Hatti army will be upon you. It is vital that you be gone before they can arrive.          So you call together all the princes and tell them only of what Calchas said. No need to panic them with the herald's message. If the city falls in two days, after all, then you will all be safely away by the time the Great King's forces can get here.          (if: $Odysseus is not 'dead' and is not 'exiled')["We need to find a way only to get a few of our men inside the walls," Odysseus says. "Some trick that will cause them to accept us in gladly."](else_if: $Palamedes is not 'dead' and is not 'exiled')["There must be some way to get a few picked men inside peacefully," Palamedes says. "Something to make them welcome those few men."](else:)["Maybe we can get just a few men inside the walls somehow," Phoinix suggests.]          (if: $Achilles is 'alive')["What good are a few men going to do?" Achilleus counters. "Unless you want me to go in there and kill the whole city by myself?" he adds with a vicious laugh.](else_if: $Neoptolemos is 'alive')["Just a few men?" Neoptolemos asks. "Do I go in and slaughter them all myself?" He almost sounds as if he *wants* to.](else:)["I don't know if a few men will be enough," Menelaos says sadly. "They have so many. Even if we struck in the dead of night..."]          (if: $Odysseus is not 'dead' and is not 'exiled')["Ah, but you don't see my plan," Odysseus replies, laughing. "Those few men aren't to slay the whole Trojan army by themselves. They're just to open the gates and let the rest of us in."](else_if: $Palamedes is not 'dead' and is not 'exiled')["No, no, you don't understand at all," Palamedes laughs. "They wouldn't be expected to take the whole city. They would merely need to open the gates for the rest of the army."](else:)["Of course a few men couldn't take the city by themselves," Phoinix agrees sadly, "but they should easily be able to open the gates so the whole army can enter."]          You nod. "I like that idea," you agree. "But *how* do we get them inside the city?" (if: $Odysseus is not 'dead' and is not 'exiled')[           "I have been speaking to some of the prisoners, and I have a plan. Troy is well known for its horse-breeding, and horses are not merely treasured but practically sacred to them. If we act on that knowledge, play into it, we may be able to convince them to cooperate."          "Anything more concrete to this plan, Odysseus, or do you want me to *guess* it?"          He laughs. "I have something very concrete, yes. We pull down the camp in the night, and use the wood to build an enormous horse, something large enough to hold a few men, but not so large that they can't get it through their gate. Then the rest of the fleet sails away and hides behind that little island just off the coast, until they bring the horse inside the city. Once night falls, the fleet lands again, and the men inside the horse come out and open the gates."          "Er…that sounds very…*ambitious*…" you say, not knowing quite what else *to* say. "Do you really think the Trojans would even want to bring it inside the city? I can't imagine why they would."          "Yes, we would have to leave behind a man outside the horse as well, who would be tied up at the feet of the horse, to spin just the right tale for them."          You are not convinced, and look at the other princes. They don't seem entirely convinced, either, but they look less skeptical than you are. "Well…any other ideas?" you ask. After all, if Odysseus' is the *only* plan, then you'll have little choice but to cooperate with it.](else_if: $Palamedes is not 'dead' and is not 'exiled')[          "I believe we might be able to trick them into thinking we have given up," Palamedes says. "(if: $Feud5 is 'seen')[Do you recall the time when I tried to impersonate a Phrygian god?"          "A stunt that ended up with one of Eumelos' kinsmen dashed to death out of a chariot sabotaged by one of our own men? I am not likely to forget that!" To this day, you aren't completely sure you selected correctly regarding who to blame for that…          Palamedes clears his throat uncomfortably. "An unfortunate side effect that could not happen here," he says with a weak smile, "though this trick has similar aspects. ]In essence, we would have to play off the Trojan fondness for horses, and their knowledge that we are growing desperate. If we pretend to abandon the camp, and leave behind a monstrous wooden horse along with a trussed 'sacrifice' who would tell them that we had given up and left this statue as an offering of apology to the gods who opposed us…all we would have to do is wait for them to bring it inside the walls, then the men hiding inside could open the gates and let in our army."          You are not convinced, and look at the other princes. They don't seem entirely convinced, either, but they look less skeptical than you are. "Well, any other ideas?" you ask. After all, if Palamedes' is the *only* plan, then you'll have little choice but to go along with it.]          (if: $Achilles is 'alive' and $tkiller is 'canon')["There was this girl," Achilleus says suddenly. "Polyxena. Troilos called her his sister. She was really…" He stops, licking his lips. "I could contact Priam and tell him I was willing to change sides for her hand in marriage. Then he'd let me in, and I could open the gates when everyone was asleep."](else:)["Perhaps one of our young warriors could feign the desire to quit the war," Nestor says. "He could contact King Priam and offer to betray us for the hand of one of Priam's daughters in marriage. It is not an uncommon form of treachery in normal wars. Priam might not suspect anything."]          You nod thoughtfully. The simplicity of it is certainly appealing, though the fear of an *actual* defection is rather stifling.          The meeting remains silent a moment, and you look around curiously. "Any other suggested methods?" you ask. (if: $AiasS is 'dead')[          "I have an idea," Teukros says. "Maybe it's not a very good one, but…I could present myself to the Trojan court. I am, after all, King Priam's nephew. I could say that with my brother dead, I have no further reason to serve the Achaian army, and want to help save my mother's homeland. I don't know if they would believe me, but I am ready to risk my life to find out."](if: $Alexandros is 'alive' and ($Oenone is 'contemplating' or $Oenone is 'tempted'))[          "I can get you inside the city," a woman's voice suddenly says from the door to the hut. Chaos erupts as the lithesome form of the nymph Oenone walks up to you. "I will let you into the city if you promise to kill Alexandros for me," she says. "His betrayals have gone too far, and I want to be avenged."          "I can assure you, we will not let Alexandros escape alive!" Menelaos exclaims. "But…who are you, if you don't mind my asking?"          "I am the wife Alexandros threw over for *your* wife," Oenone tells him. Most of the men in the room murmur in disbelief that any man would ever reject a woman as lovely (and clearly immortal, as she does not look as though she was much over the age of twenty) as Oenone is.]          Certain now that no more plans will be presented to you, you have to make your choice about how to get your men inside the walls… (if: ($Odysseus is not 'dead' and is not 'exiled') or ($Palamedes is not 'dead' and is not 'exiled'))[         [[Try the wooden horse plan->PrepareTheHorse]] ](if: $Achilles is 'alive' and $tkiller is 'canon')[         [[Send Achilleus as a prospective groom->AchillesPolyxena]] ](if: $AiasS is 'alive')[         [[Send Aias of Salamis as a prospective groom->AiasGroom]] ](else:)[         [[Send Teukros to pose as a traitor->Teukros]] ](if: $Diomedes is 'alive')[         [[Send Diomedes as a prospective groom->DiomedesGroom]] ](if: $Alexandros is 'alive' and ($Oenone is 'contemplating' or $Oenone is 'tempted'))[         [[Have Oenone let you into the city.->TheEasyWay]] ]         [[Send a likely young man as a prospective groom->RandomGroom]]

         "Tell me more about this wooden horse plan," you say. "Give me all the details."          (if: $Odysseus is not 'dead' and is not 'exiled')[Odysseus scowls, as if insulted that you don't trust him enough to accept the plan without details.(set: $schemer to 'Odysseus')](else:)[Palamedes nods.(set: $schemer to 'Palamedes')] "The most important part of the plan is to convince them that the gods have turned against us." A brief pause. "We should burn pyres all day today."          "But no one's died," Meriones points out.          "They don't know that," $schemer says. "They know there hasn't been a battle, of course, but men die of disease in war camps all the time.(if: (history:) contains "ReturnChryseis")[ And as we have already experienced once, they can also die in vast numbers due to angering a god.] While the pyres are burning, we should dismantle a few of the huts furthest in from the wall, the ones the Trojans cannot see if they send scouts to find out the cause of the smoke they see. With that wood, we build the horse. It must be very large, but just small enough that it will fit through the Scaian Gate. Those men who are not building the horse will be loading the ships."          You can't withhold a wince at the notion of loading up the ships; what would stop some of the men from *actually* sailing away with their loot?          "In the early hours of the day, we will move the horse outside the camp, then burn the camp as the ships set sail to hide behind nearby islands," $schemer continues, ignoring your reaction, though he certainly saw it. "We will need to leave someone with the horse to tell the tale so the enemy will believe it. (if: $schemer is 'Odysseus')[My cousin Sinon is a good choice; he is not known by the enemy, and does not resemble me, so I doubt they will suspect him, and he is quite skilful with his words.](else:)[We will need to choose the man very carefully, someone who can lie convincingly.] He will need to claim that in the last city we sacked, we stole a holy icon, which we have since befouled, and thus earned the wrath of the gods. The only way to propitiate the gods is with a replacement icon, which we made so large to prevent it being brought inside the city, as we feared it would make the city proof against any further attack should we return to once more attempt to recover the Spartan queen."          You bite your lip. That story might actually be convincing if told well. "But why would we have left this man behind to tell the tale? Surely the Trojans would see through the story...?"          "If he is the one who befouled the former icon, it would only be reasonable to assume he would be left to die at the foot of the new icon as a sacrifice to the gods," $schemer replies. "Perhaps we should even half-stone him, so it looks like we tried to kill him and didn't realize we had failed."          "I'm not clear why you want there to be men inside this horse. Why not just have the man left behind with it open the gates by himself?"          "One man alone, who the Trojans would likely suspect highly?" $schemer shakes his head. "If the gates were guarded, he would never be able to succeed. But the horse would not be so well guarded. He would be able to let out the warriors within, and they could open the gates, no matter how many were guarding them."          You still have some reservations, but the rest of the men at the meeting seem convinced. "All right," you say, giving in to their conviction, "we'll do it. Someone send some men to start those pyres going," and meanwhile the rest of us will decide [[how to handle the battle itself once we're inside the city.->BattlePlans]]

         You look at Achilleus sternly. "You are not exactly known for your ability to dissemble," you say. "Are you sure you can convince Priam and the Trojan court that you would be willing to betray us?"          "My reputation for honesty is exactly what will convince them," Achilleus assures you. "And since I *won't* be lying about wanting the girl, as long as I spend more time talking about her, they won't doubt me."          Your main problem with this plan, in all honesty, is the fact that he is implying (more with his voice and his face than his words) that he has spent years pining for this Polyxena, even though he only saw her the once, when he killed her brother for rejecting his advances. If he was so obsessed with seducing her brother, how in the name of all the gods could he have even *noticed* her?          Unless whoever Talthybios spoke to actually *was* lying to him...? Maybe Achilleus had actually wanted the girl and Troilos had intervened...?          No, if that had been the case, Achilleus would have brought her back with him after killing her brother.          There's no way around it. The plan is fatally flawed. "This daughter of Priam's you claim you're going to ask for," you say, "didn't she *witness* you killing her brother?"          "No, she ran off before I'd killed him," Achilleus says lightly. "I think she was insulted that I was going after him instead of her."          You doubt that highly...though given how some women react to Achilleus, maybe it's not actually a lie...?          "I doubt it matters," Phoinix comments. "Since the ruse is merely to get him into the city, all that is needed is for the Trojan court to believe Achilleus is serious about her, not for her to accept him as a potential husband."          "That's true," you admit. "All right, we'll try it. You can approach the city tonight, and let us in tomorrow night after nightfall."          "You won't regret it," Achilleus promises you, with enough lust on his face that you suspect he's going to insist on the 'marriage' taking place before tomorrow night so he'll get to have his way with the girl *before* slaughtering her family and enslaving her. Which is only a problem if it leads him to forget to open the gates, or (even worse) to change his mind and defect for real.          "All right," you say, "[[let's lay out our plans for how we will proceed once the gates are opened and the army enters the city...->BattlePlans]]"

         Since he looked eager to play the role, you look at Telamon Aias. "You are one of our most stalwart and dependable warriors, and--if I may be blunt--not terribly given to eloquent speeches. Do you honestly think you could coax the enemy into believing you want to betray us?"          "They have been courting me for years," Aias says.          "They *what*?!"          "Many offers have been made," Aias tells you. "Promising me a daughter of Priam and many cities to rule."          "And you did not mention this to anyone?" you say, appalled that the man you thought was your most loyal and devoted warrior was receiving such offers and did not tell you.          "I'm sorry," Teukros suddenly says. "It's my fault. Aias told me about it, and I asked him not to tell anyone else. I was afraid I would be blamed for it because of my Trojan mother."          You sigh. There are definitely those who would have made that accusation, all right. "You should have still told *me* if no one else, but the mistake was honestly made, and no harm has been done. Did they really think you were so easily bribed, though?" you ask. You didn't think the enemy was that foolish.          "They made a great point of reminding me of how unappreciated I am," Aias says. "How I am always overlooked. How Achilleus (if: $Achilles is 'dead')[was](else:)[is] always showing me up. How Diomedes (if: $Diomedes is 'alive')[is](else:)[was] always considered superior to me, though I am stronger." He frowns, and you suddenly worry that he was actually tempted by the offers. "There was truth to what they said, but I am not ruled by vanity. I have more cares than my reputation. But they do not know that."          "I could accompany him," Teukros adds, "to help make the deception seem more believable. If we were to imply that you have come to suspect me of treachery due to my blood connection to King Priam, they would never expect it to be a lie."          "All right," you say, nodding, "then we will hope it goes as smoothly as you expect. But now [[we must lay out our plans for how we will proceed once the gates are opened and the army enters the city...->BattlePlans]]"

         "You would be required to hold up the deceit for more than a full day," you say, looking at Teukros. "Do you think you are up to that challenge?"          "As long as I focus on the anguish caused me by my brother's death, and the misery in which my mother continues to live in slavery, I believe so," Teukros says. "Whenever I have faced one of my cousins in battle, they have always attempted to convince me to abandon the Achaians.(if: $heir is 'Odysseus' or 'Diomedes')[ My brother's recent and ignominious death will surely be all they need to convince them that my defection is genuine."          You nod, silently telling yourself to make sure that Aias' son be held safely on one of the ships as insurance that Teukros doesn't decide he really *would* be better off with his mother's kin than his father's. He won't want to abandon the boy to slavery and ignominy...](else:)["]          "Then if there are no objections, you may go to the city tonight, and let us in tomorrow at the darkest hour of the night," you say. "But before you leave, we must plan out exactly [[how we intend to proceed in the final battle itself.->BattlePlans]]

         Since he looked eager to play the role, you look at Diomedes. "You are one of our strongest and most dependable warriors. Do you honestly think you could coax the enemy into believing you want to betray us?"          "Easily," Diomedes says with a lightness that worries you. "It is well known among the enemy that I am a great devotee of Pallas Athene. As her holy Palladion rests within the walls of Troy, I will easily be able to persuade them that the goddess informed me that she favored them in this war, and asked me to join them and protect her statue from the invaders who would steal or destroy it."          "I suppose so..." you say, not entirely convinced. "But you are well known to have a wife already..."          "True," Diomedes says, "but they will believe it if I say a rumor has reached me that she is being unfaithful and has crowned her lover in my place." That rings so true that you wonder if maybe it *is* true. "Do not worry about me being able to persuade them," Diomedes continues. "I will have no difficulty with that."          You're not completely convinced for many reasons (including that you don't entirely trust Diomedes not to *actually* switch sides), but everyone else seems to think it's the right call, so what else can you do?          "Very well," you say, "you can go to the city tonight, and let us in tomorrow night. But before you go, we must work out [[our plans for how to handle the battle once we are in the city.->BattlePlans]]"

         "If you are truly willing to let us into the city," you say, looking at Oenone, "we would greatly appreciate your assistance."(set: $easyway to 'yep')          "But are you truly certain that you wish to do this?" Nestor asks. "You cannot take it back once he is dead."          "After the latest battle in which you utterly failed to kill him even though he presented himself before you like a lamb to the slaughter," Oenone says spitefully, making many of the men at the meeting wince, "Alexandros went walking along the banks of my father's bed. He rose from his waters to confront the lecher, demanding that he abandon his strumpet and return to me." She pauses, and gives Menelaos a particularly tight and unconvincing smile. "That was my father's word, of course, not mine," she says. You have no doubts that she uses similar--and probably much worse--words about Helen all the time. Menelaos doesn't look convinced, either, but he nods all the same. "Alexandros refused as he has always done for the last twenty years, but this time my father threatened to kill him if he did not obey. And Alexandros laughed and announced that he was plainly immortal, since the Achaian army had so often tried and failed to kill him. That his patron goddess Aphrodite would rescue him from any and all who tried to take his life." Oenone scowls, and gestures sharply. "I want to see him punished for his arrogance and rudeness to my father as much as for his constant betrayals!"          "I will be more than glad to avenge your and your father's honor," Menelaos assures her, "if I can but get my hands on him without Aphrodite interfering as she did last time."          "I believe the only question to be asked is how you suggest getting us inside the city walls," you say.          "There is a small doorway in the wall on the seaward side of the city," Oenone tells you. "It is only lightly guarded because the approach to the doorway by land is very narrow, only big enough for men to walk in single file. I will lead the guards away so that you may enter at your leisure."          (if: $Achilles is 'alive')["Let me talk to my mother about this plan," Achilleus says. "She might be able to help us by withdrawing the sea far enough that we could walk on the seabed and get there faster."          ]"That sounds most excellent," you agree, nodding. "I was told that two days' time was the most propitious time for the city to fall. Can you let us in through the gate then? After nightfall, when the city is asleep, of course."          "Yes, it is easily done," Oenone agrees. "That will be the dark of the moon, when the guards on the walls will have the most trouble seeing you as you cross the plains. Come to the doorway at the darkest hour of the night, and you will find it open and unguarded."          "Excellent!" you exclaim. [["We must set to planning how to handle the battle itself,"->BattlePlans]] you say, turning to your comrades as Oenone leaves again.

         "Let us pick someone to approach King Priam asking for one of his daughters as a bride," you say. "Not one of our greatest kings or princes--Priam would never believe that they might turn on us. Someone of lesser importance, but who we can trust with all our lives."          Though a few of the more brash young men at the meeting look irritated to see their chance of the glory of this mission taken away, everyone still nods their agreement.          "A second son, perhaps," Phoinix says. "Someone who does not stand to inherit at home, and could be expected to hope that Priam will gift him a city to rule as well as the hand of one of his many daughters."          "My son Thrasymedes might be a good choice," Nestor says. "Though he is actually my eldest, I doubt that the Trojans know that. He does not make himself prominent among our host, as I have always taught him to value modesty in himself and others.(if: $Antilochos is 'dead')[ As I was always seen only in the company of my poor Antilochos, I doubt they even know I am his father.]"          "Yes, Thrasymedes is an excellent choice," you agree. "Few indeed are the men who could be said to be more trust-worthy than he!" And as an eldest son entirely overlooked by his father for a favored younger son, for him to claim dissatisfaction with his lot would be entirely believed by the enemy.          You wait a moment to see if any will voice an objection, but Thrasymedes seems to meet with perfect approval, so you decide to get down to [[the business of planning how the assault will go->BattlePlans]] once Thrasymedes lets the army into the city.

         You turn to look at Menelaos. "Since you have been in the city before, is there anything special about its structure?" you ask.          "Not really," he says. "The lower city is mostly residential, as you would expect, and atop the hill is the palace, surrounded by the temples." Menelaos shakes his head. "Rather typical, really. But we must be cautious in the residential districts. Antenor was a good host to me, and I do not want to repay him with death. His house must be protected from our men."          "Of course," you agree. "Your first action when you enter the city, then, should be to put some mark upon his door so our men will know to avoid his house."          "I have a leopard skin I can drape over it," Menelaos says, nodding. "But once I have done so, I am going to the palace to recover Helen personally(if: $Alexandros is not 'dead')[and to put an end to Alexandros with my own hands]."          "Absolutely, you agree. Now, as to everyone else..."          Given that most of the enemies will be in the residential section of the city, you probably need to assign the most men to that massive lower segment, perhaps splitting it along roughly east/west lines. The temples will have few defenders--aside from people fleeing the palace or the residential area, most of whom will be able to put up only a token resistance--but will likely have much in the way of loot; you probably don't want to send too many men there while the fighting is still hot, since they can go for the plunder after the enemy warriors have been silenced. The palace will not have as many enemies as the residential area, but they will be of a much higher caliber, so you may wish to send some of your best men there.          Where do you want to go yourself? (dropdown: bind $CreonFinal, "Palace", "Temples", "Lower East", "Lower West") (if: $Achilles is 'alive')[         Where do you want to send Achilleus? (dropdown: bind $AchillesFinal, "Palace", "Temples", "Lower East", "Lower West") ](else_if: $Neoptolemos is 'alive')[         Where do you want to send Neoptolemos? (dropdown: bind $NeoptolemosFinal, "Palace", "Temples", "Lower East", "Lower West") ](else_if: $Menesthios is 'alive')[         Where do you want to send Menesthios? (dropdown: bind $MenesthiosFinal, "Palace", "Temples", "Lower East", "Lower West") ](if: $AiasS is 'alive')[         Where do you want to send Aias of Salamis? (dropdown: bind $AiasSFinal, "Palace", "Temples", "Lower East", "Lower West") ]         Where do you want to send Teukros? (dropdown: bind $TeukrosFinal, "Palace", "Temples", "Lower East", "Lower West") (if: $Diomedes is 'alive')[         Where do you want to send Diomedes? (dropdown: bind $DiomedesFinal, "Palace", "Temples", "Lower East", "Lower West") ](if: $Odysseus is 'alive')[         Where do you want to send Odysseus? (dropdown: bind $OdysseusFinal, "Palace", "Temples", "Lower East", "Lower West") ](if: $Cycnos is 'ally')[         Where do you want to send Cycnos? (dropdown: bind $CycnosFinal, "Palace", "Temples", "Lower East", "Lower West") ](if: $Idomeneus is 'alive')[         Where do you want to send Idomeneus? (dropdown: bind $IdomeneusFinal, "Palace", "Temples", "Lower East", "Lower West") ]         Where do you want to send Meriones? (dropdown: bind $MerionesFinal, "Palace", "Temples", "Lower East", "Lower West") (if: $Antilochos is 'alive')[         Where do you want to send Antilochos? (dropdown: bind $AntilochosFinal, "Palace", "Temples", "Lower East", "Lower West") ](if: $Protesilaos is 'alive')[         Where do you want to send Protesilaos? (dropdown: bind $ProtesilaosFinal, "Palace", "Temples", "Lower East", "Lower West") ](if: $Ascalaphos is 'alive')[         Where do you want to send Ascalaphos? (dropdown: bind $AscalaphosFinal, "Palace", "Temples", "Lower East", "Lower West") ](else_if: $Ialmenos is 'alive')[         Where do you want to send Ialmenos? (dropdown: bind $IalmenosFinal, "Palace", "Temples", "Lower East", "Lower West") ](if: $AiasL is 'alive')[         Where do you want to send Aias of Locris? (dropdown: bind $AiasLFinal, "Palace", "Temples", "Lower East", "Lower West") ](if: $Philoctetes is 'alive')[         Where do you want to send Philoctetes? (dropdown: bind $PhiloctetesFinal, "Palace", "Temples", "Lower East", "Lower West")]          After spending several more hours planning out strategy after strategy for the battle within the city, you are most eager to set the plan underway to finally end this war!(click: "to set the plan underway to finally end this war!")[(if: (history:) contains "PrepareTheHorse")[(goto: "DeployTheHorse")](else_if: (history:) contains "AchillesPolyxena")[(goto: "Polyxena")](else_if: (history:) contains "AiasGroom")[(goto: "AiasGroom2")](else_if: (history:) contains "Teukros")[(goto: "TeukrosMission")](else_if: (history:) contains "DiomedesMission")[(goto: "DiomedesGroom2")](else_if: (history:) contains "TheEasyWay")[(goto: "Oenone")](else_if: (history:) contains "RandomGroom")[(goto: "Thrasymedes")]]

         The preparations for the massive wooden horse plan are so lengthy and complex that you fear it will take so long to be ready that you will fail to be ready in time for the favorable omens Calchas talked about.(set: $thorse to 'yup')          However, thanks to the many details $schemer has already prepared, you find everything ready by the appointed time, and are soon supervising as some of the men carry the wooden horse out of the camp and far enough away from it that it cannot catch fire, then as the rest of the men load and board the ships, preparing to sail away and hide.          $schemer had wanted the horse to hold a dozen men, but it turns out to fit only about half that many. You have chosen to be one of the men within, and of course everyone insisted that $schemer must risk his own life on his own scheme. Menelaos, too, insisted on being within, leaving only room for three more of your men. You select the three greatest warriors you have left, and carefully climb inside, watching uncomfortably as Sinon closes the trapdoor and seals you inside. (if: $schemer is 'Palamedes')[Sinon is said to be a grandson of the infamous thief (and notorious liar) Autolycos, so hopefully you are in good hands with him. Hopefully...]          You hear from within the horse as Sinon is beaten badly and left in a pile of stones, then the men for the last ship walk away towards the shore. In your mind's eye, you can picture the men setting fire to the camp, then boarding their ship and sailing away from the coast to hide behind one of the nearby islands.          It is many cramped, sweltering hours later when the Trojans discover the horse and the burning camp. (You can still hear the flames loudly, and had begun to fear that they might spread to the horse after all...)          Sinon gives his explanation to the Trojans, and you can hear much doubt in their reactions.          (if: $Hector is 'alive')["Nonsense." The voice is Prince Hector's. "There are probably men inside, waiting to climb out in the middle of the night and kill us all."          Sinon refutes the accusation, but there is soon a loud banging on the side of the horse. "It's hollow," Hector points out. Sinon claims it had to be hollow to be constructed, but more knocking follows, so heavy that it sets the horse to rocking side to side.          You aren't alarmed until the horse actually falls over, and you yourself accidentally let out a cry at the harshness of the landing.          You hear the cry of triumph from Hector, the cries of anguish from Sinon as the Trojans butcher him, and then feel the motion as the fallen horse is picked up and carried over to the camp, where it is cast into the flames.          You try to escape the burning horse, but Trojan archers put an end to you. =><= ***GAME OVER*** (And you got so close, too!) <=          [[Start over?->Title Screen]]          [[Pick a different strategy?->BreachTheWalls]]](else:)[You hear an unfamiliar voice shouting that it must be a trap, and Sinon arguing profusely that it is nothing of the sort, merely an offering to the gods, and if the Trojans do not believe him, why they can burn the horse and see what kind of curse falls upon their heads for the sacrilege.          There is great muttering then, and the Trojans seem to be arguing amongst themselves, until you hear great shouts of alarm, and cries of pain and horror that have you and the other men within the horse exchanging looks of confusion and concern.          "Clearly, that was the judgment of the gods upon him for doubting the holy nature of this horse," Sinon says.          The horse is lifted into the air then, and you can hear the talking and breathing of the countless Trojans who carry it aloft towards the city. As the enemy are carrying you in this thin wooden structure, you wonder why in the world they aren't suspicious at the sheer weight of the thing, given it has six men inside, but perhaps Sinon convinced them it was filled with rocks or...something...?          The horse is lowered back down to the ground briefly, before being carried *very* slowly (and, as far as you can tell by the movement, much closer to the ground) forward again. It is not too long after that that the horse is finally lowered back down for the last time.          For a long while, silence ensues, then you hear a speech from old Priam himself regarding the departure of the Achaian foe, followed by raucous cheering. Not long after that, you can hear a great feast, and you can smell the succulent roasting of meat, as if the Trojans are trying to tempt you out of your wooden hiding place.          After the feasting grows silent again, you hear footsteps approaching you, and you hope desperately that it is Sinon, because you aren't sure how much longer you can remain motionless and still be able to move again upon being released. (if: $Alexandros is not 'dead' or $Deiphobos is 'alive')[But you soon hear a man's voice that chills you and causes an inrush of breath near you, no doubt from Menelaos. "Go on, then," (if: $Alexandros is not 'dead')[Alexandros](else:)[Deiphobos] commands.          You hear a woman's voice then, one you don't recognize. "Menelaos? Are you in there? Please come out and let me see your handsome face once more!" Though you can hear him breathing heavily, Menelaos does not stir. (Her false husband should not have spoken first if he expected Helen's voice to convince!) But then another woman's voice speaks, addressing another man among your company. One by one more than a dozen women--including your own wife!--address their husbands, begging them to come out. $schemer nearly smothers one of your comrades, but not a man makes a sound. "You see?" Helen's voice says again. "I told you it was impossible. You should know better than to listen to your sister Cassandra."          "Yes, I know," he agrees, with a laugh, "but it seemed wise to be certain! Come, let's to bed."          After that narrow scrape, you are terrified when you again hear footsteps approaching the horse, but this time the trapdoor is opened, and Sinon's voice beckons you out.](else:)[After an agonizing silence, the trapdoor slowly creaks open, and you hear Sinon quietly urging you to emerge.]          Every muscle in your body is aching from being cramped up like that for so long, but you hope a little combat will quickly set that right. "Most of the city lies in a drunken stupor," Sinon tells you. "I made sure the wine was mixed very light on the water."          "Well done, Sinon," you say, trying to make an excuse not to attempt real motion just yet. "And well done, $schemer," you add. "I would never have been able to dream up such a plan, or how to pull it off successfully."          "It will only truly be successful once we have opened the gates and let our army inside," $schemer points out.          "Yes, quite true," you agree. "Well, let us get to it." You *think* your limbs are recovered enough to move again. Hopefully.          All of you stagger a bit on the way to the gates of the city, but that is probably a good thing--anyone who saw you at a distance would think you were some of the revelers on their way home after drinking to excess--and you soon have the gates open so your men can pour into the city to ransack it.          As Menelaos sets off to drape the leopard skin over Antenor's door (and presumably warn the man and his family to stay inside), you remind the troops that they must try to keep the noise to a minimum until they have slaughtered any active guards.          [[Then you set them loose upon the unsuspecting foe as you begin this, the final battle.->FinalBattle]]]

         When the time comes, you (if: $Patroclos is not 'dead')[and Patroclos ]accompany Achilleus to the gates of the camp and watch as he sets out on foot for the city, then you (if: $Patroclos is not 'dead')[both ]head to the shrines in the camp and sacrifice to the gods (and Thetis), begging them to give Achilleus success in his endeavor.          You spend the intervening time planning and preparing, until the hour arrives when you must set out on the march to enter Troy after ten long years of fighting and struggling.          When you get about halfway across the plain, you send out a command to the men, reminding them to keep as silent as possible, so as not to alert the enemy. (As you are marching in the dark, lest your torches alert them, this is not an easy task, needless to say!)          When you arrive at the walls, you are surprised to see that the Scaian Gate is still closed. Surely Achilleus did not decide he preferred Polyxena to his honor?          While you are standing at the closed gate and debating what to do next with the other princes near the front of the column, the gate finally opens.          Achilleus walks out past the corpses of a few guards, and laughs uncomfortably. "Sorry to make you wait," he says. "The wedding feast took longer than I expected."(set: $MarriedPolyxena to 'Yes')          You are quite disgusted to learn that he really did rush the marriage through so as to take the girl to his bed *before* betraying her family. Unlike Phoinix, you don't have the nerve to chastise him for it. (Though Phoinix does not put it as strongly as you would have.)          "Hey, don't complain," Achilleus retorts sharply. "The whole city turned up for the feast, and now they're completely drunk off their asses. They think with me on their side, they can't lose."          You certainly can't argue against the advantages of that outcome, so you nod, and as the army enters the city, you remind the men that they must try to keep the noise to a minimum until they have slaughtered any active guards. (As opposed to the ones who are passed out drunk.)(if: $AchillesFinal is not 'Palace')[          Before the army can split up and go its separate ways, Achilleus tells the men headed for the palace that they aren't to hurt Priam or Hecabe--since they are now his parents-in-law and he has broken bread with them--and that any man who lays so much as a finger on Polyxena will pay with his life. You doubt any man would be fool enough to try it after that warning...]          [[Then you set them loose upon the unsuspecting foe as you enter the city for this, the final battle.->FinalBattle]]

         When the time comes, you accompany Aias and Teukros to the gates of the camp and watch as they set out on foot for the city, then you head to the shrines in the camp and sacrifice to the gods (but especially Zeus), begging them to give Aias success in his endeavor.          You spend the intervening time planning and preparing, until the hour arrives when you must set out on the march to enter Troy after ten long years of fighting and struggling.          When you get about halfway across the plain, you send out a command to the men, reminding them to keep as silent as possible, so as not to alert the enemy. (As you are marching in the dark, lest your torches alert them, this is not an easy task, needless to say!)          When you arrive at the walls, you are pleased to see that the Scaian Gate stands open, and Aias and Teukros await you just inside, the slain guards scattered around him.          "Many of the men of the city are drunk," Aias tells you when you draw near. "They think I will win the war for them. Easily. But we still must be cautious."          You nod, and as the army enters the city, you remind the men that they must try to keep the noise to a minimum until they have slaughtered any active guards.          [[Then you set them loose upon the unsuspecting foe as you enter the city for this, the final battle.->FinalBattle]]

         When the time comes, you accompany Teukros to the gates of the camp and watch as he sets out on foot for the city, then you both head to the shrines in the camp and sacrifice to the gods (but especially Zeus), begging them to give Teukros success in his endeavor.          You spend the intervening time planning and preparing, until the hour arrives when you must set out on the march to enter Troy after ten long years of fighting and struggling.          When you get about halfway across the plain, you send out a command to the men, reminding them to keep as silent as possible, so as not to alert the enemy. (As you are marching in the dark, lest your torches alert them, this is not an easy task, needless to say!)          When you arrive at the walls, you are pleased to see that the Scaian Gate stands open, and Teukros awaits you just inside, the slain guards scattered around him.          "We should try to be quiet," he tells you when you draw near. "If the alarm is raised too soon, it could be death to us all."          You nod, and as the army enters the city, you remind the men that they must try to keep the noise to a minimum until they have slaughtered any active guards.          [[Then you set them loose upon the unsuspecting foe as you enter the city for this, the final battle.->FinalBattle]]

         When the time comes, you accompany Diomedes to the gates of the camp and watch as he sets out on foot for the city, then you head to the shrines in the camp and sacrifice to the gods (but especially Athene), begging them to give Diomedes success in his endeavor.          You spend the intervening time planning and preparing, until the hour arrives when you must set out on the march to enter Troy after ten long years of fighting and struggling.          When you get about halfway across the plain, you send out a command to the men, reminding them to keep as silent as possible, so as not to alert the enemy. (As you are marching in the dark, lest your torches alert them, this is not an easy task, needless to say!)          When you arrive at the walls, you are pleased to see that the Scaian Gate stands open, and Diomedes awaits you just inside, the slain guards scattered around him.          "Half the men in the city are drunk," he tells you when you draw near. "Many of the court are quite convinced that my joining their side will put a neat end to the war in very short order, and a great feast was held in the square in front of the palace."          You nod, and as the army enters the city, you remind the men that they must try to keep the noise to a minimum until they have slaughtered any active guards.          [[Then you set them loose upon the unsuspecting foe as you enter the city for this, the final battle.->FinalBattle]]

         You spend the intervening time planning and preparing, until the hour arrives when you must set out on the march to enter Troy after ten long years of fighting and struggling.          When you get about halfway across the plain, you send out a command to the men, reminding them to keep as silent as possible, so as not to alert the enemy. (As you are marching in the dark, lest your torches alert them, this is not an easy task, needless to say!)          (if: $Achilles is 'alive' or $Cycnos is 'ally')[When you reach the sea, you are surprised to find that it has receded, opening a wide avenue for you to walk upon. (if: $Achilles is 'alive')[Achilleus must have been successful in obtaining his mother's assistance!](else:)[Perhaps Poseidon has pulled the waters away from the shore to make things easier for his son?]](else:)[The path to the gate is, as Oenone told you, so narrow that you must walk one by one along it, which will greatly slow your army's entry into the city. Therefore, it is the greatest warriors who make up the first passing down the path.]          You are among the first to reach the doorway, and you see that Oenone was true to her word. The only guards here are sleeping heavily (until some of your men knife them), likely drugged by the scorned nymph.          As the army slowly enters the city, you remind the men that they must try to keep the noise to a minimum until they have slaughtered any active guards.          [[Then you set them loose upon the unsuspecting foe as you enter the city for this, the final battle.->FinalBattle]]

         Nestor leaves your company early to prepare Thrasymedes for his departure for Troy. You yourself accompany Nestor to watch as the young man sets out on foot for the city, then you both head to the shrines in the camp and sacrifice to the gods, begging them to give Thrasymedes success in his endeavor.          You spend the intervening time planning and preparing, until the hour arrives when you must set out on the march to enter Troy after ten long years of fighting and struggling.          When you get about halfway across the plain, you send out a command to the men, reminding them to keep as silent as possible, so as not to alert the enemy. (As you are marching in the dark, lest your torches alert them, this is not an easy task, needless to say!)          When you arrive at the walls, you are pleased to see that the Scaian Gate stands open, and Thrasymedes awaits you just inside, the slain guards scattered around him.          "We won't have much time before the rest of the guards are alerted to what has happened," he tells you when you draw near. "We need to strike fast and hard."          You nod, and as the army enters the city, you remind the men that they must try to keep the noise to a minimum until they have slaughtered any active guards.          [[Then you set them loose upon the unsuspecting foe as you enter the city for this, the final battle.->FinalBattle]]

(if: $AiasLFinal is 'Temples' and $CreonFinal is not 'Temples')[(if: $OdysseusFinal is 'Temples' or $DiomedesFinal is 'Temples')[(set: $rape to 'stopped')](else:)[(set: $rape to 'successful')]](else:)[(set: $rape to 'other')] (if: $NeoptolemosFinal is 'Palace')[(if: $CycnosFinal is 'Palace')[(set: $Priam to 'saved')](else:)[(set: $Priam to 'murdered')]](else:)[(set: $Priam to 'other')] (if: $CreonFinal is 'Lower East')[         You head to the eastern side of the residential section of the city. There are not many guards to kill here, but once the shouting begins elsewhere, you find many men rushing from their homes with swords or spears in h and, and you are not short of foes to kill.          Many weeping women also run from their homes, but for the moment you ignore them unless they are actively attacking you (which a few do, sometimes with swords and spears and fighting just as well as their men, if not better). You know that once the fighting is over your men will expect you to capture all those women as slaves and divide them up as part of the loot, but your heart is not in any such action. (You have, after all, heard much from the sons of Theseus, who accompanied the army not because they cared one bit about whether Menelaos should get his wife back, but because she brought their grandmother with her, who has been her slave ever since her brothers conquered all of Attica to get Helen back after *Theseus* kidnapped her. That woman is menace to all those around her, in your opinion, and you think Menelaos would be better off locking her in a tower on a deserted island than in bringing her back to Sparta with him. But you're not about to tell him so.)          By the time the fighting seems to have stopped, the sun is coming up, and some idiot seems to have lit the palace on fire. You can only hope the fire won't spread to the city until your men are done rounding up the slaves and otherwise searching the city for loot.          Personally, you find your mind turning to food rather than gold, and you start checking through houses until you find one with some food still on the table from last night's feast. You decide to have a one man victory feast before you join the men in looting the city.          Once that is done with, you take part in the systematic searching of the city for women, arms and gold, loading everything into wagons to take them back to the (if: (history:) contains "DeployTheHorse")[ships](else:)[camp] for division among the men.          [[Only when that is finished will you be able to prepare to sail home again, after ten long years at war.->PostWar]]](else_if: $CreonFinal is 'Lower West')[         You head to the western side of the residential portion of the city. This section, it turns out, is where the foreign troops are housed, so you have a fearsome fight ahead of you in these close quarters!          You try your best, but are wounded fairly quickly by an Ethiopian soldier(if: $Memnon is not 'alive')[, despite that you thought all the Ethiopians had long since left], just enough that you don't want to try any further fighting, and instead retreat back to a square where many of your men are corralling captured women and children. You take charge of looking after these unfortunate souls, keeping them from wandering into the narrow streets where they might be killed by a man mistaking them for a combatant, and also keeping them from escaping. (Though even if they did, they could hardly get far before your men would find them again.)          By the time the fighting seems to have stopped, the sun is coming up, and some idiot seems to have lit the palace on fire. You can only hope the fire won't spread to the city until your men are done rounding up the slaves and otherwise searching the city for loot.          Personally, you find your mind turning to food rather than gold, and you start checking through houses until you find one with some food still on the table from last night's feast. You decide to have a one man victory feast before you join the men in looting the city.          Once that is done with, you take part in the systematic searching of the city for women, arms and gold, loading everything into wagons to take them back to the (if: (history:) contains "DeployTheHorse")[ships](else:)[camp] for division among the men.          [[Only when that is finished will you be able to prepare to sail home again, after ten long years at war.->PostWar]]](else_if: $CreonFinal is 'Palace')[(goto: "FinalPalace")](else_if: $CreonFinal is 'Temples')[(goto: "FinalTemples")](else:)[How in the world are you reading this? It should be impossible for this message to display! Did you hack my game? Um... *Why?*]

         As the division of the loot begins, some of your men go back into the emptied city and begin burning it. That strikes you as a pity, but it's such a typical practice that it's hard for you to muster any interest in criticizing them for it. Especially given how long and hard all your army have fought to bring down the mighty walls of Troy.(if: $Briseis is 'Creon' or 'Diomedes')[(set: $Briseis to 'Achilles')] (if: $rape is not 'other')[(if: $rape is 'thwarted' or 'interrupted')[         However, you cannot wait for the process to finish before you deal with the matter of what Aias of Locris did in the temple of Athene. You call an assembly of all the princes.](else_if: $rape is 'stopped' or 'successful')[         The process is suddenly halted, however, when (if: $Odysseus is 'alive')[Odysseus](else_if: $Diomedes is 'alive')[Diomedes](else:)[Teukros] comes before you with a pretty captive Trojan maid, and insists on a meeting of all the princes immediately. His face is serious enough that you don't even ask why; you just do as he requests.]          Once everyone is assembled, it is explained to all present that during the battle in the city, Aias of Locris (if: $rape is 'thwarted' or 'stopped')[attempted to rape](else:)[raped] Priam's daughter Cassandra within the temple of Athene, despite that she sought shelter with the virgin goddess. (if: $Odysseus is 'alive')[As a particular devotee of Athene, Odysseus](else_if: $Diomedes is 'alive')[As Athene was his father's patron goddess just as she is his own, Diomedes](else:)[As the girl's cousin, Teukros] insists that Aias must be punished for his desecration of the temple.          Aias doesn't even try to defend his actions (not that there *is* any defense of such actions!), but merely clings to the statue of the goddess stolen from that very temple, depending on the holy protection it confers.          You ask the princes whether they wish to punish Aias despite that he claims refuge with the very goddess he has insulted, and there is no clear consensus; about half of them wish to pry the statue from his arms and stone him to death, while the others feel it would be as much of an insult to the goddess to do as what Aias already did.          It will have to be *your* decision. What do you do?          [[Aias has defiled the temple of Athene, the goddess whose favor did so much to aid us to victory. He must be punished.->ThisShouldHaveHappenedForReals]]          [[We cannot insult Athene by further defiling her holy image. If she wishes him punished, she will surely do so herself.->AndTheStormIsOn]]](else_if: $Priam is 'murdered' and ($Memnon is 'withdrawn' or $Penthesileia is 'withdrawn'))[         Cycnos storms over to you as the division of booty continues, his face so enraged that you are terrified he's about to kill you.          "What are you going do to about it?!" he demands of you.          "Do...about what...?"          "That...that little *monster* slaughtered King Priam despite my promise to safeguard his life!" He points in the direction of Neoptolemos as he bellows.          "I...I had no idea," you say, feeling your voice shake a bit. "It had not occurred to me that anyone would want to kill such an old man..." You sigh sadly; this was your fault. You should have made sure everyone knew about Cycnos' oath to protect the royal family. Then again, everyone *did* know, except for Neoptolemos. "Let's speak to him about it."          You both walk over to where Neoptolemos is surrounded by his late father's Myrmidons, and you explain why Cycnos is so enraged. Neoptolemos just stares at you both blankly for a moment or two. "How was I supposed to know?" he says, shrugging his shoulders. "He was an old man, anyway. Probably wouldn't have lived out the year."          "That is not the point!" Cycnos roars. "You've made a liar out of me!"          "And? What do you want from me?" Neoptolemos retorts, utterly unafraid of the invulnerable son of Poseidon. "It's not like I can stick his head back on and bring him back to life."          Who would go so far in killing an old man? You feel queasy at the thought of it, and Cycnos is frothing in his rage.          The argument begins to attract attention, and soon both Phoinix and Nestor are with you, urging reconciliation between the two arguing descendents of ocean deities. However, their attempts only seem to be riling Neoptolemos up further, and soon you realize that you must settle the matter with a command decision.          [["What's done is done, no matter how much we must all regret it. It was done in the heat of battle; I am sure your oath is still fulfilled so long as you protect the remaining members of the royal family, Cycnos."->CycnosPissed]]          [["I accept the blame for this terrible mistake. I will pay reparations for having failed to instruct the lad not to harm the king."->CreonTheSucker]]          [["You should have known not to kill such an old man, Neoptolemos. You should pay a blood price for your actions."->NeoptolemosPissed]]](else:)[         Though there are a few low-level quarrels regarding various particularly fine treasures taken from Priam's halls, the division goes smoothly, and [[soon you are faced with the decision of what to do with the members of the Trojan royal family.->TrojanRoyals]]]

         You join the other men who are climbing the hill towards the temples that stand before the massive palace of King Priam. When some of them stop to loot the temples (as per your orders, of course), you keep going into the palace itself.          The palace is filled with guards as well as enemies of such skill that you have difficulty defeating them. There are also many women--both noblewomen and slaves--who try to hamper you in one way or another, but most of them simply flee towards the temples, where your other men will capture them.(if: $Alexandros is not 'dead' or $Deiphobos is not 'dead')[          Spotting Menelaos heading into the palace, you follow him, in case he needs some help recovering his wife. (Besides, you still have never laid eyes on Helen, and you would like to do so *before* any of your troops can attempt to murder her in vengeance for slain friends and family, as you have no doubt many of the men will.)          "Where are my weapons?!" A man's shouting voice seems to be leading the way for you. "The enemy is inside the palace!" It seems to be (if: $Deiphobos is not 'dead')[Deiphobos](else:)[Alexandros].          "I'm sure I don't know what you did with your weapons," a woman's dulcet voice answers. "Where did you see them last?"          "Right here, where they always are! Where did you hide them?!"          "Hide them? Why would I do that?"          "I'm ordering you, tell me where--" He gets no further than that before Menelaos bounds around a corner, and his voice dies in a cry of anguish.          You follow hastily, just in time to see the corpse of (if: $Deiphobos is not 'dead')[Deiphobos](else:)[Alexandros] fall to the floor in between Menelaos and Helen.          You are quite floored by Helen. She truly is the most beautiful of mortal women, and seeing her you can understand why so many men have fought and died for her sake. She is still dressed in the traditional Achaian style (unlike the Hatti style preferred by the Trojans), and despite that she must be at least sixty (if not eighty!) years old, her massive, exposed bosoms are not only fresh, but stand upright in a way that you have never seen outside of a fresco.          You're having trouble looking away, actually.          To the point where you fear Menelaos will turn his bloodied sword on you.          You have to throw a hand over your eyes and back out of the room to break the spell of Helen's beauty (and bosoms).          You decide to put as much distance as possible between yourself and the Spartan royal couple, so you hurry to see if there is any other conflict going on inside the palace.](if: $NeoptolemosFinal is 'Palace')[          You hear a scuffle ahead of you, and a young boy's voice yelling. Running towards the sound, you find an interior temple of sorts, with an altar, in front of which Neoptolemos is gripping the shoulder of a boy who is barely an ephebe--if he even is one yet--and threatening him with his father's sword. Behind him, (if: $killer is 'Hector')[King Priam](else:)[an old man in regal garments] kneels in supplication, one hand on the altar and the other reaching out towards either the boy or Neoptolemos or both.          "What's going on here?" you ask.          Neoptolemos glances at you over his shoulder, then returns his attention to the boy. "These two are kin to my father's killer," he says, "so I'm going to avenge him by killing them."          "On an *altar*?" you exclaim in horror. "No, you are not!"          Neoptolemos lowers his sword slightly (without releasing the boy) and turns to look at you. "What do you care where I kill them? It's not like it's a *real* altar to a *real* god anyway."          "This altar is dedicated to Kronion Zeus," the elderly man says. "To defile it with blood would be the utmost sacrilege."          Neoptolemos looks at him for a moment, then turns a trembling glance at you. "That's not true, right?" he asks, his eyes pleading for your permission to kill.          "I see no reason that King Priam would lie about who is worshiped here," you say. "Put the blade away. Your father would not want you to desecrate an altar to your own divine ancestor." (if: $tkiller is 'canon')[Despite, you reflect bitterly, his own desecration of a temple of Apollo.] You hold out a hand towards Neoptolemos. (if: $killer is 'Hector')["Your father made his peace with Priam after avenging Patroclos' death; he told me afterwards that he had decided that no matter what, he would not kill any of the other members of the royal family," you lie, desperately wishing to avoid watching that poor boy slaughtered. Besides, Achilleus *had* said he wanted to spare Priam, since he had been Priam's host for a night, so what was wrong with extending that a little? ](if: $Memnon is 'withdrawn' or $Penthesileia is 'withdrawn')["Cycnos gave his solemn oath that no member of the Trojan royal family would be unnecessarily harmed," you add. "You don't want to have to explain to him that you defied his oath and his wishes, do you?"]          Neoptolemos' jaw quivers a bit, and for a moment you can see past the blood splattered all over the boy's face and armor, and past the shell of bloodlust he hides himself away in, and see just how young and inexperienced he really is, not quite past the years of being an ephebe himself. "I…" He continues to quiver like that for a moment longer, suddenly seeming to be on the verge of tears. "You'll be in trouble if I find out you're lying to me!" he shouts, sheathing his sword with a violent motion and running out of the room in great haste.          You feel like you can breathe again.          The boy falls to his knees, crying into his elderly father's arms. King Priam looks up at you with gratitude on his wrinkled face. "I was not expecting such kindness from the merciless soul that has waged this war against me all these years."          "This war was never my intention or my desire," you sigh. "I was forced into it like everyone else." Then you shake your head miserably. "I'm afraid I will have to take you both prisoner," you inform him. "It's nothing personal, you understand. I'll see to it that you aren't harmed."          Priam nods his hoary head, and the boy helps him to his feet, and you accompany both of them out of the palace and to the square where the other slaves are being gathered. You remain to keep watch over them until it is time for everyone to assemble and dole out the booty.(set: $Priam to 'savedC')](else:)[          Nothing else of any note happens, and soon you are herding newly captured slaves towards the meeting place, and helping your men carry heavy loads of gold and arms.]          [[As much as you detest the idea of having to divide up all the stolen treasure and captured innocents, you still look forward to it as the prelude to your return voyage home.->PostWar]]

         You join the other men who are climbing the hill towards the temples that stand before the massive palace of King Priam. Most of the other men keep going, but you stay in the square that is ringed by temples. (if: $AiasLFinal is 'Temples')[         While you are dealing with some drunken guards who passed out in front of the temple of Athene, you hear a woman's scream from within, followed by the words "Don't touch me!" and a string of words in the Hatti tongue, and a couple of other languages as well.          Alarmed, you hurry inside, and find Aias of Locris attempting to drag a beautiful young woman away from the statue of Athene to which she is madly clinging.          "What is going on here?" you ask. "Release that woman, Aias."          "Mind your own business," Aias snaps. "This is what happens in a siege!"          "She is seeking shelter with the goddess--I will not allow you to commit such blasphemy as to defile any temple in this manner, particularly not one dedicated to a virgin goddess! (if: $Chryseis is 'raped')[Did you learn nothing from what happened after Thebe?" you demand, though you're more angry at yourself for being fool enough to allow Aias near the temple district after what he did to that poor girl in Apollo's temple in Thebe.          "I learned one thing all right," Aias says, finally releasing the girl so he can draw his sword and turn to menace you. "I learned to hate you!" He swings his sword at you, and you only barely manage to leap away from the blow.](else:)[Leave that poor girl alone, and head down to the residential area," you tell Aias firmly. Admittedly, he could still rape women down there, too, but at least then he wouldn't be defiling a temple in the process.          "Who do you think you are to lord it over me like this?" Aias demands, drawing his sword. "I'll do what I please."          "I was given leadership over the army that you are a part of, so you *will* do as I tell you!" Hopefully your voice was not quite as much of a screech as it sounded like from the inside.          "Or the enemy could *happen* to kill you in the battle," Aias says with a twisted grin. "And wouldn't that be *such* a pity?" Before you can reply, he swings his sword at you, and you have to scramble backwards to avoid the blow.]          (if: $DiomedesFinal is 'Temples' or $OdysseusFinal is 'Temples')[You hear footsteps running towards you, and look over your shoulder, gratified to see reinforcements running into the temple. "What's going on in here?" (if: $OdysseusFinal is 'Temples')[Odysseus](else:)[Diomedes] asks, looking at Aias' drawn blade and aroused state with alarm. You explain hastily, and are relieved to see your ally take up a position between you and Aias. "You aren't going to defile Athene's temple," he says coldly.          Aias swallows heavily, and takes a step backwards, putting his hand on the statue of the goddess. "I--you wouldn't dare spill my blood in here," he says, his voice trembling. (if: $OdysseusFinal is 'Temples')[Honestly, you wouldn't have expected him to be this afraid of Odysseus, but t](else:)[T]he sight of him quaking in fear is refreshing, especially after his brash attempt on your own life.          Before your rescuer can reply, the girl you came in here to save suddenly kicks Aias in the worst possible place, and runs over to you, her face still streaked with tears. "Apollo will reward you if you deliver me to him untouched," she whispers in your ear in a rather odd Phoenician dialect, then she steps away and laughs in a manic way that wavers between a hag's cackle and the diseased outburst of a madman. "The vile conquerors are easily conquered by the vilest conqueror of all, the bastard son of Venus and Mars."(set: $rape to 'thwarted')          "Who are Venus and Mars?" you ask no one in particular.          (if: $OdysseusFinal is 'Temples')[Odysseus](else:)[Diomedes] shrugs. "Local bandits, perhaps?" he suggests.          You return your attention to the girl. "Are you all right, young lady?" you ask her, since her clothing (where it isn't torn) is highly decorated, indicating that she is surely a nobleman's daughter. "May I bring you some undamaged clothes to cover yourself with?"          "Timeo Danaos et dona ferens," the girl answers.          "Er...you *do* speak the Achaian tongue, don't you?" She was speaking it earlier!          "Of *course* I do," the girl sighs. "My brother Alexandros has called the Achaian death hag his wife for twenty years. How could I have lived under the same roof with her if I could not speak to her?"          You are glad Menelaos was not here to hear Helen called a 'death hag,' though you can't really blame the girl for calling her that. In any case, at least she has made clear that she is one of Priam's many daughters. That makes her a valuable captive indeed. Far too valuable to be left to the likes of Aias of Locris! "If you will come with me willingly, I will personally look after you and ensure that none of my men force themselves on you, princess...?"          "Cassandra," she says, crossing her arms as she looks at you suspiciously. "Are you as bad as Atreides would have been?"          "Uh...what...has Helen been saying terrible things about Menelaos?" you ask, horrified for what may befall the poor man if that is the case.          Cassandra makes a noise of disgust. "Not *that* one," she groans, then leaves the temple without you.          Alarmed by what may happen, you hurry after her, leaving Aias' current fate in the hands of Athene's favorite.          Fortunately, you find Cassandra sitting cross-legged on the ground nearby, picking up handfuls of dirt off the ground and tossing them into the air above her head, not in the manner of one caught in the throes of mourning, but in the manner of a child too young to know what she's doing. You suspect that watching over her for the rest of the battle may be one of the most difficult and harrowing tasks you have set yourself in the last ten years.          [[Indeed, you are quite relieved when the rest of the army gathers again to divide the loot so that you may prepare for the journey back to Hellas at long last.->PostWar]]](else:)[You draw your own sword, but you are neither as young nor as speedy as Aias is, and it is a losing battle at best. After he gives you a wound to your arm, you have to flee the temple, seeking help.          From the way the girl is screaming again almost as soon as you depart, you know in your heart that it will be too late by the time you get back with someone capable of overpowering Aias, but you have to try none the less!          Unfortunately, as you had already surmised, by the time you get back, the poor girl is weeping on the floor beside the statue of the goddess, and Aias looks extremely pleased with himself, at least until he realizes he will now have to pay the penalty for his actions.(set: $rape to 'interrupted')          Naturally, he clings to the very statue whose holiness he ignored for the sake of his own lust, and none of the men with you are willing to drag him away from it to punish him.          [[You promise both Aias and the girl that this *will* be brought up before all the princes before the fleet can return to Hellas.->PostWar]]]](else:)[         There is very little for you to do here, aside from kill some drunken guards who passed out in front of the temples, and to herd fleeing, panicked women into non-holy buildings whence they may be more easily extricated for transport to the (if: $thorse is 'yup')[ships](else:)[camp] at the battle's end.          No, it's not really a battle. It's a looting and a slaughter.          Honestly, you feel rather sickened by it. This is the first time you've taken part in something this horrible, especially on this scale.          [[You're very glad, around dawn, when the looting finally begins to peter out and the men begin to gather outside the city to divide the plunder prior to your long-delayed trip home.->PostWar]]]

         You give orders to remove the statue of Athene from Aias' fouling grasp. (if: $Odysseus is 'alive')[Odysseus is one of the few men who have the courage to act on your orders.]          Once the statue is freed from him, you have Aias dragged away to an empty space and stoned to death for his disrespect for the virgin goddess.(set: $AiasL to 'dead')(set: $AiasLDeath to 'stoned')          Once that is done, you make an offering of apology to Athene, and give orders regarding how to divide up Aias' share of the plunder. You do leave some of it to be sent to his father, but most is shared out among the rest of the men. (if: $Priam is 'murdered' and ($Memnon is 'withdrawn' or $Penthesileia is 'withdrawn'))[         Cycnos storms over to you as the division of booty continues, his face so enraged that you are terrified he's about to kill you.          "What are you going do to about it?!" he demands of you.          "Do...about what...?"          "That...that little *monster* slaughtered King Priam despite my promise to safeguard his life!" He points in the direction of Neoptolemos as he bellows.          "I...I had no idea," you say, feeling your voice shake a bit. "It had not occurred to me that anyone would want to kill such an old man..." You sigh sadly; this was your fault. You should have made sure everyone knew about Cycnos' oath to protect the royal family. Then again, everyone *did* know, except for Neoptolemos. "Let's speak to him about it."          You both walk over to where Neoptolemos is surrounded by his late father's Myrmidons, and you explain why Cycnos is so enraged. Neoptolemos just stares at you both blankly for a moment or two. "How was I supposed to know?" he says, shrugging his shoulders. "He was an old man, anyway. Probably wouldn't have lived out the year."          "That is not the point!" Cycnos roars. "You've made a liar out of me!"          "And? What do you want from me?" Neoptolemos retorts, utterly unafraid of the invulnerable son of Poseidon. "It's not like I can stick his head back on and bring him back to life."          Who would go so far in killing an old man? You feel queasy at the thought of it, and Cycnos is frothing in his rage.          The argument begins to attract attention, and soon both Phoinix and Nestor are with you, urging reconciliation between the two arguing descendents of ocean deities. However, their attempts only seem to be riling Neoptolemos up further, and soon you realize that you must settle the matter with a command decision.          [["What's done is done, no matter how much we must all regret it. It was done in the heat of battle; I am sure your oath is still fulfilled so long as you protect the remaining members of the royal family, Cycnos."->CycnosPissed]]          [["I accept the blame for this terrible mistake. I will pay reparations for having failed to instruct the lad not to harm the king."->CreonTheSucker]]          [["You should have known not to kill such an old man, Neoptolemos. You should pay a blood price for your actions."->NeoptolemosPissed]]](else:)[         Though there are a few low-level quarrels regarding various particularly fine treasures taken from Priam's halls, there are no more massive quarrels, and the division goes smoothly. [[Soon you are faced with the decision of what to do with the members of the Trojan royal family.->TrojanRoyals]]]

         "As much as I detest what Aias did," you say, "we would be repeating his crime against the sanctity of the holy spaces of the goddess if we force him to relinquish his claim to sanctuary."          You notice Aias looking smug at this pronouncement, and you frown at him. "I do not doubt that Athene will arrange her own punishment for you over this offense," you add sternly.          Aias seems entirely unconcerned about the vengeance of a goddess, but what can you do?(set: $storm to 'on')(set: $Athene to 'pissed') (if: $Priam is 'murdered' and ($Memnon is 'withdrawn' or $Penthesileia is 'withdrawn'))[         Cycnos storms over to you as the division of booty continues, his face so enraged that you are terrified he's about to kill you.          "What are you going do to about it?!" he demands of you.          "Do...about what...?"          "That...that little *monster* slaughtered King Priam despite my promise to safeguard his life!" He points in the direction of Neoptolemos as he bellows.          "I...I had no idea," you say, feeling your voice shake a bit. "It had not occurred to me that anyone would want to kill such an old man..." You sigh sadly; this was your fault. You should have made sure everyone knew about Cycnos' oath to protect the royal family. Then again, everyone *did* know, except for Neoptolemos. "Let's speak to him about it."          You both walk over to where Neoptolemos is surrounded by his late father's Myrmidons, and you explain why Cycnos is so enraged. Neoptolemos just stares at you both blankly for a moment or two. "How was I supposed to know?" he says, shrugging his shoulders. "He was an old man, anyway. Probably wouldn't have lived out the year."          "That is not the point!" Cycnos roars. "You've made a liar out of me!"          "And? What do you want from me?" Neoptolemos retorts, utterly unafraid of the invulnerable son of Poseidon. "It's not like I can stick his head back on and bring him back to life."          Who would go so far in killing an old man? You feel queasy at the thought of it, and Cycnos is frothing in his rage.          The argument begins to attract attention, and soon both Phoinix and Nestor are with you, urging reconciliation between the two arguing descendents of ocean deities. However, their attempts only seem to be riling Neoptolemos up further, and soon you realize that you must settle the matter with a command decision.          [["What's done is done, no matter how much we must all regret it. It was done in the heat of battle; I am sure your oath is still fulfilled so long as you protect the remaining members of the royal family, Cycnos."->CycnosPissed]]          [["I accept the blame for this terrible mistake. I will pay reparations for having failed to instruct the lad not to harm the king."->CreonTheSucker]]          [["You should have known not to kill such an old man, Neoptolemos. You should pay a blood price for your actions."->NeoptolemosPissed]]](else:)[         Though there are a few low-level quarrels regarding various particularly fine treasures taken from Priam's halls, there are no more massive quarrels, and the division goes smoothly. [[Soon you are faced with the decision of what to do with the members of the Trojan royal family.->TrojanRoyals]]]

         Cycnos lets out a great many foul oaths regarding your decision, and storms away towards where the most important Trojan prisoners are being kept.          He shoves aside the guards and carefully leads every (surviving) member of the Trojan royal family to an empty wagon, which he hitches up to the finest oxen left in the camp.          "I hope my father drowns the lot of you!" he bellows at you as he drives the wagon away in the direction of Colonai.(set: $storm to 'on')          Well.          *That* could have gone better.          And now many of the other princes are glaring at you because they can no longer hope for one of Priam's daughters as a concubine. (Not that they could have anyway, given Cycnos' oath!)          There's really nothing left to do but finish dividing up the other plunder, and then prepare to sail back home [[at long last!->Nostoi]]

         "This is my fault," you acknowledge to Cycnos. "I should have realized that the lad did not know about your oath and should have done everything in my power to make sure he understood. I obviously cannot bring the dead back to life, but I will do what I can to make reparations for this mistake."          Cycnos scowls. "I'd rather *he* did it, but I suppose I can accept that."          "How do you want me to make amends?" you ask, hoping it won't be too costly or humiliating.          "Give me a share of your portion of the treasure; it will go to Queen Hecabe and her children as a blood price for Priam's death. *And* you must build a shrine in his honor before you sail away from here."          "Perfectly reasonable requests," you say, though you hope the share of your treasure won't be *too* high. You're much more comfortable about the shrine; that was more along the lines of what you were expecting when you made the offer in the first place. "I will be glad to do so."          "And you had better make sure you tell everyone in your kingdom--no, everyone you ever talk to the war about--that the venerable Priam died because of your mistake."          "Of course." Why does it suddenly feel like you've lost the war?          Are the men all laughing at you?(set: $Creon to 'paranoid')          You do your best to get back to the task of dividing up the spoils, but it is hard to concentrate with all the mockery you feel in every man's glance.          It is a relief when the ships are finally loaded and you can [[sail home at long last.->Nostoi]]

         "Who do you think you are to lecture me?" Neoptolemos demands as soon as you start chastising him for his actions. "My father was a demi-god--practically a god!"          "Please, don't say such things," Phoinix says. "You will invite the wrath of the gods for such pride."          "But he *was*!"          "The son of a goddess is not a god," Phoinix tells him sternly. "And Achilleus knew that perfectly well."          Even if he sometimes acted like he *thought* he was a god...          "He's *going* to be a god, though," Neoptolemos insists. "When I have a kingdom of my own, he'll have a temple and everything."          "That's not...quite the same thing..." Phoinix says uncomfortably, looking to you and Nestor for help in this strange debate.          "Even if the gods should choose to elevate your father to become one of their number," Nestor says, "that does not change that you are a mortal youth, and should accept the instructions of your elders gratefully, because only with their wisdom can you ever attain their age yourself."          Neoptolemos makes a wry, disdainful face, and you just *know* he's about to insult Nestor for his venerable age. "More importantly," you say, trying to prevent that particular unpleasantness, (if: $killer is 'Hector')["your father made his peace with Priam, and shared a table with him. He would never have allowed harm to come to a man who had been his guest in his hut," you say, despite that his withdrawal from the fight had gotten a great many of his former guests among his allies killed. "He would be disappointed in you for having thus defied guest-friendship."](else:)["your father had a great respect for the elderly, and went out of his way to avoid accidentally harming old men when he sacked a town," you lie, not able to think of anything else that might win over this youth, whose impulsiveness and temper actually seems even *worse* than Achilleus' was, but is at least moderated by his worship of the father he never knew.]          Neoptolemos winces, and looks away from your face petulantly. "Well, no one told me *that*, did they? It's not my fault!"          "But now that you understand, you will pay a blood price to make up for what you did, yes?" you prompt.          He lets out a heavy sigh as if he considers himself unfairly beleaguered. "Yeah, all right," he grumbles. "If that's really what my father would want."          Everyone eagerly assures him that it is, and Nestor supervises as Cycnos and Neoptolemos haggle over what the blood price should be. A few times you worry that further animosity will grow, but it is eventually settled in a relatively amicable fashion, and Cycnos takes the blood price along with his share of the treasure as he takes all the captured Trojan royals back to Colonai with him to live as his honored guests.          Thankfully, the rest of the process of dividing up the plunder goes without significant difficulty, and soon [[you are able to sail home at long last.->Nostoi]]

         (if: $Memnon is 'withdrawn' or $Penthesileia is 'withdrawn')[You are called over to decide which hero will receive which of the most important Trojan captives, but you frown to see members of the royal family among those whose fates must be decided.          "I gave Cycnos my word that I would honor his oath to protect the royal family," you remind your men. "They all go with Cycnos back to Colonai."          The men complain vociferously until Cycnos comes over to assert his oath, at which time their complaints dry up completely. You watch carefully as Cycnos helps the captive royals into a wagon for transport back to Colonai as his honored guests.          [[All that remains is to load up your ship and finally go home after ten long years!->Nostoi]]](else_if: $Hector is 'captive')[When you are called over to help divide up the Trojan royals, you can only shake your head. "I gave my word when we captured Hector that we would not enslave any of his family. They all must be released when we sail away."          Your men complain that such a notion is utter madness, but you will not be dissuaded, and you insist that they are not to be enslaved.(if: $storm is 'on')[(set: $storm to 'localized')]          You have to watch over the Trojan royals so carefully that yours is the last ship to set sail, but [[eventually you, too, are on your way back home at last!->Nostoi]]](else:)[You are called over to decide which hero will receive the most important Trojan captives. Most of them are relatively simple to decide (especially since many of the princes have already subtly laid claim to the captives they most want), but you know you must handle the royal family [[with considerable caution.->RoyalCoupleFate]]]

(if: $Achilles is 'dead')[(if: $AchillesDeath is 'FirstDay')[Achilleus was the first to die when the Achaian army landed in the Troad, greatly surprising absolutely everyone. As the years passed and the tales of the war were told, his name was brought up less and less frequently, until he was soon entirely forgotten.](else:)[Achilleus died in the tenth year of the war of a wound caused by a single arrow fired by Alexandros(if: $Apollo is 'pissed')[ and sent to its mark by the anger of Apollo]. (if: $Briseis is 'Achilles')[Following the funeral, his mother took his beloved concubine Briseis with her, in case she was carrying Achilleus' child.] (if: $Patroclos is 'dead')[His bones were buried in the same golden amphora as those of his lover, Patroclos, and over the succeeding centuries many came to leave offerings at their barrow, including Achilleus' descendent Alexander the Great and his own companion, Hephaistion.](else:)[His lover Patroclos tended to the barrow every day, unable to move past his grief at losing Achilleus.]]](else_if: $Achilles is 'left')[Enraged at having had his concubine taken away, Achilleus left the war in the ninth year. By the time the Achaian fleet returned to Hellas, Achilleus and his Myrmidons had unified the Hellenic people by conquering them all while the majority of their warriors and kings were still at Troy. (This saved his descendent the trouble of having to do so nearly a thousand years later.) Though Achilleus took several wives over the course of his long reign as King of Hellas, he had no children other than Pyrrhos, the boy he had fathered while he was hiding in disguise as a woman on Scyros; it was often said that his wives never conceived because he so rarely went in to them, preferring to spend his nights--like his days--with his faithful Patroclos. The only serious threat to Achilleus' reign was the arrival of the Heracleidai, who attempted to take Hellas for themselves, but he was able to muster the survivors, sons and grandsons of his allies from Troy (even those who had initially fought against him) to work together to fight them off. When he eventually died, his bones were enshrined in the same vessel as those of Patroclos. Pyrrhos inherited his throne.](else_if: $Achilles is 'eloped')[Excessively enamored with the Amazon Queen Penthesileia, Achilleus returned to Phthia to marry her. They had only been married a few days before they started to get bored of domesticity, and decided (on what can only be called a whim) to conquer all of Hellas while its defenders were all still at Troy. Thanks to Penthesileia's Amazon troops and their combat methods, this was accomplished in a surprisingly short time, and all the fighting had already ended by the time the war in the Troad came to its own conclusion. In the course of their war of conquest, Achilleus and Penthesileia came to an understanding: he was free to share his bed with as many men or boys as he wished, but no other woman but Penthesileia, and she was likewise free to share her bed with other women, but no man other than Achilleus. This arrangement worked so well for them that they tried to make it the standard practice in their Hellas, though few others embraced it. (And, of course, Achilleus only rarely exercised the freedom to bring ephebes to his bed, and never went to the bed of any man other than Patroclos.) They had ten children, and when Achilleus finally died (his remains being put to rest in a common grave with both Penthesileia and Patroclos) the two eldest--twins--inherited Hellas, crafting a new law to celebrate their parents and the strength of their bond, which laid out that the country should always be ruled by a team of one man and one woman (typically either siblings or cousins), each with equal power.](else_if: $Achilles is 'withdrawn')[Outraged that you felt he was ruled by his desires, Achilleus returned to Phthia in a fit of anger(if: $Patroclos is not 'dead')[, along with Patroclos(if: $Briseis is 'Achilles')[ and Briseis, both of whom were forced to spend all their time for months doing nothing but soothing his ego…with the result of their ministrations being that all of Thessaly was convinced Achilleus was absolutely addicted to sexual satisfaction](else:)[, who had to spend days of intimate private time to convince Achilleus to spend even one evening in the company of other people, leading the gossip all throughout Thessaly to speculate that Achilleus had no use for anything other than his lover's bed]](else:)[(if: $Briseis is 'Achilles')[, along with Briseis, who used all her energy and charm on trying to cheer him up enough to smile. All she accomplished was to finally get pregnant, but that at least forced Achilleus to do as he had promised and marry her]. Peleus was greatly distressed to see his son behave in such a childish manner, and swore he would not permit Achilleus to inherit Phthia if he did not begin to behave more appropriately, so Achilleus set off to the north(if: $Patroclos is not 'dead')[with Patroclos] to prove himself by conquering Hyperborea. He never returned.]](else_if: $MarriedPolyxena is 'Yes')[After the war ended, Achilleus returned to Phthia with his new wife, Polyxena, much to the surprise of his father. However, Peleus soon came to appreciate the pretty Trojan princess, and he made no objections to the marriage. (if: $Briseis is 'Achilles')[Achilleus' concubine Briseis, however, made so many objections that Achilleus (if: $Patroclos is 'dead')[left Phthia one day while Polyxena was pregnant with his first child, saying he wanted to visit Patroclos' barrow to pay his respects, and was never seen again.](else:)[that Patroclos was so constantly trying to talk Achilleus down from his rage that eventually both Briseis and Polyxena became more jealous of Patroclos than of each other. As soon as Polyxena was pregnant, Achilleus and Patroclos left to visit some old friends from the war, and were never seen again.]](else:)[Following the birth of his first child by Polyxena, Achilleus began to lose interest in her, spending more time with Patroclos than with her, but still gave her just enough of his time that she never became *too* jealous, even if she also never became pregnant again.]](else:)[Achilleus returned to Phthia after the war's end, (if: $Briseis is 'Achilles' and $Polyxena is 'Achilles')[with two very regal concubines, both of whom he insisted he loved dearly. (if: $Patroclos is not 'dead')[Since he couldn't choose between them--and was still sharing many of his nights with Patroclos anyway--rather than free and marry one, Achilleus kept both of them as his concubines, and never took a wife, instead sending to Scyros so that the son he left behind there could become his heir. He only lived about another decade before suddenly dropping dead on the battlefield before any enemy had touched him. Everyone said--when his temperamental son couldn't hear them--that he had died from too much sex.](else:)[Rather than trying to choose between Briseis and Polyxena--and since his father had insisted that he could not marry them both--Achilleus left them both as his concubines, and sent to Scyros for his son by Deidameia to be his heir.]](else_if: $Briseis is 'Achilles')[with his concubine, Briseis. (if: $Patroclos is not 'dead')[With Patroclos' help, Achilleus convinced his father to allow him to marry Briseis properly, and the three of them lived together in a warm union that lasted the rest of their lives.](else:)[Though his father resisted the idea at first, Achilleus kept his promise and married Briseis. Briseis died giving birth to their fourth child many years later, and Achilleus soon left Phthia to their eldest son and returned to the Troad, where he kept watch over Patroclos' barrow for the rest of his days. When he finally died, his mother emerged from the ocean to supervise his funeral pyre, and she personally placed his bones in the golden amphora along with Patroclos', as he had wished.]](else_if: $Polyxena is 'Achilles')[with his concubine, Polyxena. (if: $Patroclos is not 'dead')[With Patroclos' help, Achilleus convinced his father to allow him to marry Polyxena properly, and the three of them lived together in a warm union that lasted the rest of their lives.](else:)[Though his father resisted the idea at first, Achilleus freed and married Polyxena. Polyxena died giving birth to their fifth child many years later, and Achilleus soon left Phthia to their eldest son and returned to the Troad, where he kept watch over Patroclos' barrow for the rest of his days. When he finally died, his mother emerged from the ocean to supervise his funeral pyre, and she personally placed his bones in the golden amphora along with Patroclos', as he had wished.]](else:)[with many ordinary slaves, but no concubine to keep his bed warm. Peleus set about trying to find a bride for his son, but Achilleus consistently rejected them all, and by the time Peleus died of old age, it was clear even to him that his son refused to take a wife because he wanted no one who could come between him and Patroclos. Once his father was gone, Achilleus sent to Scyros for the son he had fathered there, and made him his heir. When they eventually died, Achilleus and Patroclos were buried in the same grave.]]

<img src="Helen.jpg" width="600" height="1001"><center> #TROJANS ###(AND ALLIES) ##PRIAM (if: $Priam is 'murdered')[After having witnessed the slaughter of his youngest son, Polites, by Neoptolemos, the venerable King Priam was also slain the same way, over the altar of Zeus within his own palace.](else_if: $Memnon is 'withdrawn' or $Penthesileia is 'withdrawn')[King Priam and the surviving members of his family were all handed over to Cycnos of Colonai as his guests. As Priam's former son-in-law, Cycnos treated the aged king with affection and kindness. He lived long enough to see the walls of Troy begin to be rebuilt; though he remained in Colonai for the rest of his days, he was buried in the rebuilt Troy.](else_if: $Hector is 'captive')[Before sailing away, you released King Priam and the other members of his family captured in the final push of the war shortly before his death, the venerable Priam was once more properly the King of Troy.](else_if: $MarriedPolyxena is 'Yes')[Much to his surprise, after being captured alive during the final battle, King Priam was not enslaved or put to death, but handed over to his traitorous son-in-law, Achilleus, who took him back to Phthia as some strange combination of guest and prisoner. Priam rankled at the notion at first, but found himself very well treated in Phthia, and ended up becoming good friends with Achilleus' father, Peleus. When he passed peacefully from the world, he was buried with honors in a fine tomb in Phthia.](else_if: $Priam is 'saved')[King Priam and his queen were given over to their former son-in-law, Cycnos, as permanent guests after the war was over. Cycnos did not allow them to leave Colonai, even after Troy began to be rebuilt by the other survivors, but he made sure the rest of their lives were comfortable and pleasant. When Priam eventually passed away, Cycnos gave him a magnificent funeral, and a beautiful tomb.](else:)[Captured during the final battle, but spared traditional enslavement, the elderly Priam ended his days serving the king of the gods in a temple in the Peloponnese. He was given a burial of honor when he died many years later.] When Agamemnon led the war, King Priam was brutally slaughtered by Neoptolemos on the altar to Zeus inside Priam's own palace, shortly after Neoptolemos also slew Priam's youngest son, Polites. The slaying was viewed as one of the worst acts committed by the Achaian forces during the war. ##HECABE (if: $Priam is 'saved')[Queen Hecabe and her husband were given over to their former son-in-law, Cycnos, as permanent guests after the war was over. Cycnos did not allow them to leave Colonai, even after Troy began to be rebuilt by the other survivors, but he made sure the rest of their lives were comfortable and pleasant. When Hecabe eventually passed away, Cycnos gave her a magnificent funeral, and laid her remains in the beautiful tomb he had already built for Priam.](else_if: $Memnon is 'withdrawn' or $Penthesileia is 'withdrawn')[Along with the other survivors of the royal family, Queen Hecabe was handed over to Cycnos of Colonai at the conclusion of the war. They all returned to Colonai with Cycnos as his honored guests. In her final days, Hecabe was able to return to the rebuilt Troy with the rest of her family.](else_if: $Hector is 'captive')[Before sailing away, you released Queen Hecabe and the other members of her family captured in the final push of the war. They returned to the ruins of Troy, seeking shelter, but were unsure how to gather the scattered survivors or begin the process of rebuilding. They had not come to any decisions before the first of Hatti's reinforcements arrived. Too late to save the city, the Great King's forces helped to rebuild it instead. Hecabe lived long enough to see her godlike son Hector finally made King of Troy.](else_if: $MarriedPolyxena is 'Yes')[Much to her surprise, after being captured during the final battle, Queen Hecabe was not enslaved, but handed over to her traitorous son-in-law, Achilleus, who took her back to Phthia as some strange combination of guest and prisoner. Hecabe was aghast at the situation at first, but found herself very well treated in Phthia, and was glad to have her daughter by her side, particularly after her husband passed from the world. She lived long enough to watch her grandson by Polyxena and Achilleus grow to an overly excitable toddler before she, too, passed on, and was laid to rest along with her husband in the fine tomb that had been built for him in Phthia.](else_if: $Hecabe is 'Zeus')[Captured during the final battle, but spared traditional enslavement, the elderly Hecabe ended her days serving the queen of the gods in a temple in the Peloponnese, in the same holy complex as the temple where Priam was serving Zeus. She was given a burial of honor in the same tomb as Priam when she died many years later.](else_if: $Hecabe is 'Odysseus')[Given to Odysseus as a slave at the end of the war, Hecabe was so distraught by everything she had suffered that the gods took pity on her and turned her to stone to save her the misery of the death she would have suffered as Odysseus' ships were destroyed one by one on his ten year journey home.](else_if: $Hecabe is 'Idomeneus')[Given to Idomeneus as a slave at the end of the war, Hecabe was taken to Crete, where she was given to a temple of the local goddess Britomartis. She lived out the rest of her days in service to the goddess.](else_if: $Hecabe is 'Nestor')[Given to Nestor as a slave at the end of the war, Hecabe was taken to Pylos, where she was given over to a temple of Hera. She lived out the rest of her days in service to the queen of the gods.](else_if: $Hecabe is 'Menelaos')[Upon receiving Queen Hecabe as a portion of his spoils at the end of the war, Menelaos decided that she would make a good attendant for Helen, since Helen's own attendant slave, Aethra, had been rescued by her grandsons Acamas and Demophon when Troy fell. (And he couldn't really resent their doing so since, in some deep part of his soul, Menelaos realized that really probably ought to have freed Aethra as soon as he married Helen, considering she was his cousin.) Helen seemed pleased to have Hecabe with her, but *Hecabe* was less than pleased. She disappeared from the boat on the way back to Hellas; some said she had jumped off, others said that she had made an attempt on Helen's life and had been killed in the process, while still others said that Helen herself had done away with the vindictive queen. Menelaos decided to tell people that the gods had turned her into a dolphin to make up for all that she had suffered.] When Agamemnon led the war, the captive Queen Hecabe was granted to Odysseus as part of his spoils. Following the sacrifice of her daughter Polyxena on the tomb of Achilleus and the murder of her grandson Astyanax, she was driven so wild with grief that some said she was turned into a mad dog, and others that she was turned to stone, while some even insisted that she was turned *first* into a dog and *then* to stone. ##HECTOR (if: $AchillesDeath is 'FirstDay' or $AiasSDeath is 'FirstDay')[Prince Hector gave up his life on the first day of the war, taking down one of the mightiest champions of the Achaians in the process. Though his sacrifice was ultimately in vain, he remained revered for many long generations to come.](else_if: $killer is 'Hector')[Hector was slain by Achilleus at the conclusion of his bloody quest for vengeance after Hector killed Achilleus' lover, Patroclos. Achilleus spent more than a week punishing Hector's corpse before King Priam ransomed the body, allowing Hector to have a proper funeral at last.](else_if: $Hector is 'dead')[The mighty Prince Hector was slain in a deceitful trap of your designing. For centuries, your name was cursed throughout Anatolia for this action, and you become synonymous with cowardice and deception.](else_if: $Hector is 'captive')[After being captured in your surprisingly effective trap, Hector was released at the end of the war, along with all his kin, after making a solemn vow never to come to Achaia seeking vengeance for all that was lost in the war. He set about rebuilding Troy, and making sure that future generations never forgot what had happened. The names Helen and Alexandros were forbidden in Troy for centuries to come.](else_if: $Andromache is '.' or 0)[Despite numerous reports to the contrary, Hector survived the final battle within the city walls. Once he was certain that all the Achaian ships had sailed away, he began looking for other survivors, and with them began to rebuild the city. The arrival of "reinforcements" from Hatti helped with the process, and Hector was soon signing treaties with the new Great King to ensure that this defeat could never be repeated. (Unfortunately, unbeknownst to Hector, Hattusa itself would fall in less than a hundred years' time, never to be rebuilt, so he really only bought a few generations of security for his people.)](else:)[After surviving ten long years of war to defend his people, Prince Hector was slain during the final battle within the city. No one ever learned the identity of his killer, but he remained revered in the area for centuries, and when Troy was rebuilt, there was a large shrine in his honor in front of the new palace.] When Agamemnon led the war, Hector was slain by Achilleus in vengeance for the death of Patroclos. Achilleus took his naked body back to the Achaian camp, attaching it to the back of his chariot by means of the sash that Aias of Salamis had given him at the conclusion of their duel. Achilleus continued this abuse of Hector's body for twelve days, until the gods arranged for Priam to come to the Achaian camp personally to ransom his son's body. Thankfully, the gods had preserved the body with ambrosia, so it had neither been damaged by Achilleus' abuse nor had it suffered any decay, and his people were able to see the undamaged face of their great hero one last time. The combination of Hector's might and his kindness made him one of the greatest heroes of the Trojan War. ##ANDROMACHE (if: $Hector is 'captive')[Adhering to the oath you made to her husband when you captured him, you released Andromache along with the other captive members of the Trojan royal family when you sailed away. For the first few days, they wandered the area, gathering up survivors of the city's destruction, then began the reconstruction efforts, with help sent by the Great King in Hattusa. During the reconstruction process, Andromache was mostly concerned with taking care of little Scamandrios (or Astyanax, as most people called him), but by the time her husband became King of Troy, Andromache was free to dedicate her time and cares to her new duties as queen. She and her husband lived to old age, surrounded by their children and grandchildren.](else_if: $Memnon is 'withdrawn' or $Penthesileia is 'withdrawn')[Andromache was released into the care of Cycnos of Colonai following the war. Despite the reconstruction of Troy, Andromache elected to remain in Colonai(unless: $AchillesDeath is 'FirstDay' or $AiasSDeath is 'FirstDay')[, though her young son by her late husband Hector eventually became King Scamandrios of Troy, a mighty monarch who began carving out the Trojan Empire, a process his own sons would finish, transforming Troy into the greatest empire in all of Anatolia following the ruination of Hattusa].](else_if: $Andromache is 'Diomedes')[Assigned to Diomedes as a slave following the war, Andromache and her infant son were taken to Argos, (if: $Aphrodite is 'pissed' or $Achilles is 'left' or $Achilles is 'eloped')[and then to Apulia, where Diomedes gave her to one of the most important citizens of his new city as a wife. Andromache did not love her new husband (barely knew him, really, as they did not speak a common tongue), but considered herself well treated by him, and was pleased that he adopted her son, allowing him to grow up to be a fine gentleman of Apulia.](else:)[where he eventually gave her to his comrade Sthenelos, to protect her from the jealousy of Diomedes' wife. Sthenelos married her (his own wife having recently died), and adopted her son by Hector as his own.]](else_if: $Andromache is 'Neoptolemos')[Andromache considered the fate of being given to the son of Achilleus one of the worst she could endure, beginning as it did with the murder of her infant son, and for nearly a decade her life remained perpetual torment. She gave birth to three sons by Neoptolemos, and was not well treated by him. However, following his death, she married her former brother-in-law, Helenos, and became Queen of Epeiros, having one more son by Helenos. She lived a long life in relative peace, and at the end of her days she was given a fine funeral by her eldest surviving son, King Molossos of Epeiros.](else_if: $Andromache is 'Aias of Salamis')[Your decision to award Andromache to Aias of Salamis took pretty much everyone by surprise, since Aias already had a concubine he was quite in love with. Consequently, he gave Andromache to his brother Teukros, who married her on their return to Salamis, adopting her son by Hector in the process. Andromache was reluctant about the arrangement at first, but soon came to love Teukros, though not as much as she had loved Hector. They had a long and happy life together.](else_if: $Andromache is 'Menesthios')[Awarded to Menesthios, grandson of Peleus, Andromache found herself brought to Phthia following the end of the war. Menesthios became embroiled in his uncle's constant fights to maintain his new reign over all of Hellas, and died a few years after his return. Unsure what to do with his (largely untouched) concubine following her son's demise, Achilleus' sister freed Andromache, making her into one of her household servants, and allowing her son Scamandrios to join the Myrmidons. Seeing her son become a soldier in the Hellenic military was most distressing to Andromache, but she otherwise felt that this was not an entirely awful life.](else:)[As you somehow managed *not* to assign Andromache to anyone, the men who were supervising the division of the slaves left her untended for a few minutes while they went to seek you out to find out what they were supposed to do with her. In that time, Andromache managed to slip out of the chaos and disappear into the wilderness with her young son. Later that day, after the ships had sailed away (because no one wanted to admit that they had let Hector's widow and son escape), Andromache began making her way towards the smoldering ruins of the city, in the hopes of finding other survivors. Much to her amazement, she found her beloved Hector, wounded but very much alive! Their touching reunion moved all who witnessed it, and became the subject of art and legend for many centuries. Andromache helped Hector rebuild Troy (with a great deal of help from the Great King in Hattusa), and they ruled over the city for many decades before leaving the throne to their son Scamandrios.] When Agamemnon led the war, Andromache was given to Neoptolemos as a concubine. Neoptolemos promptly had her son thrown from the walls of the city (or did the murderous act himself) and over the next eight to ten years had his way with her repeatedly, fathering at least three sons on her. Following his death at the hands of Orestes (or Apollo (or both)), Andromache married Helenos, and had at least one more son to him, this time finally as a queen. Some claim that she and Helenos were hosts to Aineias on a westward journey to found a new Troy somewhere far away, but since they also claim that Andromache never had any children after Astyanax, what can they know? (Their chronology was also way off, claiming that Neoptolemos was already dead years before Telemachos visited Sparta mere days after Neoptolemos' marriage to Hermione.) ##CASSANDRA (if: $Hector is 'captive')[Adhering to the oath you made to her brother when you captured him, you released Cassandra along with the other captive members of the Trojan royal family when you sailed away. For the first few days, they wandered the area, gathering up survivors of the city's destruction, then began the reconstruction efforts, with help sent by the Great King in Hattusa. While Cassandra was not much help in reconstruction (due to her apparent madness), she was at least happily reunited with her family. Once the city was rebuilt, she lived out the rest of her days in comfort among her siblings and their children.](else_if: $Memnon is 'withdrawn' or $Penthesileia is 'withdrawn')[Cassandra was released into the care of Cycnos of Colonai following the war. Cassandra took to taking long walks around Colonai, and after one of those walks went on long after dark, Cycnos himself went looking for her, finding her alone and disrobed near the side of a river. She never admitted if it was the river god or Apollo himself or some mere mortal, but Cassandra both became pregnant and lost most of her trappings of madness, leading to speculation of an immortal father for her child. Though she lost her power of prophecy, her son gained it(unless: $AchillesDeath is 'FirstDay' or $AiasSDeath is 'FirstDay')[, and became the greatest advisor to his cousin King Scamandrios as he built the Trojan Empire up out of the dust].](else_if: $AchillesDeath is 'FirstDay')[As you were transporting Cassandra to Hellas, your ship was suddenly sunk by an angry Nereid. While you were being personally drowned by Thetis, her sister Nereids rescued Cassandra from the sinking ship and took her to Delos, giving her over to Apollo's care as a priestess in the service of the divine twins of Leto. Although Cassandra was still cursed and appeared mad to all who heard her, the other priests knew that she possessed a divine madness that allowed her to predict the future accurately. This allowed her to help prevent many terrible events.](else:)[You brought Cassandra safely to Delphi, and handed her over to the priests in charge of the place, despite that you thought her mad. That night, Apollo visited Cassandra in the room the priests had given her as a future Pythia, and promised to remove the curse of madness from her if she would finally allow him to share her bed. This time, she relented, and in consequence she became one of the most revered women ever to hold the title of Pythia, and her daughter by Apollo was such a gifted poet and singer that she was often called the Tenth Muse. (This meant Sappho became the Eleventh Muse. Also that women who loved women were often called Delphics.)] When Agamemnon led the war, Cassandra was made into Agamemnon's concubine at the conclusion of the war, and had already borne him twins by the time they made it back to Mycenae, where both they and the infants were hacked to pieces by Agamemnon's wife Clytemnestra and her lover Aigisthos, who was both Agamemnon's first *and* second cousin, as well as being both brother and nephew of Clytemnestra's first husband, who had been murdered by Agamemnon, along with their infant son. ##HELENOS (if: $Memnon is 'withdrawn' or $Penthesileia is 'withdrawn')[Along with the other survivors of the royal family, Prince Helenos was handed over to Cycnos of Colonai at the conclusion of the war. They all returned to Colonai with Cycnos as his honored guests. After a few years, Cycnos began to allow the younger generation to leave Colonai and return to the rebuilt Troy. (if: $Hector is 'dead')[Helenos might have tried to claim the kingship, as the oldest of Priam's surviving sons, but he declined to do so.]](else_if: $Hector is 'captive')[Before sailing away, you released Prince Helenos and the other members of the Trojan royal family. They returned to the ruins of Troy, seeking shelter, but were unsure how to gather the scattered survivors or begin the process of rebuilding. They had not come to any decisions before the first of Hatti's reinforcements arrived. Too late to save the city, the Great King's forces helped to rebuild it instead. Hector finally became King of Troy as he was always meant to be, and Helenos served him as faithful advisor for the rest of his days.](else_if: $Helenos is 'Neoptolemos')[If it were not for his great gift of prophecy, Helenos would have hated being enslaved to the brutal Neoptolemos. However, he knew what fate had in store for him, so he did all he could to help Neoptolemos get to the proper position with the minimum number of lives lost. In the process, he unintentionally became something of a father figure to the young warrior who had never known paternal love, and it was because of that bond that Helenos was able to reach his destined position as King of Epeiros, a title he held in the place of Neoptolemos' young son Molossos following Neoptolemos' death. He also moved in on the boy's mother, which was not strictly speaking in the visions he had seen, but over the years since the war ended he had really realized that he had actually always had something of a torch for her, even back when his godlike brother Hector still lived. Thankfully, Andromache didn't seem to mind, perhaps because Helenos was such a step up from Neoptolemos. Given that he was technically only holding the title for Molossos (and he knew that the gods had a great deal planned for Molossos' descendents), Helenos stepped down as king after Molossos reached an age with enough maturity to rule without tyranny.](else_if: $Helenos is 'Aias of Salamis')[Somewhat puzzled by this turn of events, Helenos accompanied Aias back to Salamis, where he was delighted to finally meet his aunt, Hesione. Helenos remained in Salamis for the rest of his life, sharing the wisdom of the gods with Aias, Teukros and their sons. (Before the death of Telamon, however, he refused to share any prophecies with the man who had assisted in killing his grandfather and so many of his uncles, and then held his aunt as a slave for so many long decades.)](else_if: $Helenos is 'Aias of Locris')[Helenos was aghast to be assigned as a slave to Aias of Locris. (if: $storm is 'on' or 'localized')[When the storm sank the ship carrying Aias, Helenos found himself rescued from the ocean waves by a dolphin, which took him to Delos, where he became a priest to Apollo.](else:)[Knowing as he did that Aias would have raped Helenos' twin sister Cassandra if you had given him the opportunity, Helenos took the first chance he got to leap off the ship into the waves of the wine-dark sea below, preferring death to remaining in servitude to a man like Aias of Locris. His favor with the gods led Poseidon to send a dolphin to save Helenos, however. The dolphin took him to Delos, where Helenos became a priest to Apollo.]](else_if: $Helenos is 'Menelaos')[(if: $storm is 'on')[After the storm scattered the Achaian fleet and Menelaos' ships ended up in Egypt, the Spartan king found himself getting jealous of the younger and much more attractive Trojan prince, as he felt Helenos kept making eyes at Helen. Rather than risk angering the gods by murdering a seer, Menelaos gave Helenos to Ramses as a gift. The Egyptian king got great use out of Helenos' gift of prophecy (which was variously attributed to a number of Egyptian gods), and by the time of Helenos' death, he had become something of a demi-god to the Egyptian people, receiving not only a fine tomb but several small shrines across the country where he was worshipped for centuries to come.](else:)[Menelaos quickly came to feel that Helenos was being entirely too friendly with Helen, and decided to be rid of the pretty Trojan prince before he could become a second Alexandros. Rather than risk killing him, Menelaos sent him to Delphi as an offering to Apollo. Helenos gladly lived out the rest of his days as a priest of Apollo at Delphi.]](else_if: $Helenos is 'Creon')[(if: $AchillesDeath is 'FirstDay')[When your ship was sunk by an angry Thetis, the other Nereids rescued Helenos along with his twin sister Cassandra, taking both twins to Delos to serve the divine twins, since they had after all received their gifts of prophecy from Apollo.](else:)[You had planned to make use of Helenos' prophetic gifts for yourself when you decided he would be part of your share of the spoils, but by the time you reached Delphi to drop off his twin sister Cassandra, you decided it would be too cruel to part them, and left Helenos there as well. Helenos gladly lived out the rest of his days as a priest of Apollo at Delphi, and served many long years as the primary go-between who brought Cassandra's prophecies as the Pythia to those who came seeking the advice of the god.]] When Agamemnon led the war, Helenos was given to Neoptolemos as part of his share of the loot. He helped Neoptolemos to avoid the storm that would destroy so many of the Achaian ships (though Thetis is also often credited with protecting her grandson from that storm), and gave him continual advice as Neoptolemos made his way first to Phthia and then to Epeiros, which he conquered. Some say Neoptolemos freed Helenos and gave Andromache to him before leaving for Sparta to marry Hermione, while others say that Helenos simply took his freedom (and his brother's widow) after Neoptolemos' death, but either way, Helenos ended up married to Andromache, raising her three sons by the son of Hector's killer. Helenos ruled in Epeiros until the throne went to Molossos, eldest of Andromache's surviving sons. Despite that he was a Trojan and had been an enemy of Achilleus, Helenos' name was among those used by the Epirote royal families for centuries to come. ##ALEXANDROS (if: $Alexandros is 'alive')[Alexandros was killed by Menelaos during the final battle within the walls of Troy. He was caught unarmed, because Helen had hidden his weapons within their chamber. (if: $easyway is 'yep')[Menelaos had been let into the city by Alexandros' other wife, Oenone, proving that in the end it's who you are on the inside that matters, not how pretty your face is.]](else_if: $ParisDeath is 'canon')[Alexandros was slain by the poisoned arrows shot from the Bow of Heracles by its proper bearer, Philoctetes.](else_if: $ParisDeath is 'Achilles')[Alexandros was quite brutally killed by Achilleus in battle before the walls of Troy.](else:)[Alexandros was killed in battle by Menelaos.] When Agamemnon led the war, Alexandros was given a fatal wound by Philoctetes and the Bow of Heracles, but his brother Deiphobos rescued him before he could be killed. At Alexandros' insistence, Deiphobos took him to Mount Ida, to the home of Alexandros' spurned first wife, the nymph Oenone. Much to Alexandros' surprise, rather than healing him (as she had always promised to do), she told him to go back to the city and have his *new* wife heal him. As a result, he died of the wounds Philoctetes had given him. (Some like to claim that Oenone was so remorseful at not having saved him that she took her own immortal life. Don't believe them.) ##DEIPHOBOS (if: $Deiphobos is 'dead')[Deiphobos was killed in battle during the war.](else_if: $Alexandros is 'dead')[Deiphobos demanded to receive Helen as his wife after his brother Alexandros' death. Helen was not consulted and did not like this at all…consequently, (if: $thorse is 'yup')[after he forced her to imitate the wives of all the Achaians he worried might be hiding inside the wooden horse,] Helen took advantage of the party to hide all of Deiphobos' weapons so he wouldn't be able to defend himself when Menelaos came to kill him. Everything worked exactly as Helen had planned, and Menelaos took great pleasure in killing Deiphobos.](else:)[Deiphobos died during the final battle within the city walls.] When Agamemnon led the war, Deiphobos forced Helen to marry him after Alexandros' death. Suspecting there might be men hiding inside the Trojan Horse, he also forced her to imitate the wives of all the Achaian leaders, calling out to the men inside. When there was no response, he went to join the party while Helen returned to their chambers to hide all his weapons, so he was unable to defend himself from Menelaos. ##POLYXENA (if: $MarriedPolyxena is 'Yes')[Despite that her marriage to him was part of a ploy to open the gates of the city at long last, Polyxena remained married to Achilleus, and accompanied him back to Phthia. Of course, he was not the most faithful of husbands, but she reflected that she could very easily have done much worse. And Phthia was a very nice place to raise children.](else_if: $Hector is 'captive')[Adhering to the oath you made to her brother when you captured him, you released Polyxena along with the other captive members of the Trojan royal family when you sailed away. For the first few days, they wandered the area, gathering up survivors of the city's destruction, then began the reconstruction efforts, with help sent by the Great King in Hattusa. Polyxena was not able to do much to help the reconstruction other than to watch over children, but once the city was rebuilt, she entered into a political marriage with a representative of Hattusa, helping to ensure that her brother's reign would be smoothly protected by the Great King.](else_if: $Memnon is 'withdrawn' or $Penthesileia is 'withdrawn')[Polyxena was released into the care of Cycnos of Colonai following the war. She remained in Colonai until Troy was rebuilt, at which time she returned to the city of her birth(unless: $AchillesDeath is 'FirstDay' or $AiasSDeath is 'FirstDay')[, and helped her nephew Scamandrios rule his growing empire justly and wisely].](else_if: $Polyxena is 'Achilles')[Given to Achilleus as his portion of the final spoils of the war, Polyxena accompanied Achilleus back to Phthia. (if: $Briseis is 'Achilles')[Though she had hoped she might end up becoming his wife, she remained a concubine for the rest of his life, but it wasn't so bad as it might have been, since he was, after all, *very* pretty, and only spent maybe one in three nights with her anyway.](else:)[Once he had his father's permission, he married Polyxena, and they had a few too many children for her tastes, as childbirth turned out to be very unpleasant. (It often made her wonder how in the world her mother had managed to have so very many children!)]](else_if: $Polyxena is 'Join Achilleus')[Much to her surprise, Polyxena was dragged out to what appeared to be a mound of dirt by Neoptolemos. He shouted "The girl you asked for is coming now, Father!" and slit her throat, leaving her corpse beside the mound to rot. The herald Talthybios felt sorry for her family, and buried the body in the side of the barrow.](else_if: $Polyxena is 'Tend the Tomb of Achilleus')[Under Neoptolemos' glowering gaze, you personally led Polyxena to the side of Achilleus' barrow and explained that she was being offered to Achilleus as his bride, and as such it was her duty to spend the rest of her life keeping the barrow clean and well maintained. Neoptolemos warned her that she would be constantly watched by Achaian ships, and that if she tried to defile the tomb or escape her duty, she would suffer the wrath of the gods. Dutifully, Polyxena spent the rest of her long life tending to the tomb in a nice house built for her by some traders from Lemnos who felt sorry for her, living on offerings left for Achilleus by Achaians who came to see his grave. (if: $Patroclos is not 'dead')[Patroclos shared the house and duties with her, but they rarely interacted, as he was too caught up in his own personal grief.]](else_if: $Polyxena is 'Antilochos')[Granted to Antilochos as his share of the spoils at the end of the war, Polyxena was taken back to Pylos with the young prince. (if: $Achilles is 'left' or 'eloped')[She rarely saw her master, however, as Antilochos left her behind in his father's palace when he went to see Achilleus about his recent conquest of all of Hellas, and forgot to send for her when he joined Achilleus' court as an advisor.](else:)[As Antilochos was but one of so many, he was not needed for any political alliances, and ended up marrying her. They had several children and lived in relative contentment.]](else_if: $Polyxena is 'Ascalaphos')[Given to Ascalaphos as part of his share of the loot from the sacking of Troy, Polyxena was taken to Orchomenos as a concubine. It was no different from the life of any other enslaved concubine, though she was a little surprised to find her master was such an ordinary man, considering he was the son of a god.](else_if: $Polyxena is 'Ialmenos')[Given to Ialmenos as part of his share of the loot from the sacking of Troy, Polyxena was taken to Orchomenos as a concubine. It was no different from the life of any other enslaved concubine, though she was a little surprised to find her master was such an ordinary man, considering he was the son of a god.](else_if: $Polyxena is 'Thrasymedes')[Granted to Thrasymedes, eldest son of Nestor, as his share of the spoils, Polyxena was taken to Pylos when the war ended, where she learned that Nestor seemed to be immortal, because he just kept living and living and living and living and living…](else:)[As you somehow managed *not* to assign Polyxena to anyone, the men who were supervising the division of the slaves left her untended for a few minutes while they went to seek you out to find out what they were supposed to do with her. In that time, Polyxena managed to slip out of the chaos and disappear into the wilderness. Later that day, after the ships had sailed away (because no one wanted to admit that they had let one of Priam's daughters escape), Polyxena began making her way towards the smoldering ruins of the city, in the hopes of finding other survivors. She did indeed find them, and joined them in the rebuilding of the city. She eventually fell in love with one of the Amazons who had stayed behind.] When Agamemnon led the war, Polyxena was captured with the rest of the royal Trojan women at the end of the war. They say that the shade of Achilleus then appeared to the princes of the force and demanded his share of the spoils, namely Polyxena. His son Neoptolemos therefore slaughtered the girl on the side of Achilleus' tomb in order to send her shade down to join him. Accounts vary as to whether or not her body was buried afterwards, and by whom. ##AINEIAS (if: $Aineias is $killer)[Despite all his divine mother's attempts to protect him, Aineias was unable to survive the wrath of a bereaved Achilleus. He perished horribly, and his body was subjected to grievous mistreatment, but was protected from suffering any effects of that mistreatment by the use of ambrosia. Rumor had it that after his aged father ransomed his body, both Anchises and the corpse of Aineias vanished, either taken to Mount Olympos for Aphrodite to revive her son as an immortal, or both taken to the Elysian Fields to last out eternity in paradise.](else_if: $Aineias is 'dead')[Aineias was killed by another demi-god, the invulnerable son of Poseidon, Cycnos. In vengeance, it is said, Aphrodite prevented Poseidon from ever making another conquest.](else_if: $Aineias is 'enslaved')[After being taken to Lemnos as a slave by Odysseus, no certain facts were known about his fate, though rumors on Lemnos were that he had been taken somewhere to the far south to be enslaved to the lusts of a beautiful queen. (Which most of the Achaian men agreed was nice work if you could get it!)](else:)[Aineias fought like a lion during the final battle in the streets of Troy, but with the city already overrun by your soldiers, there was nothing he could do other than evacuate his family and as many others as he could to protect them from being enslaved. (if: $Hector is 'dead')[He spearheaded the rebuilding of Troy after the battle, and became its king, ruling with justice and strength for many long years.](else:)[Rumor has it that he and the other survivors he led out of the city took ship and fled for some far distant land to the west, but it seems unlikely to you. He probably just led them to safety until the rebuilding started at Troy…]] When Agamemnon led the war, Aineias either escaped the destruction alive (thanks to the interference not only of his divine mother, but even of Poseidon, who once saved him from a grief-maddened Achilleus, knowing that Aineias was meant to rule over the Trojan people when the war was over) or was captured by the Achaian army in the final year of the war and forced to assist in bringing the walls down as quickly as possible, thereby buying not only his own freedom at the end of the war, but that of his family as well. He became the leader of the Trojan people after the war, either in the rebuilt Troy or in a distant land far to the west, which would one day become the conqueror of all of Hellas, avenging Troy's destruction more than a thousand years earlier. (if: $Cycnos is not 'ally')[##CYCNOS (if: $Cycnos is 'pissed')[Despite having briefly joined the Achaian side, Cycnos returned home to Colonai in a fury after you dispatched your men to Tenedos and killed his son Tenes in the process. However, he then simply waited for you to come fight him…and you never did. He's still waiting.](else_if: $Cycnos is 'pissed/dead')[Despite having briefly joined the Achaian side, Cycnos returned home to Colonai in a fury after you dispatched your men to Tenedos and killed his son Tenes in the process. When you then sent your army to Colonai to deal with him, your champion was able to successfully strangle him to death, despite his invulnerable skin.](else_if: $Cycnos is 'dead')[Despite the invulnerability his father, Poseidon, had given him, Cycnos died on the field of battle against your landing army. Strangely, this did not cause Poseidon to withdraw his support of the Achaian forces.] When Agamemnon led the war, Cycnos was strangled to death by Achilleus on the first day of the war. (Or crushed by him; accounts vary.) Following his death, he was transformed into a swan.] ##MEMNON (if: $Memnon is 'withdrawn')[Persuaded by Cycnos and Nestor to return home to Ethiopia with his soldiers, Memnon made the return journey and arrived just in time to stop Ramses from invading his lands. He ruled for a great many years and was revered both by his own people and by the people from all the nearby kingdoms.](else_if: $Memnon is 'rescued')[When Memnon received a serious wound from a foe his mother could not accept as worthy of him, Eos came down to the battlefield and rescued her son, whisking him away back to Ethiopia. He was quite outraged with her over the rescue, as he said it had mortally wounded his pride, and was furthermore entirely unnecessary, as he could still have defeated his opponent. By the time he could finish outfitting a new expedition to return to Troy, however, word had already reached him of the city's destruction. Memnon pledged to be an enemy forevermore to the Achaian people, and began to build up his empire in an effort to be more prepared to fight and destroy their now eternal enemy.](else_if: $Memnon is 'dead')[Despite the pleas of his divine mother to Zeus himself that he should intervene, Memnon's duel to the death with Achilleus played out in full, and he perished in the distant land that had birthed his father. Hypnos and Thanatos rescued his body and brought it back to Ethiopia for a full and proper funeral. He was worshipped in his homeland for many long generations to come.](else:)[Despite all of Memnon's continued efforts, Troy fell to its Achaian oppressors. Memnon helped to evacuate as many of the civilians as he could once he realized there was no saving the city. He took them with him on his journey back to Ethiopia, though many chose to stay behind in one friendly port of call or another; Phoenicia especially seemed appealing to the Trojans, and became the new home of many of the Trojan refugees.] When Agamemnon led the war, Memnon was slain by Achilleus in vengeance for having just killed Antilochos (who some said Achilleus had taken as a boyfriend since the death of Patroclos). Memnon's body was taken from the battlefield by Hypnos and Thanatos and returned safely to his divine mother, Eos, for burial. ##PENTHESILEIA (if: $Penthesileia is 'withdrawn')[Persuaded by Cycnos to return home rather than stay in a doomed fight, Penthesileia and her Amazons returned to their homeland in Scythia. Penthesileia reigned for many years, and was widely regarded as the greatest ruler that the Amazons had ever known.](else_if: $Penthesileia is 'purified')[Having once again accidentally killed a sibling--even if this one was only a half-brother and in a genuine battle--Penthesileia once more needed to enter exile and seek purification. She thus made the journey to Hattusa to seek the aid of the Great King of Hatti. While he was purifying her, she told him of the conflict at Troy. This was quite a shock to him, as he had heard nothing about it, since all the retainers in that area of his kingdom were still loyal to the previous Great King, his nephew, or even to the Great King before *him*, the current Great King's brother. He reassured her that he would most certainly gather up an army and raise the siege, as Wilusa was a very important of his empire! Satisfied that she had done all she could for Priam and Troy, Penthesileia returned home, where she ruled for many years in wisdom and strength.](else_if: $Penthesileia is 'eloped')[Penthesileia left the battlefields of Troy to sail off to Phthia with Achilleus to become his warrior bride. Neither of them was the type to sit idly around, however, and soon a small wager made between them led to a mission of conquest that united Hellas under their joint rule. She had to share her husband with Patroclos, of course, but she had no objections to that, as it meant she was free to take girlfriends while he was otherwise occupied of an evening. They had a long and happy reign together. (More happy for *them* than their people, but the people were no less happy than they would have been in the disunited Hellas of their former kings, either. And at least they had fewer wars to worry about. Aside from the old kings trying to rise up against Achilleus and Penthesileia.)](else_if: $Penthesileia is 'dead')[Though she was slain in combat before the walls of Troy, Penthesileia would long be remembered both by the people of Troy and her own Amazons as a great warrior and fine ruler. (if: $PenthDeath is 'canon')[She was as greatly mourned by her slayer as she was by her own people, even if only for his own selfish reasons.]](else:)[When the Achaian army rampaged through the streets of Troy, Penthesileia realized that there was no way she could save the city, but that she could at least try to save as many of its people as possible. She directed her surviving Amazons to evacuate as many of the Trojans as they could, and spent the time herself fighting to save those Trojans who were being dragged off into slavery. She suffered a bad wound partway through the battle which required her to withdraw, but between her and her Amazons, at least a thousand Trojans were still free at the end of the day who would otherwise have been dead or in the hands of the Achaian invaders. Penthesileia offered to take them all back to her lands with her, but only about half of them accepted the invitation. The rest remained in the Troad, and joined in the rebuilding of the city. With the other refugees safely guarded by her Amazon soldiers, Penthesileia returned home to lead her people wisely for many years to come.] When Agamemnon led the war, Penthesileia was killed by Achilleus (in some versions in vengeance for having just killed Machaon). Upon removing her helmet and seeing how beautiful she was, Achilleus repented having killed her, and wept over the corpse, leading Thersites to mock him, which cost Thersites his head. (There are some versions that say Achilleus went much further than merely weeping, even implying possible attempted necrophilia, but they're *probably* exaggerating.) </center> [[Continue->Final]]

<center> #***Congratulations!!*** ##*You won!* </center> Would you like to [[try again?->Title Screen]] (There are a *lot* of variations on the ending.) (Like, seventeen of them for Achilleus alone.) (Mostly due to various romantic entanglements, of course, but still...)

<center> #GLOSSARY </center> ==| (link-reveal: "Acamas")[(alert: "         Son of Theseus and Phaedra. Joined the expedition against Troy in order to rescue his grandmother, Aethra, who had been taken to Troy along with Helen.")] (link-reveal: "Aegeus")[(alert: "         King of Athens, primarily known as the father of Theseus, however Theseus’ paternity was also attributed to the god Poseidon; some versions claimed that they were *both* his father, having both slept with his mother on the same night (which typically results in twins, one divinely fathered and one mortally fathered, but in rare cases gets a baby said to have two fathers). The Aegean Sea was named after Aegeus after he threw himself into said sea, thinking that Theseus had been killed by the Minotaur.")] (link-reveal: "Agamemnon")[(alert: "         The son of Atreus and King of Mycenae, brother of Menelaos, husband of Clytemnestra, father of Iphigeneia, Electra, Chrysothemis and Orestes. The man in charge of the cumulative Greek forces in the Trojan War, Agamemnon was revered by the Greeks in ancient times (Aeschylos’ play *Agamemnon* was performed annually in the ruins of Mycenae for generations), and has been vilified ever since Roman times (not entirely without reason). Agamemnon was ruthless and often depicted as greedy, even in the *Iliad*, but despite some modern reinterpretations of the myth, he was also ranked among the best warriors among the Greek forces in the *Iliad*.")] (link-reveal: "Aineias")[(alert: "         Son of Anchises and Aphrodite. A powerful Trojan warrior from a minor branch of the royal family, who rankles at his lack of standing in comparison to Priam’s sons, despite that he is a better warrior than most of them, and despite that he was the son of one of the twelve Olympian gods.          Better known by his Latin name, Aeneas, under which name he became the hero of Virgil’s masterwork of Augustan propaganda, the *Aeneid*. The *gens* Julia (particularly one Gaius Julius Caesar) claimed descent from the son of Aeneas, who they claimed had come to the site where Rome would eventually stand, and had there fathered the mother of Romulus and Remus.")] (link-reveal: "Aigisthos")[(alert: "         Son of Thyestes and his own daughter Pelopia, by rape. Slew his uncle, Atreus, in vengeance for Atreus’ many injustices against Thyestes, some of which had been committed in vengeance for Thyestes’ many injustices against Atreus. Eventually became the lover of Clytemnestra while Agamemnon was away at Troy, and helped her to murder him on his return to Mycenae.")] (link-reveal: "Amazon(s)")[(alert: "         Female warriors from the distant edges of the ancient Greek world. Believed in later times to have cut or seared one breast off to prevent it from interfering with their archery, though this was due to a false etymology invented by later Greek writers. Tales of the Amazons were likely inspired by the Scythians, whose culture was far more egalitarian in terms of gender politics.")] (link-reveal: "Andromache")[(alert: "         Daughter of King Eetion of Thebe. Wife of Hector.")] (link-reveal: "Aphrodite")[(alert: "         One of the twelve Olympian gods. Goddess of love and beauty. To modern audiences, she is best known as having sprung fully formed out of the ocean, but that is the Hesiodic explanation of her origin. In the *Iliad*, she is the daughter of Zeus and Dione. (One of the later writers (I think it was Plato, but don’t quote me on that) tried to explain away the different versions of Aphrodite’s origins by explaining that there were actually multiple Aphrodites, to represent the different types of love.) She was known to the Romans as Venus.")] (link-reveal: "*Argo*/Argonaut")[(alert: "         The *Argo* was the ship taken by Jason and his crew (collectively referred to as the Argonauts) in search of the Golden Fleece. Among the Argonauts were Peleus, father of Achilleus, and Telamon, father of Aias and Teukros. (Though Telamon was not considered to be Peleus’ brother at the time when the *Iliad* was composed, I have adopted the later version, in which the two sons of Telamon were Achilleus’ cousins.) The Argonauts famously stayed in Lemnos for a year, fathering children on the Lemnian women; they only left when Heracles (who had remained on the boat with his boyfriend Hylas for the entire year) came ashore to mock them for their behavior. There is no firm ‘canonical’ list of every hero who was aboard the *Argo*, though a few are always included. Among the less common inclusions are Laertes, father of Odysseus, and Menoitios, father of Patroclos. (The latter is a more common inclusion, and certainly one I support, while the former is very rare and does not feel believable to me.)")] (link-reveal: "Ascalaphos")[(alert: "         Son of Ares, often said to be his favorite son, in fact. King of Orchomenos. Although a demi-god, he does not leave any strong impression in the ancient literature, perhaps because his father is Ares, the least respected of the Greek gods. He and his twin brother Ialmenos brought thirty ships to Troy with them.")] (link-reveal: "Athene")[(alert: "         One of the twelve Olympian Gods, daughter of Zeus by the Titaness Metis. One of the three virgin goddesses (the other two being Artemis and Hestia). Athene was goddess both of wisdom and warfare, but her focus was the calm, strategic warfare preferred by the Greeks. She was always depicted with a helmet and armor, having actually been born with them, from within her father’s head, after he swallowed her pregnant mother in the form of a fly out of fear that she would bear him a son who would overthrow him the way he overthrew his own father.          Her name is also often transliterated as “Athena,” which is the correct pronunciation of the name despite being less accurate to the actual Greek letters involved.")] (link-reveal: "Atreus")[(alert: "         Son of Pelops, and father of Agamemnon and Menelaos. His brother Thyestes cheated him out of the throne of Mycenae (which was not even the throne they were supposed to inherit from their father anyway, as they had lost that by working together to murder their other brother), and he responded by cheating Thyestes out of the throne in turn. The brothers traded acts of bloody vengeance until Atreus met his own death at the hands of Thyestes’ son/grandson Aigisthos.")] (link-reveal: "barbarian(s)")[(alert: "         The Greek word “barbaroi” literally meant “non-Greek,” and it was an ethnic slur used to refer to all peoples (other than the Egyptians) who didn’t speak Greek. (It was an onomopoetic word, mocking all foreign languages as sounding like “bar bar.” The ancient Greeks could be very nasty.) In the *Iliad*, it is never used to refer to Trojans, though later texts do refer to them that way. One of the primary uses of the word in the accumulation of ancient literature is to refer to the Persians.")] (link-reveal: "Calchas")[(alert: "         A priest dedicated to Apollo and Artemis (or sometimes just to one of them), with a great gift for prophecy. Most of the prophecies involving the Trojan War either definitively came from Calchas or were alleged to have been his work, including the prophecy that Achilles was needed for the war to be successful, and that the city would only fall in the tenth year of the war. While I have purposely left it vague as to why Creon was required to take over for Agamemnon, you can bet Calchas was involved: in the canonical myth, when the Greek fleet was becalmed at Aulis, Calchas read the signs that the winds had stopped because Agamemnon had angered Artemis. The goddess, according to Calchas, would only allow the Greek fleet to set sail if Agamemnon sacrificed his daughter Iphigeneia. (This was a favorite topic of artists both visual and poetical in antiquity, and Euripides’ play *Iphigeneia at Aulis* is a particularly masterful version of the tale, presenting many of the characters in a different light than we are typically accustomed to seeing them in. Other ancient authors offered differing interpretations, and sometimes made both the becalming and the demanded sacrifice into Artemis’ attempt to prevent the Greeks from ever setting sail, since the goddess was on the side of the Trojans.) The death of Iphigeneia at Aulis (though many ancient sources had Artemis rescue her at the last second, taking her to Tauris to serve the goddess as a priestess there) was one of the primary reasons that Clytemnestra decided to take lethal action against Agamemnon on his return from Troy, the other potential reason being that he had murdered her first husband and her son by that husband. (It’s a very complicated and sordid tale stemming from the back-and-forth bloodletting between Agamemnon’s father Atreus and his brother Thyestes, because the whole bloodline of Pelops was freakin’ cursed.)")] (link-reveal: "Catreus")[(alert: "         King of Crete. Son of Minos, and father of Aerope, the mother of Agamemnon and Menelaos. None of his children were still alive and in Crete at the time of his death, so when he died, his nephew Idomeneus became king. Some late writers (particularly the ones who wrote the rather pathetic attempts at “first-hand” accounts of the Trojan War from the perspective of Dares of Phrygia and Dictys of Crete) confused and conflated Catreus with Atreus, his son-in-law. (Considering that one of the two “first-hand” accounts claimed that the Achaian army spent a stretch of seven years just sitting there farming, this kind of muddling can hardly be seen as surprising.)")] (link-reveal: "chimera")[(alert: "         A monstrous beast, the offspring of Typhoeus and Echidna. Described as having the body of a lion, the head of a goat on its back, and a snake for a tail, with one or more of its mouths able to breathe fire. (Surprisingly, there are very few variations in the chimera’s appearance in ancient art and literature.) Killed by Bellerophontes.")] (link-reveal: "Clytemnestra")[(alert: "         Daughter of Tyndareos and Leda, twin sister of Helen. Wife of Agamemnon, to whom she bore three daughters, Iphigeneia, Electra and Chrysothemis, plus one son, Orestes. (Though it is worth noting that the *Iliad* gave different names for the daughters.)")] (link-reveal: "Corinth")[(alert: "         A city located at the Peloponnesian end of the isthmus connecting the Peloponnese to the rest of Greece. It was in Corinth that Jason betrayed and abandoned Medea (in those versions where he did in fact betray and abandon her, as that had evidently not entered the myth by the time the Homeric epics were composed, as they have mention of one of their very-much-alive sons and no mention of a broken marriage). (if: $home is 'Corinth')[The city where you rule, though you are not the same Creon who convinced Jason to marry his daughter Glauce rather than stay with Medea.]")] (link-reveal: "Daidalos")[(alert: "         Famed Athenian inventor who ended up in Crete after being exiled from Athens. His exile was generally reported as being the result of having killed his own nephew in jealousy at the boy’s superior intellect. During his time in Crete, Daidalos is known for three things: building the wooden cow so that Pasiphae could approach the Bull of Poseidon, building the Labyrinth that concealed the Minotaur, and crafting wings out of wax and feathers, with which he escaped from Crete, though his son Icaros was not so fortunate.")] (link-reveal: "Deidamia")[(alert: "         Daughter of King Lycomedes of Scyros. Achilleus impregnated her while he was in disguise as one of Lycomedes’ many daughters.")] (link-reveal: "Demophon")[(alert: "         Son of Theseus and Phaedra. He joined the Achaian force at Troy in order to rescue his grandmother, Aethra, who had been taken to Troy as Helen’s slave.")] (link-reveal: "Dionysos")[(alert: "         One of the twelve Olympian gods. God of wine and revelry. Son of Zeus and Semele. Though his worship is known to have existed in Mycenaean times, he was treated as a new god in the myths themselves, and his worship was rejected by the characters within several myths. In later art, he was usually depicted as a handsome youth, often so young as to be beardless, but in Archaic art he usually had a much longer beard than the other gods. His cult grew more powerful over time, and was especially important in the Hellenistic era. He had a number of names, one of them being Bacchus, which was popularly adopted by the Romans. (It was, however, one of his Greek names first. Also, the Romans did also use Dionysus, particularly for his cultic worship focused on him as a handsome youth; this cult is especially well known because of a particularly famous mural from Pompeii that was centered around his cult.)")] (link-reveal: "Eos")[(alert: "         The personification of the dawn. Daughter of the Titans Hyperion and Theia. Sister to Helios and Selene. She had a number of ill-fated romances with mortal men, the most pertinent here being the one with the Trojan prince Tithonous, to whom she bore Memnon. She was known to the Romans as Aurora.")] (link-reveal: "ephebe")[(alert: "         A Greek term from the Classical era that does not have an easy English equivalent. It means a youth who has hit puberty but has not yet grown his first beard. Only upon hitting puberty (which hit around seventeen or eighteen in Classical times) was a boy allowed out of the women’s quarters, but much was denied to him in society until he left the ephebe years and had his first beard.")] (link-reveal: "Euboia")[(alert: "         Large island separated from the Greek mainland by a narrow strait. Directly across from Attica, and south of Phthia.")] (link-reveal: "Europa")[(alert: "         Daughter of Agenor, King of Phoenicia. Sister of Cadmos. She was abducted by Zeus in the form of a bull (or by a bull sent by Zeus) and brought to Crete, where she bore Zeus three sons: Minos, Rhadamanthys and Sarpedon.")] (link-reveal: "Eurysakes")[(alert: "         Son of Aias of Salamis and Tekmessa.")] (link-reveal: "Furies")[(alert: "         The *Erinyes* were the personifications of retribution and justice, female spirits who hounded those who had committed the worst sins, usually the murder of close kin. Some ancient authors treated them as physical beings and others as being more of a psychological phenomenon.")] (link-reveal: "guest-friendship")[(alert: "         *Xenia*, or guest-friendship, was a sacred relationship throughout the Mediterranean area in the Late Bronze Age. Within Greek myth, it is said to have been established by Zeus himself. The essence of *xenia* can be summed up as a social obligation between guests and hosts to perpetrate no harm and to repay gifts in kind, but this would be a colossal understatement. As money did not yet exist in the Late Bronze Age, guest-friendship was necessary for travel to exist; because it was viewed as a sacred relationship, people could count on safely finding housing as they traveled (since inns couldn’t exist without money!), and by passing gifts between host and guest, it also functioned as a pre-monetary form of international trade. A major visit from a prince or king would have involved a massive amount (enough to fill one or more ships, most likely) of valuable gifts from home, which would have been reciprocated with a similar amount of local goods. If you look carefully at various Greek myths, there are many tales of bad hosts or bad guests receiving their just desserts for their vile deeds. (It isn’t just the Greeks, either, but all the cultures in the region. In fact, I had a professor in college who said that the actual sin being committed in Sodom and Gomorrah was the violation of guest-friendship.) Guest-friendship was also a deterrent to war, because it created a relationship that lasted beyond the immediate participants and on into the following generations: in the *Iliad*, Diomedes in talking to the Trojan ally Glaucos of Lycia, discovered that their grandfathers had been guest and host, and thus they decided that it would be entirely wrong for them to fight each other, exchanged armor as gifts of friendship, and went on their way. To share your home with someone, or to share someone else’s home, was not a light matter in the ancient world; it was an investment in a relationship that could last for generations.")] (link-reveal: "Hecabe")[(alert: "         Queen of Troy, wife of King Priam. Better known by her Roman name, Hecuba. She was the mother of all of the most famous of Priam’s children. (In the *Iliad*, Priam states that she bore nineteen of his fifty sons. She also bore him at least two daughters, Cassandra and Polyxena. I don’t think that’s actually physically possible, particularly with Late Bronze Age medicine and lack of hygiene.)")] (link-reveal: "Helenos")[(alert: "         Son of Priam and Hecabe. Sometimes described as twin brother of Cassandra, sharing her prophetic powers but not her curse. (Sometimes his gift is something supernatural, a gift of Apollo, and sometimes it’s more mundane, like being able to read the flight of birds as a sign from the gods.)")] (link-reveal: "Hephaistos")[(alert: "         One of the twelve Olympian gods. God of fire and metal-working. According to Hesiod, Hera gave birth to him without any assistance from any god, but most accounts describe Zeus as being his father. In some accounts he was born with legs that didn’t work, and in others they were permanently damaged when he was flung out of Mount Olympos. (The reason for his being thrown from Mount Olympos varied from being too ugly to siding with his mother against Zeus in an argument.) In most versions, he was married to Aphrodite, though she betrayed him constantly. However, in the *Iliad*, his wife is Charis, one of the Graces.          A master smith, Hephaistos crafted many weapons and other items for both the gods and mortal heroes. Equivalent to the Roman god Vulcan, but that god differed from Hephaistos in a number of important ways, both physically and in terms of personality.")] (link-reveal: "Heracleidai")[(alert: "         Literally, the sons of Heracles. However, the term Heracleidai is usually used to refer to the descendents of Heracles to whom the destruction of the Mycenaean citadels was mythically attributed. Much early archaeological work on Mycenaean sites dealt with trying to identify who the historical Heracleidai were, and where they came from. (Now it is well understood that the situation was far more complicated, and most of the citadels seem to have been destroyed by earthquakes rather than invaders.)")] (link-reveal: "Hippodameia")[(alert: "         Daughter of Anchises and wife of Alcathoos. The identity of her mother is not known. The fact that Anchises even had a wife before Aphrodite is only mentioned in passing in the surviving texts. It would seem that his first wife bore him only daughters.          Not to be confused with Hippodameia, the wife of Pelops, or Hippodameia, the wife of Pirithoos. (Apparently, it was quite the popular name.)")] (link-reveal: "Ialmenos")[(alert: "         Son of Ares. Twin brother of Ascalaphos. Not a significant character in tales of the war, despite being a son of the god of war.")] (link-reveal: "Ilios")[(alert: "         A name for the city of Troy and/or its surrounding region. According to myth, the name is derived from the name of Ilos, the son of Tros. The name Ilios is used more frequently in the *Iliad* than the name Troy, and it derives from Wilusa (by way of Wilios), the actual name of the city in the Late Bronze Age.")] (link-reveal: "Ithaca")[(alert: "         Island nation ruled by Odysseus, located just off the western side of the Greek mainland.")] (link-reveal: "krater")[(alert: "         A large mixing bowl for wine.")] (link-reveal: "Laconia")[(alert: "         Region of the Peloponnese around Sparta.")] (link-reveal: "Lemnos")[(alert: "         An island about halfway between Greece and the Anatolian coast. At one time, the women of Lemnos angered Aphrodite, and she caused them all to emit an odor so foul that no man was willing to come near them. Their husbands therefore went out raiding and stole away women (from either Thrace or Attica, depending on the version) to become their concubines. The Lemnian women soon became enraged by this betrayal, and in one night they killed all their husbands, their husbands’ concubines, and the children those concubines had given birth to. (Surprisingly for women acting in a violent manner in Greek myths, they suffered no penalty for this. They weren’t even said to have ended up in Tartaros after their deaths.) Consequently, the island was without men for a number of years, and by the time the *Argo* arrived, Aphrodite’s anger had been appeased (in some versions by request of her (sometimes) husband Hephaistos, to whom the island was sacred), and the women no longer stank, thus the Argonauts were willing to hear their request to father new children on them. The *Argo* stayed there a year.")] (link-reveal: "Locris")[(alert: "         A place in northeastern Greece.")] (link-reveal: "Lyrnessos")[(alert: "         A city near Troy. Ruled by King Mynes.")] (link-reveal: "Medon")[(alert: "         A bastard son of Oileus, exiled from Locris for murdering a kinsman of his father’s wife. (In other words, kin of Locrian Aias’ mother.) I suspect Creon didn’t know why Medon was exiled when he said Medon seemed to be a much better man than his half-brother…")] (link-reveal: "Menelaos")[(alert: "         Son of Atreus. He became King of Sparta by marrying Helen, (nominal) daughter of Tyndareos; the title of king was given to him by his still-living father-in-law, rather than by inheritance. In fact, Tyndareos acted as Menelaos’ regent in the many long years he was away at Troy.")] (link-reveal: "Meriones")[(alert: "         Son of Molus, who was the brother of Idomeneus, though possibly an illegitimate brother. Although Meriones was Idomeneus’ nephew, his military position appears to have been similar to Patroclos’, as both men were frequently described by a term that most old translations put as “squire,” despite how anachronistic that word is. (I have no idea what the word is or what a better translation would be, sadly.) Despite that he does not seem to be of any great importance militarily, he still has his own hut, unlike Patroclos. (That may be due to Meriones’ more regal blood, or it may be that Patroclos sharing Achilleus’ hut is entirely due to the special situation of their intimate relationship.)          The name “Meriones” pre-dates the *Iliad* by about eight hundred years, linguistically, and seems to come from a Hurrian word meaning “superb charioteer.” (While he does act as a charioteer for Idomeneus, that is not the extent of his role in the *Iliad*.)")] (link-reveal: "Minos")[(alert: "         Famous King of Crete after whom the native Cretan culture of the Late Bronze Age was named. Son of Zeus by Europa. The Minotaur was so called after him—*minotauris* means Minos’ bull—and he featured in a number of other myths as well. Despite a few lapses in judgment—mostly regarding the Bull of Poseidon—he was regarded as being very wise, and became one of the three judges in the afterlife, along with his full brother Rhadamanthys and his half-brother Aiakos.")] (link-reveal: "Muses")[(alert: "         Divine females fathered by Zeus on the Titaness Mnemosyne. Their number varied between three and nine, though nine was more commonly repeated in later texts. They were goddesses of all forms that were recognized as art by the ancient Greeks; this meant that there were no muses for the visual arts, only for performative arts. The muses were especially frequently invoked by poets, possibly because of the famous invocation of the muse at the start of the *Iliad*, which has been imitated by seemingly every major poet from Virgil to Lord Byron and beyond.")] (link-reveal: "Myrmidons")[(alert: "         The soldiers of Phthia. The original Myrmidons started out as ants who were transformed into humans by Zeus to serve as soldiers. (Though the story varies regarding whether it was at the prayer of Aiakos or Peleus that they were so transformed.)")] (link-reveal: "Neleus")[(alert: "         A king of Pylos and son of Poseidon. Twin brother of Pelias, with whom he fought over the throne of Iolcos, ending up with his banishment to Messenia. Father of Nestor. He refused to purify Heracles of a homicide—because the victim’s father was Neleus’ friend—and thus Heracles sacked Pylos. (Or in other versions Heracles sacked Pylos because some of Neleus’ sons tried to steal the cattle of Geryon as Heracles was driving them past.) Most versions of the story have Neleus and all his sons other than Nestor killed by Heracles, but in the *Iliad* Neleus survived an went on to win glory in later battles.")] (link-reveal: "Nereus")[(alert: "         Son of Pontos and Gaia, that is of the sea and the earth. As an ocean deity older than Poseidon, Nereus may be a survivor from an older religion of the region. Sometimes confused with Proteus, another “Old Man of the Sea,” who likewise shared Nereus’ powers of prophecy and transformation.")] (link-reveal: "Olympos, Mount")[(alert: "         The name of a real mountain in Thessaly, but generally used in reference to the realm where the gods reside. That realm is sometimes described as being on top of the real mountain, and at other times it is described as being more ethereal, and less connected to the physical, mortal realm.")] (link-reveal: "Oileiades")[(alert: "         Patronymic meaning “son of Oileus.” ")] (link-reveal: "Palamedes")[(alert: "         Grandson of Catreus, therefore first cousin of Agamemnon and Menelaos. In the Classical era, he was attributed with having developed a great many cultural advances, ranging from dice and proper meal times all the way to writing, mathematics and military tactics. All three of the major tragedians wrote plays about him, though none of the plays have survived.")] (link-reveal: "Pandaros")[(alert: "         Son of the King of Zeleia.")] (link-reveal: "Pedasos")[(alert: "         A city on the south-western edge of the Troad, across a narrow straight from the island of Lesbos.")] (link-reveal: "Pelias")[(alert: "         Son of Poseidon and twin brother of Neleus. Best known for driving out—or killing—his half-brother Aeson and usurping his position as King of Iolcos. (Though sometimes Aeson never sat on the throne in the first place.) He was killed by Medea’s sorcery—or her trickery—in most versions, and his son Acastos became king in his place.")] (link-reveal: "Penthesileia")[(alert: "         Queen of the Amazons, daughter of Ares by the Amazon Otrere. She had accidentally killed her sister, and thus needed to be purified of the bloodguilt. After Priam had purified her, she promised to remain in Troy and rid the city of the enemies besieging it.")] (link-reveal: "Pherai")[(alert: "         A city in Thessaly, ruled by Eumelos.")] (link-reveal: "Phoinix")[(alert: "         Son of Amyntor, King of Ormenion. He was forced to leave Ormenion after a complicated intrigue regarding his father’s mistress, which left him under a curse that he would never have children. He ended up in Phthia, where he became part of the court of King Peleus. He trained Achilleus in combat and strategy, and regarded the boy as the son he could not have.")] (link-reveal: "Podaleirios")[(alert: "         Son of Asclepios. Like his father, a skilled healer. He was more important for his contributions to the health of his comrades-in-arms than for his martial feats at Troy.")] (link-reveal: "Poseidon")[(alert: "         One of the twelve Olympian gods, and a son of Kronos and Rhea. Usually considered the second of their three sons. His realm was the ocean, but he also had the power to cause earthquakes, giving him the epithet Earthshaker. He was also associated with horses, perhaps because earthquakes sound like stampeding horses.")] (link-reveal: "Pylos")[(alert: "         A costal city in Messenia. Home of Nestor. Archaeologically, a very important site where many Linear B tablets have been found. (The palatial structure there has been named “the Palace of Nestor” in honor of the aged king in the *Iliad*, but there is no evidence that has been discovered at said palace to suggest that it was ever ruled over by a king named Nestor.) A city whose precise location was not known in Classical times.")] (link-reveal: "Rhadamanthys")[(alert: "         Son of Zeus and Europa. After his death, he became one of the three judges in the afterlife.")] (link-reveal: "Scaian Gate")[(alert: "         One of the many gates leading into the city of Troy. This is the one that faces west, thus the one that the Greek army focuses on.")] (link-reveal: "Selene")[(alert: "         Personification of the moon. The daughter of the Titans Hyperion and Theia. She rode a chariot across the sky every evening. Like her sister Eos, she had a number of ill-fated romances with mortal men. Although she was known to the Romans as Luna, they mostly subsumed her into the persona of Diana, their equivalent of Artemis.")] (link-reveal: "slavery")[(alert: "         Unlike the modern conception of slavery, there was no ethnic or even cultural reasoning behind the enslavement of people in the ancient Mediterranean. Slavery was one of the side effects of war: the civilian population of a defeated city were often partially or even entirely enslaved. Because this was an action taken in war, that often left ethnic or cultural differences between slaves and masters (as in the Trojan War, where the Achaians enslaved the people of the Troad), but both historically and mythologically there were numerous examples of Greeks enslaved by other Greeks. (More so historically than mythologically.)")] (link-reveal: "Talthybios")[(alert: "         Agamemnon’s herald, who has continued on to Troy without his king in this game because…well, because I didn’t want to have to make up a new herald. Though he was a herald of Mycenae, he was worshipped at Sparta in historical times.")] (link-reveal: "Telamon")[(alert: "         King of Salamis. In later traditions, he is the son of Aiakos, the king of Aegina. However, in earlier texts—including the *Iliad*—Telamon is unrelated to Peleus. (I have followed the later texts in this, mostly because I feel like it’s more interesting if Aias and Achilleus are cousins as well as friends/rivals.) Telamon accompanied Heracles when he sacked Troy, and brought back Priam’s sister Hesione as his prize from that war. Telamon had two sons, Aias by his wife and Teukros by Hesione.")] (link-reveal: "Tennes")[(alert: "         Son of Apollo by the wife of Cycnos. King of Tenedos (which was in fact renamed in his honor while he ruled there).")] (link-reveal: "Thanatos")[(alert: "         The personification of death. Typically said to be the son of Nyx and Erebos (as in the personification of darkness, not as in another name for the afterlife).")] (link-reveal: "Thersites")[(alert: "         The only named commoner in the *Iliad*, Thersites is described as being the ugliest man at Troy, and thoroughly unpleasant in every way. Later authors make him a distant relative of Diomedes, but he shows all the earmarks of having been invented for the *Iliad*, given that he is explained to the audience every time he shows up, as well as being physically described (bandy legs, egg-shaped head, etc.), whereas mythically established characters are simply named, on the assumption that the audience already knows who they are.")] (link-reveal: "Thetis")[(alert: "         Mother of Achilleus by the mortal Peleus. Most famous and powerful of the Nereids. She often defended Zeus and the other gods against their foes, and generally displayed powers more on the level of a full goddess than those to be expected from a Nereid. She did not want to be wed to Peleus, and when he went to claim his bride, she transformed into a number of shapes to frighten him away, but he clung to her until she resumed her human-like form. Despite her distaste for being married to a mortal, she was fiercely devoted to her son.")] (link-reveal: "Tithonous")[(alert: "         Son of Laomedon. He was carried off by Eos to be her husband. She begged Zeus to make him immortal, but forgot to ask to make him ageless. He fathered two sons on her, one of them being Memnon, King of Ethiopia.")] (link-reveal: "Troy/Troad")[(alert: "         A city in Anatolia which was destroyed repeatedly throughout the Late Bronze Age…and also in historical times, too. At the meeting point between the Bosporus and the Aegean, it was in a prime position to be a major trading hub, and excessively wealthy. In the Late Bronze Age, it was in Hittite territory, and was referred to as Wilusa (Ilios in classical Greek), with the area around it being called Taruisa (the Troad).")] (link-reveal: "Typhoeus")[(alert: "         A monstrous being that battled against Zeus and tried to take over his position as ruler of all. Typically, Typhoeus is described as being a son of Gaia, which makes for a nice parallel with Mesopotamian myth, but he is also sometimes a son of Hera (without a father) or the son of Kronos. Before being defeated by Zeus and imprisoned in Tartaros or underneath Mount Etna, Typhoeus fathered a lot of very nasty creatures on Echidna (who in at least one version was his sister). His appearance was not standard in art or literature, though most ancient literature gave him a hundred heads or more, while art typically gave him one human head and serpent tails for legs.")] =|= (link-reveal: "Achaia/Achaian")[(alert: "          “Achaian” was one of the three words used in the *Iliad* to refer to the Greeks. There are two regions in Greece it might refer to, one being a northerly section of the Peloponnese, and the other being Achaia Phthiotis, the region of Thessaly that was Achilleus’ homeland; most scholars posit that it refers to the former. “Achaian” does appear to be based on a Late Bronze Age term used by at least some of the Mycenaean people; the Hittite term “Ahhiyawa” is believed to be the rendition of “Achaian” in Hittite cuneiform.")] (link-reveal: "Aerope")[(alert: "         The daughter of Catreus, King of Crete. Catreus demanded Aerope’s death—either because he found her in bed with a slave or because an oracle said he would be killed by one of his children—but the servant who was supposed to kill her instead took her to the mainland, where she married Atreus, and had his sons, Agamemnon and Menelaos. Unfortunately, as Atreus’ whole family was basically cursed, she *also* slept with Atreus’ brother Thyestes and had *his* children, who Atreus later killed, cut up, and served to his brother. In retaliation, Thyestes consulted an oracle to learn the best way to kill Atreus, and learned that the only way was to rape his own daughter, thus fathering Aigisthos, who not only killed Atreus, but also went on to become the lover of Agamemnon’s wife, Clytemnestra (who in some versions had been married to Thyestes’ son Tantalos and borne him a son before Agamemnon killed them both), and helped her to kill Agamemnon on his return from Troy. Like I said, the entire family was basically cursed. As to Aerope’s eventual fate, some said that Atreus had her drowned for having betrayed him.")] (link-reveal: "ages")[(alert: "         This game contains a few references to the ages of people in a manner that is actually anachronistic for the Late Bronze Age. Even by the time the Homeric epics were being composed, people were simply referred to as belonging to an “age group” rather than being a specific age. (This also continued well into the Classical period, as I recall.) However, as a modern person I have trouble forcing my brain to let go of the modern way of regarding the very concept of a person’s age, so please consider any mention of a person’s age as being “in translation” from the mentions of age groups that would have been used at the time.")] (link-reveal: "Aias of Locris")[(alert: "         Son of Oileus, King of Locris. A small man who typically prefers to fight with a bow. (In the *Iliad*, he is a frequent companion of the greater Aias, but due to the way this game is structured, I was not easily going to be able to emulate that.)          Better known by his Roman name of Ajax; often referred to as the Lesser Ajax. (However, to me Ajax will always sound like the name of a cleaning product, and this Aias is too filthy a person to be associated with a cleaning product.)")] (link-reveal: "Alcathoos")[(alert: "         Husband of Hippodameia, the daughter of Anchises by his first wife.")] (link-reveal: "Anatolia")[(alert: "         The ancient name for the larger area in which Troy and its environs were located. Basically, this is the ancient name for the modern country of Turkey, minus the slight portion of Turkey that is considered to be in Europe. It is a massive peninsula, bordered by the Black Sea as well as the Mediterranean and the Aegean Seas. Troy is in the northwestern end of Anatolia, and Lesbos lies just off the coast of Anatolia, to the south of the smaller peninsula that is the Troad.")] (link-reveal: "Antenor")[(alert: "         An elder of Troy, though a native of Dardania.")] (link-reveal: "Apollo")[(alert: "         One of the twelve Olympian gods. Son of Zeus and the Titaness Leto. Associated with divination, the arts, archery and plagues. In later times, he was associated with healing—like his son Asclepios—though his healing duties in Homer’s time were still the role of Paion. Also associated with the sun in later times, especially in Roman times, when he was combined with Helios.          Apollo is not a Greek name, though Linear B tablets do suggest he was already being worshipped in Greece in the Late Bronze Age. He is often suggested to have been originally an Anatolian god, the same one whose name and worship is best (possibly only) known from the Hittite treaty with the Trojan royal Alexander. (Or, more correctly, the *Wilusan* royal *Alaksandu*.)")] (link-reveal: "Argos")[(alert: "         An important Greek city in the Peloponnese, very near Mycenae. More important in the classical era than Mycenae was, but believed to have been less important in the Mycenaean era, in part based on the level of influence presented in the *Iliad*. Confusingly, despite that Diomedes is supposed to be king of Argos, Agamemnon was also often described that way, especially on the Athenian stage, as if some classical authors confused and/or conflated Mycenae and Argos.")] (link-reveal: "Asclepios")[(alert: "         Son of Apollo. Originally mortal, he became the god of healing after his death. In most versions of his death, he was killed by Zeus with a thunderbolt after he dared to bring a dead man back to life. In outrage at his son’s murder, Apollo killed the Cyclops who had created the thunderbolt (since killing his father was out of the question) and was punished by being forced into slavery for a set number of years to the mortal Admetos, King of Pherai. He became so close to Admetos in the time he was there that Apollo offered him a way to cheat death and extend his allotted time in life; this ultimately ended up with Admetos’ wife Alcestis being raised from the dead, but this time no one was hit with a thunderbolt over it.")] (link-reveal: "Athens")[(alert: "         City in Attica. Not very important in Mycenaean times, but took a primary place of importance during the classical period. (Not that you likely needed me to tell you that, what it with being the capital of modern Greece.) Sacred to Athene. Much of the surviving Greek literature was written in Athens, giving it a skewed importance in the surviving texts.")] (link-reveal: "Aulis")[(alert: "         Seaport where the army gathered to sail to Troy. Located in Boeotia. The army was becalmed at Aulis for a long time. (See the entry on “Calchas” for the full details on what happened.)")] (link-reveal: "boyfriend")[(alert: "         Just to head off any questions on the subject, yes I am indeed aware of the terms “eromenos” and “erastes” and I have specifically chosen *not* to use them, substituting “boyfriend” and “lover” respectively. I have a couple of reasons. Firstly, those are specifically Athenian terms, and each region had different terms for the partners in a pederastic relationship. More importantly, those are the terms from the historic era, rather than the Late Bronze Age; we have some basic idea of how the pederastic relationship worked in the Classical era (though most people have a mistaken idea of it based on the conclusions of a late 1970s homophobe), but we don’t know anything about it in the LBA. The *Iliad* is actually our best source of information on same-sex love in the LBA, and it wasn’t composed until centuries later, making it mere guesswork based on cultural memory. So I wanted to use more generic English words that have less baggage.")] (link-reveal: "Cassandra")[(alert: "         Daughter of Priam and Hecabe. The most famous of their daughters, she features in many surviving classical works, especially Aeschylos’ *Agamemnon* and Euripides’ *Trojan Women*. Though she is well known now for her prophetic visions and apparent madness (allegedly the result of rejecting Apollo’s sexual advances), these were not originally part of her character: she has neither in the *Iliad*.")] (link-reveal: "Cheiron")[(alert: "         The only centaur who is not portrayed as a lusty, drunken beast in classical literature. Unlike the common centaurs, Cheiron was said to be the son of the Titan Kronos by Philyra, who Kronos had approached in the form of a horse. (So Zeus and Poseidon got their appalling philandering ways honestly, at least…) Cheiron was famous for training many of the greatest heroes of Greek myth, including both Achilleus and Jason. In many of the ancient illustrations of Cheiron, he is depicted as a human man with a horse’s back emerging from his buttocks, rather than a human torso emerging from a horse’s neck. In many late texts, Cheiron’s daughter married Aiakos and was the mother of Peleus. However, in earlier ancient texts, Cheiron is not the grandfather of Peleus, but rather an obscure figure named Skeiron; the similarity of the names likely led to the two being confused and then conflated.")] (link-reveal: "Chryseis")[(alert: "         Daughter of Chryses…which is also what her name means. (Meaning, yes, Briseis’ father was almost surely named Brises.)")] (link-reveal: "Colchis")[(alert: "         Mythical land to the east of the Black Sea, ruled by King Aeetes, a son of Helios. It was the home of the Golden Fleece.")] (link-reveal: "Creon")[(alert: "         In this game, this is you! The reason for Menelaos’ confusion, of course, is because there were several kings in Greek myths named Creon. (As it simply means “ruler” it was sort of the generic name to give to a king who didn’t really matter much as a character.) The most famous Creon is the one who was brother of Iocaste in the Oidipous cycle, who became king/regent of Thebes after the death of Iocaste and the exile of Oidipous, and then again after the deaths of Oidipous’ sons at each others’ hands. The other Creon was king in Corinth, and persuaded Jason to break the solemn oath of fidelity he had made to Medea, accepting Creon’s daughter Glauce as a new wife; in the original version of the tale, the Corinthians murdered Jason’s sons by Medea, probably before Medea burned down the palace and killed both Creon and his daughter, but possibly they murdered her children in vengeance. The original version is more or less fragmentary now, because Euripides’ version has become viewed as “canon” due to the brilliance of the play in which he invented the tale of Medea murdering her own sons to get revenge on Jason at the same time as she also sent poisoned robes to Glauce that caused her to burst into flames and take her father’s whole palace with her. (According to ancient commentators, there was a rumor that the people of Corinth paid Euripides to write that version and shift the blame for the deaths of Jason’s sons away from their ancestors. I seriously doubt the Corinthians actually did that, but the fact that that rumor was going around at the time is completely awesome.)")] (link-reveal: "Danaan")[(alert: "         One of the three names used in the Iliad to refer to the Greeks. It is a reference to Danaos, an eponymous ancestor, and the founder of Argos. (Which makes Argos over-represented in the Iliad, since the third name used to refer to the Greeks is Argive. Of course, the three names were chosen for metric reasons rather than political or geographical ones…) There are Egyptian texts from the period which refer to the Tanaju/Tanaja, clearly meaning the Mycenaean Greeks: in one inscription from the time of Amenhotep III, a list of Tanaju cities includes Mycenae and other Greek cities.")] (link-reveal: "Deiphobos")[(alert: "         Son of Priam and Hecabe. His exact placement among his brothers is unclear in the *Iliad*. Some sources have him younger than Helenos, others have him as the second or third of the legitimate sons. I don’t *think* I actually specified what their relative ages were in this game, but I typically treat the order as either Hector, Alexandros, Deiphobos, Helenos or Hector, Helenos, Alexandros, Deiphobos. Regardless of his relative age in regards to his brothers, Deiphobos is generally regarded as the second best combatant among Priam’s sons, but without the valor or nobility of character that Hector possesses.")] (link-reveal: "Deucalion")[(alert: "         Son of Minos and Pasiphae. Father of Idomeneus. Not to be confused with the Thessalian (and much more famous) Deucalion, survivor of the great flood.")] (link-reveal: "Dioscuri")[(alert: "         The twin sons of Leda, Castor and Polydeuces. The name implies that both were the sons of Zeus. They were greatly worshipped in their native Sparta, and the Romans also embraced their cult, under the Roman appellation of the Gemini. They trained Heracles in combat (in some versions), took part in the voyage of the *Argo* in search of the Golden Fleece, and according to Ovid they also took part in the Calydonian Boar hunt.")] (link-reveal: "Egypt")[(alert: "         While I hope there is no need to define Egypt to anyone, I will point out that the Egyptians held a truly unique place in the worldview of the Ancient Greeks. Most non-Greeks were referred to (in Classical times) as ‘barbaroi,’ a pejorative that basically just meant ‘non-Greek-speaker,’ and implied a great lack of civilization. (That being said, it was especially used to refer to the Persians.) The Egyptians were the one non-Greek people who were never called ‘barbaroi,’ and they were in fact highly regarded for the great antiquity of their culture. The Egyptians were one of the peoples who birthed important early Greek heroes—Danaos, namesake of the Danaans, was an Egyptian by birth—but the Egyptian people as a whole rarely played any role in the other myths.")] (link-reveal: "Erebos")[(alert: "         Literally “darkness.” In the early part of the *Theogony*, Erebos is a personification of darkness, but in other texts—including the *Odyssey*—Erebos is used as a way to refer to the depths of darkness in the underworld, and/or to the underworld itself. (And thus is its use here.)")] (link-reveal: "Eumelos")[(alert: "         Son of Admetos and Alcestis. King of Pherai. Married to Iphthime, sister of Penelope.")] (link-reveal: "Eurydice")[(alert: "         Doomed wife of Orpheus. She was bitten by a snake and died soon after their marriage, and though Orpheus attempted to get her back from the afterlife, he failed, and she remained dead. At least, according to the late and best known version. There are also versions where he succeeded, and the entire existence of Eurydice may well be a late invention, possibly related to cultic practice.")] (link-reveal: "Eurystheus")[(alert: "          A grandson of Perseus. King of Tiryns. The story behind exactly why Heracles was forced to perform deeds at Eurystheus’ command is a long and complicated one best not jammed into a glossary. Suffice it to say that the simple version (leaving out a lot of detail and nuance) is that it was forced on Heracles as pennance for killing his wife Megara and their children. Most, but not all, of the twelve tasks (or twelve labors) Heracles performs were monster extermination. At every opportunity, Eurystheus proved himself an utter coward, the complete opposite of Heracles in every way.")] (link-reveal: "Ganymedes")[(alert: "         Trojan prince kidnapped by Zeus and taken to Mount Olympos, where he served as cupbearer to the gods, and in later texts as a romantic and/or sexual companion to Zeus. Usually said to be the son of Tros, legendary founder of Troy, but also sometimes said to be one of the sons of Laomedon, and therefore a brother of Priam.")] (link-reveal: "Hades")[(alert: "         One of the three sons of Kronos and Rhea, and the god of the dead. Despite the modern popular misconception, Hades was not the name of his realm; the land of the dead had no specific name, but the shades of the dead were said to reside “in the house of Hades,” but often ancient writers would simply use the genitive form of the name Hades to express the thought, and over the centuries the idea has corrupted into the idea of the actual realm of the dead also bearing the name Hades. Hades was sometimes said to be the eldest of Kronos’ sons, though in the *Iliad* Zeus is the eldest (a discrepancy that later authors tried to work around by saying that despite being the youngest Zeus became the eldest because all the others were born a second time when they were disgorged by their father after having been swallowed in infancy); in some versions, the three brothers chose their realms, while in others the realms were assigned by lot. As Hades almost never left his realm, he played a role in very few myths; the tale of his abduction of his wife/niece Persephone is the only significant myth about him (and it is to be noted that while Persephone’s *mother* had not been told about any of it, in most ancient versions it was actually Zeus’ idea!). One of Hades’ epithets was “Plouton,” meaning “wealthy,” because he controlled everything under the ground, not merely the dead, but also gold and jewels, and crops yet to grow (which explains why he needed a fertility goddess for a wife!), and it was from this epithet that his Roman name originated.")] (link-reveal: "Hector")[(alert: "         Son of Priam and Hecabe, and the greatest champion of the Trojans during the length of the war. Usually described as being the eldest son. (Though I’ve seen scholars argue that Alexandros/Paris must have been the eldest, because only an eldest son would be allowed to cause such a massive war for such a selfish reason.)")] (link-reveal: "Helios")[(alert: "         The personification of the son, typically said to be the son of the Titans Hyperion and Theia, though other origins have appeared, and sometimes Hyperion is simply another name for Helios. Believed to have ridden a shining chariot across the sky each day. His wife was Rhodos, personification/goddess of the island of Rhodes.")] (link-reveal: "Hera")[(alert: "         One of the twelve Olympian gods. Daughter of Kronos and Rhea, often said to be the eldest daughter. Queen of the gods, Hera was considered the patron goddess primarily of marriage and childbirth, despite that her marriage to Zeus was anything but pleasant and resulted in relatively few children. Her role in actual cultic practice was very different from her role in the myths.")] (link-reveal: "Hermes")[(alert: "         One of the twelve Olympian gods, son of Zeus and the nymph Maia. A trickster god, Hermes was a thief, but he was also his father’s herald and the psychopompos, leading the souls of the dead to their final resting place. He wore winged sandals, and carried the kerkyon staff, a rod with twin serpents wound around it (yes, the one in the modern medical symbol, thanks to a mistake; the medical symbol ought to only have one serpent, like the staff of Asclepios); Hermes was often depicted as a handsome, beardless youth, as were his brothers Apollo and Dionysos. (Why only those three were often depicted as young and beardless is unclear; perhaps it was just because they were the younger generation of gods? Hermes and Dionysos were sometimes portrayed as bearded, however; Apollo never was, so far as I know.)")] (link-reveal: "Hyperborea")[(alert: "         Literally means “beyond the north.” Hyperborea is more of a concept than a proper place, but that did not stop the Greeks from having some very peculiar beliefs about what Hyperborea and its inhabitants were like. Herodotos recounts a great many very colorful rumors about Hyperborea in his *Histories*.")] (link-reveal: "Ida, Mount")[(alert: "         A mountain near Troy. It figures in a great many myths, most of them related to the Trojan War or Troy in general (it was frequently named as the site of Ganymedes’ abduction, for example), but also in a few not related to Troy, especially in the worship of Cybele.")] (link-reveal: "Iolcos")[(alert: "         A city in Thessaly, best known as the birthplace of Jason. (if: $home = 'Iolcos')[The city where you rule.]")] (link-reveal: "Jason")[(alert: "         Son of Aeson. Most famous for leading the Argonauts to Colchis to obtain the Golden Fleece, bringing back along with it the crown princess of Colchis, Medea. In later texts, he betrayed Medea and eventually met an ignominious end, dying when the magic speaking oak from Dodona fell off the rotting shell of the *Argo* and landed on his head.")] (link-reveal: "Kronion")[(alert: "         Patronymic meaning “son of Kronos.” Despite that it *could* apply to Poseidon or Hades, it is used exclusively to describe Zeus.")] (link-reveal: "Laertes")[(alert: "         The father of Odysseus. While later texts have accorded him various honors, ranging from claiming that he was the previous king of Ithaca to that he had been an Argonaut, there is nothing in the *Odyssey* to imply he was ever a man of any importance before his son managed to wed the heiress Penelope. (Given that Odysseus was also sometimes said to have been fathered by Sisyphos (despite the generational impossibility of that, as Sisyphos lived around the time Achilles’ grandfather Aiakos was born), it is unsurprising that Laertes is entirely unimpressive.)")] (link-reveal: "Lesbos")[(alert: "         Island near the Anatolian coast, known in the classical era as having five cities. Best known as the home of the early classical Greek poet, Sappho, the only woman whose works survive from that era. In the Bronze Age, it was Hittite territory, known by the name Lazba.")] (link-reveal: "Lycia")[(alert: "         A region in southern Anatolia. Allied with Troy. In the Bronze Age, it was known as Lukka.")] (link-reveal: "Machaon")[(alert: "         Son of Asclepios. Like his father, a talented healer. Though he was a warrior as well, he is best remembered for his actions to heal his comrades-in-arms at Troy.")] (link-reveal: "Medusa")[(alert: "         One of the three Gorgons, the only mortal one among them; her gaze could turn men to stone. Poseidon fathered two children on her: the winged horse Pegasos, and the mysterious Chrysaor, about whom literally nothing is known, not even if he looked human. (Which, considering his twin brother, is certainly not a given!) In the early versions of the tale, Medusa was always a monstrous-looking creature (in which case, Poseidon is certainly not picky!), but later versions had her alone of the Gorgons start out as a human (or human-looking) woman who was cursed into that monstrous form after having sex with Poseidon on the grounds of a temple. By Roman times, the sex had gone from consensual to rape, with Medusa still being the only one punished. (Personally, I prefer the original version, where Poseidon just has slightly freaky taste in women. Or perhaps I should just say he is amazingly broad in his taste in women, given he also pursued traditionally beautiful females like Thetis.)")] (link-reveal: "Menesthios")[(alert: "         Son of Peleus’ daughter from his first marriage. Though Peleus’ daughter married an ordinary man, Menesthios was fathered by the river god Spercheios. Though Menesthios is briefly mentioned in the *Iliad*, he is entirely overshadowed by his uncle, Achilleus. (Menesthios’ relative age to Achilleus is not mentioned in the *Iliad*; depending on how old Peleus is, how early he married, and how early his daughter married, he could easily be about Achilleus’ age, as I made him, or he might barely be more than an ephebe, though his position of importance among the Myrmidons suggests an age closer to his uncle’s.)          He should not be confused with Menestheus, the Spartan puppet left in control of Athens after Castor and Polydeuces conquered it to recover the abducted Helen. (Fortunately, I left Menestheus out of this game.)")] (link-reveal: "Messenia")[(alert: "         A western region of the Peloponnese. Pylos was the only major Messenian city. At some time during the Greek Dark Ages, after the fall of the Mycenaean citadels, Messenia was conquered and enslaved by the Spartans; Messenians were the bulk of the helot slaves that were a central component of Classical Spartan civilization.")] (link-reveal: "Minotaur")[(alert: "         The son of Pasiphae, Queen of Crete, and the Bull of Poseidon. Born with the head of a bull and either a fully human body below, or a human torso with the legs (or just the lower legs) of a bull. His name is actually Asterios, but everyone referred to him as *minotauris*, “Minos’ bull,” and he is now typically known as the Minotaur. Minos had Daidalos build the Labyrinth to contain him, and Athenian youths sent to Crete as tribute were tossed into the Labyrinth to…feed him or entertain him or…something…it’s not really clear what Asterios was supposed to do with the Athenians, to be honest. (Bulls, after all, are not really known for being carnivorous!) He was eventually killed by Theseus with the assistance of his half-sister Ariadne.")] (link-reveal: "Mycenae")[(alert: "         City in the Peloponnese. Not a large or powerful city in the historical era, but archaeological findings have given support to the prominent role that Mycenae takes in the *Iliad* and other myths. The real civilization in Greece in the Late Bronze Age was named “Mycenaean” by archaeologists in honor of the city and its primacy in the culture reflected in the *Iliad*.")] (link-reveal: "Mysia")[(alert: "         A region of Anatolia just south of the Troad.")] (link-reveal: "Neoptolemos")[(alert: "         Son of Achilleus by Deidameia of Scyros. The name means “young warrior,” and was given to him when he was taken from Scyros to Troy. His original name was Pyrrhos, either because of his bright red hair or because his father had been disguised under the name Pyrrha while living on Scyros, or both. He is in many respects a rerun of his father, only even more brutal and vicious, possibly because he lacked the influence of a kind lover like Patroclos.")] (link-reveal: "Nestor")[(alert: "         King of Pylos, and oldest of the Greeks at Troy. Respected by all the other Greeks for his wisdom. He isn’t much use on the field of battle (though his son always fights beside him to make up for that), but his wisdom will never steer you wrong. (Okay, technically, there’s *one* place his wisdom will steer you wrong, but that’s canonical, and hopefully you won’t even get into that situation in the first place.)")] (link-reveal: "Oenone")[(alert: "         Nymph of Mount Ida, daughter of the river Cebren. The wife Alexandros spurned in order to steal Helen away from Menelaos.")] (link-reveal: "Orestes")[(alert: "         Only son of Agamemnon and Clytemnestra. Figures heavily in a number of tragedies from the Athenian stage, in which he murders his mother to avenge his father’s murder, and then suffers at the hands of the Furies.")] (link-reveal: "Pallas")[(alert: "         Epithet of Athene. (Possibly taken in honor of her defeat of the giant Pallas during the Gigantomachy, or alternatively taken in mourning after Athene accidentally killed Pallas, daughter of Triton, during a sparring match, or taken in honor of Pallas of Arcadia, a son of Lycaon, who had founded the Arcadian town Pallantion and taught Athene.)")] (link-reveal: "Pasiphae")[(alert: "         Daughter of Helios and the Oceanid Perse. (Probably immortal like her sister Circe and her brother Aeetes, though I can’t off-hand recall any myth that specified whether she was immortal or not.) Wife of King Minos. Best known for the passion she conceived for the Bull of Poseidon, and the Minotaur she bore as a result. Her lust for the bull was a punishment dealt by Poseidon upon her husband for failing to sacrifice the bull as he had promised.")] (link-reveal: "Peleides")[(alert: "         Patronymic meaning “son of Peleus.” ")] (link-reveal: "Peloponnese")[(alert: "         Large region of southern Greece, connected to the rest of the country only by a thin isthmus. Named after Pelops, the son of Tantalos; Pelops allegedly conquered the entire Peloponnese, though it certainly didn’t remain a single kingdom. Most of the major Late Bronze Age settlements in Greece were in the Peloponnese, including Mycenae, Tiryns, and Pylos.          Fun fact: I have trouble spelling this word. For some reason I’m always wanting to write it with one “n” and two “s”s. (Okay, maybe that’s not fun, but it *is* a fact.)")] (link-reveal: "Persephone")[(alert: "         Daughter of Zeus and Demeter. A goddess of fertility and growth, also known as Kore. Best known for the myth in which Hades carried her away to be his bride, and the bargain in which she was forced to remain in the house of Hades for three months of every year because she ate three pomegranate seeds while she was initially being held there. In most ancient versions of the myth, Hades did not simply abduct Persephone without warning: Zeus had in fact offered Persephone to him as a bride, and just hadn’t bothered telling either his sister or their daughter about the arrangement. (To complicate—or perhaps simplify?—this incestuous situation further, it is likely that Zeus and Hades were originally two aspects of the same god, and Persephone and Demeter are so alike that they practically remained the same goddess even in historic times, so chances are that they, too, were originally the same being.)")] (link-reveal: "Philoctetes")[(alert: "         Son of Poeas. An archer who uses the bow of Heracles. When Heracles was in ultimate agony, being burned by the poisoned centaur blood painted on the interior of his tunic yet unable to remove the tunic, he built a pyre and laid upon it while still alive, but no one had the nerve to light it. It was either Philoctetes or (more likely) Poeas who finally had the courage to light the pyre and let Heracles die (or burn away his mortal half so his immortal half could ascend to Mount Olympos, depending on the version), and in gratitude Heracles presented him with his bow and quiver full of poisoned arrows. The bow of Heracles was said never to miss.")] (link-reveal: "Phrygia/Phrygian")[(alert: "         Another ancient name for Anatolia. It is entirely anachronistic to use this term in regards to the Trojan War, but I seem to have done so anyway. (I’ll try to fix that for the next version of the game…) In the *Iliad*, the Phrygian people were regarded as still being enemies of Troy; in fact, King Priam fought against them when he was younger. However, the Phrygians moved into that region at some time after the end of the Bronze Age, so that by historical times “Phrygia” was synonymous with “Anatolia.” The term was not inserted into the ancient oral tradition that had led to the *Iliad*, but it was used indiscriminately by later authors as another way of referring to the people of the Troad.")] (link-reveal: "Polydeuces")[(alert: "         Son of Zeus an Leda, twin brother of Castor. Better known by his Roman name of Pollux. Rather than be parted from his dying brother, Polydeuces gave up his immortality, and from that day on, the Dioscuri spent one day in the house of Hades and one day in Olympos (or on the Elysian Fields), continually moving back and forth between their mortal and immortal afterlives. (Or that’s one version, anyway. See Castor’s entry for some of the other versions.)")] (link-reveal: "Priam")[(alert: "         King of Troy. Son of Laomedon. He was said to have a hundred children, though not all of them by his wife Hecabe. He is always portrayed as a wise, venerable old man, the most noble of all the Trojans.          His name is not a Greek one, and ancient authors came up with various false etymologies, mostly tied to the Greek word for ‘ransom’ and how his sister Hesione “ransomed” him with her veil to keep Heracles from killing him along with all his elder brothers. It is possible that his name is related to some names known from the Hittite texts, as “Piyama-Kurunta” and “Piyamaradu” both begin with “Piyama,” which is pretty close to the Hellenized “Priamos,” but if Priam’s name is related to those names, he’s likely not actually named after those figures, as they were enemies of the Hittites, not allies as a historical equivalent of Priam would have been.")] (link-reveal: "Pythia")[(alert: "         Title assigned to the priestess who provided oracles at Delphi. The name comes from Python, the serpent that Hera sent to slay Leto while she was pregnant with Apollo and Artemis. Apollo later hunted Python down and killed it at Delphi. (It is likely that Python is in some way based on the god originally worshipped at Delphi, which would have been some kind of earth god, rather than a more air-related god like Apollo.) The Pythia likely did not exist yet in the Late Bronze Age, but she comes up in some genuine myths.")] (link-reveal: "Salamis")[(alert: "         Island off the coast of Attica. Ruled by Telamon. In historical times, it was under Athenian control, and the site of a great victory by the Athenian navy over the Persian forces.")] (link-reveal: "Scamandrios")[(alert: "         Son of Hector and Andromache, named after the river Scamander (and its river god, who was both the baby’s ancestor and the protector of his people). Better known by his nickname, Astyanax.")] (link-reveal: "sirens")[(alert: "         Monstrous beings that were part-bird and part-woman. They sang so sweetly (or so seductively) that sailors would jump overboard in a desperate attempt to reach them, at which time they either drowned or were battered to death on the rocks where the sirens perched. There are two primary tales regarding the sirens: the *Argo* was able to sail past them safely because Orpheus sang so beautifully that he drowned them out, and in the *Odyssey* Odysseus had all his men fill their ears with wax so they couldn’t hear the sirens, while having himself lashed to the mast so that he could hear them without dying. (He’s lucky his men didn’t just leave him like that! And, actually, his men probably would have been better off if they had.)")] (link-reveal: "Sparta")[(alert: "         City in the Peloponnese. The famed warrior state of the historical era probably had little in common with the Mycenaean city, however. The Bronze Age location of Sparta is still uncertain, but the palatial center at the site now known as the Menelaion (where the Greeks of the historic era left offerings to Menelaos and Helen) may have been the primary Mycenaean citadel in the area. Sparta, as such, was rarely used as the name of the city or the region, and I probably should have used it a lot less often than I did…")] (link-reveal: "Tartaros")[(alert: "         The underground realm where the worst offenders against the gods were eternally punished. However, Tartaros was not originally used as a punishment for dead mortals, but as a prison for immortal beings. Ouranos locked the Hekatoncheires—the hundred-handed giants—in Tartaros because they were too hideous. Gaia persuaded Kronos to turn on his father because of this cruelty, but Kronos, too, locked away not only the Hekatoncheires in Tartaros, but also the Cyclopes. Therefore, Gaia urged Kronos’ son Zeus to overthrow his father. At the end of the mighty war that raged between the gods and the Titans, the Titans were imprisoned in Tartaros, and the Hekatoncheires were made their guards there.")] (link-reveal: "Telamoniades/Telamonian")[(alert: "         Patronymics meaning “son of Telamon.” The former being one that goes after the person’s name, and the latter being one that goes in front of the person’s name. Both types can also stand alone, being used in place of the person’s name.")] (link-reveal: "Teukros")[(alert: "         Illegitimate son of Telamon. In most texts (and in this game), his mother is King Priam’s sister Hesione, but the *Iliad* makes no mention of who his mother is or even the fact that she is a Trojan, though his name rather defines his Trojan ancestry, as Teukros was also the name of a distant ancestor of the Trojan royal family, the son of the river god Scamander, and Teukrian became an epithet to describe Trojans in honor of that original Teukros.          Teukros accompanied his half-brother Aias to Troy, and usually fought with a bow, often taking shelter behind his brother’s enormous shield. He is often known by the Latinized version of his name, Teucer.")] (link-reveal: "Thebe")[(alert: "         A city near Troy. Ruled by King Eetion. Actually named Thebes (and said to have been founded by Heracles in honor of (one of) his birthplace(s)), but most modern translators leave off the final ‘s’ in order to avoid confusion.")] (link-reveal: "Theseus")[(alert: "         Son of Aethra, sometimes fathered by Aegeus, sometimes fathered by Poseidon, and sometimes fathered by both. Best known for slaying the Minotaur, Theseus was also involved in a number of other major myths, including having kidnapped an underage Helen late in his life, with the intention of marrying her. (This, needless to say, did not go well for him.)")] (link-reveal: "Thrace")[(alert: "         The region north of the Aegean Sea and south of the Balkan Mountains. The region, while often providing Greek or Greek-like peoples in myths, was viewed as being rather more wild and uncivilized than the Greek mainland.")] (link-reveal: "trade")[(alert: "         Trade—domestic or international—did not exist as we know it in the Late Bronze Age, because money had not yet been invented. However, through guest-friendship, goods moved from region to region freely, and by the terminal Late Bronze Age, when our story is set, it is believed that a prototype of mercantile trade already existed, with the merchant class simply exchanging goods for goods, rather than goods for gold. (To the best of my knowledge, archaeologists have not yet uncovered any documents to prove this conclusively one way or the other, however, so it remains conjectural.)")] (link-reveal: "Tydeus")[(alert: "         Father of Diomedes. One of the Seven against Thebes, he died fighting the Thebans. Like his son, he was favored by Athene. *Unlike* his son, he was a very small man.")] (link-reveal: "Wilusa")[(alert: "         A name from the Hittite records, which refers to the city known to the Greeks first as Wilios and then as Ilios, in which form the name was crystallized in the *Iliad*.")] (link-reveal: "Zeus")[(alert: "         One of the twelve Olympian gods. Son of Kronos and Rhea. In the Homeric epics, Zeus is the eldest of their three sons, but other authors described him as the youngest. As the one who led the revolution against Kronos, Zeus became the ruler of the gods. He played a role in countless myths, and was continually unfaithful to his wife/sister Hera.")] |== (link-reveal: "Achilleus")[(alert: "         The son of the mortal Peleus and the immortal Nereid Thetis, Achilleus was the Greek champion of the Trojan War, and his participation was prophesied to be necessary if the city was to fall. The modern concept of him being invulnerable except for one spot on his heel due to having been dipped in the River Styx as a baby is entirely mistaken, however. Firstly, it’s actually supposed to be his ankle, not his heel; that’s a mistranslation via French. More importantly, in the early texts (especially the *Iliad*), he had no form of invulnerability whatsoever. The oldest surviving text to confer any partial invulnerability on Achilleus is the Hellenistic *Argonautica* of Apollonios of Rhodes, which borrowed from the Homeric Hymn to Demeter. I have here adopted a modification of Apollonios’ version, which is elaborated on if you get Achilleus killed in the canonical fashion, so I won’t bother duplicating that information here. I will say, however, that while my version still has the fatal weakness at the back of his ankle (specifically, the tendon now named after him), he is neither invulnerable nor quite normal elsewhere: I basically gave him healing powers on the rest of his body, so he can be wounded or even killed by normal means, as long as the blows are too fast for him to heal from them.          The name “Achilleus” was already in use in the Late Bronze Age, and has been found on various Mycenaean tablets, but is not linguistically Greek. It might be related to “Achaia.” ")] (link-reveal: "Aethra")[(alert: "         Primarily known as the mother of Theseus. Her father was Pittheus, the King of Troezen. Pittheus was a son of Pelops, like Atreus, making Aethra first cousin to Menelaos. When an old(er) Theseus kidnapped a too-young Helen, wanting to make her his third(!) wife, Helen’s brothers Castor an Polydeuces conquered all of Attica to get her back (how the brothers born at the same time as she was were old enough to do that when she was not yet old enough to marry is an interesting question that most seemed to overlook in antiquity), and among the slaves they brought back was Theseus’ own mother, Aethra, who became Helen’s personal attendant. (Theseus was not there to defend his homeland because he had gone to help his even-more-idiotic friend Pirithoos get the daughter of Zeus *he* wanted for a bride (even though Pirithoos was a *son* of Zeus himself!), and so they were both trapped in the house of Hades in punishment for their horrific behavior of entering a god’s house as a guest with the intention of stealing his wife. In most versions, Heracles later freed Theseus, feeling sorry for him.) However, despite being her cousin, Menelaos did not free Aethra when he married Helen, and she was taken to Troy along with Helen.")] (link-reveal: "Aiakos")[(alert: "         Son of Zeus. King of the island of Aegina. Father of Peleus and Telamon (though the *Iliad* makes no reference to Telamon being the son of Aiakos, only Peleus). After his death, he became one of the three judges in the afterlife.")] (link-reveal: "Aias of Salamis")[(alert: "         Son of Telamon, King of Salamis. One of the mightiest (and largest) warriors in the Greek forces at the Trojan War. (In the *Iliad* he is often accompanied by the lesser Aias, but due to the way this game is structured, I was not easily going to be able to emulate that.)          Better known by his Roman name, Ajax, and often referred to as the Greater Ajax. (However, to me Ajax will always sound like the name of a cleaning product, and I do not wish to associate such a great man as Aias with a cleaning product.)")] (link-reveal: "Alexandros")[(alert: "         Better known by his other name, Paris, Alexandros is the true villain of the Trojan War. He defied the customs of guest-friendship by visiting Sparta as Menelaos’ guest, and then robbing his host, stealing not only his wife but also a large amount of treasure. Unlike some of the other important Trojans (his father Priam, for example), Alexandros’ name is extremely Greek…but it is also historically established to have been the name of a member of the royal family of Troy in the Late Bronze Age: a Hittite treaty was discovered that was between the Great King and “Alaksandu”, sub-king of “Taruisa”, which is to say “Alexandros of Troia”. (Like the Linear B alphabet used by the Mycenaeans, cuneiform was not terribly efficient, particularly for writing Greek names. Though “Troia” is the classical version of the name; in the Late Bronze Age it may well have had a di-gamma in it. (Di-gamma was, essentially, the letter “w”. Its absence can be detected in a few passages of the Iliad where the meter is off, because the line is actually so old that the di-gamma had not been eliminated from the language yet when it was first composed.)")] (link-reveal: "Anchises")[(alert: "         Descended from Tros, the founder of Troy, Anchises is second cousin of King Priam. Best known for fathering Aineias on Aphrodite. Anchises cannot walk, as he was blasted by a thunderbolt when he dared to tell other mortals that he had bedded Aphrodite.")] (link-reveal: "Antilochos")[(alert: "         Son of Nestor, King of Pylos, and youngest of the Achaian princes at Troy. He was a particularly close companion of Achilleus, to the extent that some scholars claim that Antilochos was Achilleus’ boyfriend before Patroclos was created as a character. (Those same scholars also tend to claim that Patroclos was created for the *Iliad*, despite that the epic makes no attempt to explain who Patroclos is, because the audience clearly already knows his name.)")] (link-reveal: "Ares")[(alert: "         One of the twelve Olympian gods. God of war, specifically brutal, mindless warfare of the sort reviled by the classical Greeks. In personality, Ares was more of a blowhard than anything else; he was bold enough against mortals, but easily defeated by gods and giants alike. (In fact, I find him aptly summed up by the Latin term *miles gloriosus*.) Ares had a strong cult at Sparta (in historic times) but was not a particularly popular god in the rest of Greece.          His Roman equivalent was Mars, but the two differed in both personality and in importance.")] (link-reveal: "Artemis")[(alert: "         One of the twelve Olympian gods, daughter of Zeus by the Titaness Leto, and twin sister of Apollo. Artemis is one of the three virgin goddesses (the other two being Athene and Hestia), and was especially worshipped by unmarried maidens. An archer, Artemis was both goddess of the hunt and protectress of wild animals.")] (link-reveal: "Astyanax")[(alert: "         Nickname of the son of Hector and Andromache. It means ‘little lord.’")] (link-reveal: "Atreides/dai")[(alert: "         Patronymic meaning “son(s) of Atreus.” ")] (link-reveal: "Automedon")[(alert: "         Charioteer of Achilleus. Described in the *Iliad* as the man best loved by both Achilleus and Patroclos after each other. (Though the poem provides neither examples of such preference nor reason that they would so favor him. Clearly, it was not due to his skill as a charioteer, as he was less skilled at handling Achilleus’ immortal horses than both Achilleus and Patroclos.)")] (link-reveal: "Briseis")[(alert: "         A woman of Lyrnessos. In later literature, as here, she is the wife of King Mynes, though the *Iliad*’s reference to her husband is somewhat unclear; it might always have been the case that he was, in fact, Mynes, or it might not.")] (link-reveal: "Castor")[(alert: "         One of the Dioscuri, the twin sons borne by Leda. Castor’s parentage was apparently the subject of some debate in the ancient world. Leda, as is well known, was ‘seduced’ by Zeus in the form of a swan. According to the best known versions, she then also had sex with her husband, and thus gave birth to a staggering *four* children (possibly laid in two eggs), two belonging to her husband and two to Zeus. When one of her sons has a mortal father, it is Castor whose father is mortal, but many later versions considered Castor to also be a son of Zeus. (These may be the same versions that considered Helen to have been fathered on the goddess Nemesis by Zeus in the form of a swan, likely making her a different age than the Dioscuri, and probably a different age than Clytemnestra, too, which would certainly resolve a lot of the chronological problems the Trojan War introduces!) In versions where Castor and Polydeuces have different fathers, it is often the case that Polydeuces is immortal and Castor mortal, in which case when Castor lay on the brink of death, Polydeuces prayed to his father to share his immortality with his twin brother, leading them both to spend half the rest of eternity in the house of Hades, and the other half on Mount Olympos. (It is worth noting that the *Iliad*’s mention of the Dioscuri as being dead does not suggest any of this, and presents them as just plain-and-simple dead. Also that they died after Helen was taken to Troy, as she is confused not to see them among the warriors fighting to recover her.)")] (link-reveal: "Chios")[(alert: "         An island off the coast of Ionia.")] (link-reveal: "Chryses")[(alert: "         A priest of Apollo who fled to Thebe in attempt to escape the Trojan War. (In most versions. In others, Thebe was always his home.)")] (link-reveal: "Colonai")[(alert: "         A city near Troy.")] (link-reveal: "Cycnos")[(alert: "         King of Colonai and a son of Poseidon. His name means “swan” in Greek. His father made his skin impenetrable.")] (link-reveal: "Dardania")[(alert: "         A small town near Troy. Origin of Antenor and Anchises.")] (link-reveal: "Delphi")[(alert: "         Site of an important temple/cult center dedicated to Apollo, where oracles gave out prophecies well into historical times. Herodotos reports many prophecies from Delphi in his *Histories*. Though Delphi is mentioned as dedicated to Apollo even in the earliest written sources, in the Late Bronze Age it would likely have been dedicated to some other deity, probably an earth god or goddess.")] (link-reveal: "Diomedes")[(alert: "         Son of Tydeus and Deipyle. King of Argos. One of the *Epigoni*, or sons of the Seven, who marched upon Thebes in their manhood in order to avenge the deaths of their fathers ten years earlier. Diomedes was a friend of Odysseus, and shared his friend’s position of favor with Athene, a favor Diomedes had inherited from his father. Some texts made Diomedes out to be quite young—younger than Achilleus, based on the number of years claimed to have passed between the deaths of the Seven against Thebes and the Trojan War—and yet he’s also made out to have been one of the suitors of Helen, despite that it was Achilleus’ youth that prevented *him* from being one of her suitors. I typically make him older than Achilleus by about ten years, but he remains the youngest king among the Greek forces at Troy.          Diomedes was either the second best warrior among the Greeks or the third best; there seems to have been debate even among the ancient writers as to whether Diomedes or Aias of Salamis was the superior warrior. He was also either the most accomplished warrior there in terms of conquering cities, or among the most accomplished.")] (link-reveal: "Eetion")[(alert: "         King of Thebe. Father of Andromache, as well as seven sons.")] (link-reveal: "Epeiros")[(alert: "         A region in the northwest of Greece, directly to the west of Aiolia.")] (link-reveal: "Ethiopia")[(alert: "         Nation ruled by Memnon. By the classical Greek definition, Ethiopia was everything in Africa that was south of Egypt. However, earlier texts reference Ethiopia as being to the east rather than the south, so I suspect that the term “Aithiopia” may have been derived from whatever term the Mycenaeans used to refer to the land of Hatti, though I'm not sure how that came to be transferred to a section of Africa.")] (link-reveal: "Euphorbos")[(alert: "         Son of Panthous, brother of Polydamas (neither of whom are actually mentioned in this…*cough*). Allegedly, the Greek mathematician Pythagoras thought he was the reincarnation of Euphorbos.")] (link-reveal: "Eurypylos")[(alert: "         Son of King Telephos of Teuthrania. Telephos was a son of Heracles, and married to one of King Priam’s many daughters. (Telephos actually figured heavily in the first sailing that this game references but does not include: he was wounded by Achilleus when the Greek fleet landed in his kingdom instead of in the Troad, and the wound would not heal, until an oracle told him that it could only be healed by the one who had caused it, which in some versions actually meant rust off of Achilleus’ spear rather than Achilleus himself. Then, in gratitude for having his wound finally healed after ten years, Telephos showed the Greek fleet the way to Troy. But he died at some point between the Greek fleet arriving at Troy, and his son joined the war in its tenth year.)")] (link-reveal: "Fates")[(alert: "         The three *Moirai*—Clotho, Lachesis and Atropos—who spin the threads of mortals’ lives. One spins the threads, one measures, and the third cuts. They are sisters, daughters of Nyx, or of Zeus and Themis. More of a personification than anything else, they rarely play any role in any myths.")] (link-reveal: "Gorgon")[(alert: "         One of three sisters, Medusa, Stheno and Euryale. Daughters of Phorcys and Ceto. Usually depicted as hideous creatures with round, flat faces, lolling tongues and snakes for hair. The face of a Gorgon was a frequent decoration on shields and armor.")] (link-reveal: "Hatti/Hattusa")[(alert: "         The Land of Hatti, with its capital in Hattusa, is the name for the country of the people now called Hittites. The name Hittite, however, is anachronistic and linguistically incorrect, being the Biblical term (and thus translated to English from Hebrew) for the culture, or more likely for one of the lesser empires that followed the fall of Hattusa at the end of the Bronze Age. At this period at the end of the Late Bronze Age, the Hittites controlled most of modern-day Turkey, as well as the island of Lesbos and large parts of the Levantine coast. Troy is known to have been a part of the Hittite empire. No Greek myths ever referred to the Hittites directly, nor was Herodotos aware that they had ever existed. However, there are many among the allies of Troy in the Trojan War who may have originally been inspired by the Hittites; my personal theory is that the Ethiopians were originally the Hittites, as early texts refer to Ethiopia as being in the east rather than the south (which only makes sense, considering their king was the son of Eos, the personification of the dawn).")] (link-reveal: "Helen")[(alert: "         Daughter of Leda, the wife of Tyndareos, King of Sparta. Sometimes said to be the daughter of Tyndareos, but usually considered to be the daughter of Zeus. (Sometimes her mother is actually said to have been the goddess Nemesis, who took the form of a goose to escape Zeus, only for him to catch her in the form of a swan.)          Her name is not Greek, linguistically, and she may originally have been a goddess worshipped by the people who lived in Greece—or at least the Peloponnese—before the Greek-speaking Mycenaeans arrived.")] (link-reveal: "Hellas/Hellene")[(alert: "         Hellene is the term I am using to refer to all Greek-speaking peoples. Its use is anachronistic for the Late Bronze Age, but I wanted a little more variety. Also a name to refer to the entire land itself, since Achaia is very limited in scope, and there is no place name to go with Danaan. Hellas is the name for Greece in Greek, both in Classical times and now.")] (link-reveal: "Heracles")[(alert: "         Better known by his Roman name Hercules. The son of Zeus by the mortal Alcmene. The name “Heracles” means “glory of Hera” and it was given to him by the oracle at Delphi in the hopes that he might thereby flatter Hera enough that she would cease tormenting him. (Needless to say, it didn’t work.) There may well be more stories about Heracles than any other mortal in the Greek myths. Of particular relevance here are the stories of his interactions with the previous Trojan king, Laomedon. When Heracles arrived in the Troad the first time, he found a sea monster attacking the city. The monster had been sent by Poseidon in vengeance after he and Apollo helped build the new walls of the city for a price which Laomedon refused to pay. (Why that didn’t tick off Apollo, too, I have no idea.) Heracles agreed to defeat the monster and save the city in exchange for the hand in marriage of Laomedon’s daughter, Hesione. (Or possibly not in marriage, as he might have already had a wife at that point, depending on when it was in his long and convoluted adventuring career.) Laomedon once again reneged, and Heracles went away vowing vengeance. He later returned (how much later varies wildly in the telling) to lay siege to the city, destroying it utterly, and killing Laomedon and all his sons except the youngest, Priam, who Hesione begged him to spare. For whatever reason, Heracles no longer wanted Hesione for himself, and he gave her to Telamon, who had assisted him in destroying the city. (This is actually one of the many reasons it’s hard to nail down a firm chronology for the Trojan War and its adjacent myths that actually makes any kind of sense.)")] (link-reveal: "Hermione")[(alert: "         Daughter of Menelaos and Helen.")] (link-reveal: "Hypnos")[(alert: "         The personification of sleep. Typically said to be the son of Nyx and Erebos (as in the personification of darkness, not as in another name for the afterlife).")] (link-reveal: "Idomeneus")[(alert: "         King of Crete at the time of the Trojan War. Grandson of Minos. One of the older of the warrior kings, but still a powerful fighter.")] (link-reveal: "Iphis")[(alert: "         Slave girl given to Patroclos by Achilleus. The *Iliad* describes her as having come from “Scyros,” but it is unclear if that is supposed to mean the Greek island Scyros or if there was (as was assumed by Roman-era writers) a town somewhere in Anatolia that was also called Scyros.")] (link-reveal: "Knossos")[(alert: "         The largest Minoan citadel on Crete. Usually considered to be the location of/inspiration for the Labyrinth in which Minos imprisoned the Minotaur.")] (link-reveal: "Lacedaemon")[(alert: "         The primary name for the city now known as Sparta.")] (link-reveal: "Laomedon")[(alert: "         King of Troy and grandson of Tros, the founder of the city. Poseidon and Apollo built walls for the city during his reign, but Laomedon reneged upon his promise and did not reward them. It was for this reason that Poseidon sent the sea monster that Heracles defeated, a deed which Laomedon *also* reneged on his promise to reward. Laomedon and all his sons other than Priam were later killed by Heracles and his army in vengeance for this betrayal.")] (link-reveal: "Leto")[(alert: "         A Titaness, mother of the twin gods Artemis and Apollo. She was frequently worshipped alongside her divine offspring. Known to the Romans as Latona.")] (link-reveal: "Lycomedes")[(alert: "         King of the island of Scyros. Father of Deidameia. He is best known for two things. Most famously, in some versions of Achilleus’ life, he was duped into thinking Achilleus was a girl named Pyrrha and allowing ‘her’ to be hidden among his daughters. (In other versions, Achilleus either fetched up on Scyros on his way back from the failed first sailing and simply married Deidameia, or he conquered Scyros at the request of his father, because of the other thing Lycomedes is known for.) Lycomedes is also known as the murderer of Theseus: following Theseus’ release from the house of Hades by Heracles, he returned to Athens only to find it under the control of a Spartan puppet (who actually did go to the Trojan War, and was described in the *Iliad* as being rather inept in battle), and so he fled to look for help in retaking his city, and ended up in Scyros, where Lycomedes accepted him as a guest and then pushed him off a cliff into the rocky ocean below. (Pretty dumb thing to do, considering Theseus was (possibly) a son of Poseidon!)")] (link-reveal: "Medea")[(alert: "         Daughter of Aeetes, King of Colchis, and just as immortal as he is. After she betrayed her family and country for Jason, even going so far as to kill her own brother in some versions of the tale, later tellings had Jason betray and abandon her, making plans to marry a princess of Corinth. In even later versions of the tale, Medea murdered Jason’s new bride, causing a conflagration that usually killed the bride’s father as well. Her children by Jason survived in the earliest texts (the same texts where their marriage is not mentioned as having ever been soured), then came versions in which they were killed by the Corinthians. It was not until Euripides’ *Medea* that she killed them herself, however, and while that quickly became accepted as “the” version of the story, that was most likely due to a combination of the brilliance of the play and the fact that Medea’s son Medus (by either Jason or Aegeus) was considered to be the eponymous ancestor of the Medes, who were synonymous with the Persians as far as the Greeks were concerned. According to Pausanias and Apollodorus, she marries Achilleus in the Elysian Fields following his death. (Seriously.)")] (link-reveal: "Memnon")[(alert: "         King of Ethiopia. Son of Eos and Tithonous, a son of Laomedon. Memnon and his brother were said to have dark skin because when they were little they were carried in the chariot of Helios and became burnt. (Whether that claim was made before the name Ethiopia became attached to all of Africa south of Egypt or whether it was made as some sort of reasoning for Memnon to have ended up in Africa is unclear.)")] (link-reveal: "Menoitios")[(alert: "         Father of Patroclos. According to some versions, he was one of the Argonauts. Much later texts tend to make him a relation of Peleus in some manner (often brother, and in one case uncle), but there is nothing in the *Iliad* to suggest any blood relation between Patroclos and Achilleus; in fact, the way Patroclos is generally treated and regarded by the other nobles at in the Achaian camp suggests that he is of very little importance at all, and thus decidedly *not* related to a grandson of Zeus like Peleus. As far as this game is concerned, Menoitios is no kin to Peleus in any significant manner.")] (link-reveal: "Methymna")[(alert: "         One of the cities on Lesbos. I could find no mention of archaeological evidence that it was already in existence in the Late Bronze Age, but what happens if you send Achilleus to lead the invasion of Methymna in this game is a genuine myth. (Though the same thing was also said about Pedasos…)")] (link-reveal: "Mursili")[(alert: "         Specifically, Mursili III. His father, Mursili II, had moved the capital of Hatti from Hattusa to Tarhuntassa, placing his brother in control of the former capital as he did so. When he died and his son became king and moved the capital back to Hattusa, that robbed his uncle of all that power. Said uncle didn’t want to stand for that, and so he rose up and took the throne away from his nephew, becoming Hattusili III (all Roman numerals applied exclusively by modern scholars, obviously). Rather than seeking shelter with the Atreidai, however, the exiled Mursili *actually* went to Egypt to shelter with Ramses II, which almost led to war between Hatti and Egypt, and instead ended in the Treaty of Kadesh, after which no more is heard of Mursili III. All of this, of course, was much earlier than the traditional date of the Trojan War, because in deciding on the timeline for a novel I wrote that took place about twenty years *after* the war, I was trying to figure out who was reigning in the various neighboring kingdoms my leads would be visiting, and in comparing the estimated dates of destruction of the various levels of Troy, I selected a slightly earlier one than is typically chosen as “Priam’s” Troy, specifically because I needed all the palatial centers in Greece still to be standing twenty years after the war! (Which, mythologically, is accurate, as it’s a full generation later that the Heracleidai invade and take over.) In looking at some of the other events around the time of the earlier destruction layers, I noticed this power struggle among the Hittites and realized that one of the destruction dates I had (possibly from an out-of-date source?) was about ten years after Hattusili III’s coup, and what could be more perfect to explain why the Hittites didn’t put a stop to the Trojan War than because they had their own power struggles going on?")] (link-reveal: "Mynes")[(alert: "         King of Lyrnessos.")] (link-reveal: "Myteline")[(alert: "         The largest city on Lesbos. It dates back at least to the Early Bronze Age, though probably without any Greek influence until after the end of the Bronze Age. Like every other city within reach of the Greek camp, it would have been sacked during the Trojan War, though I don’t know of any specific myths about its sacking at that time.")] (link-reveal: "Nereid(s)")[(alert: "         The daughters of Nereus, typically numbered at about fifty. Except for Thetis (and sometimes Amphrite, wife of Poseidon), they were basically generic female ocean spirits.")] (link-reveal: "Odysseus")[(alert: "         Son of Laertes and Anticlea. King of Ithaca. Hero of the *Odyssey*. Though treated heroically in the Homeric epics (even if he was the sole Greek hero not described by Helen as handsome), the Athenian tragic stage made him out to be a monster, as his smooth tongue and ability to convince people to believe him and do as he requested made him a demagogue in their eyes. In the *Iliad*, he is one of the great leaders of the Greek forces, though he is not considered one of the strongest warriors; he is about mid-level in terms of personal prowess.")] (link-reveal: "Oileus")[(alert: "         King of Locris. Father of the lesser Aias and of Medon. Oileus was one of the Argonauts, at least in some versions.")] (link-reveal: "Orpheus")[(alert: "         Famed bard about whom very little remained constant throughout antiquity. Often said to be the son of Apollo and one of the Muses, but many other potential set of parents were written down for him. He is usually considered to have been one of the Argonauts, but the most famous tale is that of his marriage to Eurydice, who was bitten by a poisonous snake and died immediately after their wedding. Orpheus went down to the house of Hades to beg to have her returned to him, and his songs charmed even Hades and Persephone, who agreed to release Eurydice into life once more, but only if Orpheus got all the way back up the surface without looking back to see if she was following him. Of course, he got nervous and glanced back once he was near the surface, and only got to see Eurydice for a split second as Hermes was taking her back down again. Orpheus then went mad with grief, and wandered the world singing songs of misery and woe such that he made even stones weep. He swore off women forever, taking only young men as lovers from then on, which enraged a group of wandering maenads (or in other versions, they demanded that he sing something cheerful for them, and they were enraged by his refusals), who tore him to pieces. His head fell into a river, still singing, and floated downstream, where it ended up in either Thrace or Lesbos, not only singing but also speaking, giving such accurate prophecies that Apollo destroyed the head with a thunderbolt, jealous that it was a better oracle than the one at Delphi.          Orpheus was also the central figure in the Orphic mystery cult, which is one of the most confusing things in antiquity in my opinion, so I am not going to try to explain it. (Partially because if I did, I would only fail and/or get everything wrong, and what would be the point of that?)")] (link-reveal: "Palladion")[(alert: "         A wooden statue of Athene carved on Mount Olympos. (Or a statue of Pallas, daughter of Triton, which was then mistaken for a statue of Athene, since it was a woman in armor.) It fell from the realm of the gods while Ilos was reigning in Troy, and brought great fortune to the city. It was said the city could not fall while the Palladion was within its walls. (Sadly, due to the constraint of ten events per year, I could not include the theft of the Palladion in this game.) Also called the Palladium.")] (link-reveal: "Patroclos")[(alert: "         Son of Menoitios. In his youth, he accidentally killed a friend during a quarrel over a game of knucklebones. His family accompanied him in his exile from his native Opoeis to Phthia, where Peleus purified Patroclos of the homicide. When the young Achilleus arrived at the court of his father, Patroclos became his devoted friend and companion. (Except in versions where Achilleus never left his father’s court, in which they became friends and companions immediately upon Patroclos’ arrival.) In the *Iliad*, the romantic component of their friendship is largely subtext, allowing some later writers (like Xenophon) to deny it, while others built on it strongly (particularly Aeschylos); I consider that the subtext is strong and loud enough that their romantic (if not also sexual) involvement is irrefutable, and I would put some examples here, only these text boxes lack space. (Ask in the comments if you want to know more…) In the Iliad, Patroclos is quite specifically described as the elder of the pair, though some writers in later antiquity made Achilleus the elder (a change that has remained popular throughout the subsequent centuries, witness Shakespeare’s Achilles calling Hector a “boy-queller” in his decidedly unheroic *Troilus and Cressida* (the romance between his Achilles and Patroclus being literally the only part that is not depicted as utterly detestable)). Though constantly overshadowed by his boyfriend, Patroclos is in fact a major bad-ass and probably the #4 fighter in the Greek army; check out his final battle in the Iliad if you don’t believe me, and witness the incomparable act of Patroclos killing 27 Trojans in one sentence! (Uh, yeah, I’m kinda a Patroclos fangirl. #fightme)")] (link-reveal: "Peleus")[(alert: "Son of Aiakos, who was a son of Zeus and the King of Aegina. Father of Achilleus by the Nereid Thetis. Peleus became the King of Phthia by marrying the previous king’s daughter in most versions; in others, his first wife’s father was king of a larger realm in Thessaly, and his father-in-law divided up his kingdom in order to give Peleus his own throne. He was given Thetis as his bride by Zeus, and it is sometimes said that when Peleus was dying, Thetis gave him immortality and he went to live in her undersea realm with her.")] (link-reveal: "Penelope")[(alert: "         Daughter of Icarios, a grandson of Perseus. Icarios was brother of Tyndareos, and it was Tyndareos who persuaded Icarios to allow Odysseus to wed Penelope. Penelope’s unwavering fidelity to her husband is her most well-remembered aspect.")] (link-reveal: "Perseus")[(alert: "         Son of Zeus by Danae. Best known for slaying the Gorgon Medusa, but that was not his only accomplishment. Among other things, he was the founder of Mycenae, according to legendary tradition.")] (link-reveal: "Phoenicia")[(alert: "         Nation of the Levantine coast, inhabited by a Semitic people known as Canaanites to the Hebrews. Its people were known as excellent sailors and merchants, though they were not technically merchants yet by the Late Bronze Age, since money and trade weren’t yet firmly established; the Histories of Herodotos provide several examples of their reputation in the Classical era. Historically, the Phoenician script was a basis for the Greek alphabet. The Phoenicians founded numerous colonies elsewhere in their travels, including most famously at Carthage. The Phoenicians were one of the non-Greek peoples who birthed important early Greek mythological figures, namely Cadmus and his sister Europa.")] (link-reveal: "Phthia")[(alert: "         A city in Thessaly, palatial center of the region known as Achaia Phthiotis, and called Pelasgian Argos in the Catalog of Ships in the *Iliad*.")] (link-reveal: "Polyxena")[(alert: "         A daughter of Priam and Hecabe, younger than Cassandra. Often associated with her brother Troilos, which suggests that they were similar in age.")] (link-reveal: "Protesilaos")[(alert: "         King of Phylace. He had been a suitor of Helen’s, but got married very soon before being summoned to Aulis to take part in the war to retrieve Helen. Not exactly known as a mighty warrior…")] (link-reveal: "Ramses")[(alert: "         Refers to Ramses II, an historical Pharaoh who ruled in Egypt for most of the thirteenth century BCE. Traditional renditions of the myth of the Trojan War place mythical kings on the Egyptian throne, though the name of the mythical king varies. (Typically, it is Proteus, which is based on one of the Egyptian titles for their king, the same one on which the Hebrew term Pharaoh was based.) Traditional dating of the Trojan War also typically puts it closer to the reign of Ramses III than Ramses II, but I have gone with a different destruction layer at Troy in my chronology, in order to allow a good, long generation between the Trojan War and the destruction of the palatial centers in Greece.          Ramses II is also known as Ramses the Great, and a mistaken reading of his throne name gave him the Greek name of Ozymandias, which stuck around for centuries (witness Shelley’s poem).")] (link-reveal: "Sarpedon")[(alert: "         King of Lycia. According to the *Iliad*, Sarpedon was the son of Zeus and a daughter of Bellerophontes. Later writers gave him a different, non-divine origin, or make him the son of Zeus and Europa, having lived for three generations. This change was made because at some point someone decided that Heracles should be the last child Zeus would father on a mortal woman.")] (link-reveal: "Scyros")[(alert: "         An island off the coast of Euboia, ruled over by Lycomedes.")] (link-reveal: "Sinon")[(alert: "         A cousin of Odysseus; his father Aesimos was a son of Autolycos, thus a brother of Odysseus’ mother, Anticleia.")] (link-reveal: "Spercheios")[(alert: "         A river in Phthia. The god of this river loved Peleus’ daughter by his first marriage. A lock of Achilleus’ hair was also promised to this god; I don’t know if there’s any connection there, though it could be amusing if there was!")] (link-reveal: "Tekmessa")[(alert: "         Daughter of an Anatolian king. Following her capture by the Greek forces, she was made the concubine of Aias, son of Telamon.")] (link-reveal: "Tenedos")[(alert: "         An island off the coast of Anatolia, very near Troy.")] (link-reveal: "Teuthrania")[(alert: "         A kingdom in Mysia.")] (link-reveal: "Thebes")[(alert: "         A city in Boeotia. Best known for the tragic cycle revolving around Oidipous and his children. (if: $home is 'Thebes')[The city where you rule.]")] (link-reveal: "Thessaly")[(alert: "         A region in northern Greece.")] (link-reveal: "Thymbria")[(alert: "         A region very near to Troy. Location of an important temple to Apollo, known as the Temple of Thymbrian Apollo.")] (link-reveal: "Troilos")[(alert: "         Son of Priam and Hecabe. Sometimes said to be the son of Apollo rather than Priam. His name appears to be either in honor of the city itself, or a combination of the names of his legendary ancestors Tros and Ilos.")] (link-reveal: "Tyndareos")[(alert: "         King of Sparta. Husband of Leda. A quarrel he had with Aphrodite led her to curse him such that not only would his wife be unfaithful to him, but also both his daughters would be unfaithful to their husbands.")] (link-reveal: "Zeleia")[(alert: "         A place in Lycia.")] |==| ------------ (link-undo:"Go back")

(unless: (passage:)'s tags contains "nofooter")[ ---------------------------------------------------------- <center>[[Glossary]]       (link:"Save Game")[ (if:(save-game:"Slot A"))[ (if: (saved-games:) contains "Slot A")[ Saved! ]]]        (link: "Load Game" )[ (load-game: "Slot A")]       [[Credits]]</center>]

(if: $MarriedPolyxena is 'Yes')[         Before you start, you call Achilleus over and ask him if he has any special desires regarding the (former) king and queen, since he evidently intends to honor his marriage to Polyxena. "They'll come back with me, of course," Achilleus says. "I don't want to hear what people would say about me if I was the sort of man who let his wife's parents be enslaved." You'd find it a more pleasing sentiment if it wasn't couched in terms of Achilleus' reputation, but you're not about to argue with it regardless.](else_if: $Priam is 'other' or 'savedC')[         You are reluctant to hand over a man as old as King Priam to someone as a slave. What in the world would anyone use him for as a slave? He's too old and frail for any physical work.          Nestor seems to sense your uncertainty, and sets a hand on your arm. "Perhaps it would be best to dedicate the king and queen to Zeus," he says. "We could give them to a temple to serve the king of the gods."          You agree that is an excellent idea, and Nestor volunteers to transport them safely to an appropriate temple.(set: $Priam to 'Zeus')(set: $Hecabe to 'Zeus') ](else_if: $Priam is 'murdered')[         You decide to start with Queen Hecabe. Even in captivity, she remains regal and proud, and it is easy to see that in her youth she must have been quite beautiful. Despite being too old for any service except perhaps to watch over children or aid a queen with her personal appearance, she is valuable as a slave simply because she used to be the queen of such a mighty city. To receive her would be a great honor for any of the men in the group...(if: $Odysseus is not 'dead' and is not 'exiled')[(if: $Idomeneus is not 'dead')[(dropdown: bind $Hecabe, "Odysseus", "Nestor", "Menelaos", "Idomeneus")](else:)[(dropdown: bind $Hecabe, "Odysseus", "Nestor", "Menelaos")]](else:)[(if: $Idomeneus is not 'dead')[(dropdown: bind $Hecabe, "Nestor", "Menelaos", "Idomeneus")](else:)[(dropdown: bind $Hecabe, "Nestor", "Menelaos")]]] [[You still have the rest of the royal family to consider.->AndromacheFate]]

(if: $Neoptolemos is 'alive')[         You turn your attention to Andromache, Hector's widow. (if: $Hector is not 'dead')[(At least, you've been *told* Hector was killed in battle inside the palace, though no two men seem to agree on just who killed him...)] As you do, (if: $Helenos is 'enslaved')[Helenos enters from the main part of the camp (where he has been given surprising liberty of late), and](else:)[Prince Helenos, from among the other captured Trojan royals,] speaks to you with an odd combination of humility and boldness. "I have seen a vision, Lord Creon, if you are willing to hear it."          "The wishes of the gods are always good to know," you say. The power of his soothsaying is well-known, after all.          "The gods have shown that both my sister Andromache and myself are to be the prizes awarded to the son of Achilleus," he says(if: $killer is 'Hector')[, making Andromache wince and begin crying].          You're not entirely sure you believe that 'vision' of his. Is it really the will of the gods, or does he want to move in on his brother's widow? (Since, after all, surely Neoptolemos will find Andromache much too old for his tastes!) You're not sure if you should listen to him or not...(if: $Diomedes is not 'dead' and is not 'dead traitor')[(if: $AiasS is not 'dead')[ (dropdown: bind $Andromache, ".", "Neoptolemos", "Diomedes", "Aias of Salamis")](else:)[ (dropdown: bind $Andromache, ".","Neoptolemos", "Diomedes")]](else:)[(if: $AiasS is not 'dead')[ (dropdown: bind $Andromache, ".","Neoptolemos", "Aias of Salamis")](else:)[but on the other hand, maybe it's better not to risk angering the gods? You decide to award both Andromache and Helenos to Neoptolemos.(set: $Andromache to 'Neoptolemos')]]](else_if: $Menesthios is 'alive' or 'wounded')[         You turn your attention to Andromache, Hector's widow. (if: $Hector is not 'dead')[(At least, you've been *told* Hector was killed in battle inside the palace, though no two men seem to agree on just who killed him...)] (if: $Diomedes is not 'dead' and is not 'dead traitor')[(if: $AiasS is not 'dead')[(dropdown: bind $Andromache, "Menesthios", "Diomedes", "Aias of Salamis")](else:)[(dropdown: bind $Andromache, "Menesthios", "Diomedes")]](else:)[(if: $AiasS is not 'dead')[(dropdown: bind $Andromache, "Menesthios", "Aias of Salamis")](else:)[(dropdown: bind $Andromache, "Menesthios", ".")]]](else:)[         You turn your attention to Andromache, Hector's widow. (if: $Hector is not 'dead')[(At least, you've been *told* Hector was killed in battle inside the palace, though no two men seem to agree on just who killed him...)](if: $Diomedes is not 'dead' and is not 'dead traitor')[(if: $AiasS is not 'dead')[(dropdown: bind $Andromache, "Diomedes", "Aias of Salamis")](else:)[(dropdown: bind $Andromache, "Diomedes", ".")]](else:)[(if: $AiasS is not 'dead')[(dropdown: bind $Andromache, "Aias of Salamis", ".")]]] (if: $Andromache is 'Neoptolemos')[(set: $Helenos to 'Neoptolemos')] [[You turn your attention onward...->CassandraFate]]

         Crouching in the dust beside Andromache is Cassandra, possibly the most beautiful of Priam's daughters...(if: $rape is not 'other')[but after what Aias did, you cannot bear the idea of enslaving her to any man's bed.](else:)[but she has been acting so bizarrely ever since she was brought in that you fear for the life of any man who might try to take her to his bed; she seems like the sort who might decide he was food and try to carve him up with a knife, or just bite through his neck.]          You're not sure what you want to do about her until she suddenly shrieks something in an unfamiliar tongue, the only word of which you think you understand is 'Apollo.' That gives you an idea. "Since the city of Troy was especially sacred to radiant Apollo," you announce, "we must apologize to him for destroying the city that was under his guidance. To that end, I will offer up this beautiful daughter of Priam to Apollo's service at Delphi." This declaration causes Cassandra to howl with laughter, rolling over onto her back and kicking her legs up into the air while her mother tries to quiet her. [[You turn your attention onward...->HelenosFate]]

(if: $Helenos is not 'Neoptolemos')[         Prince Helenos makes for a difficult situation, you realize suddenly. Normally, a grown man would not be enslaved, particularly when he is the son of the king and a skilled warrior. But in this case...as such a powerful seer, Helenos is much more valuable alive than dead, and he has (so far) proven very cooperative. He will surely prove very useful to whoever obtains his services. (if: $AiasS is not 'dead')[(if: $AiasL is not 'dead' and is not 'stoned')[(dropdown: bind $Helenos, "Creon", "Aias of Salamis", "Aias of Locris", "Menelaos")](else:)[(dropdown: bind $Helenos, "Creon", "Aias of Salamis", "Menelaos")]](else:)[(if: $AiasL is not 'dead' and is not 'stoned')[(dropdown: bind $Helenos, "Creon", "Aias of Locris", "Menelaos")](else:)[(dropdown: bind $Helenos, "Creon", "Menelaos")]]] [[You turn your attention onward...->PolyxenaFate]](else:)[(goto: "PolyxenaFate")]

(if: $MarriedPolyxena is not 'Yes')[         Another fair daughter of Priam, Polyxena, is next. (if: $Achilles is 'alive')["She's mine," Achilleus says as soon as he sees you looking at her. "I already claimed her." You want to refuse just because he's being so arrogant about it...but you're pretty sure he'll kill you if you do, so you simply acquiesce and move on, because you did not survive ten years of bitter warfare only to be killed by your own ally.(set: $Polyxena to 'Achilles')](else:)[(if: $Neoptolemos is 'alive')["Is that Polyxena?" Neoptolemos asks as he observes you turning your attention towards the girl. "My father's shade appeared to me last night and demanded her as his share of the booty."          You are momentarily speechless. "But...he's dead..."          "That's why it was his *shade*," Neoptolemos retorts, scowling at you in disgust.          "Yes, but what is a dead man going to do with a living girl?" you ask. "Does he want her to tend to his tomb for the rest of her life?" Actually, you can think of worse fates for the poor princess.          "I think he wants me to send her down to join him," Neoptolemos says casually, precisely voicing one of the worse fates you just thought of.          "I don't know if I can condone that," you say, shaking your head.          "He'll wreck all your ships if you don't," Neoptolemos says coldly.          The worst part is that you can really imagine Achilleus doing that. It's hard for you to imagine him having the *power* to do it, but you absolutely believe he *would*.          You hesitate for a moment, thinking about what your alternatives are, before making your decision. (if: $Antilochos is 'alive')[(if: $Ascalaphos is 'alive')[(if: $Ialmenos is 'alive')[(dropdown: bind $Polyxena, "Tend the Tomb of Achilleus", "Join Achilleus", "Antilochos", "Ascalaphos", "Ialmenos")](else:)[(dropdown: bind $Polyxena, "Tend the Tomb of Achilleus", "Join Achilleus", "Antilochos", "Ascalaphos")]](else:)[(if: $Ialmenos is 'alive')[(dropdown: bind $Polyxena, "Tend the Tomb of Achilleus", "Join Achilleus", "Antilochos", "Ialmenos")](else:)[(dropdown: bind $Polyxena, "Tend the Tomb of Achilleus", "Join Achilleus", "Antilochos")]]](else:)[(if: $Ascalaphos is 'alive')[(if: $Ialmenos is 'alive')[(dropdown: bind $Polyxena, "Tend the Tomb of Achilleus", "Join Achilleus", "Ascalaphos", "Ialmenos")](else:)[(dropdown: bind $Polyxena, "Tend the Tomb of Achilleus", "Join Achilleus", "Ascalaphos")]](else:)[(if: $Ialmenos is 'alive')[(dropdown: bind $Polyxena, "Tend the Tomb of Achilleus", "Join Achilleus", "Ialmenos")](else:)[(dropdown: bind $Polyxena, "Tend the Tomb of Achilleus", "Join Achilleus")]]]](else:)[(if: $Antilochos is 'alive')[(if: $Ascalaphos is 'alive')[(if: $Ialmenos is 'alive')[(dropdown: bind $Polyxena, "Antilochos", "Ascalaphos", "Ialmenos")](else:)[(dropdown: bind $Polyxena, "Antilochos", "Ascalaphos")]](else:)[(if: $Ialmenos is 'alive')[(dropdown: bind $Polyxena, "Antilochos", "Ialmenos")](else:)[(dropdown: bind $Polyxena, "Antilochos", ".")]]](else:)[(if: $Ascalaphos is 'alive')[(if: $Ialmenos is 'alive')[(dropdown: bind $Polyxena, "Ascalaphos", "Ialmenos")](else:)[(dropdown: bind $Polyxena, "Ascalaphos", ".")]](else:)[(if: $Ialmenos is 'alive')[(dropdown: bind $Polyxena, "Ialmenos")](else:)[(dropdown: bind $Polyxena, "Thrasymedes", ".")]]]]]          You turn your attention onward... ]          ...only to realize that you're already done.          With that (more or less) taken care of, you turn your attention to loading your own ships and preparing to leave. [[You are so eager to return home that you can't stand the idea of staying here a single moment longer than you have to.->Nostoi]]