The Northern League: Italy

For the duration of this miniseries, it should be understood that the League (which had, as previously discussed, split in two) did not see itself as being on any grand mission or destined course - that only appears obvious to use in retrospect. Rather, the members of the League worked only for the advantage of themselves, their friends and family, and - sometimes - the League of Desmond. Thus, the slow migration of the Northern League (as we name it today) was, in general, not due to some sacred calling the members of that group felt, but rather the effect of purposeless internal and external pressures. That said.

The League, again as mentioned, had in 30 BC recently been severed from the protection and sponsorship of Gaius Julius Caesar, in the wake of his assassination and ensuing civil wars. They were for the most part composed of court hanger-ons and noblemen, some Greek, some Roman; a far cry from the warriors that helped forge Alexander's empire. They fled Octavian (Julius's successor) to northern Italy, with little more than the clothes on their backs and the horses they rode. They settled, attempting to keep a low profile, in the colony of Trieste, on the banks of the Adriatic Sea. For nearly a generation, the Northern League of Desmond lived there, making a marginal living as merchants, marrying, raising children. Perhaps because of their ties - as strangers in a small town, foreigners and noble-born men in a place that had few - the members of the League stayed together in this time, maintaining their noble traditions even in a time in which the League of Desmond seemed to bring nothing but official anger.

In 14 BC, that anger fell upon the League, as the officer of a legion of Roman soldiers, passing through to resupply, recognized a League member from his days in the capitol. Octavian was at that time on his deathbed, but his edict still held force, and the streets of Trieste burned red. Half the League was slaughtered or scattered; the rest, uprooted from their families and livelihoods, fled north, into the semi-civilized lands of Gaul.

EDITOR'S NOTE: This one didn't have much, I know. Too much setup, too little action. The next one should fix that.