The Flame Reawoken: The Restoration of Zoroastrian Persia
- Thread starter Mental_Wizard
- Start date
For you, and anyone else feeling this way... I'll try and keep it that way.
Update maybe late tonight-sometime tomorrow. Hopefully.
B-29_Bomber
Banned
Hmm...
The status of the Romans would be interesting as the PoD is well before the fall of North Africa, but after the fall of Egypt.
It's entirely possible that the Romans might ally with the newly reborn Persian Empire against their greater enemy. Though of course that Alliance is unlikely to last long after the Arabs are no longer a going concern.
The status of the Romans would be interesting as the PoD is well before the fall of North Africa, but after the fall of Egypt.
It's entirely possible that the Romans might ally with the newly reborn Persian Empire against their greater enemy. Though of course that Alliance is unlikely to last long after the Arabs are no longer a going concern.
This is going to have repercussions from France to China in the not too distant future. If the Sassanians can mount an effective resistance they will be helped by the Caliphate's ongoing war against the Romans, and if several defeats start rolling in some of the Arab clans might itch for a second round of the Ridda Wars.
Well the Caliphate is already in a status of civil war or sectional conflict at the time this tl begins, 655.
Oh, I thought the first Fitna did not start until after then (656-57) but my memory might be failing me...
If that's the case then, even better for the Sassanian rebels.
Well the official beginning of the war was the next year, but the origins are earlier during the reign of Uthman Ibn Affan.
the flame reawoken
ii
The march of the able-bodied of the town eastward could be heard for a great distance. They were practically running in order to catch the Arab army. Foremost among the number they had assembled was a young man who had arrived at the town not too long before the call to arms. With him he had brought a band of the remnants of the Sassanid army. From this nucleus of an actual fighting force, the citizens of Aspahan were being drilled into a new army. The pursuit lasted around two days, due to the waylaying of the Arab army by their own inexperience with the land as well as by unsympathetic villagers in the mountains. The citizens were hungry for a battle. They were untested in battle, but filled with all the conviction of the finest warriors Eranshahr had ever seen. Not all the armies of the Caliphate or the other mighty powers of the world could have stopped them that day. Or at least they felt that way.
They approached the Arab tents in the dark of the night, quietly stepping through the rocky terrain of the foothills of the eastern Zagros. The first Persian soldier motioned two others over to where he had managed to slip undetected, right next to an Arab tent. They quickly made their way to him, careful not to make any noise. Slowly, they opened the front of the tent to reveal a sleeping Arab commander. The first soldier picked up a fine sword lying upon the ground next to the soldier and ran him through with a savage glee. This brutal show of force would hardly be the last that night. As the scream of the dying soldier rang out through the camp, the Persians barged into the tents from all sides, falling upon them like a hurricane. Hundreds were slaughtered within minutes as the unsuspecting Arabs were caught off their guard. The few who were aware of the attack fought back, easily dispatching many of the untrained Persians before succumbing to the sheer number of their enemies. The blood of the encounter turned nearby streams red, and the air thickened with the stench of death for many days. A few members of the Arab army tried to flee, towards Rashidun-controlled towns in the east. The first to strike at the Arabs that night caught up to them and killed them as well. It was the young man from the Sassanid army.
Returning to the main force that had marched out of Aspahan, he was greeted as a hero. All the provisions and armaments were seized from the remnants of the night camp. The citizens of the town and the nearby villages rejoiced at a victory against their great foe. However, one man was not happy. It was he who had started this whole thing. That upstart stole his glory! He had rallied the whole city and now countryside to revolt, only to get none of the credit for it. Bitter though he was, he would not stop the tide rising against the Arabs. No! He would send this threat in his own ranks off on a suicide mission, and then there would be no obstacle to his power over the revolt! Grimacing that it had been his revolt, the soldier simply known as Ormizd went to sleep. The rest of the army slept that night, flush in their great triumph. The Arab menace had been halted at last! They would now swing east, gathering forces as they dispelled the local garrisons with the weapons they now possessed, before heading back west with new recruits to drive the Arabs out of Eranshahr. Or at least, they planned that.
1)- regarding a map to show the territory of the Persian resistance... there really isn't anything to show yet besides a little dot for Aspahan. A map will come in due time.
ii
The march of the able-bodied of the town eastward could be heard for a great distance. They were practically running in order to catch the Arab army. Foremost among the number they had assembled was a young man who had arrived at the town not too long before the call to arms. With him he had brought a band of the remnants of the Sassanid army. From this nucleus of an actual fighting force, the citizens of Aspahan were being drilled into a new army. The pursuit lasted around two days, due to the waylaying of the Arab army by their own inexperience with the land as well as by unsympathetic villagers in the mountains. The citizens were hungry for a battle. They were untested in battle, but filled with all the conviction of the finest warriors Eranshahr had ever seen. Not all the armies of the Caliphate or the other mighty powers of the world could have stopped them that day. Or at least they felt that way.
They approached the Arab tents in the dark of the night, quietly stepping through the rocky terrain of the foothills of the eastern Zagros. The first Persian soldier motioned two others over to where he had managed to slip undetected, right next to an Arab tent. They quickly made their way to him, careful not to make any noise. Slowly, they opened the front of the tent to reveal a sleeping Arab commander. The first soldier picked up a fine sword lying upon the ground next to the soldier and ran him through with a savage glee. This brutal show of force would hardly be the last that night. As the scream of the dying soldier rang out through the camp, the Persians barged into the tents from all sides, falling upon them like a hurricane. Hundreds were slaughtered within minutes as the unsuspecting Arabs were caught off their guard. The few who were aware of the attack fought back, easily dispatching many of the untrained Persians before succumbing to the sheer number of their enemies. The blood of the encounter turned nearby streams red, and the air thickened with the stench of death for many days. A few members of the Arab army tried to flee, towards Rashidun-controlled towns in the east. The first to strike at the Arabs that night caught up to them and killed them as well. It was the young man from the Sassanid army.
Returning to the main force that had marched out of Aspahan, he was greeted as a hero. All the provisions and armaments were seized from the remnants of the night camp. The citizens of the town and the nearby villages rejoiced at a victory against their great foe. However, one man was not happy. It was he who had started this whole thing. That upstart stole his glory! He had rallied the whole city and now countryside to revolt, only to get none of the credit for it. Bitter though he was, he would not stop the tide rising against the Arabs. No! He would send this threat in his own ranks off on a suicide mission, and then there would be no obstacle to his power over the revolt! Grimacing that it had been his revolt, the soldier simply known as Ormizd went to sleep. The rest of the army slept that night, flush in their great triumph. The Arab menace had been halted at last! They would now swing east, gathering forces as they dispelled the local garrisons with the weapons they now possessed, before heading back west with new recruits to drive the Arabs out of Eranshahr. Or at least, they planned that.
1)- regarding a map to show the territory of the Persian resistance... there really isn't anything to show yet besides a little dot for Aspahan. A map will come in due time.
If we see an unravelling followed by a slight renewal, might the Ummah declare that there were no Rashidun and that Ali should have the been the first Caliph?
I confess to not being too proficient on this much early Islamic theology and how it changed over the course of the influence of what seemed to be infinite success.
I confess to not being too proficient on this much early Islamic theology and how it changed over the course of the influence of what seemed to be infinite success.
There is absolutely no way this can backfire. I'm sure that this young upstart shall be little more than a footnote in the history books. What could possibly go wrong?
I think it would be prudent of me to ask this before writing iii, but how is the composition of my writing? I want to make sure I am doing this in a palatable writing style.
In any case, probably another update today. Hopefully a good bit longer than the others.
In any case, probably another update today. Hopefully a good bit longer than the others.
As someone who suffers from crippling writers block my advice to you is don't think just write. Far better to get something out that is able to generally convey what you're trying to say rather than do nothing chasing the illusion of perfection. As it is I quite like what you've written so far and the style works well and I am able to follow what is happening.
That is not likely. The faction of Ali Ibn Talib is arguably the one in the greatest fault other than Uthman ibn Affan for the Fitnah (chaos). Further, the common folk of the day, show no signs of militant support for Ali as they would later in the form of Shi’i, which began to appear only after Husayn ibn Ali was killed in Karbala (unless you include Abdallah Ibn Saba al-Himyari).
the flame reawoken
iii
The passage of the victorious Persians to the east proceeded apace. Trudging through the hostile landscape, the soul of the Sassanid Empire lived on. Here was the last free Persian army in all of Eranshahr, who sought to restore the fire temples to their old glory and capture the seat of power at Ctesiphon. However, all was not well in the army. There was dissension amongst different emerging factions. The main thing that was driving a wedge between the factions was the question of who the next Shahanshah would be. The House of Sasan had been all but extinguished: its last surviving members rumored to be hiding far to the east. The new Shahanshah would most likely be one of the assembled men of the army. The emerging factions had rapidly consolidated themselves under Ormizd, the inspiraton for the revolt, and the young soldier whom none even knew the name of, that had been the most valiant of them all. Nominally the leader, Ormizd grew ever more fearful of the rising influence of the young man. To this end, he was at last given a chance to dispose of his rival when the army reached Bardasir.
Bardasir was an old city, founded by Ardashir I at the beginning of the Sassanid rule of Persia. It had fallen to the Arabs 13 years beforehand: but still contained a sizable Zoroastrian population. The walls of the city were some of the highest east of the Zagros: as Bardasir had been a military outpost by design. The city was filled with an Arab garrison. As the young man set off towards it with his company, Ormizd grimaced at all the fighters he was going to lose just to secure the death of one man. The young man stood on a bluff outside the city, and surveyed the lay of what they were attacking. The great rounded walls were too tall to climb, and so they would have to force their way through the door. The young man remembered Ormizd's orders: kill any who leave the city. The brutality of their leader was stunning. He had no goal other than bathe the whole land in blood! And now he was would sit and watch this entire force be destroyed! Now had come the time, for the sake of Eranshahr, to stop following the advice of this evil man. Eranshahr would not be restored by great efforts on the battlefield, but the original spark of hope carried unto the people of Aspahan, which would burn the Caliphate down amidst a sea of Persian fury.
The young man decided upon a course of action to force his way into the city. He would wait until a Zoroastrian citizen came outside, and convince them to leave the gate open overnight. Nothing else was liable to work. The defenses of the Caliphate were simply too strong, the city too much for such a small force of twenty men to take. Hours later, a Zoroastrian farmer walked outside the gate, whereupon the soldiers grabbed him.
"Farmer, you need not fear us! We have come to liberate your city and the rest of Eranshahr from the Arab yoke! We need your help. Tonight you must leave the gate of Bardasir open so that we may enter unbeknownst to the garrison." The young man pleaded.
"What you say is... nice to hear. But why can I trust you. Who are you to deserve any of my trust? Noble may your cause be, but I cannot tell the ends to which it goes." Spoke the farmer.
"My friend, see you this scar upon my leg? It is borne from 25 years ago, when I was but a boy. I have fought my entire life for the people of Eranshahr. That reason is because I am the rightful King of Kings, I am Ardashir III. The treacherous members of the court did not actually kill me. You can see here, I have kept in my pocket a royal insignia this entire to reveal when the time was right. Go, tell all the people of Bardasir that their Shahanshah marches upon them with an army to drive out the Arab menace, liberate all of Eranshahr, and claim his birthright." He wept.
His assembled soldiers, who had not heard this, wept as well. The farmer too wept, joyous in the revelation of their deliverance.
"This I will do, Shahanshah." He said solemnly.
The man walked back inside the dark gates, as Ardashir and his men waited for their chance to strike.
1)- Bardasir is today Kermān.
2)- 25 years ago is 630, when Ardashir is said to have been executed.
3)-"Ardashir" has indeed had a rough life fighting, but he's a thief by trade. It's how he got the insignia.
iii
The passage of the victorious Persians to the east proceeded apace. Trudging through the hostile landscape, the soul of the Sassanid Empire lived on. Here was the last free Persian army in all of Eranshahr, who sought to restore the fire temples to their old glory and capture the seat of power at Ctesiphon. However, all was not well in the army. There was dissension amongst different emerging factions. The main thing that was driving a wedge between the factions was the question of who the next Shahanshah would be. The House of Sasan had been all but extinguished: its last surviving members rumored to be hiding far to the east. The new Shahanshah would most likely be one of the assembled men of the army. The emerging factions had rapidly consolidated themselves under Ormizd, the inspiraton for the revolt, and the young soldier whom none even knew the name of, that had been the most valiant of them all. Nominally the leader, Ormizd grew ever more fearful of the rising influence of the young man. To this end, he was at last given a chance to dispose of his rival when the army reached Bardasir.
Bardasir was an old city, founded by Ardashir I at the beginning of the Sassanid rule of Persia. It had fallen to the Arabs 13 years beforehand: but still contained a sizable Zoroastrian population. The walls of the city were some of the highest east of the Zagros: as Bardasir had been a military outpost by design. The city was filled with an Arab garrison. As the young man set off towards it with his company, Ormizd grimaced at all the fighters he was going to lose just to secure the death of one man. The young man stood on a bluff outside the city, and surveyed the lay of what they were attacking. The great rounded walls were too tall to climb, and so they would have to force their way through the door. The young man remembered Ormizd's orders: kill any who leave the city. The brutality of their leader was stunning. He had no goal other than bathe the whole land in blood! And now he was would sit and watch this entire force be destroyed! Now had come the time, for the sake of Eranshahr, to stop following the advice of this evil man. Eranshahr would not be restored by great efforts on the battlefield, but the original spark of hope carried unto the people of Aspahan, which would burn the Caliphate down amidst a sea of Persian fury.
The young man decided upon a course of action to force his way into the city. He would wait until a Zoroastrian citizen came outside, and convince them to leave the gate open overnight. Nothing else was liable to work. The defenses of the Caliphate were simply too strong, the city too much for such a small force of twenty men to take. Hours later, a Zoroastrian farmer walked outside the gate, whereupon the soldiers grabbed him.
"Farmer, you need not fear us! We have come to liberate your city and the rest of Eranshahr from the Arab yoke! We need your help. Tonight you must leave the gate of Bardasir open so that we may enter unbeknownst to the garrison." The young man pleaded.
"What you say is... nice to hear. But why can I trust you. Who are you to deserve any of my trust? Noble may your cause be, but I cannot tell the ends to which it goes." Spoke the farmer.
"My friend, see you this scar upon my leg? It is borne from 25 years ago, when I was but a boy. I have fought my entire life for the people of Eranshahr. That reason is because I am the rightful King of Kings, I am Ardashir III. The treacherous members of the court did not actually kill me. You can see here, I have kept in my pocket a royal insignia this entire to reveal when the time was right. Go, tell all the people of Bardasir that their Shahanshah marches upon them with an army to drive out the Arab menace, liberate all of Eranshahr, and claim his birthright." He wept.
His assembled soldiers, who had not heard this, wept as well. The farmer too wept, joyous in the revelation of their deliverance.
"This I will do, Shahanshah." He said solemnly.
The man walked back inside the dark gates, as Ardashir and his men waited for their chance to strike.
1)- Bardasir is today Kermān.
2)- 25 years ago is 630, when Ardashir is said to have been executed.
3)-"Ardashir" has indeed had a rough life fighting, but he's a thief by trade. It's how he got the insignia.
Rome and Persia did have periods of peace and being buddy-buddy with one another so I figure this could push them together, especially as the enemies from all sides grew.
iv will come soon
It's no accident that these updates are getting longer. I haven't found the right size yet.
It's no accident that these updates are getting longer. I haven't found the right size yet.
You know, when I said iv was coming soon on Wednesday, I did believe it was...
Too bad it didn't happen. I'll try today lol
Too bad it didn't happen. I'll try today lol