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Carthago! is a game by G.M., louisxiv just made a site for it.
Carthago! is a game by G.M., louisxiv just made a site for it.
Thu 16th October ’25
7:45pm for 8pm BST
From: Sammus’s Boast:
We sailed on until dawn on 6th July. Kallicrates informed Agripinus that we had water for a few days, but not enough to go straight to Carthage and we discussed where we might go first. We decided to head for Carthago Nova, initially. Agripinus gave Kallicrates 120gp to pay for the trip to Carthage. Our discussions also involved the likelihood of pursuit and Baal-Shaq told us that his note to Hannibal told him that his share of the loot would be left at the temple of Baal in Carthage, so he would know our planned destination.
The wind blew lightly from the north, and we had need to tack to make progress. Si'aspiqo used the conch Hanno had given him, to help forecast the weather. He told us that the weather would remain fair. We saw a few sea birds but little else as the day passed uneventfully and we sailed on at night with Amphius as lookout.
By dawn on 7th July, the wind had died and then a light wind came up from the southwest, which was ideal to sail to Carthago Nova. Mago spotted some whales and Si'aspiqo forecast the weather would continue fair with the wind from west or southwest. We sailed on at night lit by the moon which was about 5 days short of full. By the next morning there was a light wind blowing from the west and we had another good day and night’s sailing.
The wind freshened from the northeast on 9th July and soon Mago spotted the coast ahead. We saw a few fishing boats and later in the day a merchant ship. We had some rowing to do, and I joined in with the crew. At dusk Kallicrates decided to just drift at night as we were too far out to anchor. Amphius kept watch to check that we didn’t get too close to shore.
During the early hours of the morning, we were had got quite close to shore and the wind had backed to come from the southwest, so Kallicrates hoisted a small sail, for the last part of the night. We sailed along the coast for the day. Mago failed to spot some fishing boats, and the fishermen shouted curses as we got too close to them. Kallicrates thought we should reach port the next day and we sailed on under the stars and moonlight.
By dawn on 11th July there was a fresher wind now from the northwest and we had to tack. Mago saw five ships far off in a line on the horizon to our right. He thought they were warships and Kallicrates thought they were ramships, as they were going into the wind, on a converging course for Carthago Nova.
We sailed on into harbour and Agripinus announced himself and the Morning Breeze to a guardship and we moored just before dusk. The five ramships looked like they were part of the war fleet Mago told us. Agripinus went ashore and asked for audience with Hanno but was told the man was busy that day. The priest asked an official to arrange an audience for him the next day.
The harbour was swarming with sailors from the warships and soldiers too, as my companions and I made our way into the town in search of refreshment and news. I stuck close to Toxoanassa, which was just as well as she was soon surrounded by sailors gawping and jabbering in Punic. Toxoanassa and I bought some drinks, and they were content with that.
Si'aspiqo and Mago stayed close to Agripinus and kept out of trouble, but Baal-Shaq and Amphius were involved in an altercation. Baal-Shaq took exception to a comment and a brawl erupted. He was a very handy boxer and soon laid out one man and a second. Another stumbled into Amphius, who managed to avoid him. Baal-Shaq punched a third and as someone tried to pass Amphius, to join in, the Greek tried to trip him. The man kept his feet and turned on Amphius but missed. Amphius grabbed him and spun him round and then dodged a haymaker and moved back out of range. Meanwhile Baal-Shaq knocked over one or two more opponents and when Amphius’s adversary noticed this, he quickly left the scene.
We learnt little information from our visit. Agripinus spent more time talking about our journey across the desert than hearing any news. Mago was told that there was a lot of work in Carthage for men with his skills as they were readying lots of ships for a fleet to Sicily, to sweep the seas of Romans and stop them ferrying troops across the straits. Once Baal-Shaq and Amphius rejoined the rest of us after their brawl, we gave up and returned to the ship. Kallicrates ordered some food from the shore and soon multiple vendors arrived. It was a raucous night in the port.
On the morning of 12th July Kallicrates ordered barrels of fresh water to be loaded on board the Morning Breeze and Agripinus left to seek audience with Hanno. The priest returned at noon. He had learnt that the fleet was going along the coast to the northwest and that relationships with Syracuse were somewhat strained although support against Rome was still expected. Large numbers of Roman troops had crossed the straits to Sicily. He had been advised to return to Carthage as soon as possible. Agripinus then went to the military chapel to commune with Tanit and ask for the goddess’s blessing in heading east as soon as possible.
Kallicrates ordered more barrels of water which were loaded aboard with Kallicrates complaining about the prize. Three more warships were rowed into harbour during the day, as there was no wind.
On the morning of 13th July there was still no wind, and we rowed out of harbour. Si'aspiqo again forecast the weather via the conch – it would be calm for some time he thought with the hope of a breath from the north. We spent the day rowing and saw no warships just a few fishing boats. Kallicrates complained about the extra he had to pay for fresh water in time to leave and Agripinus gave him 20gp.
Soon after midnight, on 14th July, the wind started to appear. It was a cooler wind from the north and by dawn it was blowing quite well and we sailed out into the sea and turned eastwards. The day passed quietly, and we sailed on at night. Amphius spotted some whales nearby. We sailed on the next day and night with the wind unchanged.
At dawn on 16th July the wind had veered to come from the east. We sailed on and Mago eventually spotted a ship similar to our own off to the south, heading for the African coast. Kallicrates steered away slightly to let it slip away to the south. Towards the end of the night Amphius spotted the African coast ahead. By the morning of 17th July the wind was from the southwest and the first clouds for a week or more were seen. With the conch, Si'aspiqo forecast that the weather would remain similar for the next day. We sailed on east under a light wind passing a few fishing boats, and by the end of the day Kallicrates thought that we were about a day west of Hippo.
That night Amphius guided the Morning Breeze around some debris and noticed that the sea was getting a little choppy – he woke Kallicrates and then Si'aspiqo. The latter, with the help of the conch, forecast a storm incoming ahead, with bigger waves to come. We had the choice of sailing out to sea and running before the storm or trying to make landfall somewhere on the coast before it hit. As we discussed the options Amphius saw a flicker of lightning on the horizon. Agripinus asked Tanit for an augury as to whether it was more auspicious to head north or south and was advised to head north, which matched the advice from Kallicrates. The helm steered us away from the coast into deeper water to the north, ready to run before the storm.
Party & company:
Met: —
Places:
Party Loot: —
I set as the era the year of the accession of the Pharaoh Ptolemy II, son of Ptolemy, so we begin in the year 18 of that reign, and I use a simplified system of twelve months with no regard for the multiple systems of intercalary days, weeks, months or moons of our own various cultures nor those we have passed through. I shall use the month names used by the main story-teller, a Gaul, Sammus the Strong, but number them to disambiguate their order.
–Si'aspiqo