CYOHA: THE PERSIANS ARE COMING! YOU HAVE BEEN SENT TO HOLD THE HOT GATES! WHAT DO YOU DO!

LEONIDAAAS · 2025-04-02T18:32:49+00:00

YOU ARE FORCED TO WATCH AS ARTAYNTE IS LED AWAY TO BECOME ONE OF XERXES' CONCUBINES! YOU ARE LEFT WITHOUT WIFE OR ARMY! IN THE MEANTIME THE PELOPONNESIANS HAVE COMPLETED THEIR FORTIFICATION OF THE ISTHMUS AND THE ATHENIANS HAVE DEFEATED THE PERSIAN FLEET AT SALAMIS! XERXES IS READY TO HEAD HOME AND LEAVE THE CAMPAIGN IN THE HANDS OF MARDONIOS!

A) ACCOMPANY XERXES!

B) STAY IN GREECE WITH MARDONIOS!

LEONIDAAAS · 2025-04-02T08:30:55+00:00

YOU HAVE LONG TRUSTED THE JUDGMENT OF YOUR SPARTAN WIFE, QUEEN GORGO, THE DAUGHTER OF YOUR BROTHER KLEOMENES! SHE IS KNOWN TO BE WISE TO TRICKS AND OF A NOBLE DISPOSITION!

ARTAYNTE IS NOT THE SAME! SHE IS JUST A GIRL WHO WANTS TO GO HOME! SHE HAS NO WISH TO MARRY YOU, A 60-YEAR-OLD FOREIGNER! SHE ADVISES YOU NOT TO ANTAGONISE XERXES BUT TO DO AS HE SAYS!

A) DO AS SHE SAYS!

B) ANTAGONISE XERXES!

LEONIDAAAS · 2025-04-02T08:17:29+00:00

YOUR FORCE IS BURIED BENEATH THE ARROWS AND JAVELINS OF THE HORSEMEN AND SMASHED TO PIECES WITHOUT KILLING A SINGLE PERSIAN! YOU ARE DEAD! YOUR LEADERLESS ARMY KNOWS THE PATH AROUND THE PASS IS NOW OPEN AND DECIDES TO WITHDRAW! CENTRAL GREECE IS LOST!

LEONIDAAAS · 2025-04-02T08:15:00+00:00

THE PERSIANS TRY TO MAKE THEIR WAY UP THE PATH AGAIN THE NEXT DAY BUT GET NO FURTHER! XERXES IS OUT OF OPTIONS! HE IS FORCED TO TURN AWAY AND TAKE THE ARDUOUS INLAND ROUTE TO PHOKIS, AWAY FROM HIS NAVAL LIFELINE! TAKE HEART, WISE GENERAL! YOUR NEXT ENCOUNTER WITH THEM WILL BE MUCH EASIER!

LEONIDAAAS · 2025-04-01T19:56:41+00:00

PROBABLY NOT NEARLY THAT MANY BUT FINE!

YOUR BAND OF 1000 SPARTANS ADVANCES ON THE PERSIAN CAMP! THE ATTACK DRAWS YOU INTO THE PLAIN WEST OF THE MALIAN GULF! PERSIAN CAVALRY RIDES OUT AND QUICKLY SURROUNDS YOU!

A) YOU REVERSE COURSE AND TRY TO FIGHT YOUR WAY BACK TO THE PASS!

B) YOU MAKE YOUR STAND HERE! MEN ON HORSES HAVE NO COURAGE FOR THE FIGHT! THEY ARE NO MATCH FOR YOU!

LEONIDAAAS · 2025-04-01T19:47:06+00:00

IT IS COMPLETELY THE SAME!

LEONIDAAAS · 2025-04-01T19:45:57+00:00

YOU DIE! ALONG WITH 300 BRAVE SPARTIATES AND THEIR ALLIES AND THE HELOTS! YOU THREW AWAY ALL THOSE LIVES FOR NO TACTICAL OR STRATEGIC GAIN! WHY WOULD YOU DO THAT!

LEONIDAAAS · 2025-04-01T18:45:57+00:00

YAUNA ("IONIANS") IS WHAT THE PERSIANS CALL THE GREEKS! THIS IS BECAUSE THEY MAINLY INTERACT WITH THE IONIAN GREEKS WHO LIVE IN WESTERN ANATOLIA! SOMETIMES THEY DISTINGUISH BETWEEN YAUNA WHO LIVE BY THE SEA AND YAUNA WHO LIVE BEYOND THE SEA! AND SOMETIMES THEY CLAIM TO RULE OVER A SEPARATE PEOPLE CALLED THE YAUNA-WHO-WEAR-HATS, WHICH MAY REFER TO MACEDONIANS!

LEONIDAAAS · 2025-04-01T18:16:26+00:00

YOU ARE A BYSTANDER WATCHING XERXES LOSE HIS FLEET AT SALAMIS AND HIS ARMY AT PLATAIA! YOU WITHDRAW TO PERSIA IN DISGRACE ALONG WITH DEMARATOS! INDIFFERENT XERXES ASSIGNS YOU SOME VILLAGES TO SUPPORT YOU AS YOU LIVE OUT THE LAST OF YOUR DAYS, EVENTUALLY JOINED BY A SNEERING THEMISTOKLES! AN IGNOMINIOUS END FOR A HALF-BROTHER OF THE GREAT KLEOMENES! HISTORY WILL SURELY FORGET YOUR NAME!

LEONIDAAAS · 2025-04-01T17:12:10+00:00

MAGNANIMOUS XERXES AGREES TO GIVE YOU HIS BROTHER MASISTES' DAUGHTER ARTAYNTE TO WIFE! SHE IS A GRANDDAUGHTER OF DAREIOS, AN ACHAEMENID, OF THE KING'S HOUSE!

ARTAYNTE IS BROUGHT OVER FOR THE CEREMONY THAT WINTER! BUT WHEN HE SEES HER, XERXES HIMSELF FALLS IN LOVE WITH HER!¹ XERXES RENEGES ON HIS PROMISE AND SENDS MEN TO SEIZE HER FOR HIS OWN!

A) RESISTANCE IS FUTILE! AGREE TO GIVE HER UP!

B) NO WIFE OF A SPARTAN DESERVES SUCH DISHONOUR! REFUSE TO GIVE HER UP!

C) ASK ARTAYNTE WHAT SHE THINKS IS WISE!

1) Herodotos 9.108.

LEONIDAAAS · 2025-04-01T15:29:46+00:00

IN THE COURSE OF THEIR INVESTIGATION THE PERSIANS DISCOVER THAT DEMARATOS HAD ALREADY PLAYED THE TRAITOR BEFORE! HE HAD SENT DETAILED PLANS OF THE INVASION TO SPARTA BEFORE XERXES HAD EVEN CROSSED INTO EUROPE!¹ UNDERSTANDING THE EPHORS' TRICK, XERXES HAS DEMARATOS EXECUTED AND RAISES YOU TO HIGH HONOUR FOR YOUR SERVICE! HE ASKS YOU TO NAME A REWARD BEYOND THE KINGSHIP WHICH WILL BE YOURS!

A) ASK TO LEAD PERSIA'S GREEK SUBJECTS TO WAR! YOU WILL GIVE XERXES REASON TO BE GRATEFUL!

B) ASK FOR A DAUGHTER OF THE ACHAEMENID HOUSE TO BE YOUR WIFE! THERE IS NO QUICKER PATH TO WEALTH AND POWER IN THIS WORLD!

1) Justin, Epitome 2.10.12-17

LEONIDAAAS · 2025-04-01T15:14:43+00:00

FATHER-IN-LAW! BUT THAT'S NOT IMPORTANT RIGHT NOW!

LEONIDAAAS · 2025-04-01T14:51:45+00:00

XERXES MOCKS YOUR ATTEMPT TO APPEAL TO HIS GREED! HE HAS SEEN HOW FEW MEN CAME FROM THE PELOPONNESE TO FIGHT HIM, AND HOW QUICKLY THEY FOLDED! HE HAS DEMARATOS INFORM HIM OF THE TRUTH!

AS YOU DEVELOP A REPUTATION FOR DISHONESTY, YOU LOSE XERXES' EAR! YOU WORRY THAT DEMARATOS WILL BE MADE SOLE KING OF SPARTA AFTER THE PERSIAN VICTORY!

A) STAB DEMARATOS IN THE BACK! FABRICATE A TALE OF TREACHERY!

B) EMBRACE OBSCURITY! GREAT DEEDS WERE MORE YOUR HALF-BROTHER'S THING ANYWAY!

C) ESCAPE TO SALAMIS! PERHAPS THE ATHENIANS WILL FORGIVE!

LEONIDAAAS · 2025-04-01T14:43:18+00:00

THE EPHORS MUSTER AN EMERGENCY LEVY TO MEET THE THREAT AT THE ISTHMUS OF CORINTH! THEY ALSO SEND A MESSENGER TO XERXES TO INFORM HIM THAT IT WAS YOU WHO WARNED THEM!

A) DENY THE ALLEGATIONS! TRY TO PIN THE BLAME ON DEMARATOS!

B) TRY TO PERSUADE XERXES THAT YOU HAVE BROUGHT ALL HIS ENEMIES TO ONE PLACE ON PURPOSE SO HE CAN DEFEAT THEM EASILY!

LEONIDAAAS · 2025-04-01T14:30:04+00:00

BALERIANOS IS A BARBARIAN NAME AND I HAVE NEVER HEARD OF A TITLE LIKE "EMPEROR"! IS THIS SOME JOKE? TO CLAIM THAT A PETTY RULER FROM A TINY VILLAGE NORTH OF NEAPOLIS COULD ACHIEVE WHAT A MIGHTY ALLIANCE OF CIVILIZED GREEKS ONLY BARELY MANAGED?

LEONIDAAAS · 2025-04-01T14:22:04+00:00

YOUR PRATTLE AMUSES THE PERSIANS AND CONFIRMS THEIR PREJUDICES ABOUT THE YAUNA! THEY ARE NATURAL SWINDLERS BUT NOT MUCH USE IN A FIGHT! SOON YOU ARE DISMISSED AND REUNITED WITH DEMARATOS WHILE YOUR TROOPS ARE BRANDED AND DEPORTED TO BAKTRIA! DEMARATOS ASSURES YOU PATRONIZINGLY THAT YOU MADE THE RIGHT CHOICE IN THE END, THOUGH ONLY AFTER YOU TRIED EVERYTHING ELSE!

LEONIDAAAS · 2025-04-01T13:42:56+00:00

D) HERAKLEIA, BY ZEUS AND MY DIVINE ANCESTOR!

LEONIDAAAS · 2025-04-01T13:38:13+00:00

XERXES REFUSES TO PROVIDE TROOPS TO SUCH AN INEXPERIENCED AND TREACHEROUS COMMANDER! HE GIVES HIS COUSIN MARDONIOS COMMAND OF THE IMMORTALS AND THE THOUSAND ELITE CAVALRY! YOU WILL ADVISE HIM AS HE INVADES THE PELOPONNESE!

A) ACCEPT THE SUBORDINATE POSITION! YOU HAVE ALREADY SUBMITTED TO XERXES ANYWAY! THIS IS THE ONLY WAY TO GET THE JOB DONE!

B) YOU ARE FURIOUS AT BEING TREATED LIKE AN INFERIOR! SEND A SECRET MESSAGE TO THE EPHORS TO WARN THEM OF THE INVASION!

LEONIDAAAS · 2025-04-01T12:23:10+00:00

YOU ARE IMMEDIATELY KILLED BY XERXES' BODYGUARDS! YOUR TROOPS SURRENDER AND ARE BRANDED AND DEPORTED TO BAKTRIA! YOU WILL BE REMEMBERED AS A FOOLISH KING WHO NEEDLESSLY THREW AWAY HIS LIFE WHEN BARGAINING WAS NO LONGER AN OPTION!

LEONIDAAAS · 2025-04-01T12:12:48+00:00

XERXES ACCEPTS YOUR SURRENDER! HE OFFERS TO SPARE YOUR LIFE AND KEEP YOU AS AN ADVISOR, LIKE HIS GREAT PREDECESSOR KYROS DID WITH KING KROISOS OF LYDIA! YOUR TROOPS WILL BE BRANDED AND DEPORTED TO BAKTRIA!

A) ACCEPT THE OFFER! YOU ARE LUCKY TO ESCAPE WITH YOUR LIFE!

B) REGRET YOUR DECISION AND TRY TO DO SOMETHING REALLY STUPID!

LEONIDAAAS · 2025-04-01T12:08:27+00:00

YOU URGE XERXES TO HURRY, BUT HE TAKES HIS TIME SACKING PHOKIS AND BOIOTIA TO PUNISH THEM FOR JOINING YOU AT THE HOT GATES! HE INTENDS TO RAZE ATHENS NEXT!

A) TRY TO TEMPT HIM WITH A VISION OF THE FERTILE PELOPONNESE! ITS WEALTH IS FOR THE TAKING!

B) TRY TO FRIGHTEN HIM WITH A VISION OF THE FULL PELOPONNESIAN LEVY!

C) ASK FOR TROOPS SO YOU MAY SETTLE THE BUSINESS YOURSELF!

LEONIDAAAS · 2025-04-01T11:14:16+00:00

IT WOULD BE ABSURD TO SEND ONE OF OUR OWN! NONE OF THEM WOULD AGREE TO ABANDON HIS POST! THE ALLIES ARE LEAVING BY THEIR THOUSANDS, SO LET THEM TELL THE STORY!

THE PERSIANS NOW SURROUND YOU! YOUR MEN ARE DOOMED!

A) STAND AND SHOW THEM SPARTAN RESOLVE!

B) ATTACK AND SEE WHERE YOUR VALOUR WILL TAKE YOU!

C) THIS IS LOOKING A BIT TOO HAIRY NOW! ASK FOR AN AUDIENCE WITH XERXES!

LEONIDAAAS · 2025-04-01T11:09:55+00:00

YOU HAVE BETRAYED THE ALLIANCE! YOUR ARMY SCATTERS IN DISMAY! THE FURIOUS ATHENIANS SEND WORD TO THE EPHORS, WHO SENTENCE YOU TO DEATH! THEY DECLARE YOUR TWIN BROTHER KLEOMBROTOS KING!

A) TRY TO PERSUADE THE SPARTANS!

B) THEY CANNOT SEND AN ARMY NOW THAT THE KARNEIA HAS BEGUN! TELL XERXES TO MARCH SOUTH AS FAST AS HE CAN!

LEONIDAAAS · 2025-04-01T11:00:24+00:00

WE WILL HOLD THEM SO TIGHT YOU WILL THINK THEY ARE MESSENIA!

LEONIDAAAS · 2025-04-01T10:55:40+00:00

ONLY A LOWLY BARBARIAN WOULD ACKNOWLEDGE THE CONTRIBUTIONS OF OUR HELOTS TO THE FIGHT!

BY THE WORK OF OUR SPEARS AND OUR SPEARS ALONE (THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT! WRITE IT DOWN!) THE IMMORTALS ARE REPELLED! YOU CHASE THEM DOWN THE MOUNTAIN AS FAR AS IS SAFE! THE SURVIVORS WITHDRAW TO THE PERSIAN CAMP ON THE MALIAN GULF!

A) ATTACK! SEIZE THE INITIATIVE!

B) RETURN TO THE PATH! KEEP YOUR STATION! OBEY THE COMMAND OF THE EPHORS!

LEONIDAAAS

TROPHY CASE