Arch-Tiberius's Horde

Arch-Tiberius' Horde is a faction in the novel; *Cataclysm: Definitive Edition* (and the original), the Horde is the most antagonistic faction in the novel and is the driving force for the trio to make it to New Haven as quickly as possible.

## Background:

Arch-Tiberius' Horde began as an exiled force of Utopian soldiers loyal to Arch-Tiberius, after he had been excommunicated from Utopia by his mother, the Queen, in 2233.

After being granted passage through the Democratic Trade Union territories, down south where the North-West Independent Towns & Territories were situated, Arch-Tiberius settled down in an undisclosed location near some mountains and began to form his army.

In 2234 Arch-Tiberius had amassed an army of loyal followers and brainwashed them into following the ways of the God of War. From 2234 to 2237 Arch-Tiberius led a bloody campaign across the I.T.T. and formed an even grander following than in 2234, with many smaller factions and leaders voluntarily flocking or surrendering to what had been dubbed "*Arch-Tiberius' Horde*" by allies and foes alike.

By the end of 2237 the Horde had captured Wolfe's Fort and now waited patiently for the right opportunity to expand northwards and claim all the land they step foot on. Before the start of the novel in 2238, Arch-Tiberius had a standing army of 2,000,000 battle hardened warriors, totally devoted to the God of War, ready to mobilise north on his commands.

## Society:

Arch-Tiberius' Horde and the territories that are under his control are under a feudal and caste system with the warriors at the top and the peasantry at the bottom. Drugs are used regularly amongst the people of the Horde, cocaine being used mostly by the peasantry to keep them going and not feel as hungry while the warriors use various painkillers and performance enhancing drugs to keep them going in war to appease the God of War.

Central to the society of the Horde is Arch-Tiberius himself who is regarded as a deity of sorts due to his freakishly large frame and larger than life persona. The focus of worship aside from their leader is an unnamed God of War, whom many believe is synonymous with Arch-Tiberius.

Appeasing the God of War grants his worshipers the right to pass onward through the gates of the afterlife. Those who cannot go to war can praise the God of War through signing up for the various Pits throughout the Horde's territories, which are essentially coliseums.

If there is a dispute that cannot be settled by local leaders then judicial duels are held, regardless of who those people are, they are equals within the Pit.

Once Arch-Tiberius conquers an area, those who have been captured will be evaluated and either offered the option to join his Horde, die in the Pits or toil in the work camps as a prisoner-of-war. Arch-Tiberius does not condone slavery and will free all slaves with the option they can join his Horde.

## Structure:

Arch-Tiberius' Horde has a clear caste system formed in a feudal society structure. Arch-Tiberius is at the top of the caste, below him are his commanders, below them the warriors of the Horde, then below the warriors are merchants, below the merchants are the peasantry.

Whatever Arch-Tiberius decrees is law, he is the embodiment of their God of War and none dare defy his word. No other man in the entire Horde matches Arch-Tiberius in size or strength and many have challenged Arch-Tiberius to single combat, all having failed.

## Named Regions, Cities & Towns:

Below are the regions, cities and towns under the control of the Horde throughout the novel; *Cataclysm: Definitive Edition*.

* Wolfe's Fort (Headquarters)
* War Camp (1st & 2nd)
* Black Mountains (Conquered)
* Buddington (Conquered)
* Byron's Mouth (Conquered)
* Lavender Checkpoint (Conquered)
* Lempton (Conquered)
* Bone Glades
* Shrewsbury Ruins
* Ruins of Chester Zoo

## Named Members:

* Arch-Tiberius (Leader)
* Kennel-Master (Deceased)
* Udder-Man
* Freddy The Butcher (Deceased)
* Rafal (Deceased)

## Military:

### **Establishment:**

The Horde's military was established in 2234 once Arch-Tiberius was out of the D.T.U. Territories and in the independent lands.

### **Description:**

The Horde may seem unorganised and chaotic however they are split into many different divisions, all with their own clear chain-of-command.

### **Organisation:**

All recruits for the Horde must pass a three month training camp then a further two month skills camp to determine where they are best suited to aid the Horde in times of war.

The official rankings of the Horde are as follows below:

* The Arch (Arch-Tiberius' position)
* Blood-Legate
* Legate
* Captain-Legate
* Veteran Captain
* Captain
* Veteran Centurion
* Centurion
* Auxiliary (Vassal Warriors)

### **Equipment:**

The Horde has a large stockpile at their disposal from army bases they have taken in the Midlands and North-West. Weapons the Horde can be seen using include;

* SA80a3 Assault Rifle
* 22. Air Rifle
* 22. Air Pistol
* 303. Lee-Enfield Bolt-Action Rifle
* Machete
* Sledgehammer
* Hand Axe
* Tactical Combat Knife
* Glock-17 Handgun
* Glock-18 Handgun
* Browning Hi-Power 9mm Handgun
* Police Baton

* L128A1 Combat Shotgun
* Minimi Light Machine Gun
* L1A1 Heavy Machine Gun
* L129A1 Sharpshooter Semi-Automatic Rifle
* L82A1 Anti-Material Rifle
* Javelin Anti-Tank Missile Launcher
* L16 81mm Mortar
* L9A1 51mm Mortar
* L109A1 H.E. Fragmentation Grenade
* MAC-10 Sub-Machine Gun
* Bren Sub-Machine Gun

* AW .50 Cal Sniper Rifle

## Relationships:

* Democratic Trade Union = Enemies.
* Old London = Enemies.
* Night Snakes = Enemies, later vassals.
* Roadside Trappers = Enemies.
* Clan Claw = Enemies, later vassals.
* Skin-Crawlers = Enemies, later vassals.
* Independent Towns & Territories = Enemies.
* McLevar Caravan Guard = Enemies.
* Red Valley Tribes = No contact, mutual.
* North Welsh Tribes = No contact, mutual.
* Utopia = Enemies.
* Clan Scouser = No contact, mutual.
* The Pool Crew = No contact, mutual.

## Technology:

Due to the poor and mostly devastated areas that the Horde mostly rules over there is not much civilian technology at the peasantry's disposal, instead the peasants have had to revert to primitive and serf-like techniques to farm and gain water through pumping systems. The main way that the peasantry grow their crops and harvests is through irrigation systems.

Arch-Tiberius' Horde has an abundance of military technology however due to the Horde confiscating any form of weaponry, with the exception of farming equipment. The Horde has control over certain military bases also, namely Wolfe's Fort and has access to high-grade military equipment and weaponry. Because of the large size of the Horde, they have also begun to use older weapons, such as weapons from the Second World War, adjusting them and bringing them back into able use by replacing worn out or filed down parts.

## Currency:

The Horde has no official currency. Arch-Tiberius has allowed his followers to use the old Great British Pound to trade with coinage. Other valid currency includes teeth and ears. Sometimes eyes are used in desperate times for the Horde, blue eyes are valued higher than brown eyes and green are worth double blue eyes.

Arch-Tiberius also allows the dealing of bartering and fair trading amongst his followers.

## Appearances:

Arch-Tiberius' Horde appears in the novel; *Cataclysm: Definitive Edition* (and the original) as the primary antagonist faction who are the driving force for the main characters to venture north.

## Trivia:

* Arch-Tiberius' Horde is modeled on a few things including; Ancient Rome, Ancient Greece, Mongolian Empire, Aztec Empire, Picts of Scotland, *Mad Max II: Road Warrior*'s Lord Humongous's Raiders, the Raiders from *Fallout 3,* Raoh's Army from *Fist Of The North Star,* and a faction called the Mohawks from a short-story Darryl M. Finch-Ellis wrote in high school.
* The official colour of the Horde is red, it symbolises both the strength of the Horde and the blood spilled in the name of the Horde and the God of War.
* Darryl M. Finch-Ellis did not name the faction after the Horde from World of Warcraft, nor is the name a tribute to them, this has been a common confusion amongst the readers of the novel.
* Arch-Tiberius's Horde is the third largest faction mentioned and encountered within the novel.
* The Horde has the largest standing army of any faction within the novel.
* The Horde was originally going to be an empire reminisce of the Mongolian Empire and would have been named the Mongols, however Darryl M. Finch-Ellis believed this bore to much resemblance to the faction the Great Khan's from *Fallout: New Vegas*. At the time *Fallout: New Vegas* had only recently been released.
* The Horde and the Skin-Crawlers are the only two Pagan exclusive factions within the novel.
* Arch-Tiberius not condoning slaves within his Horde is a nod to Spartacus and how he valued the strength of Spartacus and his rebellion.
* Due to Arch-Tiberius being a cast out of Utopia, Arch-Tiberius's Horde is technically a rebellion.
* Arch-Tiberius does not consider his force a Horde, sighting that as barbaric, instead he calls his force an army.