The Witches' Almanac 2023-2024 Standard Edition Issue 42 by Andrew Theitic

Author:Andrew Theitic
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781881098898
Publisher: The Witches' Almanac

Vortigern the disgraced

After a good amount of time Vortigern came to the throne of the Britons. It was during his time that the Scots and the Picts were making inroads into the kingdom. His efforts to thwart their raids and other harassments were to no avail. His forces could not match theirs. It was also at that time that three ships arrived from the northlands. Two Saxon brothers, Horsa and Hengist, landed on the island. It was in them that Vortigern saw a solution to his problem. He would hire them as mercenaries to fight the Scots and the Picts. Vortigern approached Hengist, who assured him that his people were valiant men who indeed would vanquish the enemies of Vortigern.

A contract was made with the Saxon, whereupon Hengist sent for more men. He sent for his brother and his brother's sons—Octa and Ebusa—who arrived with forty ships filled with men. In short order they halted and drove back the Scots and the Picts. Before any realized it, the Saxons became a power in the island of the Britons, taking Kent as their own. The land began to slip from Vortigern's hands. These transgressions not being enough, Vortigern married Hengist's daughter and she bore him a son.

All of this being too much for the Britons, Vortigern gathered twelve wise men to advise him on how to resolve his predicament. Not seeing a good way out, they advised him to retire to the boundaries of the kingdom and there build a stronghold to defend himself, for surely the Saxon and his own people sought his demise.

The king heeded their advice, traveling through the kingdom and ending the journey at Dinas Emrys. It was here that Vortigern decided he would build a citadel from which he could defend himself. He dispatched his messenger to bring to him artificers, carpenters and stonemasons and he collected all the materials requisite to building. They began immediately to fabricate the fortress. All retired in the evening, then waking the following morning all the work done was gone, all the supplies gone. They again began the project only to find that all was gone the next day. On the third try with the same result, Vortigern sent for his wisemen to consult on the problem. They advised that he must find a child born without a father. By putting him to death and sprinkling his blood on the foundations of the citadel, all would finally progress.

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