Social Status
Name: Telamon
Age: 19 (Born 2000 AD)
Family: Gens Sufficient Velocity
Class: Poster
Profession: Quest Master
Patron(s): Moderating Team
Clients: Simon_Jester, Caesar, Thyreus
Imperium: N/A
Reputation: (Rank 6) Recognized -- Your Threads are recognised as promising.
Stats
Education: Renowned (15): Your knowledge on Roman history exceeds most others easily.
Skills
Writing: Accomplished (11) -- Your words are mesmerizing, and your texts well-constructed.
Mathematics: Abysmal (1) -- Pythagoras weeps at the thought of one such as you.
Can we use the banked exp to level up @Telamon's math skill?
Does anyone have a preferred candidate for a brother in law? Cingulla needs a good match (and no, Cicero will marry money, so unless we come back with a mountain of loot that's not happening).
Does anyone have a preferred candidate for a brother in law? Cingula needs a good match (and no, Cicero will marry money, so unless we come back with a mountain of loot that's not happening).
Depending on how this campaign, and the civil war in general, turns out, we might soon have a new friend with a famous name but no real patrician blood. Although, as a novus homo, Scipio Cassianus would probably also look for a more wealthy bride.
@Telamon It is another one of those posts (The first part is about definitely forgotten XP, the second part is about what I would argue can be viewed as a missed study action).
Those who follow the thread closely, might have seen me complain once or twice about how little Sertorius contributed to our Military Stat. Over the whole Samnite War it only grew from (0/10,000) to (6,793/10,000). More than half of which was due to battle gains. I had some time to spare and went through the old updates and here is what I found:
Military XP gain from first study session with Sertorius:
Next XP from the Battle of Aeclanum:
Here we have our first mistake! It should be Military (3,000/10,000), continuing on to 2nd study session:
(3,583/10,0000), next some gains from an Omake:
We only gain 400 instead of 500. Correct value at this point would have been: (4,083/10,000); on to the gains from the Battle of the Tabelline Pass:
(4,995/10,000), next gains from another Omake:
(5,395/10,000), next gains from the 3rd study session:
Small mistake, we only gained 1,000. It should now be (6,428/10,000); and finally gains from the Siege of Nola:
Another tiny mistake costing us 2 XP. In sum I find we should be at (7,928/10,000) instead of (6,793/10,000) so we are missing 1,135 Military XP.
Looking back at this I was shocked to find we seemingly only gained (1,000 + 583 + 1,033) 2,616 XP from studying with Sertorius? We started studying with Sertorius during Samnite Campaign Turn 2, then met him again in Turn 4 and then one final time in Turn 10. So we only studied with him for three turns. Which appears correct, since the requirement was ...
... and we went to Aeclanum in Turn 3 and stayed at Bovanium from Turn 5 to arguably Turn 9 (we interacted with Sertorius at the end of that turn).
That said, during De Lupis Romae we also did our tribune/personal actions so I can't see a reason why we didn't have time to study with Sertorius. In general that update was mechanically very similar to Turn 10, where he had time to teach us. Especially since De Lupis Romae was a two month long turn, lasting from early September to early November.
I would argue there is a Sertorius roll missing here, unless the 1,500 XP gained that turn included both the gains from the three month long siege AND two months worth of study sessions.
Social Status
Name: Telamon
Age: 19 (Born 2000 AD)
Family: Gens Sufficient Velocity
Class: Poster
Profession: Quest Master
Patron(s): Moderating Team
Clients: Simon_Jester, Caesar, Thyreus
Imperium: N/A
Reputation: (Rank 6) Recognized -- Your Threads are recognised as promising.
Stats
Education: Renowned (15): Your knowledge on Roman history exceeds most others easily.
Skills
Writing: Accomplished (11) -- Your words are mesmerizing, and your texts well-constructed.
Mathematics: Abysmal (1) -- Pythagoras weeps at the thought of one such as you.
Can we use the banked exp to level up @Telamon's math skill?
Bank: 4050 XP
Pending: 1000 XP on learning skill Augury; a further 2000 Augury XP and a free Rank of Intelligence on meeting the Pythia; one reroll on a failed interaction with a Sullan.
Bank: 4050 XP
Pending: 2000 XP on learning skill Augury; a further 2000 Augury XP and a free Rank of Intelligence on meeting the Pythia; one reroll on a failed interaction with a Sullan.
Philosophy Education: 1d35000 +500 (Epic Teacher) +500 (Gift of Minerva) = 7347 Rank 3: 2000 XP
Rank 4: 3000 XP
Rank 5: 4000 XP
(374/5,000) XP to Rank 6
Gonna clean this up later, but at a first glance I can spot only 100 Charisma, 100 "Intrigue" and 300 Combat missing from two Omakes.
Furthermore, I actually can't find all the Intelligence and Oratory XP we seem to have gotten so far.
I left out Command, because that was a mess even pre hiatus and I vaguely remember @Telamon giving us a blank boni to try and get it into balance again. (To be fair we already gained a lot of command xp and I don't wanna be too nitpicky)
Also I'm now thoroughly confused how much XP the Ranks 5 to 10 cost..
Sometimes it rises every Rank, sometimes it only rises on a Level up.
Somewhere in this thread @Telamon actually posted how the cost works. Now I wish he had threadmarked it.
If I'm not wrong it went up with 1000 x current level until level 10. Then it would be 10000 Exp for the levels 10-14, then 15000Exp for the levels 15-17. Then there was something about the cost from level 18 on skyrocketing.
There's a set amount of XP, but the amount needed generally increases with Level (or 'named Rank'), not Rank, until about Renowned or so.
So getting from Rank 10 to Rank 14 is all 10,000 XP for each, meaning roughly 40,000 XP for the entire level. But once you hit the Renowned level at Rank 15, it changes. Then, it's 15,000 XP to level up to Ranks 16 and 17, with 20,000 being needed to hit Rank 18.
Once you hit 18 (Epic), however, it's an extra 10k necessary per level, so 18 to 19 is 30000, and 19-20 is a whopping 45,000 (godhood isn't easy).
Of course, this is all subject to change (though it probably won't be). You gain XP quicker on campaigns and administrative duty, when you're doing lots of interrelated things — but in Rome, you can focus your energy on a single subject to exclusion of most all else for months at a time, or try and find tutors to give you massive gains.
First off, thanks for your amazing work with the XP (there'll be a reward for that).
Secondly, here's the basic layout for Ranks/Levels:
From 0-1 (Level 1) is 1000 XP.
From 2-3 (Level 2) is 2000 XP for level 2 and 3000 for level 3.
From 3-4 (Level 3) is 4000 XP for each level (it's literally just one rank)
From 5-7 (Level 4) is 5000, 6000, and 7000, increasing by number.
From 8-10 (Level 5) it's still 8000, 9000, etc
From 10-14 (Level 6), it goes by the rules laid out in the quote above, with 10,000 XP for each rank.
From 15-17 (Level 7), it's 15,000 for each level, with 20,000 needed for Rank 18.
From 18-19 (Level 8), it's 30,000 XP needed. (just one rank again)
And from 19-20 (Level 9) you need a gobsmacking 45,000 XP.
I had to re-learn this myself a few weeks ago, so apologies for any contradictions. I'm making a spreadsheet as we speak and will proceed to slap the correct numbers in there.
I took the liberty to add the missing 300 Exp in combat. The missing Exp in charisma and subterfuge had already been added in the last post.
I also corrected our first pending augury bonus from 2000 Exp to 1000 Exp as that is what Telamon granted for the first Delphi omake.
Bank: 4050 XP
Pending: 2000 XP on learning skill Augury; a further 2000 Augury XP and a free Rank of Intelligence on meeting the Pythia; one reroll on a failed interaction with a Sullan.
For this (canon) omake, one which definitely gave me a lot of ideas on what to do with Sulla, have a final 1000 Augury XP, which is Atellus' only mechanical gain from this omake.
The Tablet of Ascargantus [] The famed Greek orator, Ascargantus of Rhodes, once gave a mighty speech in Samnium, a work of oratory so beautiful that it reputably made the very god Apollo weep, causing the seers, musicians, and augurs of the region to be distraught from sheer joy for weeks afterward. This moving invective was recorded on fifty-nine clay tablets by skilled transcribers, which were then decorated by the finest artists in Samnium. Forty have since been lost, and the others exist around Italia in the private collections of wealthy and connected men. This is the last.
Since it's a 'historical artifact' I assume it's been left at his estate for safekeeping rather than being lugged around on campaign. I imagine he's spent a bit of time studying it though.
On another note has it ever been said how much it costs to pay/maintain a Legion for a year?
So, I just (finally) finished Robert Harris' trilogy on Cicero, which made me curious: what philosophical trend was he following?
From what I gathered he wasn't a big fan of Epicurus, although his friend Atticus was a follower.
Edit: We also need a loyal secretary to write everything we do, say and write down.
Quick question about our income. Not sure if there's a mistake or if I've misunderstood something, so if anyone could clear things up that'd be great.
We have a Monthly Income of 580 denarii. 500 of that is our salary as a Tribune, the other 80 comes from encouraging Pentri merchants to seek out our vineyard which has given us 80 denarii a month until 76BC (below).
You have not looted the Pentri or their cities, and what gold your cohorts recovered from raiding bandit hideouts and rebel encampments has gone to feeding the army. However, you have made several connections among the merchants of the Pentri, and encouraged them to seek your vineyard for their wines in the future. Some of them may well take you up on it. (Monthy Income increased by 80 denarii until 76 BC!)
On his recommendation, you meet with this Azamyin, a tall man with pocked brown skin and a lilting, rhythmic manner of voice, at his estate in Rome and negotiate prices. After securing a fee which he finds acceptable, he agrees to take over the management of the vineyard, as well as the sale of it's products. He promises to increase your wealth tenfold, and while you are not sure you believe such exaggerations, you are more than happy to see your coin begin to increase once more.
We got him to take over management of our vineyard but it doesn't seem to be generating income? Is it just something that takes a bit of time to kick in or something else?
*edit*
I'm not trying to turn this into a business simulator or anything. Just since we spent an action on this I'm curious what the actual effect was.
[X] Plan Publicola [X] Connect: You make an attempt to connect with him. Cassianus' father was a farmer and his mother a tavern maid -- you come from different worlds, yet if you can form a friendship, or at least an understanding of sorts, it will make both your lives easier in the long run. [X] Promote Centurions: A few centurions and lower-ranking officers left the legion in Rome, their service having ended. Several soldiers who served with distinction during the Samnite campaign may well stand to replace them. Men you raise up may be loyal to you in the future. [X] A Law Beyond The Sword: The men often have simple issues, complaints, or grievances which they wish to address. As broad-striped tribune, it is your duty to see to these. One afternoon, you set up a table in the middle of the worn palace and invite men to come air their grievances before you, and perhaps even raise a case against a fellow soldier. [X] Brothers in Arms: You strive to mend the frayed relations between the patrician cavalry and the plebian legionnaires, which have grown worse over time.
-[X] Correspondence
--[X] Cicero [X] The Scipians: Unlike Sertorius, who traveled with a single slave, Scipio has brought along a veritable entourage of slaves, clients, friends, and cronies. These Scipians are largely plebian men of all stripes, and you attempt to integrate yourselves with them in order to learn something more of their new master, Cassianus, who seems to have become a focal point for them -- a novus homo who has risen from their ranks to lead a legion. [X] Seafaring: Rufus had some damned scroll about the sea and Hannibal and boats. In your spare time, you flick through it. [X] Si Vis Pacem: The Greek city-states in Asia and the Greek mainland have long maintained their independence and autonomy, even as nominal vassals of Rome. You read up on their histories, rivalries, and old friendships, that you might make use of these in your campaign. [X] The Crone of Bithynia: On the hills outside the city lives a wrinkled old seer, a woman of incredible age whose eyes are blind with years. She is kissed by the sun god, they say, and speaks with tongues of prophecy. Mithridates himself visited her during his time in the city. [X] The Prince: Bithynia is not short on royalty. Ptolemy, one of the princes of Egypt, long exiled from his native land, made himself a guest of Mithridates and remained in Nicomedia after the city fell to Rome. Famed as a great partier and player of the flute, he has resided in a palatial estate here in the city with his family and retainers. You could pay the heir of the Pharaohs a visit. [X] Study: You study the campaigns of Marius in Africa, hoping to learn something about defeating a hostile kingdom while protecting Roman clients. That Marius himself is here does not hurt matters either.
February 8th, 84 BC
670 Years After The Founding Of Rome
The Year of Asiaticus and Cinna.
The Mithridatic War (88 BC - Ongoing)
Your second campaign, you were immediately reassigned along with the VI legion under the consul Scipio Asiaticus to reinforce the armies of Marius, who had experienced a crippling betrayal in his asiatic campaign against the Pontic King Mithridates.
Legion(s): LEGIO VI GRADIVIUS (Sixth Legion, Blessed By Mars) Position: Tribunus Laticlavus (Broad-Striped Tribune) Commanding Officer: Gaius Marius Commanding Officer Reputation (Scipio): 6/10 -- Scipio Cassianus is bold, brave, and strong of arm. The men have taken a shine to him. Total Forces: 5,600 combined Roman legionnaires, equites, and auxilaries. Commanding Officer Reputation (Marius): 10/10 -- He is Marius. The Third Founder. The Hero of Rome. Nothing more need be said, for even his enemies would fill with pride to serve under him. Green/Veteran Split: 7 Average, 2 Skilled, 1 Elite Reputation With The Legion: 8/10 -- The legion loves you, and sees you as one of them. You are their brother, their champion, their tribune. They would die for you. Location: Asia Minor Outcome: ???
Cybele.
In ancient times, when Rome was little less than mud and stick, she was a goddess of the Phyrgians of Asia Minor in an elder, deeper time, a wild goddess of wine and music and fertility, and the Phyrgians of old celebrated her with carnal revels in hidden glades. Long ages after her worship had all but dwindled away, during the Second Punic War, when Hannibal marched to the gates of Rome, the Sybilline Books of Rome were consulted and the oracles foretold that hated Carthage would triumph over Rome without the aid of this foreign goddess, without Cybele. So the pontiffs, in their desperation, adopted her as a Roman god and brought her over from Asia -- and she delivered victory against all odds over hated Hannibal. Ever since, your people have called her Magna Mater, the Great Mother, and held her in a place of reverence.
Yet in her homeland, her worship has withered away to all but nothing. Her wandering eunuch-priests, who once held power over all of Asia Minor, have faded with the coming of the gods of the Greeks. Only a handful of cities still keep the old faith, and her followers are scattered far and wide across the breadth of Asia. Those initiates of her cult which still live are held to have prophetical powers which rival those of Apollo himself.
That is why you and Rufus are pushing through this thicket, struggling down an old path overgrown with weeds and shrubs deep in the hillside outside Nicomedia. The winter chill bites and snaps at your bones even through the thick cloaks you both wear, and your breath mists the air. Your sweat clings frozen to your skin, and your jaw shudders uncontrollably. Italian winters are not half this cold.
"Have you ever considered..." Rufus growls through chattering teeth, "That if Mithridates wants this freezing fen so badly, mayhap we just let him keep it?"
A part of you half agrees with him.
"Come on now, Rufus. You've stared down Samnite swords, but some ivy and a little chill makes you want to run home to mother?"
"At least the Samnites lived somewhere reasonable," he grumbles in response.
The two of you turn around a bend in the path and find yourselves before a great looming cave, a hole carved out of the hills by some wrathful god. Two dim torches flicker like red eyes on either side of the cave mouth, and a strange smoke emanates from within, filled with a thick, tangy sort of scent that brings to mind burning sugar.
Rufus looks at it a long moment. "You first."
You shoot him a glare, then walk forward into the cave. The thick incense fills your lungs and nose, and though you are able to keep from coughing, your eyes water and sting. You raise the edge of your cloak to you mouth and nose, but that does little good. After a few interminable minutes blundering about in the thick smoke, you emerge into a large alcove within the cave. The ground is littered with flowers, coins, and various dark liquids. At the center of the alcove blazes a roaring fire, from which issues the smoke. Dancing around the blaze is a withered old woman in a plain white shift, holding a large wicker basket. Periodically, she tosses a bushel of some plant you cannot identify from her basket into the fire, where it crackles up into the thick smoke.
This, then, is the Crone of Bithynia.
She does not look up, but as you enter the cavern, she laughs and speaks in a frenzied tone, her voice slipping through broken couplets. "Two and two the wolves come to call, tramping noisily through my hall! All stiff and proud and noble still -- though shivering mightily in the chill! Welcome, welcome, thou and thou blood-made brother. Welcome, you children of the Mother!"
Behind you, Rufus coughs and mutters something unslightly under his breath, but remembering your manners, you bow deeply before the fire.
"Hail, wise woman. We two tribunes of Rome have come seeking your advice and wisdom. We ask you humbly for the benediction of Cybele."
The Crone does not stop dancing, but her voice grows more natural as she speaks, thick with something that might be concern. "Oh, little Roman, you would hear the mother's tongue? Oh, but little Roman, are you certain? I can bless your warts and heal your feet and give you many sons. Those who hear the voice of Cybele do not return unchanged."
"I fear no prophecy or foretelling. Mars walks with me." Your voice is more certain than you feel.
At this, she laughs, a wild airy thing. "Mars! Oh, little Romans, there are gods older than Mars."
Rufus' voice echoes from behind you. "But none stronger."
"Spoken like a Roman! All fire and smoke and strength!" She dances to a stop in front of the fire, directly before you and Rufus. "Very well, then. The Mother will speak to you, with fire and smoke and strength all her own."
With that, she upends the entire basket into the fire. You barely have time to curse, and then there is a crackling like lightning, and a mighty cloud of black smoke fills the entire cave, robbing you of vision and air. You and Rufus explode into violent fits of coughing.
"Damn hag!", Rufus curses somewhere behind you. Tears stream down your face, and you can barely make out the flickering light of the fire. All else is smoke, filling your lungs and pounding in your head.
Out of the smoke a voice echoes from both behind and in front of you. It is the hag's, but changed and distorted, booming like a thunderclap.
Black and red and red and black
Back and forth and back and back
While both thou art still called of hair,
Beware, beware -- Africa's heir!
You stumble towards the source of the voice, but the smoke is too thick, too deep, and the smell of it makes your thoughts slow. There is a cackle in the dark, and the voice of the goddess begins again.
Beloved of her father, reviled of her mother;
Each man's lover and no man's brother:
She rots and pales and sickens worse,
Who groans beneath the Punic Curse.
She must to war or fortune bend --
But there her troubles do not end:
When ten and thirty years are past,
She breathes her first and bloody last.
Her dying shall last a lifetime yet,
And none will mark her final breaths
Though she dies a hundred deaths.
From her ending comes new birth:
Her living corpse shall rule the earth.
"Atellus!" Rufus' voice is distant and far, and your head swims, making it impossible to tell where he is. You think you see shapes moving in the smoke, twisted things with no human form dancing around the fire. Your heart pounds, and the terrible voice speaks again.
The Punic foe was not felled alone
A pact was made, and sealed in stone --
Not by your hand, but owed by you:
The price, or blood -- the debt comes due!
For the hundred years thou art ruled the brine,
The goddess is owed, and owed by thine.
She shall not die, the promise was made --
But she shall rot until it is paid!
A loud howling sound echoes through the cave, and in a blind panic, you stumble away from it, groping blindly in the darkness. A moment later, you emerge coughing from the cave, blinking the smoke from your eyes. Your hands and hair are thick with soot, and you fall to your kees retching. A moment later, Rufus stumbles out of the gloom behind you, heaving as well. After several long minutes, you gather enough strength to speak, but when you open your mouth, you have no words. For once, neither does Rufus. His eyes say enough.
The two of you help each other to your feet and stumble back down the thin woodland path. For some reason, the cold no longer bothers you.
EPIC PROPHECY GAINED: The Mother's Mercy: In ancient times, the Romans adopted the Phyrgian goddess Cybele to help defend them against Hannibal. One of her priestesses spoke a foreboding and dark prophecy to you in the hills of Bithynia. It warned of things done in darker times and blacker days yet to come.
Cold, tired, and more than a little scared, neither you or Rufus can make heads or tails of the prophecy at the moment. You will need to spend a turn using the Interpretation action to figure out more, or wait until Rufus does so.
(Crone) The Mother's Prophecy: +6 (Epic Augury) +3 (Ritual Fires)+1(Hallucinatory Herbs)+5 (Gift of Cybele) = 31
Result: Epic Success
Connections: 1d20+2 (Accomplished Charisma)+1(Gift of Minerva)-2(Aristocrat)+2 (Scipian Information)= 19
Needed: 16 Result: Success
The Scipians: 1d20+2 (Accomplished Charisma)+1(Gift of Minerva)= 21
Needed: 12 Result: Resounding Success
Training Compatibility: 1d20+2 (Accomplished Military) +1 (Gift of Minerva) +4 (Made Connections) = 16 Needed: 15 Bare Success
Training (Cassianus and Atellus): 1d20+1 (Gift of Minerva)+1 (Gift of Vica Pota) +4 (Accomplished Militaryx2) +2 (Accomplished Command(Cassianus)) +1 (Proficient Command(Atellus)) = 21
Result: Resounding Success
Construction (Cassianus): 1d20+1 (Gift of Vica Pota) +1 (Proficient Engineering) +3 (Legionary Engineers)= 18
Needed: 10 Resounding Success
A Law Beyond the Sword: Automatic Success
Heal Tensions: 1d20+1 (Gift of Minerva)+2 (Accomplished Diplomacy) +1(Proficient Command) +4 (Legionary opinion) = 11 Needed: 13 Bare Failure
Study Asia: 1d20+4(Renowned Intelligence)+1(Gift of Minerva)+2(Theo) = 20
Needed: 13 Resounding Success
City of the Kings: 1d20+2 (Accomplished Charisma)+1 (Gift of Minerva) = 15
Needed: 15 Bare Success
1d850 + 200 (Gift of Minerva) = 608 Command XP
1d900+200 (Gift of Minerva) = 563 Military XP
1d3000+200 (Gift of Minerva) = 2,643 Seafaring XP
1d2000+1,135(Echoes of Sertorius)+200 (Gift of Minerva)= 2,941 Military XP
February 8th, 84 BC
670 Years After The Founding Of Rome
The Year of Asiaticus and Cinna.
After the wild revels of Catiline and his friends, you would have thought that nothing could faze you.
How wrong you were, because no one --no one-- parties quite like the Greeks.
Ptolemy Neos Dionysos Philipator Philadelphus, the New God beloved of his mother and his father, called simply Ptolemy by the Greeks, is a prince of the Ptolemaic kingdom of Egypt. The illegitimate son of the pharaoh Ptolemy IX, he is the youngest and the latest of the Lagidae, the Greek pharaohs of Egypt descended from Ptolemy Soter. Exiled from Egypt at a young age to protect him from the brutal civil war between his grandmother and his uncle, he has wandered the East for nearly his entire lifetime, becoming famous as a guest of kings and princes from Syria to Pontus. He has been raised amidst the mightiest and most extravagant of the eastern courts, indulging in excess after excess without thought of whim or consequence.
As a result, his parties are legendary.
His titanic seafront estate --unrivaled in the city by any building save the palace-- has become the host to a party made all the more extravagant by the shivering, hungry people immediately outside its' walls. Naked slaves painted with brilliant dyes worth more than your estate back in Rome dance to a hypnotic eastern rhythm that winds through the shining halls. Soft Greek aristocrats dandle beautiful young men and women on their arms, and Persian firebreathers shoot spouts of mighty flame dozens of feet into the air. As you and Rufus walk awestruck through the courtyard of the huge building, a handsome young slave dressed in silks worth more than a legionnaire's pay saunters past, beaming. The portly man looped arm-in-arm with him is none other than Nicomedes, one-time King of Bithynia, his breath heavy with the stink of wine.
At the center of the courtyard (and the center of attention) is a handsome man with curling sandy hair and sharp features. He sits criss-cross on a soft couch upon a raised golden dias, a smattering of slaves --all exceedingly beautiful-- draped over him. At his lips is a flute of ivory, and it is this instrument that issues the wild haunting music to which the slaves are cavorting. This flutist, then, is the Prince Ptolemy, whose skill with the instrument has become famed even in Rome.
"He's not half bad," Rufus quips.
"Oh, you could do better?"
"Given chance to learn, surely."
You snort and pluck a cup of wine from a passing serving girl. Making music is an un-Roman thing to do, and unseemly of a ruler, but even you must admit that the young prince of Egypt is quite good. Even as you take a sip from the cup, however, you notice that the flute has fallen silent. When you lower your cup again, you notice that the prince on his dias has lowered his flute and is looking directly at you and Rufus. He leans over and whispers something in the ear of one of his slaves, who stands and beckons you to come forth.
Rufus glances at you, and then with a shrug you both step forward to the center of the courtyard. The exiled prince on his couch watches you lazily with cobalt eyes, toying idly with the flute in his hand. When you have reached hearing distance of the dias, he speaks. His voice is soft, like a sigh.
"Welcome. It is not often I spy Romans at my revels, but you are easy to make out. All stern and rough and self-important. I had not expected to see any of your sort here, not after Marius himself declined my invitation. Name yourselves."
You bow. "Quintus Cingulatus Atellus, Tribune of the Sixth Legion."
Rufus bows as well. "Servicus Sulpicus Rufus, Tribune of the Sixth Legion."
He waves his hand airily and inclines his head in something that might be taken for a bow. "And I am Ptolemy."
"Tribunes. That's...officers of some sort, correct? In any case, it is a pleasure to make your acquiantances. My halls are your halls, for as long as you remain in the city of my friend Nicomedes. You are guests, and never let it be said the Greeks do not know how to treat their guests. Auletoi, if you will?" He beckons off to the rafters, and immediately a great symphony of flutists breaks out into song, this time a jubilant, frenzied sound that keeps time with your heartbeats. You and Rufus begin to back away, but Ptolemy waves you up. With another look at one another, the two of you proceed to climb up the dias.
Ptolemy beams at you as you approach his couch, then leans in almost conspiratorally. "Do you know how happy I am to see you?! Finally, finally, someone walks in here that I can be sure isn't a spy for my twice-damned cousin, may the Duat devour his bones for all time. That old man of yours, Marius, won't listen to me or Nicomedes -- he has the gall to just blow us off! But then you come traipsing in here, all tough and unsubtle and so very Roman. If you're a spy for my cousin (the Duat devour his bones), then I'm Zeus, and my slaves here are Demeter and Aphrodite."
At the confused looks on your faces, he laughs, a sound almost as light as his flute, then continues, his wide grin still stretched across his face. "Look, my friends, all you need to know is that I cannot trust anyone in this palace. In fact, I can't trust a single soul in this city save for that wine-drunk sot Nicomedes. You know, I trust, of the situation in Egypt?"
You blink, and Rufus answers. "Ptolemy Lathyros, your father, regained his throne after his brother Ptolemy Alexander was slain by the people for defiling Alexander the Great's tomb."
You blink again. You probably should have paid more attention when your father was talking about Egypt.
Ptolemy chuckles and grins. "Yes, yes, and now my hated uncle's bones are devoured in the Duat for all time. But his son, Ptolemy Alexander II, my royal cousin (may the Duat devour his bones for all time), still has supporters in my homeland, and they have conspired to place him as my father's heir -- a position that by all rights is mine. They need but see my life to swift end, and their treachery will be complete."
He claps his hands. "And here is the golden opportunity for Rome, and for you, my tribune friends! My father weakens in health, and will soon die. I intend to put forth mine own claim then, bastard though it be. My words, though righteous, would be stronger if backed by Roman swords."
This, you understand. "You want Rome's help to retake Egypt."
He scowls. "If you must put it so basely, then...yes. But the rewards would be great. Wealth beyond measure, for a start, and my own eternal gratitude. When I am pharoah, I will be a god, and I will make a very friendly god indeed. Anyone who helped me to gain my deserved position in Alexandria would be rewarded thousandfold for their efforts. Take this message to Marius, inform him of my words, and I swear on eternal Zeus and everlasting Ra, I will make you so wealthy that all of this..." he gestures to the estate around him, "...will seem as a beggar's hovel."
"Great promises." You say. "But they are just that, promises."
Ptolemy leans back in his couch and smiles widely. "No, Atellus. They are the promises of a god-to-be. May Tyche bless you, my Roman friends, and curse ten times my cousin --"
"May the Duat devour his bones for all time," Rufus interrupts with a smile. Ptolemy laughs, and lifts his flute to his lips. Your audience with the prince of Egypt is over.
"Rufus," you start as you both back down the dias. "What in Jove's name is a Duat?"
You and Rufus, by virtue of choosing to attend a Greek party, have managed to find yourself mixed up in matters of intrigue and state. The exiled prince of Egypt, Ptolemy Auletes, has been soundly ignored by Marius during his time in Bithynia. He seeks Roman aid to help him retake his throne, and figures that two Romans may access Marius' ear easier than he. He promises magnificent rewards and his eternal gratitude to any who aid him. Unlocked the Prince of Egypt option this turn.
February 12th, 84 BC
670 Years After The Founding Of Rome
The Year of Asiaticus and Cinna.
Scipio Cassianus, you have learned, is a man who makes friends easily. Born to a plebian family in the slums of Rome, the young Opiter Cassius served as a legionnaire in the Social War, where he met Scipio Asiaticus and saved his life. In gratitude, the elder statesman took him on as a client, and quickly bankrolled his rise through Republican society. He made fast allies with Asiaticus' followers and family, and became so valuable to Asiaticus that the old man, despite having sons of his own, adopted him. Now legally known as Lucius Cornelius Scipio Cassianus, the man once known as Opiter has quickly outshone the Consul's natural sons, becoming his legal heir and primary advisor in all things.
You have learned all of this from his own servants and aides, who, as part of their duties as legionary staff, technically fall under your authority. They are a private sort, and keep to themselves, but a smile and a few innocuous questions is all it takes to have them gushing about their master's virtues. Some of them, the plebians and the slaves in particular, speak of Cassianus with more adoration than his father, and it is not hard to see why. Barely a man, he has risen from the very dregs of Rome to become a man on the verge of great influence and power. The impression you get from speaking to them is that his hundred-odd followers are bitterly devoted to him, and to his cause.
Armed with this knowledge, you invite Cassianus drinking with you one chilly afternoon. Though you are both from different worlds, you leverage your understanding of his origins to better relate to him and pry down his defenses. He is closed and wary at first, but as the afternoon drags on, he takes more of a liking to you. By the end of your meeting, his words are not half so terse as they used to be, and even if there is no friendship between you yet, there is, at least, an understanding. He is a man of powerful ambition and drive, who has given his all to get where he is now. His mentor and father may have been tossed aside, yet the glorious name of Scipio lives on in a man who was born to nothing -- a fact which you can tell he takes overwhelming pride in.
The next morning, you and he oversee the men's drills together. If you had not spoken to him, your style of command might have conflicted with his own, but the two of you know where to give and let the other take over, and the command goes well. There are still some moments where your styles conflict or his orders run contrary to yours, but they are smoothed over without much trouble. You are both well-read and studied on military tactics, and his superior experience with legionary command supplement your own. By the end of the week, not only have your men improved greatly, you have both learned something about yourselves -- and each other.
All your half-green Cohorts are now average, and one has leveled up to Skilled.
Gained 608 Command XP and 563 Military XP!
(8491/10,000) Military XP to Rank 14!
(3434/8000) Command XP to Rank 9!
While Cassianus sees to the repair of your men's quarters, you return to your regular tribunary duties, serving and administering justice to the men. Together with Rufus, you sit and judge many of their common squarrels and petty arguments. It is all quite easy to arbitrate, and while you effectively smooth over most disputes, there is little of import save for one vital matter: the rift between legionaries and the equites has deepened significantly since Samnium. The most serious complaints you recieve are about fights or grudges between your horsemen and your infantry, among whom plebian and patrician tensions are higher than ever before.
To alleviate the problem, you select several of the more trustworthy and reliable men from the legions (based on Mercator and Carcellus' recommendations) and assign them to fill the places of those centurions who retired from the legion or died at Nola. These replacements, you hope, can quell their men and make peace. It seems for a few days as if your plan is working, but you made one fatal misstep: the centurions you chose are plebians, not patricians, and as such will always take the side of their men over the equites. The equites are bitter that you have not placed more patricians into positions of influence, and the rift, far from healing, only deepens.
Cassianus, meanwhile, has succeeded undisputably at his own duties, reparing the broken walls and holding an augury to bless the new construction to Mars, an act which has endeared him to many of the men. Your contacts among the Scipians report that he is interested in joining the Cult of Mars, and further integrating himself with the legion and it's officers. You cannot argue that the legion would be better served by having it's best commander and second tribune form a closer relationship with the officers, but you would not want to risk your own position as the head of the cult -- though having Cassianus technically subordinate to you, even if only in religious matters, may serve you well.
Politics, Egyptian princes, and military drills aside, you have a great amount of free time to yourself, and with Marius having declared his intention to march in, well, March, it may be the last such spot of free time you have for quite a while. You decide to take full advantage of it, and throw yourself into research and study. You read up on the cities of Asia Minor and their ancient rivalries and alliances. You learn of the longstanding feud between the ancient cites of Nicaea and Nicomedia, who have long vied to be the center of Bithynian power, and the religious supremacy of majestic Pergamum, once a city of kings, now home to the last standing temple of Cybele in Asia Minor. Theo is from Hellas, not Asia, but his general knowledge of the area helps you get a better understanding of the lands you will be struggling to control.
825 Intelligence XP Gained! (2059/15000 XP to Rank 16)
800 Education XP Gained! (1,500/10,000 XP to Rank 11)
In your spare time, you meet with the governors and city leaders of Nicomedia. They are often gathered in the palace with requests or pleas for Marius, and as such, you take the chance to inquire about their city and make connections with them. They are touchy and wary of a Roman, but you make inroads with them nonetheless, despite your halting Greek. They are worried about the same things one might reasonably expect: the coming winter, the thin crops, and the army camped inside their city. Though their distrust towards Rome does not alleviate after your talks, they seem to take a certain liking to you, helped perhaps by the rumors whispering around the city that the Crone herself has given you a vision from the goddess. A few of them even inform you that in the future, you may well call on them.
Lastly, you attempt to improve your own military skills. You flick through a scroll Rufus lent you about Rome's military victories at sea. It is a very thin scroll, but it does provide you with some insight on how boats work. Neptune is a capricious god, but he can be negotatiated with.
Gain 2,643 Seafaring XP
Rank up! Seafaring is now Level 3, Poor
(1,143/3000) Seafaring XP to rank 3!
You break out the scrolls in the libraries of Nicomedia to study the last campaign Rome fought in these lands, against the kings of Macedon and Pergamum. The Greek hoplites are --rather, were-- the finest infantry in the known world, capable of exceptional skill and surprising maneuverability. Frustratingly, while you are unable to increase your own practical knowledge from the scrolls (these tactics being a century old), you have managed to pinpoint a few crucial strategies used by the Greeks which you suspect Mithridates himself is either aping or adapting for his own campaigns. If your hunches prove right, you may have an advantage over his troops in the wars to come.
(+1 to all combat against Greek infantry for the duration of the war)
Finally, you pore over the campaigns of Marius himself in Africa. This is where he made a name for himself, fighting one of Rome's greatest foes overseas, just as he does now. Marius is the mightiest military mind Rome has seen in generations, and every great general of your time learned under him. You would be a fool not to do the same. Having many of the same veterans who served under him in the same city as you makes your job easier -- you can ask about tactics from the men who saw them carried out. As the weeks drag on, you begin to see the connection between the stratagems of Marius and the lectures of Sertorius. What would merely have looked like an envelopment to lesser eyes, you realize as part of a greater strategy to defang the entirety of the enemy force. Every individual battle is part of a greater picture, a note in a symphony played out as beautifully as any of Ptolemy's.
Your knowledge has grown, and you are on the cusp of a far greater understanding. Marius himself has heard of your interest in his campaigns, and may recieve you more favorably -- Marius is his favorite subject, after all.
Gain 387 Military XP!
Gain 2,941 Military XP!
Rank Up! Rank 14!
(1,819/10000) Military XP to Rank 15
VOTING
The Prince of Egypt
Through sheer chance, you have found yourself the acquaintance of Ptolemy Auletes, bastard prince of Egypt. With Marius buried in his war efforts, he has been unable to gain audience with him, and has asked you to entreat the general on his behalf. He wishes for Roman aid in taking his homeland back, and promises wealth and rewards beyond measure if he is aided to the throne of Egypt. Pick one
[] All He Ever Wanted: You attempt to gain audience with Marius in order to speak on the exiled Prince's behalf, and present his claim directly to Marius as you heard it from his lips. [] Playing With The Big Boys: You see opportunity to turn this to your advantage. You approach Marius and bring up the idea of betraying Ptolemy and delivering him up to his hated cousin. One prince of Egypt might be as grateful as the other, and one of them does not require you to invade a foreign country. [] Humanity: You make an attempt to emotionally and movingly convey the Prince's plight to Marius, using all of your oratorical and charismatic skills to gain Ptolemy a place in Marius' improptu 'court'. [] Let Him (and his people) Go: You owe this foreign prince nothing, and you see no reason to even attempt to force Rome into a promise she may not later be able to keep. You ignore his offer. [] You Will Get There...Eventually: You pay Ptolemy a visit and implore him to realize that now is not the right time to try and press his claim. Better to travel to Rome, and attempt to gather support there. You will even back him in his efforts, should he support you. A friend as wealthy and famous as a Ptolemy in Rome might serve you well...if he agrees.
Interpretation
The prophecy you heard in the hills is...dire, indeed. Neither you or Rufus are trained augurs, so you cannot propely interpret it yourselves, though it seems troubling enough to you. You could take it to one of the various priests or prophets in the city to have it, and the signs and portents it fortells, interpreted. Whatever is interpreted, and how, will weigh heavily on your mind in the following days. Pick one
[] The Legionary Augur: You take the prophecy to the legionary augur, who is well skilled in reading the word of the gods. He will surely find meaning in the words -- though that meaning will more often than not serve Rome. (Decent chance of war-related modifers from the prophecy (negative or positive), Prophecy will be interpreted with favor toward Rome) [] The Eunuchs of Cybele: The eunuch-priests of Cybele are far and few between, and have dwindled in Asia in recent times. There are always a few here and there, however, and who better to interpret a goddess' words than one of her servants? (Greater chance of finding the true meaning of the prophecy, low chance of positive modifiers) [] The Prince: Ptolemy Auletes, your latest acquaintance, has, as part of his royal training, been learned in the art of prophecy and augury. You could ask for an audience and beseech him to interpret the words. (Great chance of positive personal modifiers, Prophecy will be interpreted with favor toward Egypt) [] The Servants of the Sun: The priests of Apollo at the Temple in nearby Pergamon are well-trained in the art of prophecy, and deliver many hundreds of prophecies a year. You could ask one of them to interpret it. They are quite overworked, however, serving much of Asia Minor, and a reply will take some weeks. (High chance of positive modifiers, Prophecy will be interpreted normally, will take 2 turns to be delivered back) [] The Priests of Rome: This seems serious enough a matter that you send the prophecy back to Rome by a speedy courier to be interpreted by the priests. Which priest do you send it to? (Will finish in 4 turns)
--[] Scaevola: Your mentor, the Pontifex Maximus. Learned and wise, he will surely decipher the meaning behind the cryptic words. (High chance of finding the true meaning of the prophecy, medium chance of negative modifiers, ???, Prophecy will be interpreted favorably towards Sulla)
--[] Flamen Dialis: You send the prophecy to be read by the high priest of Jupiter himself, Gaius Julius Caesar. A whip-smart lad, he may find the true meaning of the prophetic rhymes. (???, high chance of positive modifers, may affect Caesar, Prophecy will be interpreted favorably towards Marius) [] Do It Yourself: You've, uh...heard prophecies before. Rufus has, as well. The two of you might be able to muddle out something, though being untrained and untaught, you may well find the opposite of what the goddess intended. Which might be a good thing. (Low chance of any modifiers, low chance of finding the true meaning of the prophecy, finishes immediately) Wait: There are more important things at hand. You can deal with the prophecy later, or hope that Rufus does. (Gain an extra action for Para Bellum)
Correspondence: As part of your efforts to stay on top of events in Rome, you write to one of your contacts elsewhere in the Republic. With such long travel times, anything you write will take a long time to arrive. However, that does not mean you cannot write. This may well be your last message before you go on campaign. You write to... (response will arrive in 2-3 turns)
--[] Scaevola
--[] Cicero
--[] Atticus
--[] Proserpina
--[] Catiline
--[] Volero
Para Bellum
You have mere days before you march out with Marius to reconquer Asia Minor and face hated Mithridates. On such a short time scale, personal and professional blend together, for you can do nothing without sacrificing something else. What do you do? Pick three. The Storm
[] Brotherhood: You begin eating your meals with the men, to show them that you stand as one of them, not some aloof aristocrat. They care for you already, but this may well cement it. [] The Consul: You attempt to strike up a conversation with the disgraced consul, Scipio Asiaticus. Confined to his rooms by Marius and publicly humiliated in front of his own men, he sits and stews in silent rage in the halls of the Bithynian kings. [] The General: Marius. Busy directing a war and writing furious missives back to Rome, the great general has little time for personal frivolities. Yet if you can get him to take a liking to you, your own position in Rome will surely soar. Both Sertorius and Sulla began their rise to power under his wing. [] The Marians: The soldiers and legions now serving under Marius are devoted in their loyalty to the great general. You seek to make connections with these men, and form relationships which may serve you well back in Rome. Perhaps the greatest of these Marians is the legatus Gnaeus Papirus Carbo, legatus of the Seventh Legion and Marius' second in command. [] Seafaring: You interrogate the captains on leave in Nicomedia about the art of mastering the waves. Not the best choice for someone about to fight a war on land, but the sea has caught your imagination. [] Drills: You attempt to drill your men and whip them into shape just a bit more before war is upon them. [] Si Vis Pacem: The gods of Rome are the gods of Greece, or so the Romans say. There are many similarities between your faiths and theirs, and studying this may make you more capable of relating to the Greeks of Asia Minor, and to the powerful priestly sects which dominate much of Phrygia. [] Armor and Arms: Your men's equipment, though not shoddy by any means, is looking significantly less pristine after a year of traipsing through the Italian countryside. You seek out one of the publicani in Nicomedia to comission a new set of equipment for your men. You may have to pay out of pocket. [] Para Bellum: You begin studying the campaigns against the Macedonians and the Greeks over a century ago, hoping to learn more about Greek tactics, that you might counter them better. [] Res Publica: You study the formations of your own legions, the way Romans fight. After all, you may soon be doing war with Romans -- and what is more Roman than that? [] Forge Bonds: You attempt to forge an even deeper relationship with your fellow tribune Cassianus. A real friendship between the two of you may make this campaign far easier. [] The Cult: You call together the cult of Mars, and attempt to invite Cassianus and his Scipian officers into it. [] The King Without A Crown: Nicomedes, last client king of Bithynia, is actually here in the city his fathers ruled and Mithridates forced him from. He has several times brought up the idea of reinstalling him as king, but with Marius busy with other matters, the claimant king is forced to make himself a guest in his own city. You might call upon him. [] Study: You study the campaigns of Marius against the Cimbri, in order to learn more of the legendary general's efforts against the foes who once threatened Rome itself. [] All Greek To You: You sit down with Theo and attempt to refine your Greek in the last few days before you must leave for war. [] Mars Gradivus: You order the sacred bull bound, the officers prepared, and go through the cleansing rites. You shall perform the rite of Mars Gradivus, as Sertorius did before you.
Author's Note: Res Publica now has a Discord! Come join in!
There is now a TWENTY-FOUR HOUR MORATORIUM on all votes.
Use this time to discuss the choices available and create different Plans. As previously discussed, any votes not in plan form, or submitted before the moratorium is up, will not be counted.
As always, discussion is rewarded. (As are Omakes and Reaction posts.)
This is the biggest update I have ever written for the quest, and it now takes into account the borked XP amounts. Your missing XP from Sertorius has returned to push you into Rank 14, and though there aren't as many votes as last time, these will all be quite important in the months to come.
Alas, that failure in reconciling the optimates and the populares in our legion speaks ill, and while we have avoided open battle between ourselves and the Scipio, I do not much like the look of him, especially given the prophecy.
And now we have a chance to just completely derail everything and being pushing towards heading towards Egypt. Not saying I think we should, just that it's now becoming an option.
Lastly, you attempt to improve your own military skills. You flick through a scroll Rufus lent you about Rome's military victories at sea. It is a very thin scroll, but it does provide you with some insight on how boats work. Neptune is a capricious god, but he can be negotatiated with.
Gain 2,643 Seafaring XP
Rank up! Seafaring is now Level 3, Poor
(1,143/3000) Seafaring XP to rank 3!
