Restitutor Orbis: A Quest of the Roman Empire

[Telamon]

IMPERIO • ROMANO • NOMINIS • FINITUM




"Our history now descends from a kingdom of gold to one of iron and rust."
-Dio Cassius, The History of Rome
​

270 A.D

It is the third century of the Roman Empire.

For over two hundred years, Rome has straddled the European continent as the undisputed master of the western world. From the shores of distant Britain to the swirling sands of Nubia, all the known world bends knee to the might and power of Rome, held in watchful stasis by the strength of her arm and the wealth of her purse. Wherever the long shadow of Rome falls, the nations of earth tremble and bow low.

From this unparalleled supremacy has sprung two hundred years of peace, a peace of fear, a peace-by-the-sword, a peace of iron and steel. It is the Pax Romana, the Roman Peace, enforced solely by Rome's dominion over her world. For across a hundred cultures, two continents and a thousand thousand peoples, Rome alone has stood unchanged and inviolable for two hundred years — truly, an imperium supreme over Earth.

No more.

Almost in an instant, as if a dream that ended too soon, the Pax Romana has ended. Now, it seems, Rome pays the price for her centuries of mastery, and the gods themselves must weep to see it.

Rome is dying.

Plague, famine, and war stretch across every corner of the Empire, killing thousands. Gone are the days of the philosopher-emperors -- ambition and cruelty have become the bywords of the age, and emperors are deposed or killed almost as fast as they can declare themselves. The once-great empire of the Caesars is divided on all sides by treachery, selfishness, and arrogance. Rome's generals wage endless war with one another for the imperial throne while her most opportunistic enemies attack from all sides, bringing death and disease in their wake. Self-serving warlords and governors secede from the empire one after another, setting up personal fiefdoms on the ever-shrinking borders of Rome. The edicts of the Senate, once law from sea to sea, are now not worth even the paper they are written upon.

To the common man, it must seem the very world itself has stopped making sense. Not since the black days of Hannibal has the very existence of Rome been so imperiled. Civility, faith, justice, and order -- all of these are relics of a bygone age, forgotten ideals in a world that slides day by day into anarchy and chaos.

The Empire of Augustus dies a slow death, a bitter death, and with her all of earth is plunged into madness.

This is Rome's darkest hour, and the world's. This is the Crisis of the Third Century.

Into this chaos emerges a young man of talent and ambition, with the skill and foresight necessary to, just perhaps, claw Rome from the brink. It will be no easy task — you are opposed by self-proclaimed emperors and kings, petty warlords with dreams of grandeur, selfish politicians, and envious backstabbers lusting for a taste of power. To triumph will require all of your wit, ruthlessness, and cunning. You can give no quarter and show no weakness, for this is one of the most brutal and bitter hours of Roman history. A single misstep in such times means an early death and a shallow grave in some distant corner of a dying empire.

Succeed, however, and you will rise to the helm of one of the mightiest empires mankind has ever known, restore an ancient and revered civilization from the edge of destruction, and bring a sense of stability to an earth now unmoored. Do you have what it takes to become more than mortal, to ascend the very heights of history and become the restorer of the world?

​

Welcome to Restitutor Orbis, a quest set in the blackest hour of Roman history, the Crisis of the Third Century, when the Roman empire and civilization came almost to the brink of collapse. You will begin the game as one emperor among many, in an age when emperors are a dime a dozen. Throughout the game, you must reconcile with or eliminate all other claimants, unite the fracturing Roman Empire, and beat her upstart vassals back into submission. It is a Herculean task, but he who accomplishes it will be immortalized in history as the Restitutor Orbis -- the Restorer of the World. This will require all your skill at diplomacy, subterfuge, warfare, and tactics. A single misstep or errant word may spell doom, and even if you do everything right, you may still meet a bitter end.

In Rome's darkest hour, there is no place for the ideals of yore. The days when men of honor and worth could make their way in Rome by the strength of their word and the valour of their hearts are long gone. Now, men live and die by the strength of their arm and the worth of their coin. You will compete with emperors as ambitious and ruthless as any that have ever ruled in Rome, men forged in the wild battlefields of Gaul and raised in the far deadlier marble halls of Rome. To survive, to dominate, you will have to be the most ambitious, the most power-hungry, the most vicious and unceasing.

For make no mistake -- the Roman Empire is a cruel master. It is a sprawling and voracious beast spread thin over the earth, a monster with a thousand thousand greedy mouths. It has devoured greater men than you, and spit them out less than they were. Better men and worse than you have ruled in Rome in the last century, but few have ruled for long. Can you rise from the muck and scrawl your glory in the pages of history, or will your name be lost in the wreck of Rome?

While the Colosseum stands, Rome shall stand; when the Colosseum falls, Rome shall fall.
When Rome falls, the world shall fall.​

 

[Telamon]

•CHARACTER SHEET•​

Social Status

Name: Imperator Caesar Gaius Julius Claudius Synnodus Augustus
(Born Synnodus of Carthage)
Age: 34 (Born 236 A.D)
Family: Florentia Tertia (Wife), Gaius Synnodus Horatius (Son)
Class: Patrician
Origin: Carthage
Patron(s): Unknown
Clients: Unknown
Reputation: (Rank 10) Popular -- You have bled and fought for Rome on a hundred battlefields, and your name is known to many tongues.

Economic Status

Wealth: 1,400,000 denarii (233 talents -- a little over a year's pay for a full legion)
Monthly Income: 400 denarii a month
Buildings Owned: Unknown
Land Held: 0 acres
Slaves Owned: 0
Debts Owed: 0
Debts Held: 0

Titles and Honors

Cognomina: Imperator Caesar Gaius Julius Claudius Synnodus Augustus
Nicknames: Synnodus the Mauritanian (lit. Synnodus the Moor), Carthagus (lit. The Carthaginian)
Victory Titles: Garamanticus (lit. Victor-over-the-Garamantes)
Honors and Decorations: N/A
Past Offices Held: Legatus, Aedile, Tribune, Consul
Campaigns Led: 4
Provinces Reconquered: 0
Invasions Repulsed: 0

Imperial Authority

Imperial Authority: 5/20 (Weak) There are few in the empire who recognize you as emperor -- but there are some.
Senatorial Backing: 2/20 (Minimal) Your name has been mentioned in the Senate once or twice.
Popular Support: 5/20 (Weak) A small portion of the common folk believe in you.
Army Support: 3/20 (Minimal) The legions know of you.
Infamy: You have committed no deeds of great infamy as emperor.
Renown: You have committed no deeds of great worth as emperor.

Stats

Military: Epic (18) -- You are one of the finest generals Rome has ever produced, not just in this black age, but in her history.
Charisma: Epic (18) -- Your laugh is addictive, and your smile wins you lovers and friends as easily as coin.
Stewardship: Renowned (16) -- Coins seem drawn to your fingers.
Intelligence: Renowned (16) -- You are one of the brightest minds of your time, capable of shrewder thought and quicker action than most of your peers.
Education: Accomplished (12) -- You learned from the finest tutors your father could afford, but there are still gaps in your knowledge.
Subterfuge: Accomplished (12) -- Deceit and deception are not the finest weapons in your arsenal, but they are weapons indeed.

Skills

Combat: Accomplished (12) -- You can hold your own against most any man.
Oratory: Accomplished (12) -- Your words have seized hearts, at times.
Command: Accomplished (13) -- Men will die for you, if you will it. And you have.
Engineering: Accomplished (12) -- This, here. That, there. From nothing, an edifice rises.
Logistics: Accomplished (12) -- Supply lines, marching routes, baggage trains -- these are the bricks that build conquest.
Law: Accomplished (12) -- Even in this dark time of chaos, there are certain rules which must be followed.
Philosophy: Accomplished (12) -- You have studied the words of the ancients, and know how to make sense of the world.
Administration: Accomplished (12) -- The reins of empire fit well in your hands.
Diplomacy: Accomplished (12) -- Even your enemies heed when you speak.

Auguries and Foretellings

•TRAITS•
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Imperator (Rank I)

By some twist of fate or chance, you have the dubious honor of being one of the current Emperors of Rome. Your claim to power is recognized by some entity or authority of worth in the crumbling Empire, but you exert no true power as of yet. You will have to establish yourself as a name worth following before you can hope to be more than another warlord with dreams of grandeur.

Enmity of the Garamantes (Rank III)

In your youth, you commanded the legions of Rome against the African peoples collectively known as the Garamantes. You threw down their cities in the desert and watered the Sahara with the blood of of their bravest sons. Your name is whispered still with hatred and fear in the lands beyond Nubia, and should you ever bear arms against the desert kingdom again, they will tremble at your coming. (+2 to all military actions against the Garamantes, +3 to all intimidation actions against the Garamantes, -3 to all subterfuge and diplomacy actions against the Garamantes)

The Names of an Emperor

In Rome, it is tradition for new emperors to shore up their power and prestige by officially adopting the names of past emperors as their own, reinforcing their own legend with that of their predecessors. But in Ancient Rome, to name a thing is to give it power, and to take the name of a thing is to adopt both it's worst and best qualities.

Your current Imperial Cognomina are: IMPERATOR CAESAR GAIUS JULIUS CLAUDIUS SYNNODUS AUGUSTUS

These names give the following effects: +2 to all Military rolls, +2 to all command rolls, +2 to all logistics rolls, -1 to all Stewardship, +3 Charisma, +2 to all Subterfuge rolls, +1 to all popularity rolls, increased Reputation gain, and increased relations with the Senate and the People (Where you would gain 1 backing, you now gain 2, and so on).

•THE ROMAN EMPIRE•
​

Stability

Rome reels on the brink, crippled from within and without. This is an estimate of the current stability of the social and legal institutions of the Empire. Should all of them fail, Rome will surely fall.

• The Faith: 2/10 -- Organized faith reels on the brink. If the gods live, then they have surely abandoned Rome. The Christians, the followers of the Sun-God, and the adherents of the eastern mystery cults scrabble to retain followers as even the most fanatic lose faith. Rome needs not follow the gods of her fathers, but in these dark days, many follow no gods at all.

• The Bureaucracy: 4/10 -- The engines of the state created by Augustus all those centuries ago have outlived him and his heirs, and the heirs of those who replaced them. Corroded by corruption, inefficiency, and greed, the bureaucracy still plods stubbornly along -- for now. While the taxman comes, the common people will still remember they are Roman.

• The Senate: 2/10 -- Long neutered and crippled by the emperors for centuries, the Senate has finally reached the nadir of it's power. It's words hold weight only within the city limits of Rome, and even then only just.

• The Economy: 1/10 The great economic system of the Pax Romana, which brought Rome wealth untold for nearly two hundred years, has collapsed. Rome's currency has been devalued by emperor after emperor looting the treasuries to win the support of their armies, and the trade routes which made Rome prosperous have been sacked and looted by barbarians, or broken by war. Many of the empire's farms and trading ports either lie in enemy hands or in ruins, and millions starve across the breadth of Rome.

• The Emperor: 3/10 -- The faith of the people in the idea of the emperor is almost nonexistent, worn down by warlord after warlord. Only the memories of Augustus, Trajan, and the great emperors of decades past keeps belief in the idea of the First Citizen alive.

Invasions

Rome, split and weakened, is attacked from all sides by foes. Driven by migrations, greed, or simple opportunism, the barbarian foes Rome has so long kept at bay are at the gates. Here are listed the greatest and most powerful of the barbarian states which now menace Rome, and the threat they pose to her security.

• [Preparing For Invasion] The Carpi: The Carpi, a vicious and warlike people that have long been foes of Rome, have begun an invasion of the province of Dacia. Defeated twice before by emperors before you, the Carpi have returned again to savage the eastern provinces. They have not yet outright invaded, but they pillage and ransack trade routes the declining empire sorely needs. Threat Level: 4/10

• [Major Invasion] The Goths: The Goths, most hideous and terrible of the warlike German tribes beyond the Danube, have united under a warlord called Cannabaudes, who leads them over the Danube into Dacia. Defeated just last year in a great battle by the claimant emperor Aurelian, the Goths have nonetheless regrouped for another crippling invasion of the northern territories of the empire. Should they gain a foothold, it may spell the doom of Rome. Threat Level: 9/10

• [Subdued] The Sassanids: Perhaps the greatest and most devoted of all the foes of Rome, the great Persian Empire of the Sassanids in the east launched a great invasion of the eastern territories scarcely 10 years ago. Repulsed by the Romans and their eastern allies, they have been licking their wounds for the last decade. In the intervening years, Rome has only grown weaker, however, and should the time seem right, the Persians may again bear arms to the doors of empire. Threat Level: 2/10

• [Minor Invasion] The Vandals: First settled as allies of Rome in Dacia to protect from the Carpi and the Goths, in recent times they have turned against the weakening power of Rome and made to carve out a land for themselves about the middle of the Danube. This will leave a hole in the imperial borders through which deadlier foes like the Goths might pour into the central provinces. For the safety of Rome, the Vandals must be pushed back beyond the Danube. Threat Level 5/10

• [Minor Invasion] The Juthingi: A Germanic tribe named the Juthungi has taken advantage of the empire's seeming instability and preoccupation with stronger foes to raid into northern Italy, sacking and pillaging towns along the Alps. Their raids are small and spread out for the moment, but without quick response, they may soon grow bolder. (Threat Level: 2/10)

• [Subdued] The Alemanni: Foes of Rome since the days of the Emperor Caracalla, the Alemanni were bested last year in battle by the Emperor Claudius Gothicus, and forced back beyond the Rhine. They are not eager to taste of Roman steel again, but should they sense opportunity or weakness, there is no doubt they will bestir themselves to violent purpose against their great enemy. Threat Level: 1/10

Pretenders

These are your greatest foes, the men and women of ambition who desire to the name of empire. Beware them all, each and every one, for they are certainly wary of you.

• Marcus Piavonus Victorinus, Imperator Gallicus: The Emperor in Gaul, Victorinus controls the entirety of Gaul and the lands within. Like Caesar before him, he aims to use Gaul to dominate all of Rome, and from his position, he is well poised to threaten the vital provinces of Hispania and Italia, or even bear arms to the city itself.

• Septima Zenobia, Empress Regent of Palmyra: Wife to the legendary king of the city of Palmyra, Odaenathus, this ambitious woman has used her power as her son's regent to claim and conquer much of the Roman east, and even now has designs upon the valuable province of Aegyptus. She has declared her son, Vaballathus, to be Imperator Caesar, and holds aspirations to control Rome itself.

• Imperator Caesar Aurelian: After the death of the Emperor Claudius Gothicus, his foremost general, Aurelian, was declared Imperator by the armies. Intelligent, skilled at warfare, and driven to a fault, Aurelian is perhaps the most powerful of the imperial claimants, with much of the Roman army behind his back.

• Imperator Caesar Claudius Quintillus: Brother to the dead Emperor Claudius Gothicus, Quintillus was elected Emperor by the Senate on the day of his brother's death. He is ill-loved by the armies, however, and the great majority of his forces have turned against him in support of the usurper Aurelian.

• Imperator Caesar Domitianus Pius Felix Augustus: Once a general of the Gallic Empire, the pretender Domitianus rebelled against his own false emperor in order to declare his own claim. His power-base in southern Gaul is unstable, and as soon as the distracted Gallic Emperor Victorinus can rally his forces, the usurper's usurper will likely fall.

•FEATS•



•MECHANICS•
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Skills, Stats, and Reputation

Skills and Stats control your mental faculties and knowledge/expertise, as well as your ability to effectively exercise such things. Your Charisma stat governs your day-to-day interactions, while your Diplomacy skill governs your tact and ability to talk to people, well...diplomatically. Each Rank of a skill or stat increases the modifier applied to such actions, with things getting easier the more you do them (as in real life).

Stats are your mental capabilities, while skills are things you pick up and learn. You can't advance skills beyond a certain point without practical experience, but you can advance stats near-infinitely through study and research in your comfy villa in Rome. You can be a master of Military theory and strategic understanding, but have a 3 in Command because you've never actually led men into battle.

Skill/Stat Ranks:

I. Abysmal: You have no skill with this whatsoever, and are actively terrible at it. Any attempt by yourself to do this will be met with abject failure unless the gods are truly smiling on you. (Levels 0-1) (-6 Modifier)

II. Very Poor: You are incredibly poor at this, one of the worst currently in Rome. You may succeed in using it if you blunder into success using what little you do know. (Levels 2-3) (-4 Modifier)

III. Poor: This...is not your strength. Find some other way of solving your problems, if at all possible. (Level 4) (-2 Modifier)

IV. Average: You are markedly average at this. Not amazing, not terrible, just...good. Depending on what occurs, your performance could be remarkable or awful, but you have a fair chance of either. (Levels 5-7) (No Modifier)

V. Proficient: You're okay at this, showing some small skill in your attempts. Your performance is slightly above average. (Levels 8-9) (+1 Modifier)

VI. Accomplished: You are quite skilled at this, proving to be significantly better than most. (Levels 10-14) (+2 Modifier)

VII. Renowned: You are famed for your skill in this, and it is likely your strongest and most adept trait. Most Romans of note which you encounter will have at least one renowned stat or skill -- it's necessary to rise high, after all. (Levels 15-17) (+4 Modifier)

VIII. Epic: You are one of the greatest in Rome at this, and your exceptional talent for it is spoken of from Italia to Aegyptus. Actions you take with this are incredibly likely to succeed. (Level 18) (+6 Modifier)

IX. Legendary: You are legendary, a generational talent whose renown and legend will long outlive you. It is almost impossible for you to fail at any task involving this. (Level 19) (+8 Modifier)

X. Mythical: You are on the level of the gods, a talent that has never been seen before and will never be seen again. Plato, Alexander, Heracles -- these are the myths of our time, and you can count your name alongside theirs. For you, failure at this is laughable. (Level 20) (+10 Modifier)

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Your Reputation is how you are seen in Rome. Reputation Ranks go from 1-20, and Reputation can be negative or positive. For example, someone with Rank 8 Reputation could be Recognized and beloved by the people -- or they could be widely disliked, their name spat upon by the masses. You can work to flip your reputation from good to bad, or vice versa, but doing so will normally knock you down a rank or two -- you're no longer doing the thing you were famous for after all.

Reputation Ranks:

0: Unknown

1-4: Notable/Unsavory

5-7: Noteworthy/Unfavorable

8-10: Recognized/Disliked

10-13: Popular/Unpopular

14-17: Acclaimed/Detested

18: Sensational/Hated

19: Generational/Reviled

20: Revered/Anathema

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[Telamon]

​

Hail, Imperator.

You are the Emperor of Rome, heir to a legacy eight hundred years old. You walk in the footsteps of Augustus and Trajan and Marcus Aurelius, a history as storied and revered as it is bloody and ignoble. No matter where you came from or who you were in life, you are the Emperor now. But where you began will determine how high you rise, and how far you have to fall.

Rome spreads across half the known world, a state as vast and wide as it is unstable and flawed. Long gone are the days when the emperors of Rome hailed only from Rome -- indeed, you yourself were born outside Italia, in one of the provinces of the Empire. Your origin will determine your class, your name, and your most basic skills, but much more than this, it will determine how men remember you.

Spoiler: Origin

The Carthaginian [] In one of history's great ironies, you were born in Carthago, that city known in ancient times as the Roman enemy of Carthage, now the capital of the Roman province of Africa Proconsularis. You were born Synnodus of Carthage, dark of skin and dark of hair, and in later times medieval historians would call you Synnodus the Moor. You were born the son of a respected provincial governor, and though a far cry from the nobility of the city of Rome itself, you grew up well-educated and well-taught, learning how to manage the wealth of the southern provinces that fed Rome. You earned your stripes fighting the African tribes known as the Garamantes, who in your youth sought to loot the wealthy farms of Africa. You still retain control over your father's holdings in Africa, a valuable source of wealth for a fledgling Emperor. (Begin with Trait: Enmity of the Garamantes, begin with nickname 'the Moor', begin with all military-related skills at Rank 12, except where buffed or reduced by other origin choices, and begin with all social and financial skills at Rank 12, with 16 Stewardship and 16 intelligence, begin with +400 extra monthly income)

The Macedonian [] You hailed from the Greek province of Macedonia, and were reared in the shadow of Alexander, as are all Greeks who were born after his time. You were born Hierodus or Hierodan, but have latinized your name in recent times to Hierodanus of Macedon. You were born the son of a goat herder in the steppes of Macedonia, and joined the army as soon as you were old enough to hold a sword and fight. Your tale of rags-to-riches is of course popular with the common folk, and so you begin your rise to power with much of their love and support. You were born into an eastern mystery cult that worshiped the war-god Mithras, a god popular with the soldiers and the armies -- but not with the elite senatorial classes. (Begin with Trait: The Conqueror's Legacy, begin with all military-related skills at Rank 14, except where buffed or reduced by other origin choices, and begin with all financial skills at Rank 6, and all social skills at Rank 10-11. Begin with +1 Army Support, -2 Senatorial Backing and +2 Popular Support. Begin with Patron God: Mithras)

The Spaniard [] You were born in the province of Lusitania, in Hispania, the great and untamed westernmost province of the empire. A soldier's son, you were reared on battle from almost the day you could walk, and were named Corucianus of the Lusitani, after your native people, a tribe long ago half-tamed by Rome. The legions have some small love for you, for you were one of them from birth. Ill-educated and knowing mostly of war, it will be all you can do to improve the necessary skills to govern an empire before you are called upon to do so in earnest. You are a soldier par excellence, however, and if any man could unite Rome with strength of arms alone, it just might be you. (Begin with Trait: The Spaniard, begin with all military-related skills at Rank 15, Combat at Rank 16, and begin with all financial and social skills at Rank 10, with Administration and Stewardship at Rank 4 and 5, respectively. Begin with +2 Army Support)

But on to more important matters. To claim to be emperor, you must either have overwhelming strength of arms, such that none may contest your claim, or some legal or social basis for such a claim. How exactly did you come by the purple, my emperor?

Spoiler: Imperator

[] A Barracks Emperor: You are one of the Barracks Emperors, so-called because their reigns often began (and ended) in the barracks of their legions. Your men have raised you up on their shields in some distant corner of the empire and proclaimed you Imperator. Regarded by many as little more than a warlord, all power you now have is from the strength of your sword and the might of your armies. Should you be defeated in battle or lose the goodwill of your men, your reign will end as quickly as it has begun. (Starting Imperial Authority is 2, and you begin with +2 Army Support. You start with Military at Rank 15 and Command at 13. Money will be tight, and you will have to war often and well to survive.)
--Border Lord [] You were the commander of the legions stationed along one of the borders of the Empire, and gained renown battling barbarians on the far-flung edges of Rome. Far from the center of the empire, you have few funds or supporters, but are far removed from your rivals to the purple. Beware, for the legions you now lead, while battle-hardened and skilled, were the wall between Rome and the barbarians without. With your forces gone, who knows what may pour through the hole they left behind? (Start with two veteran legions and one elite legion, start with Command 16, start in a border province)
--War Hero [] You served with the Emperor Claudius Gothicus in his wars against the Goths and the Vandals, and learned of war under him. After his death, the legions you led under him proclaimed you Imperator. Though they are few and your enemies are many, they are some of the most skilled and battle-tested men in the empire. You have also gained much renown warring with the enemies of Rome, and men more readily call you Emperor. (Start with Imperial Authority at 5 and +2 Popular Support, +1 Army Support, start with only two elite legions, start with Military 18, start in a central province)


[] A Successor: You are the successor and rightful heir of a previous emperor, at least according to your supporters. You have the support of some small part of the military, owing to your claims, but whether or not they are true, there is only one way for you to prove them: win. You have perhaps the greatest legal claim to empire, and can use the memory of your predecessor to sway the people, but will need to put in effort to win the support of the army. (Start with Imperial Authority at 4, Gain 2 extra Reputation, +1 Senatorial Backing, start with two average legions)
--[] The Inheritor: You claim to have inherited your predecessor's claim to the imperial throne by being his closest confidant and ally. Whether or not this is necessarily true is a matter for debate, and it is a rocky claim to Empire, but your first-hand knowledge of the inner workings of the government has given you a leg up over your enemies, which may prove invaluable in the days and months to come. (Start with Administration at Rank 14, start with two clients and +3 Senatorial Backing, for a total of +4)
--[] The Adopted: You claim to have been adopted by your predecessor on his deathbed, a claim verified mainly by your allies and yourself. However true this claim it is, it has won you the support of the people, who loved your predecessor, and are eager to throw their support behind you. A single legion which was fervently loyal to the Emperor has, surprisingly, also flipped to your side, but they are located in a border province far from your location. (Start with Charisma at Rank 14, start with one extra veteran legion and +3 Popular Support)

Lastly, there is the matter of your names. For an Emperor to truly be an Emperor, he must have a name worthy of a god. It is tradition in Rome to adopt the names of past Emperors in order to both claim some reflection of their past glories, and to indicate what sort of master you will be. The Romans believed that your name was power, and that the names an emperor chose would not just define him, but his very reign.

Each name has it's own benefits and drawbacks, but this is how you will be known from one corner of the empire to the next. Your name may be modified and amended with more titles later on, or even remade completely once every three years.

This is the name that will be stamped upon your coins, the name the historians will praise or revile, the name which will echo through the years:

(Pick 3)

Spoiler: Legacies and Names

[] MARCVS AVRELIVS: You take the name of Marcus Aurelius, the great Philosopher-Emperor and the last of the Five Good Emperors. This name signifies a desire to take Rome back to the glory days of it's imperial past, and to rule wisely and fairly as Marcus Aurelius did in his day. But few remember that Marcus Aurelius' greatest weakness was his love for his son and heir, the vain and selfish tyrant Commodus, who began the Crisis of the Third Century. (+2 to all Oratory rolls, +2 to all Administration rolls, improved relations with the people, +2 to all Diplomacy and Education rolls, -3 to all Subterfuge rolls and a malus to rolls concerning your family or loved ones.)

[] TRAIANVS: Trajan was the conqueror-emperor, famed from one end of Rome to the other as the conqueror of the East and one of the greatest men to ever sit the imperial seat. It is often ignored how his conquests overextended an already-stretched empire, forcing the legions to the breaking point and beginning the decline which now wracks the Roman world. But what are such things to glory? (+5 to all engineering and logistics rolls, +1 to all Military rolls, increased popularity with the legions, -2 to all Stewardship and Administration rolls. Gain Renown quicker, and lose it slower. Gain more fame and prestige from conquering lands)

[] CLAVDIVS: You take the name of Claudius, an ancient and storied name stretching back to the roots of the Empire. As the name of the recently deceased Emperor Claudius Gothicus, it has much prestige in certain circles, and the elite of Rome rest easy knowing that a defender of their traditions has ascended the Imperial throne. The greatest emperor to bear this name was Claudius of the Julii, who pretended to be a stuttering fool until all his foes were dead, then reformed the empire they had driven to ruin. (+2 to all Subterfuge rolls, Gain Reputation quicker, +1 Senatorial Backing, +1 to all Law and Administration rolls, +1 to all popularity rolls)

[] NERO: An ancient name meaning 'heroic' or 'strong', Nero was a name of many early emperors -- until, of course, that most disastrous and infamous reign of Nero of the Julii, the debauched emperor who fiddled while Rome burned. It still holds positive connotations in many parts of the Empire, but adopting it may be seen as scandalous. But Nero was the name of many great emperors in the days of yore, and may be so again. (+3 to all Command rolls, +1 to all direct military rolls, +3 to all personal combat rolls, -4 Diplomacy and -3 Popular Support. Gain Infamy easier and lose it slower.)

[] MARCVS ANTONIVS: Mark Antony, the New Dionysus, though never an emperor, was one of the greatest figures of the late Republic, and his story and legend still holds power in Rome nearly three hundred years after his death. Mark Antony, it is said, was a candle that burned quickly and bright, and though he never wore the laurel crown or held the purple, his larger-than-life personality and sense of grandeur and pride meant that in spirit, if not in flesh, he was as much an emperor as any man who ever bore the name Augustus. (+3 to all Charisma rolls, +2 to all Command rolls, -1 to all Diplomacy Rolls, -3 to all Stewardship rolls. Gain both renown and infamy quicker, and gain more of both.)

[] JVLIVS: Never an Emperor, but the first of the empire. Never a king, but a god. No man has so single-handedly defined a name as Gaius Julius Caesar. Every emperor already calls himself Caesar, by tradition more than choice, but to adopt another of the names of the divine Caesar may win you support across the empire. (+1 to all Military rolls, +1 to all Command rolls, +1 to all Logistics rolls, -1 Stewardship, -1 Law. Having all the names of Caesar will give a +3 Charisma bonus and increased relations with the Senate and the People)

[] GAIVS: Never an Emperor, but the first of the empire. Never a king, but a god. No man has so single-handedly defined a name as Gaius Julius Caesar. Every emperor already calls himself Caesar, by tradition more than choice, but to adopt another of the names of the divine Caesar may win you support across the empire. (+1 to all Military rolls, +1 to all Command rolls, +1 to all Logistics rolls, -1 Stewardship, -1 Law. Having all the names of Caesar will give a +3 Charisma bonus and increased relations with the Senate and the People)

[] SEVERVS: The Emperors of the Severan dynasty, who ruled Rome for much of the early third century, were both the best and the worst of what Rome could produce. The conqueror-Emperor Septimus Severus, the iron-fisted tyrant Caracalla, and the debauched madman Elagabalus all bore this name, and have driven it to highest heights and lowest lows. (+2 to all military stats, -2 to all social stats, greatly increased infamy and renown gain, greatly slowed infamy loss. People are slower to forgive your mistakes or cruelties, and more readily attribute them to madness.)

​

Please spoiler your votes and stick them in a Plan. Any votes not in plan form will not be accepted.​

​

 

[Telamon]

You may post.

 

[Nurgle]

another Telamon rome quest I am both intrigued

 

[Terran Imperium]

The Spaniard []

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The Macedonian []

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The Carthaginian []

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--Border Lord []

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--War Hero []

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Definitely interested. Although, I think there is a mistake in where the brackets should be. Pointing them out in the quotes.

[X] The Macedonian
[X] A Barracks Emperor
-[X] War Hero
[X] NERO
[X] TRAIANVS
[X] MARCVS AVRELIVS

Going for a Martial-Diplomacy build. A war hero, loved by the people and he's even a Macedonian. We have to face it, when the Empire is fractured like that, war is going to be necessary, we'll have to conquer back those that refuse our hand and welcome warmly those that accept us as an emperor.

 

[Arlos]

[X] The Macedonian
[X] A Barracks Emperor
-[X] War Hero
[X] NERO
[X] TRAIANVS
[X] MARCVS AVRELIVS

Alexander, is that you?

 

[tri2]

Spoiler: Plan Overlord tri2

[X] The Spaniard
[X] Plan Overlord tri2
-[X] A Barracks Emperor
--[X] War Hero
-[X] NERO
-[X] MARCVS ANTONIVS
-[X] SEVERVS

 

[technotemplar]

[X] The Macedonian
[X] A Barracks Emperor
-[X] War Hero
[X] NERO
[X] TRAIANVS
[X] MARCVS AVRELIVS​

​

 

[Telamon]

Definitely interested. Although, I think there is a mistake in where the brackets should be. Pointing them out in the quotes.

[X] The Macedonian
[X] A Barracks Emperor
-[X] War Hero
[X] TRAIANVS

Going for a Martial-Diplomacy build. A war hero, loved by the people and he's even a Macedonian. We have to face it, when the Empire is fractured like that, war is going to be necessary, we'll have to conquer back those that refuse our hand and welcome warmly those that accept us as an emperor.

Click to shrink...

You may actually pick three names, as is befitting of an Emperor. The emperors of the middle and late Empire chained past names together as was suitable for them and the image they sought to project. Just look at the Imperator Caesar Marcus Aurelius Claudius Augustus, known better as Claudius II.

 

[tri2]

vote for your future overlord of the world or face the blade!

 

[Terran Imperium]

You may actually pick three names, as is befitting of an Emperor. The emperors of the middle and late Empire chained past names together as was suitable for them and the image they sought to project. Just look at the Imperator Caesar Marcus Aurelius Claudius Augustus, known better as Claudius II.

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Ah, somehow missed the '(Pick 3)'. Edited my vote.

Both of those names contribute to the overall build.

[X] The Macedonian
[X] A Barracks Emperor
-[X] War Hero
[X] NERO
[X] TRAIANVS
[X] MARCVS AVRELIVS

Going for a Martial-Diplomacy build. A war hero, loved by the people and he's even a Macedonian. We have to face it, when the Empire is fractured like that, war is going to be necessary, we'll have to conquer back those that refuse our hand and welcome warmly those that accept us as an emperor.

Click to shrink...

 

[Macros]

[X] The Macedonian
[X] A Barracks Emperor
-[X] War Hero
[X] NERO
[X] TRAIANVS
[X] MARCVS AVRELIVS

Roman Empire quest? Sign me up!

 

[Cybandeath]

does this new quest mean the Napoleonic quest is dead?

 

[Telamon]

does this new quest mean the Napoleonic quest is dead?

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Not dead, more so on a very long lull. Most of my resources will go to this or Res Publica, while I'll update Napoleon quest as muse and time provides.

Please field all further questions to my crippling sense of guilt PMs.

 

[Kufufu]

[X] The Macedonian
[X] A Barracks Emperor
-[X] War Hero
[X] NERO
[X] TRAIANVS
[X] MARCVS AVRELIVS

 

[Easter]

[X] The Macedonian
[X] A Barracks Emperor
-[X] War Hero
[X] NERO
[X] TRAIANVS
[X] MARCVS AVRELIVS

 

[Japanime]

[X] The Spaniard
[X] A Barracks Emperor
-[X] War Hero
[X] JVLIVS
[X] GAIVS
[X] MARCVS AVRELIVS

 

[Cybandeath]

Spoiler: Plan Caesar Reborn

[X]Plan Caesar Reborn

[X] The Macedonian You hailed from the Greek province of Macedonia, and were reared in the shadow of Alexander, as are all Greeks who were born after his time. You were born Hierodus or Hierodan, but have latinized your name in recent times to Hierodanus of Macedon. You were born the son of a goat herder in the steppes of Macedonia, and joined the army as soon as you were old enough to hold a sword and fight. Your tale of rags-to-riches is of course popular with the common folk, and so you begin your rise to power with much of their love and support. You were born into an eastern mystery cult that worshiped the war-god Mithras, a god popular with the soldiers and the armies -- but not with the elite senatorial classes. (Begin with Trait: The Conqueror's Legacy, begin with all military-related skills at Rank 14, except where buffed or reduced by other origin choices, and begin with all financial skills at Rank 6, and all social skills at Rank 10-11. Begin with +1 Army Support, -2 Senatorial Backing and +2 Popular Support. Begin with Patron God: Mithras)

[X] A Barracks Emperor: You are one of the Barracks Emperors, so-called because their reigns often began (and ended) in the barracks of their legions. Your men have raised you up on their shields in some distant corner of the empire and proclaimed you Imperator. Regarded by many as little more than a warlord, all power you now have is from the strength of your sword and the might of your armies. Should you be defeated in battle or lose the goodwill of your men, your reign will end as quickly as it has begun. (Starting Imperial Authority is 2, and you begin with +2 Army Support. You start with Military at Rank 15 and Command at 13. Money will be tight, and you will have to war often and well to survive.)
--War Hero [X] You served with the Emperor Claudius Gothicus in his wars against the Goths and the Vandals, and learned of war under him. After his death, the legions you led under him proclaimed you Imperator. Though they are few and your enemies are many, they are some of the most skilled and battle-tested men in the empire. You have also gained much renown warring with the enemies of Rome, and men more readily call you Emperor. (Start with Imperial Authority at 5 and +2 Popular Support, +1 Army Support, start with only two elite legions, start with Military 18, start in a central province)

[X] TRAIANVS: Trajan was the conquer-emperor, famed from one end of Rome to the other as the conquer of the East and one of the greatest men to ever sit the imperial seat. It is often ignored how his conquests overextended an already-stretched empire, forcing the legions to the breaking point and beginning the decline which now wracks the Roman world. But what are such things to glory? (+5 to all engineering and logistics rolls, +1 to all Military rolls, increased popularity with the legions, -2 to all Stewardship and Administration rolls. Gain Renown quicker, and lose it slower. Gain more fame and prestige from conquering lands)

[X] JVLIVS: Never an Emperor, but the first of the empire. Never a king, but a god. No man has so single-handedly defined a name as Gaius Julius Caesar. Every emperor already calls himself Caesar, by tradition more than choice, but to adopt another of the names of the divine Caesar may win you support across the empire. (+1 to all Military rolls, +1 to all Command rolls, +1 to all Logistics rolls, -1 Stewardship, -1 Law. Having all the names of Caesar will give a +3 Charisma bonus and increased relations with the Senate and the People)

[X] GAIVS: Never an Emperor, but the first of the empire. Never a king, but a god. No man has so single-handedly defined a name as Gaius Julius Caesar. Every emperor already calls himself Caesar, by tradition more than choice, but to adopt another of the names of the divine Caesar may win you support across the empire. (+1 to all Military rolls, +1 to all Command rolls, +1 to all Logistics rolls, -1 Stewardship, -1 Law. Having all the names of Caesar will give a +3 Charisma bonus and increased relations with the Senate and the People)

[/spoiler=Plan Caesar Reborn]

 

[Captain Hunt]

[X] The Macedonian
[X] A Barracks Emperor
-[X] War Hero
[X] NERO
[X] TRAIANVS
[X] MARCVS AVRELIVS

 

[Telamon]

[X]Plan Caesar Reborn

Spoiler

[X] The Macedonian

Spoiler

You hailed from the Greek province of Macedonia, and were reared in the shadow of Alexander, as are all Greeks who were born after his time. You were born Hierodus or Hierodan, but have latinized your name in recent times to Hierodanus of Macedon. You were born the son of a goat herder in the steppes of Macedonia, and joined the army as soon as you were old enough to hold a sword and fight. Your tale of rags-to-riches is of course popular with the common folk, and so you begin your rise to power with much of their love and support. You were born into an eastern mystery cult that worshiped the war-god Mithras, a god popular with the soldiers and the armies -- but not with the elite senatorial classes. (Begin with Trait: The Conqueror's Legacy, begin with all military-related skills at Rank 14, except where buffed or reduced by other origin choices, and begin with all financial skills at Rank 6, and all social skills at Rank 10-11. Begin with +1 Army Support, -2 Senatorial Backing and +2 Popular Support. Begin with Patron God: Mithras)

[X] A Barracks Emperor: You are one of the Barracks Emperors, so-called because their reigns often began (and ended) in the barracks of their legions. Your men have raised you up on their shields in some distant corner of the empire and proclaimed you Imperator. Regarded by many as little more than a warlord, all power you now have is from the strength of your sword and the might of your armies. Should you be defeated in battle or lose the goodwill of your men, your reign will end as quickly as it has begun. (Starting Imperial Authority is 2, and you begin with +2 Army Support. You start with Military at Rank 15 and Command at 13. Money will be tight, and you will have to war often and well to survive.)
--War Hero [X] You served with the Emperor Claudius Gothicus in his wars against the Goths and the Vandals, and learned of war under him. After his death, the legions you led under him proclaimed you Imperator. Though they are few and your enemies are many, they are some of the most skilled and battle-tested men in the empire. You have also gained much renown warring with the enemies of Rome, and men more readily call you Emperor. (Start with Imperial Authority at 5 and +2 Popular Support, +1 Army Support, start with only two elite legions, start with Military 18, start in a central province)

[X] TRAIANVS: Trajan was the conquer-emperor, famed from one end of Rome to the other as the conquer of the East and one of the greatest men to ever sit the imperial seat. It is often ignored how his conquests overextended an already-stretched empire, forcing the legions to the breaking point and beginning the decline which now wracks the Roman world. But what are such things to glory? (+5 to all engineering and logistics rolls, +1 to all Military rolls, increased popularity with the legions, -2 to all Stewardship and Administration rolls. Gain Renown quicker, and lose it slower. Gain more fame and prestige from conquering lands)

[X] JVLIVS: Never an Emperor, but the first of the empire. Never a king, but a god. No man has so single-handedly defined a name as Gaius Julius Caesar. Every emperor already calls himself Caesar, by tradition more than choice, but to adopt another of the names of the divine Caesar may win you support across the empire. (+1 to all Military rolls, +1 to all Command rolls, +1 to all Logistics rolls, -1 Stewardship, -1 Law. Having all the names of Caesar will give a +3 Charisma bonus and increased relations with the Senate and the People)

[X] GAIVS: Never an Emperor, but the first of the empire. Never a king, but a god. No man has so single-handedly defined a name as Gaius Julius Caesar. Every emperor already calls himself Caesar, by tradition more than choice, but to adopt another of the names of the divine Caesar may win you support across the empire. (+1 to all Military rolls, +1 to all Command rolls, +1 to all Logistics rolls, -1 Stewardship, -1 Law. Having all the names of Caesar will give a +3 Charisma bonus and increased relations with the Senate and the People)

(it refuses to stay in one spoiler and automaticly makes a second sorry)

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*cough*

I am not merciful or kind, so this is entirely out of character for me, but...

Money will be tight

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begin with all financial skills at Rank 6

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Now...

*picks names with combined -4 Stewardship modifier*

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Now of course, if you are actually going for a historically accurate Caesar Reborn build, a flat, unmitigated -4 modifier to all attempts at handling money is more than appropriate.

 

[Cybandeath]

Now of course, if you are actually going for a historically accurate Caesar Reborn build, a flat, unmitigated -4 modifier to all attempts at handling money is more than appropriate.

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just fixed the double spoiler issue but yes actually I am XD but hoping that we can get someone decent to handle stewardship with our popularity and being overall emperor.

 

[DkArthas]

[X] The Macedonian
[X] A Barracks Emperor
-[X] War Hero
[X] NERO
[X] TRAIANVS
[X] MARCVS AVRELIVS

 

[Caesar]

The Third Century Crisis. Merciful Gods.

[X] Plan Imperial Roots

[] The Carthaginian
[] A Barracks Emperor
-[] War Hero
[] JVLIVS
[] GAIVS
[] CLAVDIVS

The army is massively important, yes, but we cannot focus on it to the exclusion of everything else. We're facing a frankly mind boggling array of challenges, and that demands a diverse and versatile skill set. (And even that is not going to be enough, as Aurelian found out OTL. You need to be popular, which is a difficult trick when saving the empire is going to require a lot of unpopular decisions.) The Carthaginian origin gives us the skill set, along with extra income that is likely to be crucial, especially early on. And I'll admit that the irony of having a Carthaginian as Emperor tickles me.

As we mostly all seem to have agreed, the War Hero gives us the requisite military skill, along with a central position (admittedly something of a double-edged sword) and increased legitimacy. If we move fast and choose well, that can snowball in our favour.

For names, the Charisma and popularity boost of the Caesar set bonus won me over, though the malus to Stewardship and Law is painful. For the third, I was torn between Claudius and Marcus Aurelius, but Subterfuge is likely to be massively important to remaining Emperor, and improved reputation gain is very nice to boot. (I am very much open to persuasion on this point, though.)

 

[Mask]

[X] Plan Imperial Roots

It is vitally important that we have a emperor that can somehow bring back the empire's finances from the brink.