If there was one thing your father knew how to do, it was to inspire loyalty from those that follow him. Those that will now, as his legacy, follow you. There were many things he taught you about loyalty when you were young, but none of them have ever been more important then this, single phrase.
"People will be loyal to what matters, be it, gods, be it the republic, or to you. Become what matters in people's lives... And they will follow you to the depths of the Underworld."
His words always shook you to the core, but there was never a time in your life where all of your existence was questioned. He had laid down what he believed was the most important thing. To go beyond what is human, and become more. That was in essence, what the senate was, that was what Rome was, an idea that could, and would last.
But in the end, a man was mortal, but your father's friends and allies, men who had served with him, fought beside him, or had been allied to him, were nothing short of extensive, and the many who would still follow you, were among the most talented you had ever met in life.
And accordingly, would follow you into the Underworld.
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Cossus Tettius Gallio.
One of your Fathers eldest and most trusted comrades in the Legion, Both men have served together for nearly twenty years before your father retired, first to the Senate, then to his family.
Cossus instead found luck and prominence, not as a politician, or in the Senate, as he despised politics and all who sought power in it, but as a lawyer and writer. He is considered one of the greatest in living memory and has spent much of his time, when not composing many of the contemporary histories about his own personal campaigns, he instead focused on your father, who was the subject of many stories and histories, with his missions and memories being popular tales among the elite and the roman plebians alike.
Your father's reputation was secured by way of legacy and lies.
But then again, Cossus believes that history is just lies agreed upon.
A man of 45, he is a bachelor and unmarried and prefers to remain that way until he meets a woman that can match his wits with tact and grace.
He currently lives in your villa, as an honored guest, and spends much of his days writing. Sometimes he can write three hundred scrolls in a month.
He is so prolific in his writing, that there are men trying to get commissioners for their own stories.
And there are many who wish for him to be killed for his truth does not fit the narrative.
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Fabia Ecdicia
A teenager that ran away from her home to work for your father, from a Senatorial house no less. There was nothing about her that was amazing or important.
Save for the simple fact she was pregnant, and that child was evidence to a grand conspiracy between her father, and his brothers, not only to murder each other, but to blame it on her, and the father of her unborn child.
However, she escaped with the evidence of foul play and hid in your home. Offered herself as payment in exchange for her sons life. Your father did not use her as such, and she remains a free woman, working for your family as a hostess, and a highly skilled agent and spy.
A woman of 18, she is a mother of one child, from a man she does not wish to reveal the identity of, for both his own safety and her honor, as she believes he will return to her soon.
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Mettius Servilius Metellus
A Centurian of the Roman Legions, and one of the more, colorful men your father made friends with his life. A born soldier, he is nevertheless obsessed with prophecy and fate and is deeply religious not only to Jupiter, but to many other foreign war gods he has come into contact with over his career.
A Silly man perhaps, but there is nothing that this man would not do on the battlefield. Kill, destroy, and lead men with such conviction and grit that he could turn one hundred men into a thousand, and turn a thousand men, into, in the eyes of the enemy, a million.
Currently, he is on leave, his legion having allowed him to return home to his family in Rome, but there is one thing he always, and always does when he is in Rome.
He comes to visit his oldest friend and his family.
A man of 30, he is the Prime Preaitorian of his legion and the highest-ranking and longest-serving centurion of his legion. There are many in Rome that want to make him a Legate, both to see support from the Marians wain and so that Sulla can have another key ally in the army.
He is the father of 4 children, three sons, and one girl.
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Caius Spurius Polybius
A Priest of Jupiter, and a man who has, for his entire life, been obsessed with the future, both of himself, and those around him. An Auger of great skill, he is known to, at least on reputation and his claims, see a potential for the future, and his prophecy has always been seen as good ordered, and accurate.
As a priest, he dedicated his life to the Gods, and while he is no true roman soldier, he is known to travel far and wide to the legions, when called upon, to give council and see the signs of the gods.
However, he has become friends and allies with your father, for numerous positions, and many think he wishes to become Pontifex Maximus, by any means nesseicery.
But considering his religious duties, and the love that the troops and the People give him.
However, Sulla considers him a threat, as he is an outspoken, and loud critic of his power grab, and he needs to retire from public life, him and Marius, if there will ever be peace in rome.
A man of 36, he is childless, and has devoted his entire life to the gods, but if asked, he will help you out of a promise he made to your father.
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Caepasia Furia
A Plebian Woman and widower to a soldier and equitii that was under your father's command, and also, curiously enough, a blacksmith of some note.
She was not a brilliant woman by any means, at least when you first met her, but she had an understanding of metalworking that few smiths ever had, and even with her sons taking over the business, or going off to join the army, to become equitii, and to become senators, or to survive long enough to get land for their retirement, and move her out so she can work without the busy hustle and bustle in Rome, or the insane work orders that she makes for Roman nobles and the legions themselves.
She primarily is an armorer, with her sons being skilled swordsmiths.
Your father was one of the earliest investors in her business, and now, her swords populate the legion and private buyers alike.
She owes you much and is willing to work many favors to see her debt paid.
A woman of 40, and the mother of 5 children. She is a smith of great renown, and wealthy enough to leave her home to commission, and to help you, if you help protect her sons.
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Saving,Rebuilding or Crowning Rome as a woman sound amazing.
What chances do we have to go all the way and re establish the monarchy instead of the republican theatrics after Augustus if we go down this path?
Sorry, let me laugh.
AHAHAHAHAH.
Let me laugh a little more?
AHAAHAHAHA
Trying to turn Rome into a monarchy is something that will never happen in quest unless you somehow make Rome utterly die.
And then you will have bigger problems to deal with.
If we wanted to make it a monarch, I would have started us in the Age of Augustus, at least.
Really hard, Romans made hating monarchs a cultural cornerstone for centuries. Despite keeping many trappings of the Monarchy.
Indeed.
There is always the option to actually play as a Roman matron and succeed that way. It would prevent this quest from becoming the umpteenth military quest. (And to not be a hypocrite, should the male option win I will vote against a military build.)
I'm serious here, we have the chance to experience the Roman world from a neglected perspective with all the trials and tribulations that come with it and still holding an enormous amount of power despite it.
Once again, that is a play style I not only fully support, but I have planned for it, and by god, it will be fun any which way it goes.
I am kind of annoyed that literal magic is less suspicion of disbelief breaking for you then Roman sexism being dialed down the bare minimum needed to make us doing anything effective as a woman remotely possible. Like no quest is strictly historically accurate so why do so many people get hung up on sexism and act like it being dialed down slightly would just utterly ruin immersion? Why is it so important to keep sexism 100% historically accurate?
I mean, the only thing I will say on this conversation, and to make it utterly clear, it is annoying...
You choose a harder difficulty, I will not make it impossible. And if that means giving a very good reason for people to not be as sexist to you (your father's reputation, Sulla's love for you, and political protections.)
I will use every narrative, historical, and even fictional trope imaginable, to not make this a quest where you are not an over-glorified broodmare for a politician that will do nothing but have kids, run a villa, and otherwise make this less.
In the end, this is a quest, and we need to do something, so we will be doing something, as decided by you questers.
If you all don't like that I'm giving you a choice in the matter, I would have made this a narrative, or not given you a character creation where you could have been a woman, and just told you all that you are railroaded into doing several things.
And you all know I hate me railroaded quests, where choices do not matter.
I hate it.
It's just the usual 'suspiciously' specific demands for rigorous "historical accuracy" you see any time someone who isn't hetero-normative white male being the protagonist is even mentioned.
Or I just want to make this quest fun, and interesting for you all, instead of a sexist slog that most likely will get me banned.
I am not in the mood to get banned for this, thank you very much.
Historical accuracy isn't a factor with Magoose Die anyway so why worry?
Especially with Magoose Dice.
That sounds like an obstacle to be overcome not an impenetrable barrier.
It's also not impossible to overcome said barrier, after all, hundreds of men have done it before, through out the republics history.
