Res Publica: A Quest of Ancient Rome

Thyreus · Aug 2, 2019

Telamon said:
Yeah, that's a good chunk of the update, so I can't exactly redo that. Switching out an XP bonus for a modifier, a paragraph, and a promise to recheck the plans next time? I can do that.

The least you can do is making sure that Caesar sends us an interpretation back that will benefit him personally. Keep him in character!

And that's good to hear, so I don't have to hold back on a reaction post.

Spacegnom · Aug 2, 2019

Mechanical Reaction Post:
1) Numbers:

Telamon said:
825 Intelligence XP Gained! (2059/15000 XP to Rank 16)
800 Education XP Gained! (1,500/10,000 XP to Rank 11)

I don't know where you get your numbers from @Telamon

The last time you gave us Intelligence XP we got to:

Telamon said:
Atellus gains 500 XP to Intelligence, bringing you up to (2559/10000) to Rank 16.

and as I have shown here, we are at (2,600/10,000 XP to Rank 11) for Education:

Spacegnom said:
Education:

2) Actions:
So all our Tribune actions...

Telamon said:
[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.

... got combined into only one roll?

Telamon said:
Heal Tensions: 1d20+1 (Gift of Minerva)+2 (Accomplished Diplomacy) +1(Proficient Command) +4 (Legionary opinion) = 11
Needed: 13
Bare Failure

I can't spot any roll with a Law bonus so I'm confused. Going by the narrative it seems we tried to do Brothers in Arms via Promote Centurions and failed.

Gonna do a full reaction post a bit later!

vsh · Aug 2, 2019

Telamon said:
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!

Brine might signify the salted fields of Carthage (it's been only 60 years since then though). Goddess is likely Cybele.

Publicola · Aug 2, 2019

Telamon said:
As Para Bellum is what Publicola eventually voted for, I can switch it out for Seafaring if he so wishes. @Publicola ?

agumentic said:
It seems to me that it's better to implement versions of the plan after the moratorium - that's what moratorium for, after all, discussing and changing plans.

...Yikes. Yes, I did change 'Seafaring' to 'Para Bellum' once we found out that the initial crossing had unlocked our Seafaring skill, so we didn't need to pick it as an action to receive the free XP.

However, I also changed another vote: rather than spending time with the Pharaoh, my final Plan picked 'City of the Kings of Asia', to have us spend time in the city of Nicomedia meeting the most prominent citizens. To be fair, I really enjoyed the conversation with the deposed Pharaoh, but it was clear that Egypt would be a much more long-term investment, while interacting with Nicomedia would help us in the more immediate future.

Here's the post with my final Plan:

Publicola said:
[X] Plan Publicola
We brought Theo along to Asia Minor to make friends. So let's try and make friends. This plan doubles-down on our interactions with the Greek cities (touring Nicomedia, studying the history of other cities in the region) and with Greek culture (visiting the Crone, studying Greek tactics), and tries to reach out to Cassianus and his faction.

The Consul's Heir (pick one)
[] 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.

Highest upside (get the guy with incredible charisma on our side), and we should have a pretty good shot at succeeding thanks to the presence of Theo. Still chancy as heck, though, and it totally makes sense why people might prefer an 'armed neutrality' sort of deal with 'Make Terms'. I still think we should roll the dice on seeing if we can't sway Cassianus to work with us. This also frees up one of our 'Personal' actions, since we don't have to use the 'Cult of Mars' to back us up.

Master of the Cohorts (pick three)
[] 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.
[] 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.
[] Brothers in Arms: You strive to mend the frayed relations between the patrician cavalry and the plebian legionnaires, which have grown worse over time.

These three are the most important, for securing the loyalty of the legion and ensuring it operates smoothly and efficiently. Specifically: 'Promote Centurions' is absolutely necessary to guarantee the loyalty of our legion, 'Brother in Arms' gives us a chance to flex our political/charisma muscles and try to bridge the divide between elites and commoners, and 'Law Beyond The Sword' is our specific sworn duty as broad-striped tribune, to dispense justice and utilize our 'Law' skill to keep peace within the ranks. (If we don't do 'Law Beyond The Sword', then everyone in the legion will see Cassianus taking over for our specific job. Not okay.)

Correspondence: (response will arrive in 2-3 turns)
--[] Cicero

Cicero is our long-term priority, to boost our Intelligence score as well as hear from (again) the best letter-writer in history about events going on elsewhere in the Republic. Cicero basically is a spynet, all unto himself, solely based on how much he includes in each letter. If we want to learn news of Sertorius, or battles in Gaul, or get insight into events going on in Rome -- Cicero is our man. I'll admit Scaevola is tempting, due to his history and connections in the region of Asia Minor, but I believe Cicero is worth more to us.

Personal: (pick six)
[] 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.
[] 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.
[] 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.
[] 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.
[] The City of the Kings of Asia: Bithynia, for a time, was the mightiest kingdom in Asia, and Nicomedia was it's crown jewel. By attempting to integrate yourself with the people here and getting to know figures of import, you might lay the ground for better things in the future.
[] 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.

Gah this was tough. 'Study' is basically locked -- we need to understand Marius to be a good subordinate, and if we want to have any hope of making a good impression on him later, this is a necessary prerequisite.

'Crone of Bithynia' is another pick I feel strongly about -- it hasn't been confirmed whether the gods are real in this quest, but when we previously consulted the Oracle and the Sibyl, we gained a lot of insight into Atellus' situation and upcoming events. I really like this tradition of consulting major oracles in each region we visit, and the information has always proved useful both in- and out-of-character.

Given the collapse of Asiaticus and the rise of Cassanius, we should definitely pick the 'Scipians' to figure out what's going on with them, both to learn about Cassanius (which should help our odds for the 'Connect'/make friends option), to determine if Cassanius has any weaknesses, and figure out if we can pry anyone out of that faction and into our supporters.

For the one-time-only actions, we definitely want to avoid Nicomedes, but it's a toss-up between the other two. Given our prepare-for-war actions, I am inclined to pick 'City of the Kings of Asia', to get a deeper understanding of Bithynia and its capital, and more broadly to interact with and come to a deeper understanding of the Greek population in the region. Egypt is tempting, but much more distant; what matters right now is surviving and thriving on our campaign right now.

To prepare for the war ahead, we should absolutely pick 'Si Vis Pacem' -- our immediate priority will almost certainly be gathering allies among the cities of Asia Minor, and we did bring Theo with us to help with diplomacy. We're unlikely to immediately engage in battle upon leaving the city, and we'll probably spend a few turns moving around as we did in Samnium.

For the final pick, I chose 'Para Bellum'. I am strongly tempted to seek an audience with the Pharaoh, and just as strongly tempted to learn about Roman tactics in order to prepare for our fight against the treacherous legion. However, we're more likely to see combat in the immediate future against one of the many Greek armies in the area, and this actionn would go very well with our interactions with the city of Nicomedia and the other Greek cities in the countryside. Still a ludicrously tough decision, though, especially since we had so many actions to spend here.

Finally, I have a BIG concern with this past turn, specifically to do with the 'Master of the Cohorts' vote.

We picked three actions -- Promote Centurions, Law Beyond the Sword, Brothers in Arms.

You rolled one time -- to 'Heal Tensions' -- and the result was a 'Bare Failure'

Telamon said:
Heal Tensions: 1d20+1 (Gift of Minerva)+2 (Accomplished Diplomacy) +1(Proficient Command) +4 (Legionary opinion) = 11
Needed: 13
Bare Failure

Except the actual practical result was that all three actions failed horribly.

Telamon said:
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.

We effectively failed the 'Law Beyond the Sword', since there were no important cases, nothing to resolve, no way to 'be seen' as the legion's lawgiver, no way to boost their loyalty to us or their trust in our abilities.

We effectively failed the 'Promote Centurions', since we hired officers based on the recommendation of other people (did we not have anyone that we personally knew and could trust? Was there no one who'd be personally loyal to us? Did we blithely agree to their recommendations, without noticing the catastrophic misstep of only appointing centurions from one of the two factions?) More pointedly, this action was intended to improve the legion's loyalty to us, but instead it weakened the loyalty of the legion, caused the most important men of the legion to distrust us, and weakened the legion's unity.

We definitively failed the 'Brothers in Arms', to the point where we not only failed to make things better, we visibly and personally made things worse.

That result is not a 'Bare Failure' on a single action. That's a 'Resounding Failure' on three separate actions.

@Telamon, the result here does not correspond to our vote or your rolls, not even close.

JamesShazbond · Aug 2, 2019

I assume Cassianus is taking three actions as well. How many "actions" does Rufus get?

The obvious "Africa's heir" is the Scipio guys. Cassianus is right there, but Asiaticus just might make a comeback out of nowhere. Note the "of hair" line. Clearly, the solution to this problem is for Rufus and Atellus to shave their heads.

Regarding Ptolemy, I'm interested in selling the idea to Marius. Egypt is immensely wealthy, and a future campaign there would make us very rich. If we end up on team Sulla, Egypt would make a convenient place to send the Sertorius loving Sixth legion while Sulla goes to war against him. Having a claimant to a foreign throne in your back pocket is never a bad thing, in any case.

This interpretation thing is interesting. I'm leaning towards sending it to the priests of Apollo. Quick turnaround, positive modifiers, and no slanting of the prophecy. The fact that Scaevola has both "High chance of finding the true meaning of the prophecy" and "prophecy will be interpreted to favor Sulla" is interesting. @Telamon , can you elaborate on this? How do you find true meaning and slant it at the same time?

Perhaps Para Bellum might have been more immediately useful, but that was a fantastic Seafaring roll. I say we leave it as is. We're so close to getting that to 5 and being able to just leave it be (and somehow becoming Rome's greatest admiral). Just send historical canon off the rails: Develop mythical Seafaring, conquer Ireland, and discover America.

We are now 8568 XP away from the next Military threshold.

Any support for cashing in some banked XP to push Stewardship over the line? It's 2800 XP, but if we ever have to roll it, dodging that penalty will be worth it.

So studying Greek politics gives bonuses to Intelligence and Education. Not at all what I expected. I was thinking we'd get some sort of temporary bonus to diplomacy with Greeks. We can apparently push that Si Vis Pacem tree to grind Intelligence and hope we can get a level before we reach Athens.

Regarding actions, as we've committed to making nice with Cassianus, bringing him into the Cult feels mandatory. Shutting him out is just going to piss him off when we don't need to. Polishing out Greek one last time would be great for diplomacy, but the marginal value may not be great with so few actions and after already doing it once. I'm opposed to meeting with Marius outside of the Ptolemy thing. He's super fucking busy, so trying to get some face time seems doomed to failure, and we don't want to be associated with the big boss of team Populare unless we're going all out for that side. I do want to try Para Bellum again, maximize our effectiveness against our main enemy. If we're particularly effective at fighting Greeks, it's less likely we'll be called on to fight Romans, and get put on the spot with our loyalties.

Thyreus · Aug 2, 2019

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.

Stats:
Military: Accomplished (14) -- (Levels 10-14) (+2 Modifier) -- (1432/10000) to Rank 15) (+4 Modifier)
Charisma: Accomplished (11) -- (Levels 10-14) (+2 Modifier) -- (3300/10000) to Rank 12
Stewardship: Poor (4) -- (Levels 4) (-2 Modifier) -- (1200/4000) to Rank 5 (No Modifier)
Intelligence: Renowned (15) -- (Levels 15-17) (+4 Modifier) -- (3384/15000) to Rank 16
Education: Accomplished (10) -- (Levels 10-14) (+2 Modifier) -- (3400/10000) to Rank 11
Subterfuge: Average (7) -- (Levels 5-7) (No Modifier) -- (800/7000) to Rank 8 (+1 Modifier)

Skills:
Combat: Accomplished (10) -- (Levels 10-14) (+2 Modifier) -- (5790/10000) to Rank 11
Oratory: Accomplished (11) --(Levels 10-14) (+2 Modifier) -- (2326/10000) to Rank 12
Command: Proficient (8) -- (Levels 8-9) (+1 Modifier) -- (3434/8000) to Rank 9
Engineering: Abysmal (1) -- (Levels 0-1) (-6 Modifier) -- (0/1000) to Rank 2 (-4 Modifier)
Seafaring: Very Poor (2) -- (Levels 2-3) (-4 Modifier) -- (500/2000) to Rank 3
Logistics: Very Poor (2) -- (Levels 2-3) (-4 Modifier)-- (1873/2000) to Rank 3
Law: Proficient (9) -- (Levels 8-9) (+1 Modifier) -- (4535/9000) to Rank 10 (+2 Modifier)
Philosophy: Average (5) -- (Levels 5-7) (No Modifier) -- (374/5000) to Rank 6
Administration: Average (5) -- (Levels 5-7) (No Modifier) -- (4250/5000) to Rank 6
Diplomacy: Accomplished (10) -- (Levels 10-14) (+2 Modifier) -- (620/10000) to Rank 11

I have not added the seafaring bonus yet, should that change. I can also see that the augury exp has become a lot more valuable, so maybe we want Scaevola to teach us a bit should we return to Rome and find him among the living.

Also, for some insufferable reason I can't copy the format and I'm on my phone, so no bold font now.

Telamon · Aug 2, 2019

Spacegnom said:
Mechanical Reaction Post:
1) Numbers:

I don't know where you get your numbers from @Telamon
The last time you gave us Intelligence XP we got to:

and as I have shown here, we are at (2,600/10,000 XP to Rank 11) for Education:

2) Actions:
So all our Tribune actions...

... got combined into only one roll?

I can't spot any roll with a Law bonus so I'm confused. Going by the narrative it seems we tried to do Brothers in Arms via Promote Centurions and failed.

Gonna do a full reaction post a bit later!

Unless there are specific problems which you may face, a law beyond the walls won't give you Law XP every time, though it does benefit your legion mechanically. Just dealing with basic legionary problems won't teach you something new every time.

Also I directly copied those XP numbers from the page before the update, so now I'm just confused. I think numbers just hate me.

JamesShazbond · Aug 2, 2019

Thyreus said:
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.

Stats:
Military: Accomplished (14) -- (Levels 10-14) (+2 Modifier) -- (1432/10000) to Rank 15) (+4 Modifier)
Charisma: Accomplished (11) -- (Levels 10-14) (+2 Modifier) -- (3300/10000) to Rank 12
Stewardship: Poor (4) -- (Levels 4) (-2 Modifier) -- (1200/4000) to Rank 5 (No Modifier)
Intelligence: Renowned (15) -- (Levels 15-17) (+4 Modifier) -- (3384/15000) to Rank 16
Education: Accomplished (10) -- (Levels 10-14) (+2 Modifier) -- (3400/10000) to Rank 11
Subterfuge: Average (7) -- (Levels 5-7) (No Modifier) -- (800/7000) to Rank 8 (+1 Modifier)

Skills:
Combat: Accomplished (10) -- (Levels 10-14) (+2 Modifier) -- (5790/10000) to Rank 11
Oratory: Accomplished (11) --(Levels 10-14) (+2 Modifier) -- (2326/10000) to Rank 12
Command: Proficient (8) -- (Levels 8-9) (+1 Modifier) -- (3434/8000) to Rank 9
Engineering: Abysmal (1) -- (Levels 0-1) (-6 Modifier) -- (0/1000) to Rank 2 (-4 Modifier)
Seafaring: Very Poor (2) -- (Levels 2-3) (-4 Modifier) -- (500/2000) to Rank 3
Logistics: Very Poor (2) -- (Levels 2-3) (-4 Modifier)-- (1873/2000) to Rank 3
Law: Proficient (9) -- (Levels 8-9) (+1 Modifier) -- (4535/9000) to Rank 10 (+2 Modifier)
Philosophy: Average (5) -- (Levels 5-7) (No Modifier) -- (374/5000) to Rank 6
Administration: Average (5) -- (Levels 5-7) (No Modifier) -- (4250/5000) to Rank 6
Diplomacy: Accomplished (10) -- (Levels 10-14) (+2 Modifier) -- (620/10000) to Rank 11

I have not added the seafaring bonus yet, should that change. I can also see that the augury exp has become a lot more valuable, so maybe we want Scaevola to teach us a bit should we return to Rome and find him among the living.

Also, for some insufferable reason I can't copy the format and I'm on my phone, so no bold font now.

Stewardship, Administration, Augury, Law, we need to learn everything from Scaevola. But seriously, teachers are incredibly valuable. Scaevola took us from shit at law to good at law in one action, and just listening to that one guy gave us two levels of Philosophy. Seize any and all opportunities to receive hands on education.

Spacegnom · Aug 2, 2019

Telamon said:
Unless there are specific problems which you may face, a law beyond the walls won't give you Law XP every time, though it does benefit your legion mechanically. Just dealing with basic legionary problems won't teach you something new every time.

I meant our Proficient Law +1 bonus, since a law beyond the walls seems to be included in this roll. Also I expected our Charisma to apply aswell, just as it did the first time we took that action:

Telamon said:
Law in the Legions: 1d20 + 2 (Accomplished Charisma) + 1 (Proficient Diplomacy) + 1 (Proficient Law) + 1 (Gift of Minerva) = 18
Needed: 11

Telamon · Aug 2, 2019

Publicola said:
...Yikes. Yes, I did change 'Seafaring' to 'Para Bellum' once we found out that the initial crossing had unlocked our Seafaring skill, so we didn't need to pick it as an action to receive the free XP.

However, I also changed another vote: rather than spending time with the Pharaoh, my final Plan picked 'City of the Kings of Asia', to have us spend time in the city of Nicomedia meeting the most prominent citizens. To be fair, I really enjoyed the conversation with the deposed Pharaoh, but it was clear that Egypt would be a much more long-term investment, while interacting with Nicomedia would help us in the more immediate future.

Here's the post with my final Plan:

Finally, I have a BIG concern with this past turn, specifically to do with the 'Master of the Cohorts' vote.

We picked three actions -- Promote Centurions, Law Beyond the Sword, Brothers in Arms.

You rolled one time -- to 'Heal Tensions' -- and the result was a 'Bare Failure'

Except the actual practical result was that all three actions failed horribly.

We effectively failed the 'Law Beyond the Sword', since there were no important cases, nothing to resolve, no way to 'be seen' as the legion's lawgiver, no way to boost their loyalty to us or their trust in our abilities.

We effectively failed the 'Promote Centurions', since we hired officers based on the recommendation of other people (did we not have anyone that we personally knew and could trust? Was there no one who'd be personally loyal to us? Did we blithely agree to their recommendations, without noticing the catastrophic misstep of only appointing centurions from one of the two factions?) More pointedly, this action was intended to improve the legion's loyalty to us, but instead it weakened the loyalty of the legion, caused the most important men of the legion to distrust us, and weakened the legion's unity.

We definitively failed the 'Brothers in Arms', to the point where we not only failed to make things better, we visibly and personally made things worse.

That result is not a 'Bare Failure' on a single action. That's a 'Resounding Failure' on three separate actions.

@Telamon, the result here does not correspond to our vote or your rolls, not even close.

The whole action taken together might seem negative, but Law Beyond The Sword was a definite success, as was appointing the centurions. Those men are loyal to you and will be for the foreseeable future. You asked the two most loyal and experienced officers in the camp to recommend capable men, because, yes, as a tribune you don't personally know every legionnaire in the legion, while the officers under you with closer relationships to the men might. That was an unequivocal success as well, because those men are loyal to you and will support you in the future.

The only result that was a failure was the mending, which you attempted to do through the other two options, but failed. You still have loyal centurions and have still dispensed needed justice to the legion, but the rift in the legion has widened, leaving future problems to be fixed.

Spacegnom said:
I meant our Proficient Law +1 bonus, since a law beyond the walls seems to be included in this roll. Also I expected our Charisma to apply aswell, just as it did the first time we took that action:

You don't roll for everything, just actions wherein you have a chance of failure. You are a well-respected legate/tribune in a legion that loves you, dealing with trifling or unimportant problems. There is quite literally no way you could have failed here. It was an automatic success — a phrase I will be inserting into the rolls in the future to clear up this confusion.

For example, if you, say, go wipe out ten bandits at Military 18 with half a legion, I'll roll for the bandits to evade you, and if they don't, it'll be an automatic success. You exerted nothing and learned nothing because it was quite literally easier than breathing. There was no way you could have failed and nothing you could have learned.

Random Member · Aug 2, 2019

Telamon said:
Gift of Vica Pota

Oh.

Vica Pota - Wikipedia

en.m.wikipedia.org

Thyreus · Aug 2, 2019

Random Member said:
Oh.

Vica Pota - Wikipedia

en.m.wikipedia.org

Conquering and gaining mastery.

Well, let it be said that Atellus only has the finest rivals. Gemino, Cassianus, Cicero, Pompeius, Caesar... (somewhere in the distance Crassus is raging and someone tells him to shut up).

agumentic · Aug 2, 2019

Anyhow, @Telamon, there is no opportunity to deal with the rift in this update, is that right?

Telamon · Aug 2, 2019

agumentic said:
Anyhow, @Telamon, there is no opportunity to deal with the rift in this update, is that right?

Not as is written, no, but a write-in is always acceptable.

veekie · Aug 2, 2019

For the prince...given Marius is proud and already rejected him once, would reraising the matter piss him off?

Thyreus · Aug 2, 2019

veekie said:
For the prince...given Marius is proud and already rejected him once, would reraising the matter piss him off?

Since after Mithridates he is going to fight Sulla? I mean, even Marius should know that his days are numbered. Not to mention that he has currently better things to concentrate on like making sure his legacy will live on and not be trampled on by Sulla.

Telamon · Aug 2, 2019

veekie said:
For the prince...given Marius is proud and already rejected him once, would reraising the matter piss him off?

Marius has literally never seen Ptolemy in his life — he rejects all appeals with "I'm busy come back never.", and has no idea what Ptolemy wishes to speak to him about. Who knows how he feels about military adventures to conquer distant kingdoms?

Thyreus said:
Since after Mithridates he is going to fight Sulla? I mean, even Marius should know that his days are numbered. And he has currently better things to concentrate on like making sure his legacy will live on and not be trampled on by Sulla.

This is assuming that Marius understands either moderation or restraint, or even acknowledges his frail mortality in any way.

JamesShazbond · Aug 2, 2019

Telamon said:
Marius has literally never seen Ptolemy in his life — he rejects all appeals with "I'm busy come back never.", and has no idea what Ptolemy wishes to speak to him about. Who knows how he feels about military adventures to conquer distant kingdoms?

This is assuming that Marius understands either moderation or restraint, or even acknowledges his frail mortality in any way.

He's a seventy year old man who had a heart attack on the senate floor, and went, ''Yeah, I can totally travel across half of Europe to fight two wars at the same time." Marius does not give a single fuck.

Publicola · Aug 2, 2019

Telamon said:
You don't roll for everything, just actions wherein you have a chance of failure. You are a well-respected legate/tribune in a legion that loves you, dealing with trifling or unimportant problems. There is quite literally no way you could have failed here. It was an automatic success — a phrase I will be inserting into the rolls in the future to clear up this confusion.

For example, if you, say, go wipe out ten bandits at Military 18 with half a legion, I'll roll for the bandits to evade you, and if they don't, it'll be an automatic success. You exerted nothing and learned nothing because it was quite literally easier than breathing. There was no way you could have failed and nothing you could have learned.

...This is news to me, and I imagine it's news to a lot of people who voted for my plan.

You're telling us that there is no way to gain Law XP from acting as a judge for our legion, unless there's a major crisis... which invariably gets an action of its own, such as 'Brothers in Arms' dealing with the schism between plebians and patricians within the legion.

@Telamon, did we receive any benefit (mechanical or otherwise) from picking 'Law Beyond The Sword'? The description of that action indicates it is our duty as broad-striped legion... but is there any reason we would actually need or want to pick that action in the future, given that there were no important cases and any actual important cases will get their own separate action?

Finally, setting aside the question of why neither our Charisma (+2) nor our Intelligence (+4) were applied to the 'Mend a Rift' roll, I still don't believe that a 'Bare Failure' should make things worse. A 'Bare Failure' means we came close to closing the rift but didn't. An actual failure would make the rift slightly worse. A resounding failure would make the split in the legion visibly worse, and leave us at the exact center of the mess so everyone knows that we were personally responsible.

The roll was a Bare Failure. The result was a Resounding Failure.

And given just how incredibly bone-headed a failure it was -- appointing only plebian centurions, to lead and direct patrician soldiers, at precisely the moment when the distrust between those two factions is the cause of a major split in the legion and an ongoing civil war in Rome?! -- it boggles my mind that our Intelligence score wouldn't apply here.

Telamon · Aug 2, 2019

Publicola said:
...This is news to me, and I imagine it's news to a lot of people who voted for my plan.

You're telling us that there is no way to gain Law XP from acting as a judge for our legion, unless there's a major crisis... which invariably gets an action of its own, such as 'Brothers in Arms' dealing with the schism between plebians and patricians within the legion.

@Telamon, did we receive any benefit (mechanical or otherwise) from picking 'Law Beyond The Sword'? The description of that action indicates it is our duty as broad-striped legion... but is there any reason we would actually need or want to pick that action in the future, given that there were no important cases and any actual important cases will get their own separate action?

Finally, setting aside the question of why neither our Charisma (+2) nor our Intelligence (+4) were applied to the 'Mend a Rift' roll, I still don't believe that a 'Bare Failure' should make things worse. A 'Bare Failure' means we came close to closing the rift but didn't. An actual failure would make the rift slightly worse. A resounding failure would make the split in the legion visibly worse, and leave us at the exact center of the mess so everyone knows that we were personally responsible.

The roll was a Bare Failure. The result was a Resounding Failure.

And given just how incredibly bone-headed a failure it was -- appointing only plebian centurions, to lead and direct patrician soldiers, at precisely the moment when the distrust between those two factions is the cause of a major split in the legion and an ongoing civil war in Rome?! -- it boggles my mind that our Intelligence score wouldn't apply here.

Your charisma/intelligence wasn't applied because it is a diplomatic roll. How much your men like you has nothing to do with how much they dislike each other.

This was not a resounding failure. A Resounding failure would've led to open infighting in the legion, and likely another murder case to deal with.

Lastly, you do your duties not because of any mechanical bonus or effect, but because they are your duties. If you don't do them, discipline will begin to slack. You will lose respect among the men, and your officers will by necessity have to take on a larger workload. Problems may appear down the road that could have been nipped in the bud, and your superiors may regard you as lax or lazy. Choices still have consequences, which is something I have endeavored to make clear.

Anyhow, seeing as how the plan mixup was my mistake, and a full half the update is based around Ptolemy, I'll go ahead and write City and Para Bellum into the update — though hopefully me giving you all extra things because of my own mistakes doesn't become a recurring thing in the future.

vsh · Aug 2, 2019

Telamon said:
Lastly, you do your duties not because of any mechanical bonus or effect, but because they are your duties.

All the reason to climb the ladder and leave the boring management stuff to some young nobody with a trickle of talent.

PotentialPlateau · Aug 2, 2019

Chimeraguard said:
Africa's heir hmm? Both Marius and Sulla first made their names in Africa. But it could also refer to Egypt.

Oh yeah, and Scipio Africanus's family, the guy who brought down Carthage itself. Who the guy we are co-leading the Legion with is adopted family to.

It's the Roman Republic itself. Rome, which has loved and taken as much as it can from those it conquers, yet has no friendly equals in the world. It is 84 BCE, and historically, 44 BCE, forty years later, Julius Caesar was assassinated. It can be argued if the Republic was truly dead then, or if it died earlier or later, but it's definitely the most popularly remembered time of "yeah, the Republic's a corpse everyone's putting dress and makeup on at best."

Her dying will last a lifetime. Indeed, the civil wars did not stop with Caesar's death, but continued on.

And then the Roman Empire would go through other civil wars, and then it would fall, and even today, historians still argue when the Roman Empire itself really was 'dead.' But, countless would-be kingdoms and empires and nation-states have taken on its trappings, and the legacy of Rome still resonates today.

This much, I'm not sure of. It definitely references the Punic Wars against Carthage, and the 'hundred years' means it's in reference to the Third Punic War. Brine refers to water with very high salinity though.

Edit:

Oh. It refers to the adoption of Cybele in the Second Punic War. When Rome was under a famine, they adopted Cybele, and the famine later ended.

[

] Have the Prophecy interpretated on The Internet (??? chance of getting the correct interpretation, may take 2000+ turns of waiting for the invention of The Internet)

Simon_Jester · Aug 2, 2019

Telamon said:
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.

OK, I can work with this. Cassianus is popular but unless he really works at it is unlikely to outrun us in popularity. We should consider trying Brotherhood or a related action to boop us up towards 9/10 if possible, though.

GOOD news in that our shoddy half-green cohorts are no longer imposing penalties on the die roll, and we now have two cohorts capable of fighting at a +1 on the die roll, not just one. This is going to matter in the long run.

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.

...Today, the average daily low temperature in Izmit (the site of ancient Nicomedia) in January is 3.3 degrees Celsius. The coldest low temperature on record is -13.1 degrees Celsius, and lows as far down as -18 have been recorded in February. It's possible that this was legit a fairly cold day and that Atellus and Rufus just had bad luck. On the other hand, it's possible that they're wimps.

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!"

Ah, now see, I didn't have the heart/nerve/??? to try to do spontaeous rhyming in my Delphi segments, except the prophecy itself. Which for me is just as well, I'm a prose author, but I appreciate the touch.

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."

Good old Rufus.

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!

Hmm."Black and red" is an obvious reference to Atellus and Rufus- also an implicit shout-out to the Delphic prophecy to Sulla.

Oracle Doing Inigo Montoya Impression: "She's right on top of us. I wonder if she is foretelling the same future as we are foretelling?"

Now, we both have 'hair' names. So does Caesar, but I don't think this is a reference to him.

"Beware Africa's heir" is very straightforward, but who does it mean? Lots of options. Probably NOT Cassianus, who is known for being an adopted heir to the Asiaticus branch of the Scipios' lineage. Could mean Marius, for his doings in Africa. Could mean someone who is now, or soon will, rise to prominence in Africa and who is a threat to us.

But almost surely NOT Cassianus or Mithridates.

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.

The last two lines here are a reference to an English-language poem by Sir Robert Graves, which was very explicitly about Rome.

The Crone: "Well yes, yes it is. I mean, it's not actually that hard to scry 2000 years into the future to read a poem written in a language that is itself descended from languages that don't exist yet created by the interplay of people who have yet to be introduced to the island on which the poem will be written. I'm kind of surprised more people don't do it."

Rome is, thematically, to borrow from Macaulay, "sprung from the war-god's loins and nursed at the she-wolf's breast." We can definitely say Rome's been favored by Mars, though I'm not sure what to make of 'reviled of her mother.' "Each man's lover and no man's brother" works for Rome and the Republic too.

The Punic curse was, specifically, the wealth and primacy Rome gained from overthrowing Carthage, and how the sheer magnitude of the power and money flowing through Rome in general and the senatorial elite in particular disrupted a lot of the old institutions that kept the Republic functional up to and through the Second Punic War.

She must to war or fortune bend --
But there her troubles do not end.
When ten and thirty years have passed,
She shall breathe her first bloody last.

As others have noted this lends itself to the time between now and the OTL death of Caesar. "War or fortune," I think, refers to THIS conflict, specifically, between Sulla and the Marians. Sulla is Fortuna's champion, Marius is about as directly 'war' as it's possible to be. And, as noted, forty years of civil strife (at least) seem likely to occur between now and the end of the Republic.

Her dying will 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.

The empire.

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!

Given that @Telamon explicitly called our attention to the fact that the cult of the Great Mother was introduced to Rome during the Second Punic War because the Sybilline Books foretold that Rome would need her support to survive... I'm pretty sure this is saying "Carthage wasn't beaten just by Rome, but with Cybele's help. We had a deal. Rome owes her. You, Atellus and Rufus, didn't make that deal personally, but you as Romans do owe the debt, and Cybele fully intends to collect."

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!

I disagree with those who say brine isn't seawater. This is pretty straightforward- Rome has 'ruled the waves' for roughly a century since the fall of Carthage and her navy. Cybele, again, owes a debt. Now, the "she" here is ambiguous- is "she" the Roman Republic, as earlier in the passage? If so, then this is saying "the Republic shall rot until Rome's debt to Cybele is paid."

Or is "she" the goddess Cybele, in which case "she shall not die but she shall rot" could possibly allude to, well, she's a goddess, immortal and all that, but that her worship is not thriving in her native land, and that this failure to thrive is somehow connected to Rome's failure to pay its debts.

[From what I recall, the cult of Magna Mater actually did rather well during the Imperial period in Rome, so we can interpret this as "Cybele favors turning the republic into an empire and this is beneficial to Cybele" if we want]

Hypothetically, 'she' could even refer to some specific individual person here, but I doubt it.

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.

Yeah. Definitely looks like the basic summary here is "Cybele extended her protection during the Second Punic War, but the bill always comes due (/doctorstrange), and the Republic has been living on borrowed time ever since 200 BC."

(Crone) The Mother's Prophecy: [/B]+6 (Epic Augury) +3 (Ritual Fires)+1(Hallucinatory Herbs)+5 (Gift of Cybele) = 31
Result: Epic Success

Whoop. Also, notably, she's doing her prophecies at +15 on the die roll. I imagine that the Pythia's bonuses are comparable or even superior, which makes epic successes a regular occurrence for her, too.

And, hm, "Gift of Cybele." Not sure what that does other than obvious bonuses to Augury, but it's sure interesting. While we're at it...

1d20+2 (Accomplished Charisma)+1(Gift of Minerva)-2(Aristocrat)+2 (Scipian Information)= 19
Needed: 16
Result: Success

I'm glad this succeeded.

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

OK, looks like those of us who expected Cassianus to do training too were right. Fortunately we made it work well together, and we no longer have any weak cohorts that are particularly likely to break if a Greek phalanx comes knocking. Also, the Gift of Vica Pota... more on that later.

Construction (Cassianus): 1d20+1 (Gift of Vica Pota) +1 (Proficient Engineering) +3 (Legionary Engineers)= 18
Needed: 10
Resounding Success

OK. Well, it looks like Cassianus has ground up his Engineering to Proficient. I suspect that was a good call on his part and hope we do the same in the next few years. Also we should note that this IS an area where he lacks weakness, compared to us.

Now, what about this "Gift of Vica Pota?" Vica Pota was a somewhat obscure Roman goddess, probably a victory goddess, from the ancestral Roman religion- NOT one of the deities adopted from the Greeks or strongly cross-identified with a Greek deity. Vica Pota plus the Greek Nike arguably gave rise to the later Roman veneration of 'Victoria' as a goddess, though.

Anyway, it looks like Cassianus has the blessing of a victory goddess. This conferred +1 on the die roll to all matters related to the troop training including his ability to get along with us and vice versa. It also, importantly, conferred +1 on the die roll to the construction project- would we have gotten Gift of Minerva for that? I dunno.

I suspect that Gift of Vica Pota is broadly comparable to Gift of Minerva, except for conferring greater situational advantages in some cases (e.g. martial rolls) in exchange for not conferring as many advantages to XP gain and raw intelligence checks.

Heal Tensions: 1d20+1 (Gift of Minerva)+2 (Accomplished Diplomacy) +1(Proficient Command) +4 (Legionary opinion) = 11
Needed: 13
Bare Failure

Ah crapbaskets.

Study Asia: 1d20+4(Renowned Intelligence)+1(Gift of Minerva)+2(Theo) = 20
Needed: 13
Resounding Success

OK that went well.

vs
(Marius) Disgrace Asiaticus: 1d20+4 (Renowned Charisma)+2(Accomplished Diplomacy)+5 (Third Founder) = 24
Resounding Victory for Marius

@Telamon , was this supposed to even be here? It seems like a holdover from last turn.

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

Leaving aside the dispute on whether we're actually going to be getting all this Seafaring XP, this is cool. I'm a bit vague on whether "Echoes of Sertorius" is us getting Military XP that we 'should' have earned earlier, or something else.

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.

No one. Indeed.

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.

Yep. Go figure.

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."

Atellus and Rufus do kind of stand out like a pair of knives in a drawer full of paintbrushes, don't they...

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."

A very politic way of summing up the situation, I guess. And it sounds like we blew an Education check here, while Rufus passed. Any comment, @Telamon ?

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."

This Ptolemy is going to be spending the rest of his life seeking Roman support to secure his throne in Egypt; historically he kept right at it.

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?"

Heh.

Ptolemy probably actually would reward us for carrying a message to Marius. Maybe not to the extent of us being able to afford a palace, but I bet he would. He's certainly not a miser.

Of course, Marius may be negatively disposed towards a Roman acting as a foreigner's mouthpiece.

February 12th, 84 BC
670 Years After The Founding Of Rome
The Year of Asiaticus and Cinna.

You know... I really do feel sorry for Asiaticus. This is supposed to be his year and it's going south for him so hard.

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.

The Gift of Vica Pota.

I bet it confers bonuses on attempts to win friends and influence people.

All your half-green Cohorts are now average, and one has leveled up to Skilled.

Which one, by the way, @Telamon?

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.

Uhoh.

We really need to work on this or we may get stabbed in the back by our own cavalry.

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.

Definitely something to think about.

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)

This supports my general conclusions that we gain Intelligence and Education XP from studying history and other academic subjects, and from things that are mentally challenging.

Lastly, 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 2,941 Military XP!
Rank Up! Rank 14!
(1,432/10000) Military XP to Rank 15

WOOO-HOO!

So, does this mean we've crossed the line to a +4 on the die roll? Because that'd be a big jump. Also gives us an area where we can hold a slight advantage over Cassianus, though his greater experience with supplementary skills may offset that.

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.

OK, let me just say, @Telamon , that your choice of option titles is hilarious.

Hm.

OK, Option One is straightforward enough, with the risk of failing being 'piss off Marius by causing him to think we're serving as a foreign catspaw.' It seems as though Marius is basically ignoring a lot of the politics and intrigue of the East in favor of a mono-focus on conquest. Given that he has little time left to undertake entire new campaigns and plans, this isn't necessarily a bad choice on his part. But given that right now he's focused on tackling Mithridates, he may take a dim view of what, from his perspective, will look like an impressionable young tribune being wowed by Ptolemy's decadent revels into wasting his time.

Option Two is easy for us, but obviously kills our contact- even if Ptolemy survives, he's gonna figure out what happened, I suspect. Intrigue is likely to be his strong suit. Massively butterflies Egyptian history if we succeed. Remember, this is Cleopatra's dad.

Option Three is, um. I don't know if appealing to Gaius Marius' soft spot is practical.

Option Four is a 'null' option. If we later want to be on Ptolemy Auletes' good side, we can just say we didn't get a chance to appeal to Marius, hopefully that'll work.

Option Five is interesting. The danger is that Ptolemy will make a fool of himself in Rome, where his behavior will be seen as super-de-duper decadent and foofy in ways the Romans won't really respect. On the other hand, well, he's rich, and the Romans at least notice wealth. It isn't the worst idea Ptolemy could pursue right now, and it doesn't directly endanger our own relationship with Marius in any way I can foresee.

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)

HmmmMMM.

Do it Yourself is, frankly, a bad idea, IMO.

Scaevola is an interesting choice. Interpretation that favors Sulla is, um. Dunno. I like the idea of actually getting a 'true' interpretation of this thing, mind you.

Given our present circumstances, Flamen Dialis is a charming little option; I'd actually be interested to see what Caesar makes of it. A pro-Marian prophecy isn't such a bad thing for us right now, and having Caesar actually remember us would be an interesting change of pace.

The Legionary Augur is good for this campaign but I don't really like it, it feels like a way to turn the prophecy into fuel rather than advice about the future.

The Servants of the Sun is a very appealing option- we get an answer quickly, it's likely to benefit us, they're neutral in the civil war.

The Eunuchs of Cybele is good if we want this prophecy to be an IC warning of future events, and I'm curious what Telamon's take on the Galli will be, so, hmm.

The Prince is an interesting curve-ball options, too...

And of course we can always pick Wait for our action economy.

...

I feel like our mechanically/practically best choices are Wait, The Servants of the Sun, and Flamen Dialis.

Interesting 'flavorful' options are The Prince and The Eunuchs of Cybele.

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

Hm.

I'm actually tempted to write Volero. Getting a rough idea what Pompey is up to would be really nice. That or Proserpina- find out how her spy network is doing.

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.

[] 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 City of the Kings of Asia: Bithynia, for a time, was the mightiest kingdom in Asia, and Nicomedia was it's crown jewel. By attempting to integrate yourself with the people here and getting to know figures of import, you might lay the ground for better things in the future.
[] 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.

OK, wow that is a lot of options.

Let me try to trim this down to a more manageable list. Dropping...

[] The Consul: I sympathize with him, but we've got very little time left to play with. Though we might choose to take this if we're worried about him backstabbing our army during the campaign- this is the kind of treatment that might cause him to flip to Sulla, and I'm sure Sulla could find some use for a pet consul that would spare Asiaticus' neck.
[] Seafaring: This can wait, one way or the other, since we lack leisure for study.
[] Armor and Arms: Now is not the time. Equipment we obtain in a hurry is likely to be less good than otherwise, and if our existing gear is serviceable, then it is.
[] The King Without A Crown: Aw hell no. We've stayed in Bithynia for this long without gaining the "Nicomedes' Cabana Boy" reputation; I think I'd rather keep it that way.

...

[] Forge Bonds: This is an action that enhances a lot of possible strategies.

Hm. Now, there are some option combos that synergize well and might be part of a coherent strategy.

1) If we're trying to establish Cassianus as a junior partner, we want:
[] Brotherhood: Hopefully bump our reputation up a notch, improve our plebeian cred.
[] The Cult: Enlist Cassianus into the cult under circumstances that make us his religious superior in our blood cult.
[] Mars Gradivus: Also, this is our blood cult.

2) If we're trying to tool up the legion to a finely honed machine, we want:
[] Drills: Obviously.
[] Para Bellum: Optional, might help- we will be fighting Greeks even if we never encounter other Romans, but the reverse is likely not true.
[] Res Publica: If we aren't already getting this bonus- since I think @Publicola wanted it instead of Seafaring and I'm pretty sure a lot of us supported it on that basis.
(This is the one case where Arms and Armor might be desired)

3) If we're trying to get tutelage and connections via Marius, we should look at:
[] The General: Obviously. This is also advisable if we want to lobby him on Ptolemy's behalf.
[] The Marians: Synergizes with The General, and unlike Marius a bunch of these men are likely to still be alive in five years (assuming Sulla doesn't go on a rampage and kill them all). This makes them likely to be good contacts (assuming, well, see previous).
[] Study: Likely to synergize with both of the above, and net us more XP.

4) If we're trying to hone our diplomatic skills and be ready to actually diplomance Greeks we encounter:
[] Si Vis Pacem: Studying Greek religion and the cults of Asia Minor will give us a lot of context.
[] The City of the Kings of Asia: Obvious reasons.
[] All Greek To You: Also obvious reasons. Likely Intelligence XP.

Basically, I think we should pursue one of the above triplets of option choices, or at least take two out of three along with some other choice that is seen as nigh-mandatory. The only question is, which one?

Simmr001 · Aug 2, 2019

Simon_Jester said:
...Today, the average daily low temperature in Izmit (the site of ancient Nicomedia) in January is 3.3 degrees Celsius. The coldest low temperature on record is -13.1 degrees Celsius, and lows as far down as -18 have been recorded in February. It's possible that this was legit a fairly cold day and that Atellus and Rufus just had bad luck. On the other hand, it's possible that they're wimps.

Rome's lowest is 3. its average low is 8. Nicomedia average is rome's coldest.

Thyreus · Aug 2, 2019

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.

Stats:
Military: Accomplished (14) -- (Levels 10-14) (+2 Modifier) -- (1819/10000) to Rank 15 (+4 Modifier)
Charisma: Accomplished (11) -- (Levels 10-14) (+2 Modifier) -- (3300/10000) to Rank 12
Stewardship: Poor (4) -- (Levels 4) (-2 Modifier) -- (1200/4000) to Rank 5 (No Modifier)
Intelligence: Renowned (15) -- (Levels 15-17) (+4 Modifier) -- (3384/15000) to Rank 16
Education: Accomplished (10) -- (Levels 10-14) (+2 Modifier) -- (3400/10000) to Rank 11
Subterfuge: Average (7) -- (Levels 5-7) (No Modifier) -- (800/7000) to Rank 8 (+1 Modifier)

Skills:
Combat: Accomplished (10) -- (Levels 10-14) (+2 Modifier) -- (5790/10000) to Rank 11
Oratory: Accomplished (11) --(Levels 10-14) (+2 Modifier) -- (2326/10000) to Rank 12
Command: Proficient (8) -- (Levels 8-9) (+1 Modifier) -- (3434/8000) to Rank 9
Engineering: Abysmal (1) -- (Levels 0-1) (-6 Modifier) -- (0/1000) to Rank 2 (-4 Modifier)
Seafaring: Very Poor (3) -- (Levels 2-3) (-4 Modifier) -- (1143/3000) to Rank 4 (-2 Modifier)
Logistics: Very Poor (2) -- (Levels 2-3) (-4 Modifier) -- (1873/2000) to Rank 3
Law: Proficient (9) -- (Levels 8-9) (+1 Modifier) -- (4535/9000) to Rank 10 (+2 Modifier)
Philosophy: Average (5) -- (Levels 5-7) (No Modifier) -- (374/5000) to Rank 6
Administration: Average (5) -- (Levels 5-7) (No Modifier) -- (4250/5000) to Rank 6
Diplomacy: Accomplished (10) -- (Levels 10-14) (+2 Modifier) -- (620/10000) to Rank 11

Now new and improved ~~(still didn't add the seafaring)~~.

Telamon said:
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.

We should take note of this, the connection to Carthage and of course the fact that her worship withered away. Seems to be part of the phrophecy.

Telamon said:
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.

Oh Rufus, just you wait and and see Dacia, Gaul, Germania and the dreaded tin islands. You won't enjoy it, I'm afraid.

Telamon said:
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.

And of course she is on drugs.

I swear, if we ever become a priest and hold an augury I'll only ever let Atellus butcher animals and read their organs, or have him watch the birds. Don't do drugs, children.

Telamon said:
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!"

And she knows of our blood bond. Lovely, bodes well for our search for knowledge.

Telamon said:
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."

We are true Romans indeed, the sons of Mars, beloved by Belona, Minerva favours us. Who do we have to fear when the War Gods of ancient Rome are with us?
(Besides the other gods that is.)
As far as the writing goes it's nice to have this subtle reminder that the cult of Mars isn't just a quest mechanic, but actually effects the characters.

Telamon said:
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 have passed,
She shall breathe her first bloody last.

Her dying will 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!

Well, ignoring that she forcibly made us take drugs, the prophecy honestly warrants a post for itself. The short version:
First stanza is about Atellus and Rufus, whose cognomen refers to their hair. Africa's heir is certainly Cassianus who'll betray us when opportune.
The next three should refer to Rome herself, being the undisputed master of the Mediterranean caused a massive influx in wealth, worsened social tensions, yadda yadda, the gods of Carthage are pissed.
The last two seem to be about Cybele. I imagine she wants a temple or something, I have to rewatch Xena and Hercules to be sure, and unless we do so we can't deliver Rome from her gruesome civil wars.

Telamon said:
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.

Atellus "Spartan" upbringing shines through again.

Telamon said:
"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 is a Roman through and through, even if he doesn't quite take to war like a fish to water.

Telamon said:
"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."

Self-important? Says the bastard styling himself a god to be.

Telamon said:
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.

That education rank, man. We gotta do something about it.

Telamon said:
This, you understand. "You want Rome's help to retake Egypt."

Ah, bribery. What else are we looking for in Egypt? Besides bread for our games?

Telamon said:
"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?"

Rufus' wit shines through. Also seriously, educate yourself, Atellus!

Telamon said:
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!

Cassianus is better at war than us. We have the same modifier for military (although I expect us to be of higher rank), but he exceeds us in command. Not unexpected, given his age, but still.

Telamon said:
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.

We should do the augury before we march off.

Telamon said:
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.

Oh hey, an update! Thanks, @Telamon.

Telamon said:
Gain 2,643 Seafaring XP
Rank up! Seafaring is now Level 3, Poor
(1,143/3000) Seafaring XP to rank 3!

I expect that this will stay then? I'll add it in.

Telamon said:
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

Military get!!

Res Publica: A Quest of Ancient Rome

A corvid.

A corvid.

Gardener of Human Happiness

A corvid.

A corvid.

A corvid.

Aquaman 2018 Fan Club President. I prefer Bob.