As their ship arrives to the Lostora harbour and the war ship part of it they see intense activity, many ships from the northern parts of the sea but also lots of ships from Navalia.
They stroll around a little but don't find anything interesting or room for 14 pretorian mice. Gaius manage to convince an inn owner to let them sleep on the floor in the dining room. Pretorian mice are trustful and they can trust them to get everything in order early in the morning before the first guests arrive (Obstacle: Persuader, Succeed with Condition Undiciplined (Angry)).
The troop invades a wine tavern and talks a lot to the staff and since the patrol mice are quite a few mice they stop much of the serving. The owner drives the staff around and instead gets caught up in conversation herself. According to the owner Rustica is an intersting place where one can find many of the things the pretorian mice has thought of as things travellers tell stupid people to seem cooler than they are. It is only by skipping some food now and then they manage to get everything in the dining room away for sleeping and back againf or the customers (Obstacle: Succeed with Condition Hungry and Thirsty).
The patrols split and go in different directions to hunt romours about the so called Miller. A t the forum there a trial going on. Gaius patrol stops to listen. It's a merchant, Voronos, that stands accused for having had his body guards training and hiring bandits to ambush competitors. The prosecutor is a mouse named Mikos and who seems quite good at his work. Most mice listening expects evidense ending the trial today (End of GM's turn).
Thursday, December 29, 2011
Wednesday, December 28, 2011
SPQM c1s13
The patrol gets invited to Praetor Urbanus Mamercus, a simple dinner, ''simplicitas'' as he calls it. It's just three meals and frosted fruit juice as the last extra meal. When they ''happen'' to mention their work in The Pretorian Guard Mamercus stears the talk into the sadly lost Gold Age and asks if they might have the strength and character to act as if The Gold Age had returned, if it would be possible for them to carry out the new secret mission as if it was Gold Age again. He then mentions the secret mission that only Gaius should know about. Well, Mamercus is Praetor urbanus and very influential in The Senate. He probaly hears most things. He almost gives them the mission to seek out a mysterious dissident in the north cities among The Free Farming Cities and the Gaius should lead that mission although it might involve several patrols, that's why it's so special. Missions with several patrols acting together focused on the same task is a rare thing these days in a dwindling Silver Age.
The next day Gaius seek information about trade troubles that could either give clues to the slight shortage of food that has raised the prices some or give clues about someone pulling strings to accomplish this. In the short time they have before they should be ready for the secret mission he doesn't manage to do that. Dekia tries to convince one of the tribunes that it would be wise to let them not go on mission with Nona's and Faustus' patrols (Dekia's and Gaius' enemies respectively). Nona is trying to get to stay in Asylum for the summer to work on her career in The Senate and the officials. The laying suggestion is Gaius' and Volcatius' patrol (Volcatius is Lucius enemy). That on the other hand wasn't what the patrol wanted, they wanted to have four patrols but not the three patrols led by their enemies. Also Volcatius is suggested as first centurio.
The patrol tries to convince the tribunes that they should send four patrols, one is their own and none of the three are the patrols of their enemies (Conflict, Won with Major Compromise => Four patrols but the three others are led by their enemies). In the end the mission shall be accomplished by four patrol; Gaius', Volcatius', Nona's and Faustus' patrol. Also Nona has some extra secret mission that might lake her sometimes unavailable for the mission to be carried out by Gaius and the other patrols.
Gaius is first centurio and leads the operation. The other patrol leaders are:
* Volcatius, plebeian who dislikes nobiles and especially Lucius.
* Fausus, nobiles who dislikes Gaius since their time together in the beginning of their time in The Pretorian Guard.
* Nona, nobiles who dislikes plebeians and Dekia especially and on top of everything Dekia isn't a citizen of Asylum but just a socii (a foreigner that has gained some citizen rights but for example not the right to vote of being a family head).
Just the perfect mice to cooperate on one of the biggest missions on hand for The Pretorian Guard.
The mission is to find and ''take care of'' the, so called, Miller in the Free Farming Cities. He or she is supposed to be behind the beginning food shortage that makes the food in Asylum more expensive, something that could escalate if it affects the deliverence of food to the poor in Asylum. Then unrest would be at hand. The proletarians and many plebeians would also become easily swayed by political movers. The patrol tries to convince the other patrols that this is actually a good idea and that the mission is that important that they should put their enemities aside for the duration of the mission (Obstacle: Persuader, Fail with a Twist). Nona takes the matter about her not having to join the mission but persuing her carreer in Asylum to the tribune assembly who quickly backs up the earlier decision by the single tribune (End of GM's Turn).
After this Gaius tries to get Nona cast out of The Pretorian Guard for her refusing to follow order (Check: Persuader, Fail with a Twist)
Lucius has a session with his forefathers at the alter at home and at the big temple for the forefathers in Asylum and manage to get on better terms with them again (Check: Remove On Bad Terms with the Forefathers, Passed).
Lucius, his father and Nona's mother persuade Nona to cooperate for the good of the clan. She be that egoistic, she is a part of the clan (Persuader, Passed).
Gaius patrol and the other two patrols, not Nona's, arranges for a ship to take them to Lostora (Check, Passed).
Dekia says that the weather's gonna be fine during the first part of the trip to Lostora (Check: Fail with a Twist).
The four patrols, 14 mice, then sail on a pretorian trireme to Lostora a harbour and trade city at the coast not far from the biggest city of the farming cities, Rustica (Check: Resources, Passed, to get food and other resources easily to get to Lostora as fast as possible). Soon the weather changes and the weather of the Mite days in the Late Summer is worse than in many years (Twist: Health roll to not receive Condition Sick). They are also unlucky and don't manage to do the trip before or after Vestalia, an important ceremony for the household and their forefathers (Twist, Ceremony Master to not get Condition On Bad Terms with the Forefathers, Succeed with Condition). After one of the shorter but more interesting sailings to Lostora they arrive in the harbour where they see many ships from the northen cities and also ships from Asylum and Navalia (End of Player's Turn).
The next day Gaius seek information about trade troubles that could either give clues to the slight shortage of food that has raised the prices some or give clues about someone pulling strings to accomplish this. In the short time they have before they should be ready for the secret mission he doesn't manage to do that. Dekia tries to convince one of the tribunes that it would be wise to let them not go on mission with Nona's and Faustus' patrols (Dekia's and Gaius' enemies respectively). Nona is trying to get to stay in Asylum for the summer to work on her career in The Senate and the officials. The laying suggestion is Gaius' and Volcatius' patrol (Volcatius is Lucius enemy). That on the other hand wasn't what the patrol wanted, they wanted to have four patrols but not the three patrols led by their enemies. Also Volcatius is suggested as first centurio.
The patrol tries to convince the tribunes that they should send four patrols, one is their own and none of the three are the patrols of their enemies (Conflict, Won with Major Compromise => Four patrols but the three others are led by their enemies). In the end the mission shall be accomplished by four patrol; Gaius', Volcatius', Nona's and Faustus' patrol. Also Nona has some extra secret mission that might lake her sometimes unavailable for the mission to be carried out by Gaius and the other patrols.
Gaius is first centurio and leads the operation. The other patrol leaders are:
* Volcatius, plebeian who dislikes nobiles and especially Lucius.
* Fausus, nobiles who dislikes Gaius since their time together in the beginning of their time in The Pretorian Guard.
* Nona, nobiles who dislikes plebeians and Dekia especially and on top of everything Dekia isn't a citizen of Asylum but just a socii (a foreigner that has gained some citizen rights but for example not the right to vote of being a family head).
Just the perfect mice to cooperate on one of the biggest missions on hand for The Pretorian Guard.
The mission is to find and ''take care of'' the, so called, Miller in the Free Farming Cities. He or she is supposed to be behind the beginning food shortage that makes the food in Asylum more expensive, something that could escalate if it affects the deliverence of food to the poor in Asylum. Then unrest would be at hand. The proletarians and many plebeians would also become easily swayed by political movers. The patrol tries to convince the other patrols that this is actually a good idea and that the mission is that important that they should put their enemities aside for the duration of the mission (Obstacle: Persuader, Fail with a Twist). Nona takes the matter about her not having to join the mission but persuing her carreer in Asylum to the tribune assembly who quickly backs up the earlier decision by the single tribune (End of GM's Turn).
After this Gaius tries to get Nona cast out of The Pretorian Guard for her refusing to follow order (Check: Persuader, Fail with a Twist)
Lucius has a session with his forefathers at the alter at home and at the big temple for the forefathers in Asylum and manage to get on better terms with them again (Check: Remove On Bad Terms with the Forefathers, Passed).
Lucius, his father and Nona's mother persuade Nona to cooperate for the good of the clan. She be that egoistic, she is a part of the clan (Persuader, Passed).
Gaius patrol and the other two patrols, not Nona's, arranges for a ship to take them to Lostora (Check, Passed).
Dekia says that the weather's gonna be fine during the first part of the trip to Lostora (Check: Fail with a Twist).
The four patrols, 14 mice, then sail on a pretorian trireme to Lostora a harbour and trade city at the coast not far from the biggest city of the farming cities, Rustica (Check: Resources, Passed, to get food and other resources easily to get to Lostora as fast as possible). Soon the weather changes and the weather of the Mite days in the Late Summer is worse than in many years (Twist: Health roll to not receive Condition Sick). They are also unlucky and don't manage to do the trip before or after Vestalia, an important ceremony for the household and their forefathers (Twist, Ceremony Master to not get Condition On Bad Terms with the Forefathers, Succeed with Condition). After one of the shorter but more interesting sailings to Lostora they arrive in the harbour where they see many ships from the northen cities and also ships from Asylum and Navalia (End of Player's Turn).
Monday, December 26, 2011
SPQM c1s12
As the families of Carnifex gets slaves for manning the workshop mamercus is setting up for Aeneas nona gets the agreed half of the slaves but fofers them to Mamercus before Lucius family is ready and thereby shows of a little. Lucius father is raviging in the atrium of their domus since not only does it out him and his son as a little worse but it do put the clan of Carnifex as a splitted clan with individually working families who compete for attention and glory rather than working for the clan. Lucius visits the slave market and together with his friends he manages to find yet one more appropriate slave and presents as many slaves as non plus one (Obstacle: Resources Ob6, Passed).
Just as Lucius father's anger is cooling down other news about Nona reaches his ears. Nona is holding a ''theoretical speech'' in the senate. ''Theoretical speeches'' are a way for young senators-to-be to hold an actual speech in the senate but wothout it having political implications since they're held outside regular meetings and the senators are supposed to leave them out of their decision making. now Nona is going to hold a theoretical speech against having plebeian military tribunes. That's one of the hot questions now and then, for example now and is not gonna be able to be kept outside the decision making - which Nona probably is fully aware of. Especially since there's not gonna be any counter-speech since it's a ''theoretical speech''.
Lucius decides to hold his own theoretical speech about the good sides of the plebeian tribunes and what they have done for The Pretorian Guard and that variations bring good to The Pretorian Guard. This is as close to a regular debate in the senate one comes without having it and should anyone bring it up, highly irregular and slightly dishonourable to fight it out outside the proper channels.
Meanwhile Dekia is burying herself in the archives to find information for Lucius to use in his ''theoretical speech'' and also the slaves are delivered to Aeneas' workshop built by Mamercus. It seems that the workshop with these slaves are fully manned except a skilled foremouse and that needs to be someone skilled in several crafts as well as administration but Mamercus promises to get one. Also, Lucius has a morning walk with Aeneas trying to befriend him and show him Asylum. Aeneas is quite snobbish though and disregards most of Asylum as ''well, we did that in Sapientia this many years before you'' no matter that most of these actually is evolved quite far away from what Sapientia did. Actually much of the Asylum versions has surpassed the Sapientia versions. Lucius bites his tongue, after all Aeneas seems to be a great inventor and as such important for the growth of Asylum and as by accident also the growth of the Carnifex clan since their were an important part of getting Aeneas here. Aeneas is somewhat impressed by the apiary though but goes on by not being the slightest interested in speaking with workers or foremice but only masters. At the end of the walk Aeneas also admit some impression by the Asylum aqueducts, some impression.
Nona holds a theoretical speech about not letting plebeians into the honourable office of military tribune. Nobiles are made for leadership, plebeians are not. Lucius who are a little more pragmatic realizes that The Pretorian Guard can't afford to be that picky at the moment. In The Gold Age that was possible but not in this dwindeling Silver Age. He therefore holds a theoretical speech about the need for The Pretorian Guard to be able to expand.
The informal fight goes on and they even have one speech each more and many in the senate seems to get that there is more going on, some sort of informal vendetta between the two. Also both Lucius and Nona is trying to put thoughts into the heads of the senate members. In the end Lucius is the one who manages to do that best but at the cost of the senate defining the office of legate so it will be impossible for a plebeian to get and hold it. No legislation on the matter of tribunes is done though (Obstacle: Conflict, Orator versus 4D, Won with Compromise).
Mamercus, the clever Praetor Urbanus, notes though that he has noticed the seperate deliverance of slaves from the two families, the almost same amount of slaves and the actual fight going on behind the theoretical speeches. It also seems that the senate start to get a stronger interest in limiting the People's Assemblies, for example by gaining control over the people's tribunes (End of GM's Turn).
Gaius is having an informal meeting with the tribune responsible for logistics and training of tiro and miles who also happens to be a plebeian. gaius tries to get the tribune to tell him about what the big mission everyone important seem to know about is about. He actually manage to do this but is held by his honour to not tell anyone else (Check: Persuader versus 3D, Passed).
Dekia digs on in the archive but can't find any information regarding what the mission might be about. In the meantime Lucius manage to convince Aeneas and one of the tribunes that a demonstraion of the belly shooter might be a good idea. A demonstration where the power of the belly shooter is showed off is held (Check: Persuader versus 3D, Passed). During the time up to the demonstration Lucius becomes aware of a conflict between Aeneas and the head weapon smith of the guard. Aeneas insists on ordering the giant arrows for the belly shooter with straight feathers at the back end whilst the weapon smith is convinced that any arrow flies better with slightly tilted feathers.
Dekia tries to get hold of her body and soldier on though she's sick but the stressed out life lately make her fail that although they're back in Asylum and mostly off duty (Check: Health Ob2, Failed, Healer needed). Life goes on for a while in the city (End of Player's Turn).
Just as Lucius father's anger is cooling down other news about Nona reaches his ears. Nona is holding a ''theoretical speech'' in the senate. ''Theoretical speeches'' are a way for young senators-to-be to hold an actual speech in the senate but wothout it having political implications since they're held outside regular meetings and the senators are supposed to leave them out of their decision making. now Nona is going to hold a theoretical speech against having plebeian military tribunes. That's one of the hot questions now and then, for example now and is not gonna be able to be kept outside the decision making - which Nona probably is fully aware of. Especially since there's not gonna be any counter-speech since it's a ''theoretical speech''.
Lucius decides to hold his own theoretical speech about the good sides of the plebeian tribunes and what they have done for The Pretorian Guard and that variations bring good to The Pretorian Guard. This is as close to a regular debate in the senate one comes without having it and should anyone bring it up, highly irregular and slightly dishonourable to fight it out outside the proper channels.
Meanwhile Dekia is burying herself in the archives to find information for Lucius to use in his ''theoretical speech'' and also the slaves are delivered to Aeneas' workshop built by Mamercus. It seems that the workshop with these slaves are fully manned except a skilled foremouse and that needs to be someone skilled in several crafts as well as administration but Mamercus promises to get one. Also, Lucius has a morning walk with Aeneas trying to befriend him and show him Asylum. Aeneas is quite snobbish though and disregards most of Asylum as ''well, we did that in Sapientia this many years before you'' no matter that most of these actually is evolved quite far away from what Sapientia did. Actually much of the Asylum versions has surpassed the Sapientia versions. Lucius bites his tongue, after all Aeneas seems to be a great inventor and as such important for the growth of Asylum and as by accident also the growth of the Carnifex clan since their were an important part of getting Aeneas here. Aeneas is somewhat impressed by the apiary though but goes on by not being the slightest interested in speaking with workers or foremice but only masters. At the end of the walk Aeneas also admit some impression by the Asylum aqueducts, some impression.
Nona holds a theoretical speech about not letting plebeians into the honourable office of military tribune. Nobiles are made for leadership, plebeians are not. Lucius who are a little more pragmatic realizes that The Pretorian Guard can't afford to be that picky at the moment. In The Gold Age that was possible but not in this dwindeling Silver Age. He therefore holds a theoretical speech about the need for The Pretorian Guard to be able to expand.
The informal fight goes on and they even have one speech each more and many in the senate seems to get that there is more going on, some sort of informal vendetta between the two. Also both Lucius and Nona is trying to put thoughts into the heads of the senate members. In the end Lucius is the one who manages to do that best but at the cost of the senate defining the office of legate so it will be impossible for a plebeian to get and hold it. No legislation on the matter of tribunes is done though (Obstacle: Conflict, Orator versus 4D, Won with Compromise).
Mamercus, the clever Praetor Urbanus, notes though that he has noticed the seperate deliverance of slaves from the two families, the almost same amount of slaves and the actual fight going on behind the theoretical speeches. It also seems that the senate start to get a stronger interest in limiting the People's Assemblies, for example by gaining control over the people's tribunes (End of GM's Turn).
Gaius is having an informal meeting with the tribune responsible for logistics and training of tiro and miles who also happens to be a plebeian. gaius tries to get the tribune to tell him about what the big mission everyone important seem to know about is about. He actually manage to do this but is held by his honour to not tell anyone else (Check: Persuader versus 3D, Passed).
Dekia digs on in the archive but can't find any information regarding what the mission might be about. In the meantime Lucius manage to convince Aeneas and one of the tribunes that a demonstraion of the belly shooter might be a good idea. A demonstration where the power of the belly shooter is showed off is held (Check: Persuader versus 3D, Passed). During the time up to the demonstration Lucius becomes aware of a conflict between Aeneas and the head weapon smith of the guard. Aeneas insists on ordering the giant arrows for the belly shooter with straight feathers at the back end whilst the weapon smith is convinced that any arrow flies better with slightly tilted feathers.
Dekia tries to get hold of her body and soldier on though she's sick but the stressed out life lately make her fail that although they're back in Asylum and mostly off duty (Check: Health Ob2, Failed, Healer needed). Life goes on for a while in the city (End of Player's Turn).
Sunday, December 18, 2011
Roma obscura Winter session 1
The two cohorts dig in at Mountain-Pass and seem to be able to get food reasonably easy as long as they pay maybe a little too much. The area doesn't seem to fare too ill but the leaders and councils of the small cities around the area is talkative and kind of elusive in their talk and not to happy with the kings of Sparta guiding them there but hopefully they and the cohorts will get along.
Mettia tries to find out the relation between Mountain-Pass and Sparta and finds that they have a quite frozen relationship. Sparta has no real sway over Mountain-Pass but pretends to and of course guided the two cohorts there as if it was a noble gesture from the kings and an act of kindness towards their guests. In reality they managed to get the cohorts of their land and eating somebody else's food the whole winter.
Atia is still curious and confused about their diffuse mission description and some of the decisions made about their legion's reinforcement of the first legion in Graecia. She ponders the matter and and discusses with Mettia and the centurio senior primus of both cohorts. They come to the conclusion that the mad act of putting the two brats in Sparta probably is made to provoke the kings and the brats into something less controlled actions that will need invention and thereby give Rome an excuse to break down on Sparta.
As for their own mission they realize that not only is the praetor in Athens believing that the mad inventor in Delphi is onto something valuable but so does Rome. They might have landed in the middle of something big and probably Rome is watching. Their missions isn't simple though since they should protect the inventor AND keep the order in Delphi. That implies that there is some problems with the order and disorder is seldom good when someone should be protected. They can't just convince the inventor to come with them to Rome (or take him) because then they won't be upholding the order in Delphi as they're supposed to do.
After the winter's slower cadence and contemplation these characters have evolved:
Mettia tries to find out the relation between Mountain-Pass and Sparta and finds that they have a quite frozen relationship. Sparta has no real sway over Mountain-Pass but pretends to and of course guided the two cohorts there as if it was a noble gesture from the kings and an act of kindness towards their guests. In reality they managed to get the cohorts of their land and eating somebody else's food the whole winter.
Atia is still curious and confused about their diffuse mission description and some of the decisions made about their legion's reinforcement of the first legion in Graecia. She ponders the matter and and discusses with Mettia and the centurio senior primus of both cohorts. They come to the conclusion that the mad act of putting the two brats in Sparta probably is made to provoke the kings and the brats into something less controlled actions that will need invention and thereby give Rome an excuse to break down on Sparta.
As for their own mission they realize that not only is the praetor in Athens believing that the mad inventor in Delphi is onto something valuable but so does Rome. They might have landed in the middle of something big and probably Rome is watching. Their missions isn't simple though since they should protect the inventor AND keep the order in Delphi. That implies that there is some problems with the order and disorder is seldom good when someone should be protected. They can't just convince the inventor to come with them to Rome (or take him) because then they won't be upholding the order in Delphi as they're supposed to do.
After the winter's slower cadence and contemplation these characters have evolved:
Atia Lucius Quintilius
Age: 33
Title: tribunes (fourth year, wants to get to the next carreer step)
Belief: The right action is neither lessened nor amplified by the origin of the actor.
Instinct: Never waste time!
Traits: disciplina 1, legionary honour 2, prudentia 1
Nature: 3 Will: 5 Health: 4
Auctoritas (resources): 7 Dignitas (circles): 7
Friend: Atilius Marcus Qunitus, prosperous merchant that has sponsored Valerius Lucius Qunitilius' (Atia's father) election campaigns.
Enemy: Secundus Titus Aurelius, upcoming politician that has collided with Atia.
Skills and wises:
Fighter 3
Healer -
Hunter 2
Instructor 4
Pathfinder -
Scout 2
Survivalist -
Weather watcher -
Orator 3
Deceiver 2
Persuader 2 X out of 3 needed
Rider 2
Cartographer 2
Militarist 3
Adminstrator 3
Ceremony Master 1 X out of 3 needed
Mission-wise 1
War-wise 1
Mob-wise 1
Nobiles-wise 1
Mettia Equitus Hirrus
Age: 31
Title: tribunes (second year, wants to stay on practical levels of the army, no politics)
Belief: The world needs less politics.
Instinct: There is always a good tactic to the kill.
Traits: comititas 1, rational 1, honestas 1
Nature: 2 Will: 5 Health: 4
Auctoritas (resources): 7 Dignitas (circles): 6
Friend: Caelus Tuccius Pius, childhood friend. They were neighbours as childs. I many ways he's the opposite of Mettia, a real carreer politician. They meet sometimes and is good friends although their differences. They often have giving discussions about politics, strategy and how to make a carreer.
Enemy: Kiria av Delfi, the king of Ithaka's sister's daughter. Odros of Ithaka (the king's son) was held as Rome's guest to further the realationships between Rome and Ithaka (hostage). When the king appeared to give pirates harbour space on his island he was ordered to give up their names and force them out on the sea where they could be dealt with. The king refused and as a punishment as and as a mean to get him into other thoughts his son was killed. Mettia was the one carrying out the killing. The victim's cousin Kiria of Delphi was very much insulted and angry and grieved her cousin. She sought out who was involved and is thinking of how to carry out revenge.
Skills and wises:
Fighter 3
Healer 2
Hunter 3
Instructor -
Pathfinder 2
Scout -
Survivalist -
Weather watcher -
Orator 3
Deceiver 2
Persuader 3
Militarist 4
Baker 2
Rider 2
Strategy-wise 1
Tactics-wise 1
Sparks-wise 1
Cursus honoris-wise 1
Metaphysicist 2
Delphi-wise 2
Saturday, December 17, 2011
Mouse Guard hack SPQM updated, v 0.6.0, PDF & ePub
A new version of MG: SPQM, Mouse Guard: Senatus Populusque Muris ver. 0.6, can be found under Stuff at www.illertass.se, link. Many sections has been filled out better.
illern (a) illertass.se
Sunday, December 11, 2011
Roma obscura session 3b (c2s3b)
The four cohorts led by Atia leave the village, the outpost and the crucified prisoners but march on on alert, ready to fight back a retaliation attack. It's slow but safe and no attack comes and a few days' marches from Sparta ten hoplites demand to meet the leader for the romans. Atia and Mettia meet up with them and meet king Arros of Sparta.
He asks questions and wonders how they're gonna solve the food question. He thinks they are ducking the questions and not really are answering and so they are. He leaves not satisfied. Atia and Mettia sees that as more his problem than theirs.
Mendros, second king of Sparta, meet them later and asks the same questions. Atia and Mettia explain that only half of the troop will stay in Sparta and the rest will march on nortwards. The king helps them with info about the road north and a tip on where they can spend the winter. The best way to march for them happen to not go to Sparta but rather leave Sparta's territory rather soon. Since Atia and Mettia wants to get as far as possible before winter they and the king aggrees on what is best (this way they eat as little as possible from the areas close to Sparta).
Atia and Mettia are a little worried about leaving the brats alone in Sparta but decide that they have to fulfill their own missions as soon as possible and can't spend all their time disciplining the youngsters. They march on.
But first Atia tries to instruct them as well as she can, about what the mission is exactly about and how to behave. She is distracted by a weird feeling stemming from her forefathers and can't get hold on what's it about. They're dissatisfied by something though, that's clear. Anyway, she and Mettia is convinced that the brats won't manage to start a war before they're out of the way in their winter camp to the west.
They are a bit in a hurry though but manage to get there in time to set up camp and a temporary fort for the winter and has to press on and keep the order tight to get there but they do (Obstacle; Pathfinder, succeed with Condition Sick). Finally they arrive at a place called Mountain-Pass, sick but there in time (End of GM's Turn).
Roma obscura session 3a (c2s3a)
A few days later a feast is held at the praetor's house together with two arkonts from Athens. The brats aren't behaving as usual but the rest of the tribunes manage to show their good side and partly cover the tribunes bad side - the brats - to not be coloured by them as a group (Obstacle: Persuader versus Deceiver 4, Passed). Mattia and Atia take the oppurtunity to ask the arkonts about Greece and mostly of southern Greece and Delphi specifically to show themselves as interested and to get information about hte area they will be travelling through and spend time fulfilling the mission in. The focus is mostly militarily and they get a good and informative conversation going with the arkonts (Obstacle Persuader versus Deceiver 4, Succeed with Condition Angry/Tired => Atia gets a Tool consisting of knowlege of southern Greece, +1D and Mettia get a check on her way to learn Delphi-wise). The arkonts are a little suspicius about these roman military leaders being so curious but not enough to not tell Mettia and Atia a lot as the evening passes on into late night and the praetor doesn't hold back on wine, dancers or lyricists (End of GM's Turn).
Shortly after they get the message that they shall march in two days. Four cohorts will move out to Sparta and two of them on to Delphi). They, Mettia and Atia, start to prepare their troops and get provisions. The brats mostly trust their centurio senior primus to do what's needed and doesn't really care whether it's gonna be any of them.
The next day they're told that the two brats will march with Mettia and Atia to Sparta where the brats will stay with their cohorts and Mettia and Atia march on to Delphi..
As they march westwards during the Dog Days they have troubles with stomach illness among the troops and food quickly becoming unusable and therefore some having a little too little of provisions. By keeping the discipline and paying good for the food they can get they manage to keep the cadence and reach the outskirts of spartan territory when expected (Check: Militarist, Succeed with Condition). It's mostly Atia, Mettia and the troops that make it possible. The brats spend much time among the greeks in the ''picturesque'' ''farming areas'' testing the wines and looking at the girls and boys dancing and probably comparing the loval plump lyrics with the ones of Athens.
As they enter spartan territory they are told that there has been crop failures and that there almost no food to sell. Atia and Mettia ride around and question the village leaders directly but get the same message everywhere. Atia is getting quite suspicious but find no evidence.
During the march Atia sends reports by the local runners back to the praetor in Athens about the progress.
As they march on the the brats are talking about that it's strange that they don't see any typical spartan architecture or other signs of Sparta except for some warriors here and there. Atia and Mettia mostly just let them chatter on and wonder what they are talking about. Farmers are farmers everywhre, or?
The brats start to get bored by the ''picturesque farming area'' and Mettia and Atia can't decide whether they should be amused or worried. After a while the brts report that their troops and buyers that search south of the road has started to find more food and soon they are getting as mych food needed for their troops whil Atia's and Mettia's scouts and buyers still get too little food and have to spread ut over a wider area and therefore slow down the march. Atia is a little suspicius that the brats are squeezing the farmers but let it be since it will be the brats problem as they're the ones staying in the area. For that to be true though they have to get back to a normal cadence otherwise they will be stuck together with the brats in Sparta. Neither Atia or Mettia thinks high of that outcome.
Not much later they suddenly get a message from the front troops that there are some sort of guard standing in their way. Something like a hundred typical spartan soldiers in full armor standning attention in the middle of the road, actually all over the road. Atia brings her scribe, Mettia and her scribe to the front to speak to them hoping that with their total knowlege in greek should make it possible to communicate with them. At leat hte scribes are not that bad in greek.
They order the tropps to halt as they ride up to the front and stop just out of spear reach of the spartans and tell them that a roman troop under the lead of tribune Atia Lucius Quintilius needs to pass on the road. The soldier in the right front turns and shout something backwards and the soldier at the back left turns and run into a sturdy house on the side of the road, facing a big villiage on the other. Atia and Mettia assume he's telling some commander about the situation and in an attempt to be polite they wait. As an hours time is closing in they decide it has been enough time and they tell the spartans that they will pass no matter they are standing in the road or not and return to their place in the middle of the column. They have a short discussion on how to tackle the spartans and then send the orders for attack.
The furthermost cohort, Atia's, change from four to six files, the small roads hadn't given more room for marching. As Atia's cohort march out to the left, turn around and march back to the right to place themselve with about one half of the cohort on eachside of the road Atia give the two brats order to take two decuria of cavallery each, one fourth each and ready them selves for encirclement. The brats, happy that something exciting is happening gladly ride away. Atia's cohort has placed itself as a six file snake crossing the road and everyone makes a left face and the six file marching order has become a six line battle line, ready to kill. All the time the spartans has just observed them like they were just clock work men that has run out of torsion power. Atiaäs centurio senior primus sends report back the some hundred meters along the rest of the front half of the troops and baggae train to the tribunes. Atia immediately orders attack.
As the legionaires march forward the spartans during silence form up for a battle line but being only a fifth as many they will have to do well to stop the romans, and that's just one out of four cohorts. On the other hand, everyone has heard about the 300 spartans at Thermopyle. The two front lines throw their spears and the spartans lift their big round shields and although some get hurt badly and fall down they are just silently replaced and the spartans big round shields do a good job to protect them from the spears and not many shields get pierced and weighted down by a pilum, rather the pilii slide off.
The jogging legionaires and spartans tackle each other with the shields and stab at each other, each with their pros and cons with spears or short swords. The spartans can't stand the four times as many romans and start to back down. The brats readies the cavallery.
The spartans fall and the romans slowly move forward driving the fewer and fewer standing spartans backwards. Their lines start to look thin and although the spartans aren't known for running away the cavallerists close up och each side of the legionaires, ready to encircle any escapers. THen suddenly the lines break and the spartans actually flee. The cavallery rides of, makes a circle and stab och ride down the fleeing spartans and drive the remaing ones into a circle of legionaries and cavallerists. Now the spartans surprise the romans again by giving themselves in. About a fifth of the spartans still stand and are disarmed and tied up. legionaries are sent to the house and Atia and Mettia themselves ride over to have a look. As expected it seems to be some sort of border post or inn for runners and marching soldiers. They find an office but someone has burnt some papers there lately. Atia and Mettia quickly go through the other paers and collect what seems to be inventories to be able to get a grip on troops in the area and maybe also food in the area. They then return to the troops and order them to be at war state since runner(s) presumably has lsipped away and if someone will try something they will know about them and what has happened.
The psartans are quesitoned but show some spartan traits and don't tell anything interesting and since there's no time for detailed questioning and they should anyhow be punished with the death so Atia orders them to be crucified. When that's done the column marches on but no prepared for battle or ambush.
Atia also decides to send a special report back to the legates and the praetor and because of the recent events she decide to use some of their own cavallery to fulfill the missions. Two pairs of riders are sent on different routes and at slightly different time to make it harder for any rebellious spartans to stop both messages (Check, give as good orders that at least one of the messages arrive: Militarist versus Militarist 3D, Passed). The riders later actually reach Athens and the praetor but that of course Atia doesn't know.
During their further travel Atia gets into a conflict with the eldest brat who almost, almost challenge her on a fight but she refuses to let private matters risk any of them or their ability to fullfill the mission during the mission. Private amtters has to wait until some other time. The brat feeling dishonoured storms off but there is no fight and the cohorts continue to march towards Sparta. Atia promises to record the events in one of her reports to the praetor (End of Player's Turn).
Shortly after they get the message that they shall march in two days. Four cohorts will move out to Sparta and two of them on to Delphi). They, Mettia and Atia, start to prepare their troops and get provisions. The brats mostly trust their centurio senior primus to do what's needed and doesn't really care whether it's gonna be any of them.
The next day they're told that the two brats will march with Mettia and Atia to Sparta where the brats will stay with their cohorts and Mettia and Atia march on to Delphi..
As they march westwards during the Dog Days they have troubles with stomach illness among the troops and food quickly becoming unusable and therefore some having a little too little of provisions. By keeping the discipline and paying good for the food they can get they manage to keep the cadence and reach the outskirts of spartan territory when expected (Check: Militarist, Succeed with Condition). It's mostly Atia, Mettia and the troops that make it possible. The brats spend much time among the greeks in the ''picturesque'' ''farming areas'' testing the wines and looking at the girls and boys dancing and probably comparing the loval plump lyrics with the ones of Athens.
As they enter spartan territory they are told that there has been crop failures and that there almost no food to sell. Atia and Mettia ride around and question the village leaders directly but get the same message everywhere. Atia is getting quite suspicious but find no evidence.
During the march Atia sends reports by the local runners back to the praetor in Athens about the progress.
As they march on the the brats are talking about that it's strange that they don't see any typical spartan architecture or other signs of Sparta except for some warriors here and there. Atia and Mettia mostly just let them chatter on and wonder what they are talking about. Farmers are farmers everywhre, or?
The brats start to get bored by the ''picturesque farming area'' and Mettia and Atia can't decide whether they should be amused or worried. After a while the brts report that their troops and buyers that search south of the road has started to find more food and soon they are getting as mych food needed for their troops whil Atia's and Mettia's scouts and buyers still get too little food and have to spread ut over a wider area and therefore slow down the march. Atia is a little suspicius that the brats are squeezing the farmers but let it be since it will be the brats problem as they're the ones staying in the area. For that to be true though they have to get back to a normal cadence otherwise they will be stuck together with the brats in Sparta. Neither Atia or Mettia thinks high of that outcome.
Not much later they suddenly get a message from the front troops that there are some sort of guard standing in their way. Something like a hundred typical spartan soldiers in full armor standning attention in the middle of the road, actually all over the road. Atia brings her scribe, Mettia and her scribe to the front to speak to them hoping that with their total knowlege in greek should make it possible to communicate with them. At leat hte scribes are not that bad in greek.
They order the tropps to halt as they ride up to the front and stop just out of spear reach of the spartans and tell them that a roman troop under the lead of tribune Atia Lucius Quintilius needs to pass on the road. The soldier in the right front turns and shout something backwards and the soldier at the back left turns and run into a sturdy house on the side of the road, facing a big villiage on the other. Atia and Mettia assume he's telling some commander about the situation and in an attempt to be polite they wait. As an hours time is closing in they decide it has been enough time and they tell the spartans that they will pass no matter they are standing in the road or not and return to their place in the middle of the column. They have a short discussion on how to tackle the spartans and then send the orders for attack.
The furthermost cohort, Atia's, change from four to six files, the small roads hadn't given more room for marching. As Atia's cohort march out to the left, turn around and march back to the right to place themselve with about one half of the cohort on eachside of the road Atia give the two brats order to take two decuria of cavallery each, one fourth each and ready them selves for encirclement. The brats, happy that something exciting is happening gladly ride away. Atia's cohort has placed itself as a six file snake crossing the road and everyone makes a left face and the six file marching order has become a six line battle line, ready to kill. All the time the spartans has just observed them like they were just clock work men that has run out of torsion power. Atiaäs centurio senior primus sends report back the some hundred meters along the rest of the front half of the troops and baggae train to the tribunes. Atia immediately orders attack.
As the legionaires march forward the spartans during silence form up for a battle line but being only a fifth as many they will have to do well to stop the romans, and that's just one out of four cohorts. On the other hand, everyone has heard about the 300 spartans at Thermopyle. The two front lines throw their spears and the spartans lift their big round shields and although some get hurt badly and fall down they are just silently replaced and the spartans big round shields do a good job to protect them from the spears and not many shields get pierced and weighted down by a pilum, rather the pilii slide off.
The jogging legionaires and spartans tackle each other with the shields and stab at each other, each with their pros and cons with spears or short swords. The spartans can't stand the four times as many romans and start to back down. The brats readies the cavallery.
The spartans fall and the romans slowly move forward driving the fewer and fewer standing spartans backwards. Their lines start to look thin and although the spartans aren't known for running away the cavallerists close up och each side of the legionaires, ready to encircle any escapers. THen suddenly the lines break and the spartans actually flee. The cavallery rides of, makes a circle and stab och ride down the fleeing spartans and drive the remaing ones into a circle of legionaries and cavallerists. Now the spartans surprise the romans again by giving themselves in. About a fifth of the spartans still stand and are disarmed and tied up. legionaries are sent to the house and Atia and Mettia themselves ride over to have a look. As expected it seems to be some sort of border post or inn for runners and marching soldiers. They find an office but someone has burnt some papers there lately. Atia and Mettia quickly go through the other paers and collect what seems to be inventories to be able to get a grip on troops in the area and maybe also food in the area. They then return to the troops and order them to be at war state since runner(s) presumably has lsipped away and if someone will try something they will know about them and what has happened.
The psartans are quesitoned but show some spartan traits and don't tell anything interesting and since there's no time for detailed questioning and they should anyhow be punished with the death so Atia orders them to be crucified. When that's done the column marches on but no prepared for battle or ambush.
Atia also decides to send a special report back to the legates and the praetor and because of the recent events she decide to use some of their own cavallery to fulfill the missions. Two pairs of riders are sent on different routes and at slightly different time to make it harder for any rebellious spartans to stop both messages (Check, give as good orders that at least one of the messages arrive: Militarist versus Militarist 3D, Passed). The riders later actually reach Athens and the praetor but that of course Atia doesn't know.
During their further travel Atia gets into a conflict with the eldest brat who almost, almost challenge her on a fight but she refuses to let private matters risk any of them or their ability to fullfill the mission during the mission. Private amtters has to wait until some other time. The brat feeling dishonoured storms off but there is no fight and the cohorts continue to march towards Sparta. Atia promises to record the events in one of her reports to the praetor (End of Player's Turn).
Roma obscura session 2 (c2s2)
Mettia and Atia, second and third tribune has found each other during the travel from Rome to Athens and spend time in the city to get to know and see what Athen's like.
In many ways it's just like any big city, except not as great as Rome. They do get a little suprised by a few things like the smaller size of the biggest houses, the more primitive common water supply and the war prisoners from the east making up the security guard in the city. Sure Rome has slaves as a watch for fires and trouble makers but they're not war prisoners and not armed with bows.
One of the things they do is to get some new clothers and among those some cloaks in greek style. As they walk around at Agora and other selling places they see a lot of bargaining going on (ofcourse) but when they approach sellers they just get a price. At first they think the the citizens are trying to fool the occupiers and get their money and then they think that they are weak and afraid and to dare to bargain and try to get a good price from the romans because they could be punished or something. In the end they realise that the price is quite honest, neither as low as some citizens get and neither as high as some citizens get. It's somewhere in between. They just don't really understand those greeks.
When they later on dress in their simplier greek cloaks instead of their roman togas they get very polarizied reaction; either they are openly disliked or openly liked. They guess that some think that they should not come here and think they are like the citizens and some think that at least they try to get to the local culture and not look at it from above.
Anyway they are painfully aware that there's lots of luggage from earlier roman civil wars fought in Achaia; Sulla, Caesar and others has fought internal roman enimies like Pompeius Magnus on greek territory and in that process eaten the greek's food, used their slaves, entertainded themselves with their young men and women and so on.
One evening their thoughts get diverted from their own eventual problems with the citizens. Sitting in one of the quite primitive but still peaceful greek bath house the two brats, foruth and fifth tribunes appear and jump into the personal bathtubs like children jumping into the basins in Rome and water is splattered on both Mettia and Atia and greek. The greek mumble very quietly and don't say anything and the brats seem to think that it's their right to behave as they wish since they are romans and the conquerers. They chatter loudly and tell plump jokes as they were ten years younger. They also order a lyricist to replace the peaceful and traditional lyricist already there trying to get a job some evening later on. The lyricist appearing on the brats' order is not halfly as skilled and only sing very plump lyrics. Erotic is fine but this don't have the finesse Mettia and Atia would have liked, erotic lyrics or not. They excuse themselves and leave and probably are seen as boring by the two brats. Whatever.
The next day they visit Akropolis and also make an offering to the forefathers as they continue their journeies around the city.
They also has to spend time organizing the troops, managing payments, food and so on and also keeping them in order when they aren't actively doing any specific mission (Obstacle: Administrator versus Ob3, Passed). One evening at a symposion they can't hold themselves but try to lure the praetor to tell them about the plans for their stay in Achaia. They actually manage to get the praetor to tell them some (Obstacle: Persuader versus Deceiver 4, Succeed with Condition Undisciplined). Apparently some of the cohorts, probably two, will be placed in Sparta and some, probably two, will be placed in Delphi. According to the praetor there has been some unrest in the western Achaia that he hasn't been able to really deal with with just one legion. He hopes that they can put a lid on the unrest by placing some troops here and there and thereby showing the appearance in Achaia more clearly. He doesn't say what the last two extra cohorts should do though (End of GM's Turn).
The time in Athens is a little boring since there's no work to be done except keep the troops ready for a march sometime soon but not any emergancy march with short notice so no real challenge. Some social activities witht he three brats can't be avoided and while Mettia and Atia can't get along with the fourth and fifth tribune the sixth tribune, Mortius, isn't that bad although he's quite bratty. At least he has the social consciousness to get flattered when Atia asks about his family's farms and mentions the good olives coming from one of them.
During the wait in Athens Atia and Mettia suggests a hunt as a try to get some time to pass and also to flatter the praetor some by asking him for good hunting grounds in the area. The praetor in turn is very polite and only suggests the area in very broad terms and when getting there all the time hinting for Atia who's leading the group where to go.
When the camp is set up they divide themselves in two groups; Mettia and the foourth and fifth tribunes in one group and Atia, the praetor and the sixth tribune int he other group. The legate and her first tribune has stayed in Athens to prepare for the secret mission (that Mettia and Atia actually know some of).
Mettia's group quite soon find a boar and start to drive it towards the other who spread out and prepare to face the beast and hopefully kill. There's a good chance they will just be avble to hurt it and have to leave the killing to Mettia's group though. As the both groups close in with the boar in between the two brats can't hold themselves and thunder away banging the sides of their horses and as the others in fear watch the two riders face the boars for themselves without other riders or armed companions they kill or almost kill the boar and in the process put both themselves and the horse in great danger. As the other arrive the praetor with a very skilled move leave his horse readying his spear as he lnads and stabs the boar over the throat to make sure it's actually lose it's strength and dies.
As the blood spreads over the grass the rest arrive. Atia and Mettia are not sure if they are relieved the brats survived or not but losing two tribunes in a hunting accident wouldn't gain Rome. Mettia walks up to the oldest of the brats who were in her group and although slightly still under her command, asks him what he in the name of the forefathers thought he were doing, slaps him, turns around join the others giving orders for butchering the boar and later return to the camp. During all this the praetor have seemed to observed everyone and especially the exploding conflict between Mettia and the brat.
In the evening the two brats keep much to themselves, maybe even seem a little ashamed. maybe some manner might seep into them from somewhere. Atia and Mettia socialize with the praetor and Mettia, with the aid of Atia, get him to tell about the mission details (Check: Persuader versus Deceiver, Passed). The praetor between the three of them; him, Atia and Mettia, expose more about the plans. Apparently there has been unrest in the east and therefore he will place two of the brats with their cohorts in Sparta and Atia and Mettia with their cohorts in Delfi. More important though probably is that in Delfi lives a weird but inspired philosopher. A young man that's ignited with ideas that's gonna change the world as the praetor sees it. This man and his inventions must be protected and guarded for Rome - without provoking the locals.
Among th ethings he has created is some sort of accounting machine that as the praetor sees it will change the world much more than the steam machines. Being able to transport troops slight faster than before and without making htem as tired and being in able to dig deeper in the ground because steam powered pumps are so much better is all good but not really changing the world. This accounting machine will though. Already the greeks seem to be getting this since they are pilgrimageing to delfi as before but more and more of them are now coming to get mathematical answer wich they take home and ponder over, conclude and then make decisions based upon. This in a speed much faster than with lots of slaves and lots of abacuses although they have to travel to Delphi. Politicians and philosohers rejoice alike. The praetor even thinks that the old oracle with it's connections to the collective of forefathers is dwindling behind the accounting machine driven by steam. As the praetor forsees the use of the connection to the forefathers and the heros for the cirty states and the Res Publica of Rome will die away. The more direct connection between specifice groups of forefathers and the specific families for family matters will never die but the not so giving connection to all roman or all civilized forefathers for the bigger collectives of humans will give in for the greater use of human creations that aid the humans directly here and now or maybee soon. This accounting machine is one such thing and more will come even if not many see it.
When they return towards Athens the two brats are still keeping to themselves and ride their own way back doing whatever brats do.
I Athens they go to the palestra and the bath house, which can't be compared to the bath houses in Rome. They're more like the smaller bath houses serving an insula or two. More than one time the brats have arrived to the bath house before Mettia and Atia and usually are frolicing around and sometimes ording lyricists, but always the plump ones. Always looked upon with frowns by the greeks.
Atia collects extra details reports from the troops to keep them on their feets and to have a grip on their status. The brats are as usual all over the place and almost make fools out of themselves a symposion held by the praetor. Atia instead is keeping it low and have a long time of meditation where she actually get in contact with her forefathers and explain her doings and why and actually seems to make them understand. She also sucks up some to them, the wise ones, the longer living ones than her, their collective wisdom (Check: Beginners Luck, Ceremony Master, Passed, Condition On Bad Terms with the Forefathers Are Removed).
Time passes as they wait for going on the secret but not so secret mission (End of Player's Turn).
In many ways it's just like any big city, except not as great as Rome. They do get a little suprised by a few things like the smaller size of the biggest houses, the more primitive common water supply and the war prisoners from the east making up the security guard in the city. Sure Rome has slaves as a watch for fires and trouble makers but they're not war prisoners and not armed with bows.
One of the things they do is to get some new clothers and among those some cloaks in greek style. As they walk around at Agora and other selling places they see a lot of bargaining going on (ofcourse) but when they approach sellers they just get a price. At first they think the the citizens are trying to fool the occupiers and get their money and then they think that they are weak and afraid and to dare to bargain and try to get a good price from the romans because they could be punished or something. In the end they realise that the price is quite honest, neither as low as some citizens get and neither as high as some citizens get. It's somewhere in between. They just don't really understand those greeks.
When they later on dress in their simplier greek cloaks instead of their roman togas they get very polarizied reaction; either they are openly disliked or openly liked. They guess that some think that they should not come here and think they are like the citizens and some think that at least they try to get to the local culture and not look at it from above.
Anyway they are painfully aware that there's lots of luggage from earlier roman civil wars fought in Achaia; Sulla, Caesar and others has fought internal roman enimies like Pompeius Magnus on greek territory and in that process eaten the greek's food, used their slaves, entertainded themselves with their young men and women and so on.
One evening their thoughts get diverted from their own eventual problems with the citizens. Sitting in one of the quite primitive but still peaceful greek bath house the two brats, foruth and fifth tribunes appear and jump into the personal bathtubs like children jumping into the basins in Rome and water is splattered on both Mettia and Atia and greek. The greek mumble very quietly and don't say anything and the brats seem to think that it's their right to behave as they wish since they are romans and the conquerers. They chatter loudly and tell plump jokes as they were ten years younger. They also order a lyricist to replace the peaceful and traditional lyricist already there trying to get a job some evening later on. The lyricist appearing on the brats' order is not halfly as skilled and only sing very plump lyrics. Erotic is fine but this don't have the finesse Mettia and Atia would have liked, erotic lyrics or not. They excuse themselves and leave and probably are seen as boring by the two brats. Whatever.
The next day they visit Akropolis and also make an offering to the forefathers as they continue their journeies around the city.
They also has to spend time organizing the troops, managing payments, food and so on and also keeping them in order when they aren't actively doing any specific mission (Obstacle: Administrator versus Ob3, Passed). One evening at a symposion they can't hold themselves but try to lure the praetor to tell them about the plans for their stay in Achaia. They actually manage to get the praetor to tell them some (Obstacle: Persuader versus Deceiver 4, Succeed with Condition Undisciplined). Apparently some of the cohorts, probably two, will be placed in Sparta and some, probably two, will be placed in Delphi. According to the praetor there has been some unrest in the western Achaia that he hasn't been able to really deal with with just one legion. He hopes that they can put a lid on the unrest by placing some troops here and there and thereby showing the appearance in Achaia more clearly. He doesn't say what the last two extra cohorts should do though (End of GM's Turn).
The time in Athens is a little boring since there's no work to be done except keep the troops ready for a march sometime soon but not any emergancy march with short notice so no real challenge. Some social activities witht he three brats can't be avoided and while Mettia and Atia can't get along with the fourth and fifth tribune the sixth tribune, Mortius, isn't that bad although he's quite bratty. At least he has the social consciousness to get flattered when Atia asks about his family's farms and mentions the good olives coming from one of them.
During the wait in Athens Atia and Mettia suggests a hunt as a try to get some time to pass and also to flatter the praetor some by asking him for good hunting grounds in the area. The praetor in turn is very polite and only suggests the area in very broad terms and when getting there all the time hinting for Atia who's leading the group where to go.
When the camp is set up they divide themselves in two groups; Mettia and the foourth and fifth tribunes in one group and Atia, the praetor and the sixth tribune int he other group. The legate and her first tribune has stayed in Athens to prepare for the secret mission (that Mettia and Atia actually know some of).
Mettia's group quite soon find a boar and start to drive it towards the other who spread out and prepare to face the beast and hopefully kill. There's a good chance they will just be avble to hurt it and have to leave the killing to Mettia's group though. As the both groups close in with the boar in between the two brats can't hold themselves and thunder away banging the sides of their horses and as the others in fear watch the two riders face the boars for themselves without other riders or armed companions they kill or almost kill the boar and in the process put both themselves and the horse in great danger. As the other arrive the praetor with a very skilled move leave his horse readying his spear as he lnads and stabs the boar over the throat to make sure it's actually lose it's strength and dies.
As the blood spreads over the grass the rest arrive. Atia and Mettia are not sure if they are relieved the brats survived or not but losing two tribunes in a hunting accident wouldn't gain Rome. Mettia walks up to the oldest of the brats who were in her group and although slightly still under her command, asks him what he in the name of the forefathers thought he were doing, slaps him, turns around join the others giving orders for butchering the boar and later return to the camp. During all this the praetor have seemed to observed everyone and especially the exploding conflict between Mettia and the brat.
In the evening the two brats keep much to themselves, maybe even seem a little ashamed. maybe some manner might seep into them from somewhere. Atia and Mettia socialize with the praetor and Mettia, with the aid of Atia, get him to tell about the mission details (Check: Persuader versus Deceiver, Passed). The praetor between the three of them; him, Atia and Mettia, expose more about the plans. Apparently there has been unrest in the east and therefore he will place two of the brats with their cohorts in Sparta and Atia and Mettia with their cohorts in Delfi. More important though probably is that in Delfi lives a weird but inspired philosopher. A young man that's ignited with ideas that's gonna change the world as the praetor sees it. This man and his inventions must be protected and guarded for Rome - without provoking the locals.
Among th ethings he has created is some sort of accounting machine that as the praetor sees it will change the world much more than the steam machines. Being able to transport troops slight faster than before and without making htem as tired and being in able to dig deeper in the ground because steam powered pumps are so much better is all good but not really changing the world. This accounting machine will though. Already the greeks seem to be getting this since they are pilgrimageing to delfi as before but more and more of them are now coming to get mathematical answer wich they take home and ponder over, conclude and then make decisions based upon. This in a speed much faster than with lots of slaves and lots of abacuses although they have to travel to Delphi. Politicians and philosohers rejoice alike. The praetor even thinks that the old oracle with it's connections to the collective of forefathers is dwindling behind the accounting machine driven by steam. As the praetor forsees the use of the connection to the forefathers and the heros for the cirty states and the Res Publica of Rome will die away. The more direct connection between specifice groups of forefathers and the specific families for family matters will never die but the not so giving connection to all roman or all civilized forefathers for the bigger collectives of humans will give in for the greater use of human creations that aid the humans directly here and now or maybee soon. This accounting machine is one such thing and more will come even if not many see it.
When they return towards Athens the two brats are still keeping to themselves and ride their own way back doing whatever brats do.
I Athens they go to the palestra and the bath house, which can't be compared to the bath houses in Rome. They're more like the smaller bath houses serving an insula or two. More than one time the brats have arrived to the bath house before Mettia and Atia and usually are frolicing around and sometimes ording lyricists, but always the plump ones. Always looked upon with frowns by the greeks.
Atia collects extra details reports from the troops to keep them on their feets and to have a grip on their status. The brats are as usual all over the place and almost make fools out of themselves a symposion held by the praetor. Atia instead is keeping it low and have a long time of meditation where she actually get in contact with her forefathers and explain her doings and why and actually seems to make them understand. She also sucks up some to them, the wise ones, the longer living ones than her, their collective wisdom (Check: Beginners Luck, Ceremony Master, Passed, Condition On Bad Terms with the Forefathers Are Removed).
Time passes as they wait for going on the secret but not so secret mission (End of Player's Turn).
Roma obscura session 1 (c2s1)
The legion consisting of legate Lutia, first tribune Niklos, second tribune Atia Lucius Quintilius, third tribune Mettia Equitus Hirrus, fourth tribune Faustus, fifth tribune Draconus, sixth tribune Mortius and their cohorts travel, mostly by steam train, southwards on the west coast of Italia, around the mountains and back up nortwards again. The train journey with few breaks of marching continue over to the proivince Achaia (Greece), southwards and around the mountatins and up to Athens where preator Mons is having his headquarters with his legion.
The foruth, fifth and sixth tribune soon show themselves as new, quite unskilled brats out on an adventure and during the long journey they manage to get on both Atia's and Mettia's nerves (and probably also Lutia's and Miklos').
In Athens the legion set up camp to await further orders while the legate and tribunes are received by the praetor and given room in his own house. The second evening he holds a reception and symposion. During this it is obvious that he is also socially and career-wise probing the tribunes. Atia and Mettia manage to leave still looking good and competent in the eyes of the praetor (Obstacle, Persuader versus Deceiver 4)
Two of the brats, the fourth and fifth tribune, show themselves for their most we-shall-enjoy-our-self-side and rumble around and even try to get Atia and Mettia to rumble along in their beds or maybe one big bed? Atia and Mettia manage to with a lot of Thanks-but-no-thanks steer them away without having to resort to threats of social or violent nature (Obstacle, Persuader versus Deceiver 3, Passed with Condition Undisciplined). Mettia and Atia don't really know what happens next, if the brats rumbled along by themselves with themselves or with someone else and don't care either (End of GM's Turn).
During the coming weeks while they are waiting for the orders to come, while the legates and the praetor make their plans Atia and Mettia arrange contests between the cohorts to keep them occupied and in form. They also convince the legate that the troops don't need two weeks of total rest but only one week and then they can go back to full duty (Check: Persuader versus Persuader 4, Passed).
During the contest the fifth cohort win 2 out of three contests and the fourth tribune's cohort win the third contest.. Mettia is frustrated by the non-information policy the legate seems to have while the plans are made but manage to get her aggression off her mind in boxing contests (Check, Will Ob 2, Passed, Condition Undisciplined is removed). Time passes and no plans for their visit in Achaia is revealed (End of Player's Turn).
The foruth, fifth and sixth tribune soon show themselves as new, quite unskilled brats out on an adventure and during the long journey they manage to get on both Atia's and Mettia's nerves (and probably also Lutia's and Miklos').
In Athens the legion set up camp to await further orders while the legate and tribunes are received by the praetor and given room in his own house. The second evening he holds a reception and symposion. During this it is obvious that he is also socially and career-wise probing the tribunes. Atia and Mettia manage to leave still looking good and competent in the eyes of the praetor (Obstacle, Persuader versus Deceiver 4)
Two of the brats, the fourth and fifth tribune, show themselves for their most we-shall-enjoy-our-self-side and rumble around and even try to get Atia and Mettia to rumble along in their beds or maybe one big bed? Atia and Mettia manage to with a lot of Thanks-but-no-thanks steer them away without having to resort to threats of social or violent nature (Obstacle, Persuader versus Deceiver 3, Passed with Condition Undisciplined). Mettia and Atia don't really know what happens next, if the brats rumbled along by themselves with themselves or with someone else and don't care either (End of GM's Turn).
During the coming weeks while they are waiting for the orders to come, while the legates and the praetor make their plans Atia and Mettia arrange contests between the cohorts to keep them occupied and in form. They also convince the legate that the troops don't need two weeks of total rest but only one week and then they can go back to full duty (Check: Persuader versus Persuader 4, Passed).
During the contest the fifth cohort win 2 out of three contests and the fourth tribune's cohort win the third contest.. Mettia is frustrated by the non-information policy the legate seems to have while the plans are made but manage to get her aggression off her mind in boxing contests (Check, Will Ob 2, Passed, Condition Undisciplined is removed). Time passes and no plans for their visit in Achaia is revealed (End of Player's Turn).
Roma obscura, name and Nature
The name ''Roma obscura'' is taken because it could mean ''The dark Rome'' or ''The smokey Rome'' and both fit with a vision I have of where the Rome of this setting is heading, a Rome with real London smog.
The original Mouse Guard Nature didn't fit that well with a roman setting so I took some inspiration from another Mouse Guard hack Realm Guard (Dunedain rangers of Tolkien's Middle-Earth) and tried to take it from there. What I ended up with (which might be changed) was:
Tradition, Family, Pride
The original Mouse Guard Nature didn't fit that well with a roman setting so I took some inspiration from another Mouse Guard hack Realm Guard (Dunedain rangers of Tolkien's Middle-Earth) and tried to take it from there. What I ended up with (which might be changed) was:
Tradition, Family, Pride
Roma obscura, Rome with a touch of steam punk
A new campaign in a fictious Rome of Augustus and steam using The Mouse Guard RPG system.
CHARACTERS:
Atia Lucius Quintilius
Age: 32
Title: tribunis (third year, wants to get to the next carreer step)
Belief: The right action is neither lessened nor amplified by the origin of the actor.
Instinct: Never waste time!
Traits: stubborn 1, legionary honour 1
Nature: 3 Will: 5 Health: 4
Auctoritas (resources): 7 Dignitas (circles): 7
Friend: Atilius Marcus Qunitus, prosperous merchant that has sponsored Valerius Lucius Qunitilius' (Atia's father) election campaigns.
Enemy: Secundus Titus Aurelius, upcoming politician that has collided with Atia.
Skills and wises:
Fighter 3
Healer -
Hunter 2
Instructor 4
Pathfinder -
Scout 2
Survivalist -
Weather watcher -
Orator 3
Deceiver 2
Persuader -
Rider 2
Cartographer 2
Militarist 3
Adminstrator 3
Mission-wise 1
War-wise 1
Mob-wise 1
Nobiles-wise 1
Mettia Equitus Hirrus
Age: 30
Title: tribunis (first year, wants to stay on practical levels of the army, no politics)
Belief: The world needs less politics.
Instinct: There is always a good tactic to the kill.
Traits: comititas 1, prudentia 1
Nature: 2 Will: 5 Health: 4
Auctoritas (resources): 7 Dignitas (circles): 6
Friend: Caelus Tuccius Pius, childhood friend. They were neighbours as childs. I many ways he's the opposite of Mettia, a real carreer politician. They meet sometimes and is good friends although their differences. They often have giving discussions about politics, strategy and how to make a carreer.
Enemy: Kiria av Delfi, the king of Ithaka's sister's daughter. Odros of Ithaka (the king's son) was held as Rome's guest to further the realationships between Rome and Ithaka (hostage). When the king appeared to give pirates harbour space on his island he was ordered to give up their names and force them out on the sea where they could be dealt with. The king refused and as a punishment as and as a mean to get him into other thoughts his son was killed. Mettia was the one carrying out the killing. The victim's cousin Kiria of Delphi was very much insulted and angry and grieved her cousin. She sought out who was involved and is thinking of how to carry out revenge.
Skills and wises:
Fighter 3
Healer 2
Hunter 3
Instructor -
Pathfinder 2
Scout -
Survivalist -
Weather watcher -
Orator 3
Deceiver 2
Persuader 2
Militarist 3
Baker 2
Rider 2
Strategy-wise 1
Tactics-wise 1
Sparks-wise 1
Cursus honoris-wise 1
Metaphysicist 2
CHARACTERS:
Atia Lucius Quintilius
Age: 32
Title: tribunis (third year, wants to get to the next carreer step)
Belief: The right action is neither lessened nor amplified by the origin of the actor.
Instinct: Never waste time!
Traits: stubborn 1, legionary honour 1
Nature: 3 Will: 5 Health: 4
Auctoritas (resources): 7 Dignitas (circles): 7
Friend: Atilius Marcus Qunitus, prosperous merchant that has sponsored Valerius Lucius Qunitilius' (Atia's father) election campaigns.
Enemy: Secundus Titus Aurelius, upcoming politician that has collided with Atia.
Skills and wises:
Fighter 3
Healer -
Hunter 2
Instructor 4
Pathfinder -
Scout 2
Survivalist -
Weather watcher -
Orator 3
Deceiver 2
Persuader -
Rider 2
Cartographer 2
Militarist 3
Adminstrator 3
Mission-wise 1
War-wise 1
Mob-wise 1
Nobiles-wise 1
Mettia Equitus Hirrus
Age: 30
Title: tribunis (first year, wants to stay on practical levels of the army, no politics)
Belief: The world needs less politics.
Instinct: There is always a good tactic to the kill.
Traits: comititas 1, prudentia 1
Nature: 2 Will: 5 Health: 4
Auctoritas (resources): 7 Dignitas (circles): 6
Friend: Caelus Tuccius Pius, childhood friend. They were neighbours as childs. I many ways he's the opposite of Mettia, a real carreer politician. They meet sometimes and is good friends although their differences. They often have giving discussions about politics, strategy and how to make a carreer.
Enemy: Kiria av Delfi, the king of Ithaka's sister's daughter. Odros of Ithaka (the king's son) was held as Rome's guest to further the realationships between Rome and Ithaka (hostage). When the king appeared to give pirates harbour space on his island he was ordered to give up their names and force them out on the sea where they could be dealt with. The king refused and as a punishment as and as a mean to get him into other thoughts his son was killed. Mettia was the one carrying out the killing. The victim's cousin Kiria of Delphi was very much insulted and angry and grieved her cousin. She sought out who was involved and is thinking of how to carry out revenge.
Skills and wises:
Fighter 3
Healer 2
Hunter 3
Instructor -
Pathfinder 2
Scout -
Survivalist -
Weather watcher -
Orator 3
Deceiver 2
Persuader 2
Militarist 3
Baker 2
Rider 2
Strategy-wise 1
Tactics-wise 1
Sparks-wise 1
Cursus honoris-wise 1
Metaphysicist 2
Friday, June 24, 2011
MG SPQM c1s11: Look at my family.
During the break in missions the patrol is called to a hearing about the hare incident. The hares have made a big event out of the patrol, who they don't know wich patrol it is, shot at a hare and now has temporarily ended their cooperation with Asylum which means no hare riders for The Guard and no hare contests at The Big Games. They probably won't hold that stance for long though since they need work done by the mice but for the moment it's the mice who has it worst.
It's Nona who ahs brought this up and questioned whether the patrol did the right thing and if they maybe should be punished in soem way. At the hearing is the patrol, Nona and a tribunis. The patrol defend themselves quite good although they can't get away from the fact that they're the reason that there's no hares for the hare riders and no hare contests fo The Big Games this year. In the end the tribunis concludes that they did wrong but that they can't really be held responsible for the result since they act with what information they had at the moment and at that moment the hare seemed to be a spy for someone and then not a member of the hare Asylum is cooperating with. There will be some discontent in The Guard (Obstacle, Conflict, Convince the tribunis they acted correct with the information at hand: Won with Minor Compromise).
As a few days pass by they realize that Nona and Faustus is working hard on getting most of the cedit for bringing on half of the box to Asylum and also rescuing the other half that the patrol lost. Now that can't be let pass by without taking a stand. A rethoric fight takes place over the coming week as Nona and Faustus is spreading lies and the patrol tries to kill the rumours with the truth. Apparently Nona and Faustus don't think that Gaius' patrol should have both a merit badge for the long secret box mission and the recover of the lost half. If their rumorus get a grip in the guards's minds there will be voices raised for not giving them to merit badges. Lucius is a good speaker and together they manage to almost fight the rumours but Nona and Faustus has a lead and works hard. In the end they only is given one merit badge but also Nona and Faustus is deemed quite suspicius by many guards and lose some of their good connections with other guards (Obstacle, Conflict, Convince the guards that Faustus and Nona is not speaking the truth: Won by both sides, The patrol only gets one merit badge and Faustus and Nona loses 1 point in Circles). The division between Nona & Faustus and the patrol is just widened (End of GM's Turn).
Gaius visits a doctor to finally get rid of the sickness lingering from the long period in the wilderness (Check: Passed Circles Ob4).
As things settle down Lucius, with his family head's good will start to arrange for a feast for the patrol, Mamercus Fabius Longius and the philosophers. The feast will just be a dinner for M F Longius but Lucius presents it as a simple dinner to remind fo the hardship the patrol and the philosophers endured together. The feast goes well and Mamercus finds it nice and picturesque and leaves thinking good of Lucius family (Ceck: Arrange dinner for Mamercus in a way that makes him focus on Lucius family as partners in the affairs with the philosophers, Passed Resources Ob6). During the dinner Dekia has her own agenda, she wants to lure Aeneas to tell her what the thing in the box is. Interested and curius as Lucius is he can't stop her although there's some risk that her attempts ruin the feast. In good team work witht he rest of the patrol Mamercus is distracted and Aeneas tungue slip late in the evening and he tells Dekia that it was a Astrobium, whatever that is, but as he's gone so far his own ego makes him to shortly explain what it could be used for. Apparently the one holding it will be able to sail across the big sea instead of around it. A fact that could topple the power balance in The League of Mice Cities not a little (Check: Passed Deciever versus 3D).
Satisfied with the course of events the patrol relax and finnally get some real rest for a while (End of GM's Turn).
illern (a) illertass.se
SPQM c1s10: Finally, the box is in Asylum!
Early Summer, 3 Weather Twists.
The patrol arrives at Asylum and immediately takes the philosophers to the barracks to leave them in the care of The Guard, report and convince the tribunis in command that there's still a chance to get to their half of the box - if they just get some extra patrols and quickly go out to comb the terrain. Dekia and Gaius leaves their report and try to convince the tribunis while Lucius keep an eye on the philosophers. Aeneas actually seems a little interested in the order of everything at the barracks although he usually seems to think that Asylum is well below Sapientia in every mean.
Dekia manages to convince the tribunis to give them three extra patrols and immediately go out and track the godmice down (Obstacle: Failed Persuader versus 3D, succeeded with Condition Angry). Immediately they escort the philosophers to Marmercus Longius Fabius, the city praetor, who will be their host in Asylum while the other patrols gather for the mission, only to find out that two of the three patrols are Faustus' and Nona's patrols. Gaius and Dekia bite their tongues, control themselves and they set out on the mission.
Now organization is a hard thing for mice but Gaius does a good job and the next day they're closing in on the godmice in double cadence and in good organized. It's almost that they for a moment feel a little breeze from The Golden Age as they fall down on the godmice who drops the box and run for their life (Obstacle: Passed Beginner's Luck Militarist).
They get the box and quickly returns to Asylum, a little surprised they could work so well together although the harsh relations and a little worried about that only a few godmice was travelling wioth the box. Without ambushes they arrive to Asylum and can give the box to a happy Aeneas (End of GM's Turn).
They now actually get two weeks of rest where they will get no new missions and they fall into some our-big-important-mission-is-finished-and-we-succeeded-coma. Later Lucius visits a Doctor and get his injuries treated (Check: Passed Contacts Ob4, Condition Injured is removed). Both Dekia and Gaius manage to, after a while, come to senses and relax now that the missions is over and they don't have to work with Nona or Faustus. Now the responsibility for the box is no longer theirs (Check: Passed Will Ob2 for both Dekia and Gaius).
The happiness is tainted with sadness though when two small mice babies, Lucius sister Prima's daughter and Gaius’ sister Prima's son, dies in some strange sickness that the patrol is supposed to have brought upon their families from their long mission in the wilderness (End of Player's Turn).
illern (a) illertass.se
Thursday, June 16, 2011
SPQM c1s9b: And the box is lost...
Early Summer, 2 Weather Twists
The patrol almost manages to get to Asylum when they're attacked Again. This time it's not someone's Liberation Front. It's godmice, those ridiculous mice that say that the forefathers doesn't exist and that the emergency plot device ''god'' actually exists and that all mice have to obey his will. The patrol readies their weapons and fight bravely but there's so many of them, so many…
After a hard fight the patrol breaks apart and a godmouse manages to get the box and run (Check; Travel the last part of the journey to Asylum with the box and the philosophers: Lost Conflict with Compromise, the patrol can follow the godmice with the box). The godmice withdraw and the patrol pants but there's no rest for the pretorians. They park the philosophers at a tavern and set out to get the box back.
They hunt down the mice, tackle them and grab the box and run away but it gets snatched from their paws again (Twist: Fighter versus 6D, Failed with a Twist).
Again the patrol hunts the godmice and catches them in a glade. They stop, drops the box and threatens to stab it to pieces with their spears. During this fight of the wills a godmice sneaks away with the box and disappears and then the other godmice also runs off (Fighter versus 5D, Failed with a Twist, Unseasonably Hot).
Depressed the patrol returns to the philosophers, pick them up and in the heat returns to Asylum. On the way they pick some hope. If they could convice a tribunis to send out several patrols it might be possible to get the box after all. It's just two hours to Asylum. The patrol hurries on (End of Players Turn)
illern (a) illertass.se
SPQM c1s9a: Still got the box, still got the box...
Early summer, 2 weather twists
The hare appears again and the patrol really bothers about it and is convinced that it's following them and reporting to someone about their whereabouts. Something has to be done. They decide to try to lure into a cramped situation and hurt it but not kill it with the belly shooter. They scout out a good place and some of them take the regular route their while some take a shortcut and prepare the belly shooter. The hare appears and Lucius fires. The spear goes through the ear of the hare and it takes a jump right away and disappears (Obstacle: Passed Physicist versus Hare 7D). The patrol sighs reliefed and continue their journey.
After some travelling they suddenly spot a crow and even before it dives down towards them they know that it will try to steal the box. Ravens are tricksters and can steal for the fun of it but are on the other hand not that bent on actually stealing something. Crows on the other hand are common thieves and engaged in stealing stuff. The patrol back down and when the crow lands they form a line with the spears towards it. The crows makes an attempt but gets quite badly hurt and gives it up (Obstacle: Passed Fighter versus Crow 7D). They hurry on (End of GM's Turn).
They continue their journey and when they rest for the night at a wine tavern Lucius manage to reason his way to a stoic way to look upon the hardship they have to endure (Check: Passed Recovery Ob2, Undisciplined is removed). They still have quite a piece of a road to travel to get to Asylum, they straggle on (Check: get one third of the way to Asylum, Complex Test with two Tests). As they walk on they come to a town where the inhabitants are about to start building the bridge. They have one problem though; they have to make an offering to the spirits and the forefathers before they begin this big engineering project. That's not a problem in it self but one or two poor families has fallen to banditry and will most probably attack and steal the offerings which contain a lot of food and a little silver and a gold coin.
After a short discussion the patrol conclude that they can't just walk on, they have to help the farmers laying the ceremonial foundation for the mundane bridge foundation. So they escort the caravan toward the stream to be bridged and they are attacked by the bandits. When the bandits see the pretorians they turn around and flee and at first the patrol thinks they made the day but in the meantime one of the accompanying farmers ran off with the silver and gold (Complex Test part 1: Fighter versus 4D, Failed with a Twist).
The patrol immediately hunts after him and quickly closes in when he lets go of the loot and runs away (Twist: Passed Scout versus 2D). The patrol picks up the money and return just in time to deflect a new robbery attempt. Now the caravan can travel in peace to the stream and conduct the ceremony. The pretorians travel on.
After a week or so they run into another patrol on a mission. The patrol is escorting workers towards the scent border where they will lay out scent to strengthen the barrier against predators. After some exchanging of news the patrol leader asks for help. They have sighted a kestrel and probably it's after the civilians. Normally the patrol probably could ward it off by themselves but now it's very important that no civilians get hurt or any of the equipment gets thrashed. Again the characters can't turn down the plea for help and change route to follow the other patrol until dusk and to stay with them until after dawn.
While the other patrol prepares the encampment together with the civilians the characters put up the belly shooter. Now the kestrels gonna encounter some mouse technology.
When darkness falls the kestrel attacks and Lucius once more fire the belly shooter. The kestrel gets the spear in the tars and almost drops to the ground before it turns away to get some easier caught food (Complex Test part 2: Passed Physicist versus Kestrel 6D). The other patrol thanks them and promises to tell about them when they return to Asylum. After dawn they part ways and the characters start the last part of the journey to Asylum (Almost End of Player's Turn).
illern (a) illertass.se
Friday, May 20, 2011
SPQM c1s8 Onwards, onwards.
Early summer, 2 weather twists
As a preparation for the journey they buy some crusts so that they if needed could travel a day without foraging which would make it possible to pick up the speed significantly for that day (Obstacle, buy crusts for one day for eight people: Resources Ob 4, Succeeded).
They have just travelled a few days when they start to notice a hare that seems to be the same hare every time and after yet a day or two it's obvious that it's following them. Already at the first encounter with a hare they suspected that it was reporting to someone and they discuss how to lure it or scare it away but don't find a way. Also the hares are allies to The Pretorian Guard so they don't want to hurt it. They have to live with it following them (Obstacle: Get away from the hare, outcome the hare is following them is accepted and not dealt with).
The keep walking worried about an ambush around every corner (End of GM's Turn)
After yet another day or two they start to get really, really worried about the hare following them and decide to try to talk to it to talk it out of following them. They even go out to find some nice food for hares to offer it but still doesn't manage. On the other hand it seems to actively avoid them (Check, Talk with the Hare: Loremaster Ob 3, Failed with a Twist). Not so surprisingly there soon comes an ambush right after they have walked through a village where all the houses have the same decoration on the doorposts. It's some plant Lucius doesn't recognize but it's obvious that it's always there even if it's sometime mixed up among other decorations. Shortly after the village they hear a cry, but a new one this time.. ''For God. By God's Word''.
The philosophers get very upset when they hear someone use the word ''word'', a word which also has the meaning of ''order'' and ''reason'', in combination with the word ''god'' in real life. To them and the patrol ''god'' is some obviously made up entity used in theatre plays to have en excuse to introduce a character or other element in the play without having to really write the play so that it leads up to that moment. You just introduce this god entity who with it's power comes down and do stuff. ''This is ridiculous!'' they shout.
The patrol form up and meet a many mice but not that experienced and they fight them off (Twist, fight off the godmice: Complex Test: Fighter versus 4D, both Tests Passed). They quickly move on.
As they move on they don't get that much opportunity to forage and Dekia buys some extra food for them (Check: Resources Ob 2 Passed, Condition Hungry & Thirsty is removed). There's not much else to do than move on and keep every eye open for more ambushes. Not surprising at all they soon again feel that they are followed and start to take small detours and keeping away from the obvious road choices and manage to avopid their stalkers.
As they travel on meet a scared family of a weak husband, a quite go-ahead mother, a young mouse and a small baby mouse. They're quite scared and says that a flying squirrel has been lurking around throwing glances at their youngest. Dekia gives the rest of the patrol no time to decide. Of course the patrol sahll help the family and so they form up to scout the the flying squirrel, protect the family and fight off the squirrel. They have just done that when the squirrel attacks from above in a silent glide. The patrol leaps forward as the civilians throw themselves to the ground and give the squirrels some good cuts that make the squirrel go away and find easier prey. They follow the family to their village which is approximately in the right direction. They then turn toward the correct direction and walk along towards Asylum (Check, get one third of the trip back to Asylum, Complex Test, part one avoid godmice, part two help family attacked by a flying squirrel: Passed Scout versus 5D and Passed Fighter versus Flying Squirrel 6D). Two weeks later they reckon they have during some intended and some not intended detours have gotten about a third of the rest of the trip to Asylum (End of Player's Turn).
illern (a) illertass.se
Sunday, May 8, 2011
SPQM c1s7c: It must be destroyed or you’re doomed...
Early summer, 2 weather twists
As Dekia thinks the thing should be delivered to Asylum at almost any price and haven't trusted Nona since the events in Asylums harbour she immediately sides against Nona. Gaius is convinced that the orders should be followed as they were intended and that means that the thing and the philosophers should be escorted to Asylum and if that comes with a price that's a risk you take when in The Guard and working for the community.
Nona is actively trying to convince the patrol that they won't survive trying to get the thing to Asylum and that the thing getting into the hands of Navalia will topple the whole balance of The League of Mice Cities, maybe even destroy it. They all know that Navalia can't fully be trusted. She looks at Lucius who isn't really participating but seems to be filled with anxiety and asks why he isn't siding up with the family and why he, if any in the patrol, doesn't see the political catastrophic effects of the thing getting lost to Navalia. Doesn't he trust her? Lucius doesn't know where to turn, patrol or family and nobiles? He is convinced that a pretorian should represent The Pretorian Guard and not his family but still he often instinctively defend the nobiles and Nona is after all both nobiles and family (Lucius sits out the first three actions of the upcoming conflict).
The discussion goes high and quickly involes insults and challenges for duels. Dekia and Gaius is also frustrated about the civilian mouse, Nona's client, who apparently knows a lot about the secret maters and who talks about being in the guard as if he know anything about it. After a while Lucius joins on the patrol's side (Check, Get all the philosophers and the thing to Stameus in it's current state: Conflict versus 4-5D, Won with Major Compromise, New Twist: The thing has to be dismantled and sent two different ways and they’re in a hurry not to be discovered).
Nona backs off in front of their arguments and her cousin Lucius taking the other side but only if the thing is dismantled and sent with two different parties rather than with one big party. Everyone agrees on that although Aeneas himself is skeptical. Now they only have to find a trustful smith that can modify a chisel into a special one needed for dismantling the thing and all the normal tools needed. They manage to find a smith that can do it and try to pay him to not talk about what they have ordered and what they have done in his workshop (Twist, Find a skillful smith and dismantle the thing within two days: Failed Physiscist Ob3 Succeeded with Condition).
After two days of hard work, a lot of lost money, little sleep and not that much food they look at the thing dismantled. The thing that, as Lucius trained in mechanics, is some kind of mathematical device is dismantled into it's four modules and a central piece is taken from each module and given to the wrong module. In that way, should a module get lost it will still not be functional and it will take a lot of work to reconstruct it and to guess one's way about the other modules needed. Lucius doesn’t really get the grip on the thing but a mathematical device could mean a lot of things. If one could just crank a dial and get the results of formulas then a big step would be taken for physis knowledge among mice. Lucius is still guessing a lot and he knows that Aeneas snatched a few things away from the device before he let them get at it...
illern (a) illertass.se
Friday, May 6, 2011
SPQM c1s7b: Stameus finally?
Early Summer 2 Weather Twists
Gaius chase of the robbers but don't follow them into the night. When they finally after a while wind down the manage to get some sleep and nothing more happens that night. THe next day the philosophers decide to go to the library and the patrol decides that they have to be escorted and since Lucius doesn't mind going to the library he volunteers. Dekia feel the duty to protect the philosophers. Gaius conclude that the mice trying to stop them won't be back already today and not during daylight so he decides that they don't have to escort the philosophers all three of them. He therefore takes the chance to go to the palestra instead of the library.
As the part and all but Gaius head for the library they manage to not take the shortest route to the library and end up on smaller streets than planned and suddenly some mice pop out in the street and tells them to hand over the box. All three of them is armed with knives, Lucius and Dekia has no weapons at all and the philosophers has only done some friendly wrestling on the palestra.
''Run!'' Lucius shouts turns Aeneas around and runs with him. Dekia stays behind a fraction of a second staring at the bandits and then runs after Aeneas and Lucius managing to buy the company a short head start. They run for their lives while the rest of the philosophers hide against the wall. The hunt goes on and the bandits manage to keep up. Gaius hasn't strolled that far towards the palestra when he hear mice come running. He turns around and see Aeneas, Dekia and Lucius come running along the street with three armed bandits after them.
As his patrol mates and Aeneas pass by he steps out in the street bravely taking the risk of fighting with three armed mice but thereby saving his friends, Aeneas and the mission. One bandit pass by on each side of Gaius but one has to stop and Gaius thereby evens out the struggle a little to his mates advantage. A quick and dirty fight starts. With his superior fighting skill Gaius even manage to knock down the bandit without any serious wounds which usually is the result of a knife fight (The Chase Conflict becomes a complicated Test with two Conflicts. If Gaius wins his Conflict only two mice will make up the opponent team for Dekia, Lucius and Aeneas. Gaius wins the Conflict, Fighter versus 3D, without Compromise).
The other two bandits keep chasing Aeaneas, Dekia and Lucius but the chased ones manage to keep the distance long enough for reaching better quarters with at least some city militia and even maybe one or two merchant body guards interested in the order in the city. The bandits give up and scatter off (Won Conflict, 5D at first but then just 4D, with minor Compromise). What Aeneas and the patrol hasn't noticed though is that some cog fell out of the thrashed box and that the bandits grabbed these when they ran off (Minor Compromise).
Dekia gets some city militia to come over but they're not that interested in mice chasing each other. Strictly that's not forbidden and after all Aeneas, Lucius and Dekia is citizens from another city and not formally included in the primary group of mice to protect - that's the citizens of Navalia. Meanwhile Gaius has manged to get another mouse to get some other militia mice who arenät that interested either but it's definitely very forbidden to bear arms inside the city walls so the grab the bandit and drags him away. The patrol gathers and go back to where they met the bandits and to their relief they find the philosophers hiding at a tavern (End of GM's Turn).
A little shook up they go to the library to do the research. THe philosophers order copies to be sent to them and Lucius look up some of the pictograms he found at the inner box (Check: Failed Archivist, Succeed with Condition). When they later eat they manage to convince the philosophers that Navalia actually is that dangerous that they have said all the time (Check: Passed Persuader versus 4D). Satisfied with that the patrol can conclude that they will do least wrong by escorting the philosophers to Asylum rather than wait in Navalia (although that's their new orders). Lucius try to soldier on and Gaius try to get rid of his frustrated thought after his misjugdement about the bandits but neither succeed (2 Failed Checks without Twists).
They now decide that it's time to leave Navalia as soon as possible and early the next day they leave for Stameus. They get to Stameus a little shaken and paranoid but without any mishaps but as they walk into the Inn an old enemy to Dekia sits there and directly greet them. It's Nona Iustus Carnifex, a not too distant relative to Lucius. Apparently she's there to meet up with them and see if they need any help and what kind of help they might need. It's a little strange though because she also has an client with her and has sent away the rest of the patrol as she wants to talk to them alone. She explains that they won't reach Asylum alive and that the box then will fall into the hands of the enemy and the box is mighty enough to give Navalia total power on the sea wich would topple the balance between the cities and Asylum, Saoientia, The Pretorian Guard and The League of Mice Cities would all lose in that case. Therefore they has to destroy the box. (Check, Get to Stameus with all the philosophers and the box, Conflict, resist getting convinced to destroy the box).
<GM's Note>Here it was late again and we decided to paly the Conflict the next meeting when we would be less tired and fully appreciate the exciting and quite importantat and crucial Conflict.</GM's Note>
illern (a) illertass.se
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