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Story Hour
Alea Iacta Parthia: Render Unto God (A Mythic Rome D&D 3.5 Storyhour) Chp. 5.; 6/22
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<blockquote data-quote="Orichalcum" data-source="post: 3593441" data-attributes="member: 3722"><p><strong>Chp. 3: Our Clouded Hills</strong></p><p></p><p>Shirzad stroked his beard, asking thoughtfully, "So, what kind of caravan is this, and what precautions did you take?"</p><p></p><p>The Kohen Gadol nodded thoughtfully, "You must understand, Magus, that Jews are required to tithe suitable sacrifices to the Temple here in Jerusalem. Traditionally, these would be suitable lambs, kids, and so forth. But many of our people have emigrated across the Empire, and the logistics of shipping 40 lambs from Roma or Ephesus to Jerusalem would be complex and extremely expensive. Therefore, one of my predecessors made a dispensation, allowing Jews outside Judaea to pay their tithe in coin, which we then use to buy sacrifices and support the priests here. Every 4 years, a special extra tithe is given prior to Passover, which begins in a few days. The ships laden down with tithes sail to the port of Joppa, where they are met traditionally by Temple Guards and escorted along the day-and-a-half journey up the foothills to Jerusalem.</p><p></p><p>Last fall, two loads of tithes, one from Ephesus and one from Roma, were stolen as the caravan made its way from Joppa to Jerusalem, we presume by bandits. There was no trace of the wagons or their guards remaining. The first tithe ship after the winter storms was due to arrive in Joppa four days ago. Worried about further banditry, I requested the assistance of the Governor and your legions."</p><p></p><p>Gaius Ligurius smoothly takes up the tale. "I assigned a century of troops, led by Centurion Lucius Valerius Plancus, to carry out the mission."</p><p></p><p>Both Valeria and Cornelia gasp slightly; Plancus is a client of the Metelli family, and has been to dinner once or twice at the household. He seemed to be a nice, earnest young man, determined to earn fame and fortune through military service. As a client, he is also their responsibility.</p><p></p><p>Ligurius looks sharply at them, and then continues, "Plancus led his troops slightly outside Joppa and then went into the city to meet the ship captain with a decury of ten, attempting to avoid publicity. They arranged to pick up the cargo from the captain after dawn the following morning. The transfer went smoothly, and Plancus and his men traveled all day into the foothills, along the Roman road. Shortly before sunset, they stopped to make a proper fortified camp. At some point during the setting up, they saw some sort of bright flash, and, according to the survivors, they were instantly blinded. They heard some tumult and noise of fighting, and then, after a few minutes, silence.</p><p></p><p> Sometime around noon of the next day, one of the scouts finally managed to wander into the next village, Emmaus, about three hours' walk from Jerusalem, by dint of feeling the Roman road with his sandals. The village sent a message to Jerusalem, and we sent another century to investigate and bring back our men. They found 82 blinded soldiers, including Plancus, exhausted, hungry, and with fierce headaches, but otherwise unharmed. They also found eighteen corpses, some with scorch marks on them - and the tithe wagons were missing. They searched the hills quickly, but found nothing, and deemed that the priority was in escorting our wounded and dead safely home."</p><p></p><p>"An understandable concern," Cornelia says politely. "Can we talk to the survivors?"</p><p></p><p>"Yes, they're in the infirmary," Ligurius answers. "You're also welcome to investigate the site and talk to anyone else you deem necessary."</p><p></p><p>"Can I look at the corpses?" Heilyn pipes up.</p><p></p><p>Both Shirzad and Shlomo gaze at him in disgust, and Valeria barely hides her disdain.</p><p></p><p>"Certainly," Ligurius responds after a pause. "They're in the mortuary, next to the infirmary. But they'll need to be cremated soon; the Jewish authorities are sensitive about unburied corpses."</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Orichalcum, post: 3593441, member: 3722"] [b]Chp. 3: Our Clouded Hills[/b] Shirzad stroked his beard, asking thoughtfully, "So, what kind of caravan is this, and what precautions did you take?" The Kohen Gadol nodded thoughtfully, "You must understand, Magus, that Jews are required to tithe suitable sacrifices to the Temple here in Jerusalem. Traditionally, these would be suitable lambs, kids, and so forth. But many of our people have emigrated across the Empire, and the logistics of shipping 40 lambs from Roma or Ephesus to Jerusalem would be complex and extremely expensive. Therefore, one of my predecessors made a dispensation, allowing Jews outside Judaea to pay their tithe in coin, which we then use to buy sacrifices and support the priests here. Every 4 years, a special extra tithe is given prior to Passover, which begins in a few days. The ships laden down with tithes sail to the port of Joppa, where they are met traditionally by Temple Guards and escorted along the day-and-a-half journey up the foothills to Jerusalem. Last fall, two loads of tithes, one from Ephesus and one from Roma, were stolen as the caravan made its way from Joppa to Jerusalem, we presume by bandits. There was no trace of the wagons or their guards remaining. The first tithe ship after the winter storms was due to arrive in Joppa four days ago. Worried about further banditry, I requested the assistance of the Governor and your legions." Gaius Ligurius smoothly takes up the tale. "I assigned a century of troops, led by Centurion Lucius Valerius Plancus, to carry out the mission." Both Valeria and Cornelia gasp slightly; Plancus is a client of the Metelli family, and has been to dinner once or twice at the household. He seemed to be a nice, earnest young man, determined to earn fame and fortune through military service. As a client, he is also their responsibility. Ligurius looks sharply at them, and then continues, "Plancus led his troops slightly outside Joppa and then went into the city to meet the ship captain with a decury of ten, attempting to avoid publicity. They arranged to pick up the cargo from the captain after dawn the following morning. The transfer went smoothly, and Plancus and his men traveled all day into the foothills, along the Roman road. Shortly before sunset, they stopped to make a proper fortified camp. At some point during the setting up, they saw some sort of bright flash, and, according to the survivors, they were instantly blinded. They heard some tumult and noise of fighting, and then, after a few minutes, silence. Sometime around noon of the next day, one of the scouts finally managed to wander into the next village, Emmaus, about three hours' walk from Jerusalem, by dint of feeling the Roman road with his sandals. The village sent a message to Jerusalem, and we sent another century to investigate and bring back our men. They found 82 blinded soldiers, including Plancus, exhausted, hungry, and with fierce headaches, but otherwise unharmed. They also found eighteen corpses, some with scorch marks on them - and the tithe wagons were missing. They searched the hills quickly, but found nothing, and deemed that the priority was in escorting our wounded and dead safely home." "An understandable concern," Cornelia says politely. "Can we talk to the survivors?" "Yes, they're in the infirmary," Ligurius answers. "You're also welcome to investigate the site and talk to anyone else you deem necessary." "Can I look at the corpses?" Heilyn pipes up. Both Shirzad and Shlomo gaze at him in disgust, and Valeria barely hides her disdain. "Certainly," Ligurius responds after a pause. "They're in the mortuary, next to the infirmary. But they'll need to be cremated soon; the Jewish authorities are sensitive about unburied corpses." [/QUOTE]
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