Menu
News
All News
Dungeons & Dragons
Level Up: Advanced 5th Edition
Pathfinder
Starfinder
Warhammer
2d20 System
Year Zero Engine
Industry News
Reviews
Dragon Reflections
Columns
Weekly Digests
Weekly News Digest
Freebies, Sales & Bundles
RPG Print News
RPG Crowdfunding News
Game Content
ENterplanetary DimENsions
Mythological Figures
Opinion
Worlds of Design
Peregrine's Next
RPG Evolution
Other Columns
From the Freelancing Frontline
Monster ENcyclopedia
WotC/TSR Alumni Look Back
4 Hours w/RSD (Ryan Dancey)
The Road to 3E (Jonathan Tweet)
Greenwood's Realms (Ed Greenwood)
Drawmij's TSR (Jim Ward)
Community
Forums & Topics
Forum List
Latest Posts
Forum list
*Dungeons & Dragons
Level Up: Advanced 5th Edition
D&D Older Editions
*TTRPGs General
*Pathfinder & Starfinder
EN Publishing
*Geek Talk & Media
Search forums
Chat/Discord
Resources
Wiki
Pages
Latest activity
Media
New media
New comments
Search media
Downloads
Latest reviews
Search resources
EN Publishing
Store
EN5ider
Adventures in ZEITGEIST
Awfully Cheerful Engine
What's OLD is NEW
Judge Dredd & The Worlds Of 2000AD
War of the Burning Sky
Level Up: Advanced 5E
Events & Releases
Upcoming Events
Private Events
Featured Events
Socials!
Twitch
YouTube
Facebook (EN Publishing)
Facebook (EN World)
Twitter
Instagram
TikTok
Podcast
Features
Top 5 RPGs Compiled Charts 2004-Present
Adventure Game Industry Market Research Summary (RPGs) V1.0
Ryan Dancey: Acquiring TSR
Q&A With Gary Gygax
D&D Rules FAQs
TSR, WotC, & Paizo: A Comparative History
D&D Pronunciation Guide
Million Dollar TTRPG Kickstarters
Tabletop RPG Podcast Hall of Fame
Eric Noah's Unofficial D&D 3rd Edition News
D&D in the Mainstream
D&D & RPG History
About Morrus
Log in
Register
What's new
Search
Search
Search titles only
By:
Forums & Topics
Forum List
Latest Posts
Forum list
*Dungeons & Dragons
Level Up: Advanced 5th Edition
D&D Older Editions
*TTRPGs General
*Pathfinder & Starfinder
EN Publishing
*Geek Talk & Media
Search forums
Chat/Discord
Menu
Log in
Register
Install the app
Install
Community
Playing the Game
Story Hour
Alea Iacta Story Hour: A Mythic Rome Campaign (Baby Announcement: 8/17)
JavaScript is disabled. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding.
You are using an out of date browser. It may not display this or other websites correctly.
You should upgrade or use an
alternative browser
.
Reply to thread
Message
<blockquote data-quote="Orichalcum" data-source="post: 1644205" data-attributes="member: 3722"><p><strong>Alea Iacta IX: Lux et Veritas Post 13: Teatime</strong></p><p></p><p>At this point, Metellus and Cornelia had to dash off for a rescheduled late dinner with Lupina Silvana, the Emperor's mistress, unbeknownst to Cornelia's mother. Metellus' father, on the other hand, had spoken highly when asked about Lupina Silvana. Apparently, she had been the wife of an old senatorial friend of his, and had come on the Emperor's campaign in Dacia along with her husband many years ago. Metellus Major confessed to having had a slight unrequited passion for Lupina - back before he met Metellus' mother, of course. While there was some gossip that the Emperor had deliberately sent Lupina's husband out on a suicide mission at the front of the lines, Metellus Major strongly discouraged his son from entertaining that thought, saying it was disrespectful both to the Emperor and to a charming, well-bred noblewoman. </p><p></p><p>Since the rest of the group was busy dealing with the prisoner, they decided to invite along Llyr's cousin Kynton the charioteer, on the grounds that he was polite and good at telling stories, and also, like Llyr, a Prince of the Brigantes. </p><p> </p><p>Lupina Silvana, as it turned out, lived in a lovely villa on the Aventine Hill. She was not quite what either Cornelia or Metellus had expected, at all. Lupina Silvana is a woman in her late 60s, with carefully coiffed white hair wearing an elegant blue stola and palla of light linen, and only a few strings of malachite necklaces. She waved her guests into a comfortable dining room, and then asked if they would mind if her grandchildren joined them. "They do like hearing stories of faraway places, especially Britannia."</p><p></p><p>"Of course," Cornelia replied. Lupina sent a slave off to fetch them, and a few minutes later, a young boy of 11 or 12 carrying a ball came rushing in, followed quickly by a girl of 15 or 16, in whom the older refined beauty of Lupina could be seen in youthful, if still awkward, form. </p><p></p><p> "These are my grandchildren. I call them Silvanus and Silvanilla." Lupina said calmly, gesturing at them to recline on the remaining couch.</p><p> </p><p> "Did you fight in the battle against the Druids and Caledonii? Did you kill lots of evil naked barbarians? Did you?" Silvanus says excitedly.</p><p></p><p> "Well, I helped kill the Chief Druid of all Britannia....<looks at Cornelia glaring> and Cornelia was there in that fight too, actually..."</p><p></p><p> "Oh, please, tell us what happened, Tribune, and I want to know how you were there, Cornelia Crispa," the pretty Silvanilla says with a smile.</p><p></p><p> "Well, we were on a diplomatic mission to the Iceni at the time..." Cornelia begins, "and then the lightning bolt came down...." and the grandchildren both gasp in horror, "and then she transformed into a giant tiger through her foul Druidic magics!...." and the entire battle is recounted.</p><p></p><p></p><p> Kynton, who has been fidgeting impatiently during this whole time, bursts in, "But that was nothing! At the beginning of the battle, I was about to be sacrificed by the Druids to fuel their evil magics! But I managed to escape and rejoin Metellus and Cornelia just in the nick of time, nearly severing both my wrists and ankles in the process and fighting off enormous guards!"</p><p></p><p> Cornelia responds tartly, "I thought Llyr untied you and you ran."</p><p></p><p> "From the enormous guards, and only to find help and save Llyr and all the rest of you. Besides, it would have been dreadful for my career if my wrists had been hurt. I'm a charioteer!" Kynton announces proudly.</p><p></p><p> Silvanus is instantly rapt, much more excited than he was even about the battles. "Really? What color do you race for? I like the Blues. My dad used to own several Blue chariot teams, and once he took he to the stables when I was little."</p><p> Silvanus and Kynton dive into an arcane conversation about the current chariot teams of this season. </p><p></p><p> Meanwhile, Lupina Silvana skillfully directs the rest of the talk back to Britannia.</p><p> "I had heard that you earlier went north in search of the Ninth Legion? Did you ever find any trace of their fate?"</p><p></p><p> Metellus explains that they found the Eagle, and signs that the Ninth had been betrayed internally by Tribunes and Centurions in collusion with the Druids. Lupina pales and then flushes visibly with anger for a moment at this news, before controlling herself. "What a disgrace to Rome and her loyal officers!" she exclaims.</p><p></p><p> Cornelia has a sudden flash of intuition, and decides to pursue a hunch. "Lupina, your grandchildren are very well brought up. Are their parents in the countryside?"</p><p></p><p> "Their parents are dead," Lupina answers abruptly. "I have raised them for the past eight years. Thank you - I have tried to teach them to be good Romans, although Silvanus does not get as much fighting training as I would wish."</p><p> </p><p> "The Emperor showed me how to throw a javelin before he left last month," Silvanus interrupts briefly to say with pride.</p><p></p><p> "Are you good with it?" Metellus asks.</p><p></p><p> "I can hit the column at the end of the porch almost every time!" Silvanus tells him.</p><p></p><p> Looking at the 3-foot wide column, Metellus smiles and says, "I hope you keep practicing!"</p><p></p><p> Some conversation about military training ensues. Silvanilla seems highly intrigued by Kynton's descriptions of daring chariot races through deep forests, and Lupina Silvana is clearly a little less pleased about Silvanilla's fascination with the charioteer.</p><p> </p><p></p><p> Shortly afterwards, the children retire to bed, and Metellus and Cornelia make their excuses, anxious to get back to the prisoner interrogation. As they are walking away from the villa, Cornelia whispers, "Did you figure out why she summoned us?"</p><p></p><p> "Um, no, although she seems very interested in the Ninth and Britannia."</p><p></p><p> "I think those are the children of Gallus, the Emperor's dead brother who got damnatio memoriae-ed after committing suicide due to the shame of losing the Ninth! That's why she's so interested - she wants to redeem the memory of Gallus!" Cornelia explains.</p><p></p><p> "Do you have any evidence for this theory at all?" Metellus asks skeptically.</p><p></p><p> "Well, the two kids are named after her, Silvana, when they should be named after their father, which means that they're either illegitimate or something strange is going on. And she wanted them to hear the stories about Britannia. And their parents died 8 years ago, just when Gallus died. And Silvanus mentioned that his father really liked chariot racing, and remember, one of the slaves that Gallus freed at his death, the first one we found, was a charioteer!"</p><p></p><p> "Well, when you put it that way, it's almost convincing. But we need to go back and talk to her. But for now, we need to avert the burning of Roma!"</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Orichalcum, post: 1644205, member: 3722"] [b]Alea Iacta IX: Lux et Veritas Post 13: Teatime[/b] At this point, Metellus and Cornelia had to dash off for a rescheduled late dinner with Lupina Silvana, the Emperor's mistress, unbeknownst to Cornelia's mother. Metellus' father, on the other hand, had spoken highly when asked about Lupina Silvana. Apparently, she had been the wife of an old senatorial friend of his, and had come on the Emperor's campaign in Dacia along with her husband many years ago. Metellus Major confessed to having had a slight unrequited passion for Lupina - back before he met Metellus' mother, of course. While there was some gossip that the Emperor had deliberately sent Lupina's husband out on a suicide mission at the front of the lines, Metellus Major strongly discouraged his son from entertaining that thought, saying it was disrespectful both to the Emperor and to a charming, well-bred noblewoman. Since the rest of the group was busy dealing with the prisoner, they decided to invite along Llyr's cousin Kynton the charioteer, on the grounds that he was polite and good at telling stories, and also, like Llyr, a Prince of the Brigantes. Lupina Silvana, as it turned out, lived in a lovely villa on the Aventine Hill. She was not quite what either Cornelia or Metellus had expected, at all. Lupina Silvana is a woman in her late 60s, with carefully coiffed white hair wearing an elegant blue stola and palla of light linen, and only a few strings of malachite necklaces. She waved her guests into a comfortable dining room, and then asked if they would mind if her grandchildren joined them. "They do like hearing stories of faraway places, especially Britannia." "Of course," Cornelia replied. Lupina sent a slave off to fetch them, and a few minutes later, a young boy of 11 or 12 carrying a ball came rushing in, followed quickly by a girl of 15 or 16, in whom the older refined beauty of Lupina could be seen in youthful, if still awkward, form. "These are my grandchildren. I call them Silvanus and Silvanilla." Lupina said calmly, gesturing at them to recline on the remaining couch. "Did you fight in the battle against the Druids and Caledonii? Did you kill lots of evil naked barbarians? Did you?" Silvanus says excitedly. "Well, I helped kill the Chief Druid of all Britannia....<looks at Cornelia glaring> and Cornelia was there in that fight too, actually..." "Oh, please, tell us what happened, Tribune, and I want to know how you were there, Cornelia Crispa," the pretty Silvanilla says with a smile. "Well, we were on a diplomatic mission to the Iceni at the time..." Cornelia begins, "and then the lightning bolt came down...." and the grandchildren both gasp in horror, "and then she transformed into a giant tiger through her foul Druidic magics!...." and the entire battle is recounted. Kynton, who has been fidgeting impatiently during this whole time, bursts in, "But that was nothing! At the beginning of the battle, I was about to be sacrificed by the Druids to fuel their evil magics! But I managed to escape and rejoin Metellus and Cornelia just in the nick of time, nearly severing both my wrists and ankles in the process and fighting off enormous guards!" Cornelia responds tartly, "I thought Llyr untied you and you ran." "From the enormous guards, and only to find help and save Llyr and all the rest of you. Besides, it would have been dreadful for my career if my wrists had been hurt. I'm a charioteer!" Kynton announces proudly. Silvanus is instantly rapt, much more excited than he was even about the battles. "Really? What color do you race for? I like the Blues. My dad used to own several Blue chariot teams, and once he took he to the stables when I was little." Silvanus and Kynton dive into an arcane conversation about the current chariot teams of this season. Meanwhile, Lupina Silvana skillfully directs the rest of the talk back to Britannia. "I had heard that you earlier went north in search of the Ninth Legion? Did you ever find any trace of their fate?" Metellus explains that they found the Eagle, and signs that the Ninth had been betrayed internally by Tribunes and Centurions in collusion with the Druids. Lupina pales and then flushes visibly with anger for a moment at this news, before controlling herself. "What a disgrace to Rome and her loyal officers!" she exclaims. Cornelia has a sudden flash of intuition, and decides to pursue a hunch. "Lupina, your grandchildren are very well brought up. Are their parents in the countryside?" "Their parents are dead," Lupina answers abruptly. "I have raised them for the past eight years. Thank you - I have tried to teach them to be good Romans, although Silvanus does not get as much fighting training as I would wish." "The Emperor showed me how to throw a javelin before he left last month," Silvanus interrupts briefly to say with pride. "Are you good with it?" Metellus asks. "I can hit the column at the end of the porch almost every time!" Silvanus tells him. Looking at the 3-foot wide column, Metellus smiles and says, "I hope you keep practicing!" Some conversation about military training ensues. Silvanilla seems highly intrigued by Kynton's descriptions of daring chariot races through deep forests, and Lupina Silvana is clearly a little less pleased about Silvanilla's fascination with the charioteer. Shortly afterwards, the children retire to bed, and Metellus and Cornelia make their excuses, anxious to get back to the prisoner interrogation. As they are walking away from the villa, Cornelia whispers, "Did you figure out why she summoned us?" "Um, no, although she seems very interested in the Ninth and Britannia." "I think those are the children of Gallus, the Emperor's dead brother who got damnatio memoriae-ed after committing suicide due to the shame of losing the Ninth! That's why she's so interested - she wants to redeem the memory of Gallus!" Cornelia explains. "Do you have any evidence for this theory at all?" Metellus asks skeptically. "Well, the two kids are named after her, Silvana, when they should be named after their father, which means that they're either illegitimate or something strange is going on. And she wanted them to hear the stories about Britannia. And their parents died 8 years ago, just when Gallus died. And Silvanus mentioned that his father really liked chariot racing, and remember, one of the slaves that Gallus freed at his death, the first one we found, was a charioteer!" "Well, when you put it that way, it's almost convincing. But we need to go back and talk to her. But for now, we need to avert the burning of Roma!" [/QUOTE]
Insert quotes…
Verification
Post reply
Community
Playing the Game
Story Hour
Alea Iacta Story Hour: A Mythic Rome Campaign (Baby Announcement: 8/17)
Top