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Alea Iacta Story Hour: A Mythic Rome Campaign (Baby Announcement: 8/17)
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<blockquote data-quote="Orichalcum" data-source="post: 2870692" data-attributes="member: 3722"><p><strong>Alea Iacta X: Chp. 11: The Temptations of Flogging</strong></p><p></p><p>Meloch and Heilyn-the-monkey , aided by an emergency use of Meloch's next-to-last dose of invisibility dust, finally managed to escape the confused vigiles in the dark alleys of the Roman Subura. After some wandering around, they determined to hide the toga, as it was clearly unsafe to simply give it to Metellus for now. Meloch traced his path back to the small alley, where, a few months ago, he and Llyr had been ambushed and nearly killed - an unremarkable place to the average onlooker. Here Heilyn transformed himself back and then called upon the powerful earth spirit who had aided him before, taking the magical toga and sinking it deep into the ground, below the garbage-covered mud of the alley, below the smooth trodden cobblestones of the road below, deep into the stone of Roma herself.</p><p></p><p> It might have been their imagination, but as they crept out to the larger street, the alley seemed more inviting and agreeable than it had a few minutes before. Still, it would be almost impossible for anyone but Heilyn to retrieve the toga now. The two conspirators, who for the first time in their lives felt almost like friendly comrades, parted ways, Heilyn to return to Metellus Major's house and Meloch to sneak in through the back servants' door at the villa of Licinia Luculla. Unfortunately, Licinia's fat steward Ogulnius was waiting up for him. [This is a paraphrase, but I think very much in the spirit of Meloch - he can disagree.]</p><p></p><p> "Do you know that your monkey used up three bales of firewood heating a bath for itself, pygmy?" Ogulnius roared.</p><p></p><p> "Don't be silly," Meloch replied cheekily. "Everyone knows monkeys can't run baths. Are you expecting me to believe it understands a hypocaust system and how to build the fire underneath the tub correctly?"</p><p></p><p> Ogulnius pauses, defeated by logic momentarily. "Then you must have done it!"</p><p></p><p> "I've been gone on errands for my mistress for the past several hours, honorable steward. Do you think I floated the firewood to the bath by magic?" Meloch makes random but ominous hand gestures.</p><p></p><p> "You and your monkey..." Ogulnius spluttered. "Get yourself cleaned up. With cold water! And don't disgrace this household by consorting with street scum, as it smells like you've been doing! Or I'll tell Licinia Luculla!"</p><p></p><p> "Of course, honorable steward. I'm so sorry my smell offends you. It's just so hard to keep the ladies of the Subura away from me, you know..." Meloch answered leeringly, before scampering through the kitchen door and off to Cornelia's quarters, and a cold bucket or two of water.</p><p></p><p> "Shast," he asked me, shivering in the night air of the atrium a little later, "how exactly _did_ you carry three bales of firewood?"</p><p></p><p> "Meloch, my friend," I replied sagely, "I don't ask about your business; don't worry about mine..."</p><p></p><p> I thought it was probably wise not to mention that I had also raided the cosmetic oils and herb stores of Licinia Luculla in order to have a properly fragrant bath and the new toughness to my fur that seemed to have resulted - after all, it wasn't Meloch's concern. He's a good friend, but not nearly concerned enough about personal comfort.</p><p></p><p> Shortly after dawn, Ogulnius came personally to the threshold of Cornelia's suite, kicking Meloch and I awake as we slept across the entrance to her room. "Domina Cornelia, there is an official messenger at the door for you."</p><p></p><p> Cornelia, a little bemused, wrapped a heavy mantle around herself and covered her hair before going to the front door, while Meloch and I followed, peeking through the entrance to the servants' quarters.</p><p></p><p> An officious slave, wearing insignia indicating that he belonged to the judges of Roma in their official capacity, looked her up and down. "Are you Cornelia Crispa, daughter of Cornelius Crispus the Legate?"</p><p> </p><p> "He was Acting Prefect, but yes," Cornelia responded coolly.</p><p></p><p> "I have the duty to serve you with this announcement of a forthcoming suit against you. You are requested and required to present yourself before the tribunal of the judge G. Rutilius Creticus, on charges of theft, assault, witchcraft, cursing a Roman citizen, and, ah, attempting to influence a political campaign through foul means."</p><p></p><p> "What? Who is alleging such things? I have been here in my mother's villa resting quietly for the past few days, except for a few visits to the houses of prominent Roaman nobles!" Cornelia gasped, already inwardly thinking of all the different crimes that the messenger might possibly be referring to.</p><p></p><p> "The plaintiff is one Gnaeus Tertius Publicola. He attests...let me see...he claims that you set your pygmy witch slave and your foul demonic spirit monkey to attack him in his home last night and steal a valuable object from him. And of course, domina, you are legally responsible for all the actions of your slaves."</p><p></p><p> "Of course," Cornelia repeats, growing pale, and then gradually more angry, before she recovers the dignified demeanor of a Roman lady. "Well, you may tell the judge that I will certainly be there in three days to answer such ridiculous, baseless charges, and thank you for delivering the summons, messenger." She takes the scroll, and closes the door in the messenger's face. Then Cornelia counts to five, in Greek, quietly, before turning around and shouting into the servants' quarters, "Meloch!!!"</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Orichalcum, post: 2870692, member: 3722"] [b]Alea Iacta X: Chp. 11: The Temptations of Flogging[/b] Meloch and Heilyn-the-monkey , aided by an emergency use of Meloch's next-to-last dose of invisibility dust, finally managed to escape the confused vigiles in the dark alleys of the Roman Subura. After some wandering around, they determined to hide the toga, as it was clearly unsafe to simply give it to Metellus for now. Meloch traced his path back to the small alley, where, a few months ago, he and Llyr had been ambushed and nearly killed - an unremarkable place to the average onlooker. Here Heilyn transformed himself back and then called upon the powerful earth spirit who had aided him before, taking the magical toga and sinking it deep into the ground, below the garbage-covered mud of the alley, below the smooth trodden cobblestones of the road below, deep into the stone of Roma herself. It might have been their imagination, but as they crept out to the larger street, the alley seemed more inviting and agreeable than it had a few minutes before. Still, it would be almost impossible for anyone but Heilyn to retrieve the toga now. The two conspirators, who for the first time in their lives felt almost like friendly comrades, parted ways, Heilyn to return to Metellus Major's house and Meloch to sneak in through the back servants' door at the villa of Licinia Luculla. Unfortunately, Licinia's fat steward Ogulnius was waiting up for him. [This is a paraphrase, but I think very much in the spirit of Meloch - he can disagree.] "Do you know that your monkey used up three bales of firewood heating a bath for itself, pygmy?" Ogulnius roared. "Don't be silly," Meloch replied cheekily. "Everyone knows monkeys can't run baths. Are you expecting me to believe it understands a hypocaust system and how to build the fire underneath the tub correctly?" Ogulnius pauses, defeated by logic momentarily. "Then you must have done it!" "I've been gone on errands for my mistress for the past several hours, honorable steward. Do you think I floated the firewood to the bath by magic?" Meloch makes random but ominous hand gestures. "You and your monkey..." Ogulnius spluttered. "Get yourself cleaned up. With cold water! And don't disgrace this household by consorting with street scum, as it smells like you've been doing! Or I'll tell Licinia Luculla!" "Of course, honorable steward. I'm so sorry my smell offends you. It's just so hard to keep the ladies of the Subura away from me, you know..." Meloch answered leeringly, before scampering through the kitchen door and off to Cornelia's quarters, and a cold bucket or two of water. "Shast," he asked me, shivering in the night air of the atrium a little later, "how exactly _did_ you carry three bales of firewood?" "Meloch, my friend," I replied sagely, "I don't ask about your business; don't worry about mine..." I thought it was probably wise not to mention that I had also raided the cosmetic oils and herb stores of Licinia Luculla in order to have a properly fragrant bath and the new toughness to my fur that seemed to have resulted - after all, it wasn't Meloch's concern. He's a good friend, but not nearly concerned enough about personal comfort. Shortly after dawn, Ogulnius came personally to the threshold of Cornelia's suite, kicking Meloch and I awake as we slept across the entrance to her room. "Domina Cornelia, there is an official messenger at the door for you." Cornelia, a little bemused, wrapped a heavy mantle around herself and covered her hair before going to the front door, while Meloch and I followed, peeking through the entrance to the servants' quarters. An officious slave, wearing insignia indicating that he belonged to the judges of Roma in their official capacity, looked her up and down. "Are you Cornelia Crispa, daughter of Cornelius Crispus the Legate?" "He was Acting Prefect, but yes," Cornelia responded coolly. "I have the duty to serve you with this announcement of a forthcoming suit against you. You are requested and required to present yourself before the tribunal of the judge G. Rutilius Creticus, on charges of theft, assault, witchcraft, cursing a Roman citizen, and, ah, attempting to influence a political campaign through foul means." "What? Who is alleging such things? I have been here in my mother's villa resting quietly for the past few days, except for a few visits to the houses of prominent Roaman nobles!" Cornelia gasped, already inwardly thinking of all the different crimes that the messenger might possibly be referring to. "The plaintiff is one Gnaeus Tertius Publicola. He attests...let me see...he claims that you set your pygmy witch slave and your foul demonic spirit monkey to attack him in his home last night and steal a valuable object from him. And of course, domina, you are legally responsible for all the actions of your slaves." "Of course," Cornelia repeats, growing pale, and then gradually more angry, before she recovers the dignified demeanor of a Roman lady. "Well, you may tell the judge that I will certainly be there in three days to answer such ridiculous, baseless charges, and thank you for delivering the summons, messenger." She takes the scroll, and closes the door in the messenger's face. Then Cornelia counts to five, in Greek, quietly, before turning around and shouting into the servants' quarters, "Meloch!!!" [/QUOTE]
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