Mouse Guard SPQM source material

Planning for some Mouse Guard SPQM work; illustrations and some guard related stuff.

Rollbeskrivningar till MG: SPQM på GothCon 2013

Fausta Livius Elerius

Fausta kommer från en familj med rötterna i Sapientia och har uppfostrats att tänka och planera. Hon har blivit en duktig patrulledare som ser till vad patrullen kan göra utan att ta för mycket hänsyn till individerna. Fausta är ganska beläst och tror på att det går att klura ut en lösning på i princip allt. Hon har i Asylum övertygats om vikten av kollektivet framför individen trots sin uppväxt med demokratin i Sapientia. Faustas tro på att en plan kan lösa allt gör att hon inte räds ens ugglor, vesslor eller vargar - så länge man kan göra upp en plan för att hantera situationen.

Faustas vän Manius är också centurio och de delade många och långa stunder i arkiven både under sin tid som tiro (rekryt) och senare för att studera.

Faustas fiende Nona Sennius Bambalio är ledare för en sekt som är tveksam. Visserligen får alla möss, även i Asylum, hedra och vörda vem eller vad de vill men villkoret är att de även hedrar viktiga förfäder från Asylum. De lärda i Asylum och Sapientia vet att det inte finns några gudar eller liknande, det enda övernaturliga som finns är vägen till Efterlivet för de rättfärdiga, förfädernas själar - ibland hjälpsamma, ibland motarbetande - och en del mindre naturandar som penater. De vet också vikten av att ha sina förfäder på sin sida, därför finns en utbredd förfädersdyrkan i Sapientia och Asylum och i statlig regi hedrande av vissa hjältar. Dessa hjältar ska enligt Asylums lag hedras av de möss som önskar åtnjuta gardets beskydd. Gör de det är de fria att tro på vad som helst och hedra vad som helst. Möss som inte hedrar dessa hjältar ska inte skyddas av gardet och i Asylum är det brottsligt att inte hedra hjältarna.

För ett par år sedan möttes Fausta (med patrull) och Nona inte långt från Asylum. Nona begärde eskort av gardet men Fausta beslutade att Nona och hennes sektmedlemmar inte skulle få beskydd eftersom de inte gav några raka svar på om de hedrade hjältarna. Eftersom det inte var klart att de inte gjorde det valde Fausta att inte heller anmäla dem eller fängsla dem trots att de var på väg till Asylum. Nona blev dock förbannad för att hon nekades vad hon tyckte var en rättmätigt förtjänt tjänst.

Fausta försöker ofta att inte stöta sig med dem högre i samhället. Det ställer ofta till så det blir svårare att genomföra uppgifter och att planer måste läggas om. Hellre än att konfrontera senatorer eller gardets tribuner försöker hon förbereda sig på att hantera de eventuellt besvärliga situationer som kan uppkomma om något inte är solklart. En bra plan kan hantera det.

Om Secunda
Ogillar Secundas impulsivitet men uppskattar å andra sidan att Secunda inte ger upp.

Om Caeso
Gillar Caesos respekt för lagen (har inte insett Caesos egoism).

Om Gnaeus
Gnaeus är överskeptisk till demokratin även om de är överens om republik som bäst. Gillar att Gnaues är försiktig men sedan står på sig.

Traits
Gravitas: A sense of the importance of the matter at hand, responsibility and earnestness. This replaces Driven.

Leader: The Guard is always in need of strong leaders. Such mice have a rare quality that inspires groups of mice to listen to them, even when they speak softly or indirectly. But it is important that these leaders do not abuse their powers and remain capable of following orders themselves.

Pietas: "Dutifulness" More than religious piety; a respect for the natural order socially, politically, and religiously. Includes the ideas of patriotism and devotion to others

Favoritvapen
Stötspjut: +1D Maneuver, Attack är Versus mot Attack, Attack är Independant mot Maneuver.

Secunda Clovus Ignatus

Secunda är född och uppvuxen i Asylum, hennes släkt har bott där i alla tider. Secunda är lite av en hetsporre och ogillar starkt att ge upp. Ibland kan man dock behöva omgruppera för att sätta mer tryck bakom sin lösning, alla problem har dock en lösning - bara den har tillräcklig tyngd bakom sig.
Secunda bryter rätt mycket med sina stillsamma föräldrar och en del av hetsporren i henne kommer av detta. I ett försök att lära henne lugn och disciplin kontaktade hennes föräldrar arkivet i Asylum och fick dem att ta in Secunda under hennes två första säsonger i början av henne karriär i gardet. Detta hade inte avsedd inverkan, om något tvärtom.

Secundas vän Mamercus Camilius Erasinus träffade hon för första gången som tiro (rekryt). De fattade tycke för varandra och hjälptes åt genom hela tiden som tiro. I början av sin tid som fullvärdiga pretorianmedlemmar tyckte de det var jobbigt att vara i olika patruller men så småningom insåg de deras vänskap kunde stärka deras respektive patruller och på så vis uträtta mer genom samarbete och förståelse och på så vis bidra mer till Gardet.

Secundas fiende Caela Iulius Eborius blev mer ovän med Secunda än tvärtom. En pojke valde Secunda framför Caela vilket gjorde Caela väldigt bitter vilket dessutom späs på av att hon inbillar sig att de häftiga och tuffa gardesmössen får fördelar i Asylum och dessutom får många fler flickor och pojkar.

Om Gnaeus
Har svårt för Gnaeus försiktighet.

Om Fausta
Står inte ut med Faustas eviga planeringsmani.

Om Caeso
Kan inte med Caesos regelfascism, regler måste böjas ibland för att få något gjort.

Traits
Virtus: Valor, excellence, courage, character, and worth. This replaces Bold and Brave.

Comititas: Ease of manner, courtesy, openness, and friendliness. This replaces Open-Minded.

Curious: Curious mice can find engagement in tasks, especially new ones but can on the other hand happen to stick their noses where they shouldn't be. There's a saying in the territories, ''Curiousity killed the mouse first''.

Favoritvapen
Gladius: +1D på envald handlingstyp i Conflict.

Gnaeus Oppius Dignus

Gnaeus kommer från en familj som i alla tider levt i Asylum. Han är övertygad om kollektivets storhet och Asylums högre grad av kultur även om Sapientia får erkännas komma rätt nära. Gnaeus är dock väldigt skeptisk till de folkval som Sapientia tillämpar. Det ger för mycket makt åt okunniga. Bättre då att, som i Asylum, nyttja en begränsad form där folket kan rösta in representanter i folkförsamlingarna som sedan bestämmer vissa saker i samarbete med senaten.

Gnaeus är en duktig jägare och blev han bara lite bättre på Scout skulle han kunna bli mycket duktig även på att jaga banditer. Han har varit med om en hel del strid och banditkontakt och lärt sig en hel både om banditer och skogen men inte riktigt tagit till sig letandet och spåret eftersom det ofta sköts av någon annan som redan varit duktig på det.

Ofta är Gnaeus försiktig med att bestämma sig men har han bestämt sig så står han för det och är definitivt ingen push-over. Resonemang kan dock få honom på andra tanker men det går åt goda argument, logik och tydlighet.  Att Gnaeus alltid står på sig, tror på kollektivet före individen och är hyfsat gammal och inte har någon nära familj att förlora gör att Gnaeus är en ganska hård person med lite att förlora.

En gång i tiden var Gnaeus ganska deprimerad och övervägde på allvar att bara bege sig ut och försvinna i vintern och om inte vädret eller rovdjur dödade honom ordna det själv. Octavia som sedermera också blivit en duktig jägare, kanske till och med bättre gav honom dock en mening med livet när hon berättade om gardet (som hon redan var medlem i). De utvecklade en vänskap som dock bara är en vänskap även om de emellanåt kan ha lite vänsex (vilket en del misstänker och satt en del rykten i omlopp).

När Gnaeus var Tenderpaw tränade Gnaeus mycket med bland annat en mus vid namn Flavia Murrius Ulixes. Numesie klarade sig inte genom hela tiden som lärling och tiro och blev aldrig antagen. Gnaeus såg mycket av vad Flavia gick för och ansåg helt enkelt att gardet inte skulle gynnas av att anta Flavia, hon var helt enkelt inte tillräckligt engagerad och Gnaeus tycker tribunerna tog rätt beslut. Flavia ansåg dock att Gnaeus var nonchalant och inte stod upp för Flavia och stöttade henne och kanske till och med såg sin chans att komma före i urvalsprocessen.

Om Fausta
Uppskattar att Fausta planerar först och agerar sedan.

Om Secunda
Har svårt för Secunda och tycker Fausta är för slapphänt med regelbrott och galenskaper.

Om Caeso
Instämmer i Caesos tro på kollektivet och reglerna samhället vilar på, har inte insett Caesos egoism.

Traits
Firmitas: Strength of mind, the ability to stick to one's purpose. Replaces Determined.

Quiet: Mice are quiet by nature, but these mice are even more so. They’re quiet in everything they do— the way they speak, the way they work and the way they walk. Some sink so far into quietude, they have difficulty coming out of their shells.

Constantia: Military stamina, mental and physical endurance. This replaces Tough from MG RPG.

Favoritvapen
Stötspjut: +1D Maneuver, Attack är Versus mot Attack, Attack är Independant mot Maneuver.

Caeso Lusius Marsicus

Caeso är uppväxt i Asylum i en familj i en släkt som alltid bott i Asylum och ser framför sig hur han har framgång i gardet och bringar ära och penningstöd till sin familj och släkt och därmed även åt Gardet och i slutänden då Asylum. Caeso har klara egoistisk drag och är duktig på att se nytta för kollektivet i sådant som är bra för Caeso själv. Caeso ser medlemmar i senaten och gardet som förmer än andra möss i Asylum och möss i Asylum som förmer än andra möss. Caeso är duktig på att se moralvärden i olika beslut och handlingar men det är då moralen att det ska gynna Caeso, gardet och Asylum. Högre än alla möss är lagen och den ska ingen bryta, senator, gardesmus, nobiles, plebej eller annan. Det är lagen och ordningen som gör Asylum så framgångsrikt och att mössen utvecklat sin civilisation.

Caesos vän är en insektsherde som Caeso och dennes patrull hjälpte att klara nästan alla insekterna undan en storm som hade raserat herdens hela ekonomi och tillvaro. Caeso plockade fram sina insektskunskaper från sin ungdom och tidiga tid vid Gardet och tillsammans med hans skicklighet i att se väderförändringar kunde patrullen göra en insats och rädda herdens insekter och därmed dennes familjs tillvaro.

Caeso tog väldigt snabbt till sig reglementet för Gardet och en gång tidigt fick en gardesmus, Iona, reglementet noggrant läst för sig och omtalat att denne kände till och skulle känna till detta. Iona blev mycket förtörnad och har sedan dess sett det som en anledning till att hon inte blev befodrad till principales.

Om Fausta
Tycker Fausta är för slapp med Secundas regelbrott.

Om Secunda
Har egentligen inget problem med Secundas impulsivitet, däremot med regelbrotten som kommer av dem.

Om Gnaeus
Ser Gnaeus som lite lättmanipulerad eftersom Gnaeus ofta tar tid på sig att bestämma sig.

Traits
Iustitia : Sense of moral worth to an action.

Humanitas: Refinement, civilization, learning, and being cultured.

Jaded: Jaded mice have seen many things and don't easlily get upset or out of menatl balance but they can also become unengaged or not take serious things seriously.

Favoritvapen
Shield: +2D, -1D Recover from Fatigue.

Illerns konventskampanj i MG: SPQM så långt

This will be in swedish but it's background material for a campaign I've been running at swedish gaming conventions.

Förrförra sommaren (702 a u c) sändes patrullen på ett enkelt men viktigt uppdrag, postleverens med hemliga brev. Detta är inte den typ av uppdrag som Secunda sett fram emot i gardet utan ser det mest som en transportsträcka till ett viktigt handlingsfyllt uppdrag. Fausta däremot ser det som en god träning för de oerfarnare i patrullen för en av de viktigaste erfarenheterna är att skaffa sig rutiner och lära sig lägga upp planer. Dessutom är kommunikation och logistik kärnan i Asylums och Sapientias framgång. De levererar posten till Stameus, en stor gruvstad, och får post att leverera till Asylum. På vägen tillbaka från Stameus försöker en korp sno posten av ren nyfiken-het och på pin tjiv eftersom postväskan uppenbarligen är viktig för mössen. Korpen försvinner iväg med posten men mössen förföljer den och så småningom kommer de till dess näste där de hittar posten. Olyckligtvis dröjer de för länge och när de är på väg ned kommer korpen tillbaka och är denna gång betydligt aggressivare och det blir en strid på liv och död som patrullen håller på att förlora.

Plötsligt får de hjälp från en mycket oväntat håll, vesslor attackerar korpen och dödar den och plötsligt står den utmattade patrullen öga mot öga med lika många vesslor och det är bara en fråga om hur många av vesslorna som överlever att äta upp dem och huruvida någon av patrullmössen kommer stekas levande. Nu händer något ännu mer oväntat, tre gigantiska vesslor, och vesslor i sig är stora från början, faller de vanliga vesslorna i ryggen. Patrullmössen flyr i en inte särskilt ordnad reträtt men med postväskan i behåll. På något vis lyckas de komma undan medan vesslorna slåss med varandra.

De återvänder till Asylum med posten och rapporterar om vessleaktivitet långt inne i territorierna. Det blev ett handlingsfyllt uppdrag där Secunda fick handla snabbt och på liv och död. Även Gnaeus hårdhet och förmåga att hitta och undvika andra varelser i terrängen tillsammans med Faustas ledarskap var viktiga delar av att de klarade sig.

När en ambitiös fälla samma sommar (702 a u c) dödar en patrullmus och kunde tagit en hel civil karavan med sig så skickas patrullen ut för att undersöka den och eventuellt hitta spår efter vesslorna som förmodas ligga bakom så patruller kan söka efter dem och om inte döda dem så åtminstone driva ut dem ur territorierna.

Undersökningen visar till deras oro att det är möss som byggt fällan, möss med kunskap i gångbygge, möss som gruvmöss. Arbetet är stort och har krävt arbetsledare med teoretiska kunskaper. Patrullen söker runt och finner att mössen kommit från Stameus, en stad stor gruvdrift  inte så långt från fällan. De hittar dock inga misstänkta men uppfattar en asylumskeptisk stämning i Stameus och rapporterar vad de funnit om fällan och om stämningen i Stameus. De tycker stämningen i Stameus så pass oroande att de finner det nödvändigt att poängtera att det rent av kan förberedas uppror eller utbrott ur Alliansen i Stameus. Faktiskt så pass att det måste poängteras med eftertryck. Särskilt Caeso och Gnaeus såg beteendet i Stameus som ett allvarligt tecken på att mössen där inte samarbetar i det stora kollektivet som Musstädernas allians är, det samarbete som är själva grunden för kollektivets framgång och motståndet mot vesslorna.

 

Detta får till följd att en senator skickas till Stameus med ett ultimatum, ett ganska kort hållet sådant (optimaterna är i överläge för tillfället) och patrullen får i uppdrag att eskortera denne. Eskortuppdraget går bra ända till de på hemvägen blir inringade av vesslor. När de nästan börjat förbereda sig på att sälja sig så dyrt som möjligt och senatorn har talat med förfäderna och lånat en dolk för att kunna lämna jordelivet med den äran dyker plötsligt en jättevessla upp där de förskansat sig. Jättevesslan påstår sig vilja hjälpa dem komma undan de vanliga vesslorna. Det är förstås ingen som tänker lita på jättevessla som dessutom tittar lystet på dem hela tiden. De inser dock att de inte har något val och följer jättevesslan beredda på att få sälja sig dyrt till en jättevessla i stället. Jättevesslan leder dock mössen, vars doft försvinner i jättevesslans starka doft, bort från de andra vesslorna och försvinner. Patrullen och senatorn tar sig hem på helspänn. Optimaterna, till vilka senatorn hörde, är en gruppering i senaten som i mycket består av de rikare senatorerna och som värnar traditioner, nobiles, filosofi och Asylums överhet. Den största andra grupperingen är populisterna som tar upp folkets frågor, som värnar de bredare massorna. De är över lag inte heller lika styvnackade som optimaterna ofta är.

Under försommaren förra året (703 a u c)  får patrullen under lite hierarkiskt oklara omständigheter i uppdrag/order att eskortera en senator, en av de högsta i Asylum - en av sex praetor peregrini (utlänningsdomare) till Stameus, antagligen för att leverera nya krav och besked. Senatorn avviker under vistelsen i Stameus och visar sig möta upp med två jättevesslor. Efter att nätt och jämnt ha skapat en stand off mellan fyra möss och två jättevesslor lyckas patrullen föra med senatorn för att dömas i Asylum. Under en utfrågning lyckas senatorn finta patrullen och drar fram sin dolk och begår självmord och dör med en hälsningsfras till förfäderna. Patrullen återvänder frustrerad men med jättevesslornas kodmeddelande till pretorn vilket överlämnas till Pretoriangardets tribuner. Det blir mycket utfrågningar och hörningar i senaten men hur många som var med honom förblir okänt. På grund av senatorns hedersamma frånfälle får familjen behålla egendomarna och skickas inte i exil. 

Sluteffekten av avslöjandet av samarbetet med jättevesslorna blir en stor misstänksamhet i senaten uppblandat med möjligheter att smutskasta politiska fiender genom att associera dem till pretorn som mötte vesslorna eller att på annat vis antyda att de kanske är förrädare. Det är då inte vilket förräderi som helst utan ett brott mot högsta heligheten (bland annat självaste Asylum). För sådant kastas man ut från förrädarklippan i Asylum. 

Under tidig sensommar (703 a u c) blir patrullen utskickad som en av fem patruller som ska eskortera en handelsskeppskonvoj. Handelskonvojen som på hemvägen ska frakta, för Asylum, mycket viktig säd till vinterförråden har getts fem triremer med en gardespatrull på varje (på den gamla goda tiden innan det utarmande Vesslekriget hade varje skepp haft 5-6 patrullers bemanning utöver skeppsbesättningen). Resan norrut går bra och konvojen anländer till Lostora och deras last av förädlade varor omsätts i silver guld och framför allt säd. Det mesta av hemresan går också bra, ungefär två tredjedelar av vägen.

Konvojen attackeras av pirater. Det hade i sig inte varit ett stort problem då även piraterna lider av det, efter Vesslekriget, nedbrutna samhället. Det visar sig dock att de attackerar tillsammans med två minkar. Minkar är enorma vattenlevande vesslemonster och det är enbart Faustas patrulls oräddhet och samarbe som räddar deras trirem från undergång. Tre av de andra förstörs och kantrar och besättningarna börjar drunkna. I detta kaos bordar piraterna två handelsskepp och sänker ett tredje (triremer sjunker normalt sett inte) och försvinner i väg. Den femte triremen eskorterar de få kvarvarande handelsskeppen med överlevande söderöver medan patrullens skepp beger sig iväg i den riktning piraterna försvann.

Det finns trots allt inte hur många ställen som helst att gömma mer än fem piratskepp (biremer) och det krävs en stor befolkning för att kunna bemanna skeppen. Patrullens skepp hittar såsmåningom piraternas nattläger (vare sig biremer eller triremer är lämpade för dygnet-runtsegling) och gör strandhugg en bit bort. Patrullen smyger bort till lägret för att bekräfta misstankarna. Väl vid lägret upptäcker de att det inte bara är pirater där, minkarna är också där samt både triremer och fraktskepp från Navalia. Navalia är en av de tre dominerande städerna i Musstädernas allians (Asylum och Sapientia är de två andra) och är en övervägande handels- och flottmakt. Patrullen retirerar till sitt skepp och beger sig i gryningen söderut med så långa dagsseglingar de kan. Hela resan diskuteras och ältas frågan vad de ska göra när de kommer hem. Att piraterna ska fångas in och skickas till gruvorna är inget snack om saken. Piratledarna kommer troligen dömas till döden. Minkarna måste även de dödas för om de får avkomma och fäste i innanhavet kommer det bli katastrof. Utan ett lugnt och seglingsbart innanhav kommer Musstädernas allians bryta samman på grund av de förlorade logistikmöjligheterna. Frågan är dock vad som ska göras med informationen om att navaliaskepp är involverade.

De skulle kunna låta bli att nämna det för sammanhållningen i alliansen. En dag kommer vesslorna tillbaka och då måste de vara enade. Då kommer det också märkas om Navalia följer Asylum och Sapientia i att fånga in piraterna, bränna deras boplatser och jaga rätt på och döda minkarna. I så fall kanske det går att lita på navalia som helhet ia lla fall. Om de tvekar eller avstår så är förräderiet tydligt och ute i luften om patrullen delger sin information. å andra sidan så är lagen och mos maiorum (förfädernas sed) tydlig. Navalia har förrått aliansen och slagit sig samman med pirater och begått brott mot högsta heligheten, de har samarbetat med vesslor (minkarna). En annan trängande fråga är hur minkarna kommit in till innanhavet. Det tillsammans med de ökande förekomsterna av vesslor på senare år är mycket oroväckande. Rapporterar de allt kommer alliansen falla samman men å andra sidan så går det kanske ändå inte att lita på navalia i ett krig mot vesslorna ändå.

Medan Fausta och Secunda tvekade bestämde Caeso och Gnaeus sig för att berätta och vittna i senaten. ett sådant flagrant brott mot lagar om heligheterna och mot förfädernas sed kunde inte gömmas. ett litet tag hängde alliansen i sköra trådar och den interna politiken i asylum blev än spändare beroende på vad man trodde om vittnena men på förfrågan berättade och bekräftade även Fausta och Secunda och frågan om vad som hänt ställdes i hårda ordalag till Navalia (röster höjdes för assimilering av Navalia till Asylum och ett upphörande av deras självstyre). Navalia avrättade ett antal sjösoldater, skeppsbesättningar och befäl och frånsade sig ansvaret för vad som hänt och pratade om myteri. Delar av deras armé och flotta dekimerades även för att tilltala Asylum. Under tiden attackerade gardet piraternas tillhåll och tog befolkningen som slavar och lyckades med stor manspillan (fråmst i trirembesättningar) döda minkarna. Under förhör av pirater kom det fram att minkarna hade färdats tillsammans med vesslor som fördats i territorierna vilket fröklarade att ingen märkt något. Den myckna vessleaktiviteten hade döljt de två minkarna. Pirater påstod dock att samarbetet med Navalia var större än det verkade och sanktionerat på hög ort. det tolkades dock som försök att rädda deras skinn eller om det möjligen ignorerades för att rädda Musstädernas allians.

SPQM c1s17

The winter is closing in, time to leave to be able to get to Asylum before winter sets in and they get caught up somewhere? There will be a need for Pretorian Guards in Rustica to clear things up. Now The Guard doesn't have that kind of resources but to make the city dwellers believe that's what's gonna happen Dekia writes a letter to the city's government where she stakes out the needs the city has to fullfill the next summer when The Guard returns.

They try to get a smith to even out Dekia's shield so it at least will be useable if not as good as before. That of course wouldn't be a matter - unless weapon smithy was illegal. Even if it's for The Pretorian Guard The Milita must acknowlege it. De can't arrange a permission that fast but offer to give a basic repair along with some of their own equipment as a nice gesture but can't promise it will be ready tomorrow.

The patrol mice spend some time waiting for Nona and also to get some time off duty. They walk the streets as tourists, Gaius buy souvenires and they also decide to test something called vole booze. They find out that it's only served in the outskirts of the city and in the harbour area - and only after work day's ending. A little confused but with their curiosity awakened they visit a so called tavern in the harbour area in the evening. They try the thing, puke, get rumbling stomachs and decide to never do it again.

They leave and walk for their own inn when they suddenly get attacked by jumping spiders, a coordinated attack from three directions (Obstacle: Fight Animal versus 4D, Passed). They hear the mice letting the spiders go and managed to unsheat their weapons and fight the spiders off easy but there's no use in trying to follow the mice behind it in the dark and with their lead. They decide to carry on towards the inn. Suddenly Gaius almost get a roof brick in his head, something that would hurt him bad, maybe even killed him (Obstacle: Fighter versus 4D, Passed). This time they're not gonna let the culprit go and rush towards the closest stairs but when they get up on the roof the mouse there, knowing his ways around manged to sneak down before they came up and now have run out via some other stairs (End of GM's Turn).

When they arrive to the inn there is almost an upstirring there. The other patrol mice has also been attacked or had ''mysterious accidents'' and are in the mood for revenge, on the the responsible and the city in general. On of the ''ooops-accidents'' was a discus at the palestra who almost hit one of the mice directly in the head wich would have rendered him out of duty in one action. Some of them were attacked on the streets and so on.

Gaius decide that they shall leave the city and return to Asylum otherwise they won't make it before winter. Lucius is a little surprised by this un-Gaius-like behaviour, he expected a revenge led by Gaius himself. As they get a grip on the sistuation and hav some rest Lucius endulge in food and wine and fill his stomach and mind (Check: Resources Ob1, Passed, Condition Hungry & Thirsty is removed). Gaius is taking it uncharacteristically easy but is stil frustrated and angry although he tries to get over it and all that has happened (Check: Will Ob2, Failed). Dekia goes to bed early and manage to get a good night's rest (Check: Health Ob3, Passed, Condition Tired is removed). They sleep with a guard watching the room (End of Player's Turn).

SPQM c1s16c

The by the forefathers damned captain of the so called civil guard doesn't really seem to care about the order in the city, at least not when it's patrol mice that get attacked. The patrol mice bite their tongues and don't speak up but leave and meet up with the rest of the patrol mice (except Nona and her patrol).

There they are approached by a messenger from the duumviirs of the city who tells them that they ''ought to'' leave their weapons by the guard. After a lot of argumenting they do this but to be able to have at least a few armed mice they apply for bodyguard permission for the patrol leaders, the centurio. If acknowleged each of them will be allowed to have a bodyguard armed with knofe or dagger but it will take time to process their application. When they leave their weapons with the guard they manage to get a list of toll transaktion to find out who trades most, least and in between. Gaius patrol mice divide the lists between themselves and during the coming days they find out who are trading the most over the city borders, among others a gold and silver trader and a seed trader. When questioned the seed trader actually answers that he has noticed some changes in who buys what and in what amounts mice buy or sell. He has noticed a substantial raise in the price of seeds but no special raise in the buying of seed as traders had seen in Lostora. During these days the rest of the patrol os marching up and down the streets where they think the black mailers are working to give them a hard time.

As they are doing some progress Lucius manage to get in balance again (Check; Passed Will Ob 2, Undisciplined (Angry) is removed).

Dekia tries to provoke Vorenus, the black mailing mouse, to come forward by spreading the romour that they are gonna stay in Rustica for a long time (Check; Succeed with Condition) and manage to provoke him to do something (End of Player's Turn).

SPQM c1s16b

As the patrol returns to the inn they go by the palestra and have a long and hard nice exercising. After bathing they actually return to the inn, only to find that their spears has been broken, their wooden shields has been hacked at with axes. Dekia's round bronze shield has been severely buckled as have their helmets. Their swords and weapon belts have been peed on. One big and utterly offensive act against them and The Pretorian Guard. Although they actually threatens people at and around the inn noone has heard or seen anything. They are apparently afraid of someone. The patrols switch inn and soak up their belts in a try to get the worst smell out of them. Nona doesn't appear.

It is quite obvious that the black mailing mouse they met yesterday is responsible so they decide to pay him a visit early in the morning, all ten of them (Nona and her patrol have still not appeared). As they arrive two ''muscles'' stand guard at the gate to the stairs in the insula. The patrols take care of them and bring them to the appartment of the black mailing mouse. Nobody answers so they break in and find nothing else but a bedroll. They search for places to hide stuff but find nothing.

When they leave and enter the street they hear somebody whistle and suddenly about twenty mice appear from both ends of the street and attack them. The mice try to hurt them badly, probably to scare them off. They fight back and try to get away without getting injured (Check; Fighter versus Fighter, Passed). Gaius and his patrol walks to the inn The golden Leaf where they're supposed to find the black mailer. On the way over there they spot the city's civil guard who seems to keep the distance both to the patrol and the fight they had a short while ago. A strange behaviour for a guard one might think. At The Golden Leaf there's a captain of the guard  and when speaking to him they realize that he thinks that they provoked the mice of the city and thereby started the fight and either they handle that and take the damage or they start a process and accuse someone of something. Gaius is furious.

SPQM c1s16a

As they stay in Rustica to wait for Nona's completion of her secret mission they keep on looking for signs of The Miller or his doing. As they walk down the street they hear someone telling one of the craftsman in one of the many shops at the street level of the insula buildings ''You better pay or else...''. It's a jeweller in an obvious uncomfortable conversation with a nicely dressed mouse. Gaius interprets it as black-mailing grabs the nice-looking mouse and drags him away from the jeweller starts an animated argument with him. There is no direct connection between a witnessed threat from the mouse and he says he repressents a grup of mice keeping the bad mice away and protecting the good ones that pay them to. Gaius and Lucius follows the mouse as he walks away but Dekia stays and talks to the jeweller.

Dekia buy a thin necklace a little cheaper if she promises to show it off and tell everyone where it came from and mangae to start a little discussion about the mouse who just left and actually gets him to tell that there is something that could be called black-mailing going on (Obstacle: Persuader, Passed).

The black-mailer walks on floowed by Gaius and just behind him Lucius. Suddenly four big mice show up from different directions and try to separate Gaius from Lucius and attack Gaius. Lucius grabs the black-mailer and points at the bandits and ''happens'' to get in the way for one of them. The other three jumps Gaius and throws him to the street and kicks him and then disappear (Obstacle: Failed with a Twist). Gaius pass out for a moment from the pain but don't get seriously injured (Twist: Become Injured from the beating, Health, Passed). The four mice disappears and the street clears quickly.

Gaius gets on his feet again and with this as an excuse the all three escort the nicely dressed black-mailer so that he should get in trouble. He tries to resist but they follow him whereever he goes and is very reluctant to open when they get to his home. They make it clear that he has no other alternative than to open and go in to porve that he lives there and aren't trying to fool them. The apartment are in a quite fashionable insula and obviously he has some money. As the make him open he shouts loudly about their and The Pretorian Guards fascist methods.

Now they have a little problem. Should they tackle this obvious problem? In Navalia or Sapientia it's clear that they don't have any jurisdiction but this is one of The Free Farming Cities and they aren't really members of The League of Mice Cities?

They turn to mice of the local curia but htey don't think it's possible to accuse anyone for anything. Rather they think that it seems like the mouse is keeping the order. It's their, the patrol's, risk if they want to charge him of anything. Seems like the cities leaders either can't handle the situation or don't want to. The Guard has no rsources for it either (End of GM's Turn).

Roma obscura session 5b (c2s5b)

After cleaning up after the battle with the pirates the two cohorts march on towards Delphi. The resources are used effectively and each day's march well planned. Since Atia has a good reputation among the legionaires they make an extra effort for her and they march on effectively like a roman troop should, even a little better than that and although they are short on resources they don't end (Check; Lead the march to Delphi effectively, Militarist, Passed). Everyone is looking forward to be stationed close to more civilised areas with a big city though.

As they are closing in to Delphi they send a message to the king of Delphi that they are coming and are gonna be stationed there to keep the order of Rome and when possible help Delphi with what they can. A few days later, close to Delphi The right hand of the king of Delphi met up and greet them. He is very polite, almost overly so, and tells them that they can camp about a half day's march from Delphi. That won't do according to Atia and Mettia and after some discussion they have to give them an area close to the city for a third of the troops. The two parts of the troops get one guide each and as The right hand of the king of Delphi leaves they march on. Atia take her cohort and Mettia's third maniple to the big camp further away and Mettia take her forst and second maniple to the area close to Delphi.

Mettia guide show them an area of dried out land, hard totaly dry land with cracks in it. As they stand there the wind blow some dust in their eyes. The area looks like something where factorys once were and strange experiments were carried out. Mettia and the guide exchange polite phrases in something that could be called greek and somewhere along the line the guide calls Mettia a cow, at least that's what Mettia hears. Now the discussion is finished, the greeks may treat their own women like second class humans without citizen rights but no greek shall stand here or anywhere else and call her a cow. She is firstborn, family head-to-be, tribune and lead for 600 legionaries and cavallry and auxilaries. She has the guide to show them another area close to the mountains where there will be shadows all the time instead of sun but that's better. The area is also actually possible to dig trenches in and there's wood for building and fire and grass for the donkies and oxens. It is a little close to The Inspired One's factories though but hopefullly no too bad smoke will blow on them (End of Player's Turn).

As Atia arrive to their area she send a messanger to the owner of the land, a Markos, to tell him why they're here and that his land was appointed to them by the king himself.

SPQM c1s15

They stay a few days in Lostora waiting for Nona to complete her mission. During these days they train. To find space for the training they go outside the city where they find an open space that's almost perfect for training. As they spend the day there a snobbish mouse with about ten mice following him appears. He claims to be the owner of the land and orders them to leave his park immediately. Gaius says that they're from The Pretorian Guard and outside the cities they are the law and they are training to do their important missions that he should be grateful for. The maybe-owner of the land doesn't back down and for a while it almost seems like Gaius will order his patrols to deal with the maybe-owner and his followers but he hold himself back and they leave the area and return to the city.

The city's palestras are cramped and in the search for somewhere to train and exercise they find out that the militia has an exercising area outside the city that's quite big. They ask and are allowed to do their training there. After a few days Gaius decides that they can't wait for Nona and they leave a message for her and march towards Rustica. The second day their camp is swarmed by mites and they have to scare them off to not catch any nasty bugs and to have their food for themselves (Obstacle: Fighter versus 4D, Passed).

They march on and they feel that they have lost time waiting for nona and when not finding that much information in Lostora. gaius have them to keep a high tempo (Obstacle; Persuader, Succeed with Condition Sick) and so they arrive to Rustica (End of GM's Turn).

Arriving in Rustica they find it hard to get somewhere to sleep for eleven patrol mice. As they search the city for a place Gaius at least get his patrol lots of food and they are all full and satisfied (Check; Resources, Passed). Lucius tries to put his hardships behind him but fail and remain undisciplined (Check; Remove Undisciplined (Angry), Failed). Gaius on the other hand feels quite satisfied that they arrived in time without anyone getting to much hurt and now their stomachs are full (Check; Remove Undisciplined (Angry), Passed). Finally they find a place where there's room if they divide themselves among one room and the dinner room. Gaius and the patrol leaders take the room and the other patrol mice get the dinner room. During the evening Dekia spend time for herself and reaches out to her forefathers to explain and to listen and manage to get back on good or at least neutral terms with them (Check; Remove On Bad terms with the Forefathers, Passed).

Gaius leads the search for information about The Miller but there's nomice called that in Rustica but seeds to get bought to a greater extent than before and the seed is transported away somewhere. Since no other goods like tools, hunting gear, weapons, and other stuff has been sold to a greater extent it's very improbable that the seed is for groups of mice. Groups of mice would need lots of other stuff too (Check; Find information about seed selling and whether The Miller is in Rustica, Passed). So The Miller is not here but someone is trying to affect the seed market in a way that will hit the southern cities most (End of Player's Turn).

SPQM c1s14b

When the trial continues the next day Dekia goes there to follow it and see if there might be any connections to the strange behaviour of the goods of seeds and meal. Meanwhile Gaius and Lucius walks to the harbour to ask about goods (that doesn't reach Asylum).

Gaius and Lucius talk with traders who say that there's no shortage but that they have gotten a better price from local buyers. It seems obvious that someone is buying seeds for something (Check; Persuader, Passed).

Decia listens to the last part of the trial and the local merchant is probably getting it. The defender of the merchant can't fight the very carefully applied accusations. The jury will gather again tomorrow to feliver their verdict; guilty or not. If guilty the judge will deliver the sentence, probably ostracisation or worse. Afterwards Dekia discusses the matter at hand with an assistent to another merchant who has nothing to add but thinks it's important to show that the city doesn't tolerate this kind of behaviour.

During the afternoon exercise, wrestling, the patrol exchange information and discuss what they know and don't know. Later all patrol gather at the inn. Noone has found anything spectacular but bread has apparently become expensive. In hte evening just as Gaius is about to explain the further plans Nona explains that she must go about with her secret mission and can't be part of the regular missions since her secret mission, as stated earlier, is more important. Gaius is frustrated, as are the rest of his patrol, but can't say anything since the secret mission is sanctioned by The Senate and The Mice People.

Suddenly Faustus remembers that one of his patrol memmbers is guarding a thief they caught that needs some flogging. Gaius is uncertain what's the correct thing to do according to the law (Check; Administrator, Fail with a Twist). In the morning they all march with the thief to the forum where they flogg him and let him go. Then they go to the temple of the city to honour the forefathers.

Later the jury finds the accussed merchant guilty. The judge delivers the sentence ostracisation, that the merchant should be denied water and fire within 400 (mice) miles for the forum of Lostora. An interesting effect of this is that the area stretches into the jurisdiction area of Asylum and the patrol feels a little insulted that the Lostora administration thinks that they can decide what should or shlould not be in Asylum. The merchant's body guard who is found guilty of contacting and training the bandits is sentenced to death but since he witnessed he gets the honourable death of decapitation instead of the very dishonourable regular strangling.

During the day Gaius engages in a lot of eating to get his strength back (Check, Buy food, Resources Ob 1, Passed, Condition Hungry & Thirsty is removed).

They continue their investigations by asking work leaders of day workers in the storage area and it seems that no more seeds are leaving hte city by the harbour than before but more caravans might be transporting seeds from the city. Seems that someone is buying discretly and maybe storing for some purpose, like feeding bandits or rebels. Dekia is asking around about The Miller but finds no information but hears that the exciting city around here is Rustica in the north. THere one can find voles, mice with just one leg in the middle and mice with their face on their belly and other strange and unusual things.

One of the other patrols has been searching the archives for records on arriving ships but hasn't found anything unusual which supports the theory that the caravans are the ones transporting the seeds away.

The troop of several patrols is suffering from each of the patrol leaders wanting to be the leader. Since the tribunes of The Pretorian Guard has made it clear that Gaius is the leader for the operation they fight over the post as second in command. Gaius convince them that rotating the second in command post each day is a good and the only solution (Check; Persuader, Passed). As the days are getting very hot and food often gets bad very quickly they get sick during the Mite Days (Twist; Health, Failed -> Condition Sick). That can't stop them though and they struggle on (End of Player's turn).

Roma obscura session 5a (c2s5a)

As the weather gets better but the winter's not formally over competitions between the cohorts are held and in the end of the winter a winner is coroned. It's Atia's cohort that takes home the most victories and the final total victory. During the games the centurions have showed their well known engagement in their units and if they keep that spirit up when it comes to battle they might be as spoken wnd written about as Gaius Julius Caesar's famous centurions.

At the first day of Early Summer they celebrate the Rosalia signoris where the standars are decorated and honoured and then they march northwards toward Delphi. Atia resumes the correspondance with the brats and for someone being able to read between the lines it seems that she's actually trying to deceive them into behaving in the most brattish roman way one might imagine, probably to help spark the conflict in Sparta they think Rome wants.

As they march on they hear rumours about pirate fleets but reckon that they wont attack two full cohorts and also they are often marching not so close to the coast as to worry. Mettia also starts to have weekly meetings with all her centurions in addition to the regular meetings with her, Atia and the centurio senior (the leaders for the six maniples). Besides trying to get a better general contact with her cohorts she's trying to get some response on why her cohort didn't win the games.

Since the first harvests not been done yet the food is still taken from diminishing winter storages and is therefore a little expensive. They try to get as much fish as possible since that food isn't as dependent on the season as the otherwise used (and normally cheaper grains). They hold on to the existing money to make it last until they ge more funds from Rome via Athens. A part of this is to transfeer some money rewards to free time rewards and to not have too much effect on the security by not having enough guarding personell they also spread the free time out so it doesn't always come in direct connection to the action that led to the reward (Obstacle, Administrator, Passed).

The coast seems safe and quiet although the rumours about pirates.

They haven't been starting to feel safe a long time when scouts return like hunted and tell that they have seen an anchored war fleet, presumably pirates. As Atia and Mettia discuss the matter at hand more scouts arrive and tell them that the pirates has left the ships and is moving for an attack.

The attack is quite well prepared and well started but the good roman legionaries and Atia's and Mettia's leadership is holding them off and slowly pushing them backwards. Now the pirate start to retreat and actually do a mostly organized retreat and then flee which give them the possibility to get away from the legionaries and are only floowed by the quite few cavallerists in the troop which much minimizes their losses (Obstacle, Complex; Militarist for preparations for battle and Militarist for the actual battle, Passed).

The attack seemed to have been well prepared and obviously they have had good knowlegde of where the cohorts have been and that the weak point is the baggage train in the middle and it seemed they were specifically going for the part with the money for wages and supplies.

Neither the cohorts nor the pirates suffer any great losses but quite a bunch of pirates fell for the persuing cavallerists. They iterrogate villagers in the area but they dont seem to have cooperated with the pirates and seem quite scared for the pirates (and the romans).

After clearing up the area they march away some to get away from the good ambush area wich seem to be appreciated by the villagers (End of GM's Turn).

SPQM c1s14a

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).

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).

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).

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:

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

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

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).

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).