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).

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).

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).

MG SPQM c1s11: Look at my family.

During the break in missions the patrol is called to a hearing about the hare incident. The hares have made a big event out of the patrol, who they don't know wich patrol it is, shot at a hare and now has temporarily ended their cooperation with Asylum which means no hare riders for The Guard and no hare contests at The Big Games. They probably won't hold that stance for long though since they need work done by the mice but for the moment it's the mice who has it worst.

It's Nona who ahs brought this up and questioned whether the patrol did the right thing and if they maybe should be punished in soem way. At the hearing is the patrol, Nona and a tribunis. The patrol defend themselves quite good although they can't get away from the fact that they're the reason that there's no hares for the hare riders and no hare contests fo The Big Games this year. In the end the tribunis concludes that they did wrong but that they can't really be held responsible for the result since they act with what information they had at the moment and at that moment the hare seemed to be a spy for someone and then not a member of the hare Asylum is cooperating with. There will be some discontent in The Guard (Obstacle, Conflict, Convince the tribunis they acted correct with the information at hand: Won with Minor Compromise). 

As a few days pass by they realize that Nona and Faustus is working hard on getting most of the cedit for bringing on half of the box to Asylum and also rescuing the other half that the patrol lost. Now that can't be let pass by without taking a stand. A rethoric fight takes place over the coming week as Nona and Faustus is spreading lies and the patrol tries to kill the rumours with the truth. Apparently Nona and Faustus don't think that Gaius' patrol should have both a merit badge for the long secret box mission and the recover of the lost half. If their rumorus get a grip in the guards's minds there will be voices raised for not giving them to merit badges. Lucius is a good speaker and together they manage to almost fight the rumours but Nona and Faustus has a lead and works hard. In the end they only is given one merit badge but also Nona and Faustus is deemed quite suspicius by many guards and lose some of their good connections with other guards (Obstacle, Conflict, Convince the guards that Faustus and Nona is not speaking the truth: Won by both sides, The patrol only gets one merit badge and Faustus and Nona loses 1 point in Circles). The division between Nona & Faustus and the patrol is just widened (End of GM's Turn).

Gaius visits a doctor to finally get rid of the sickness lingering from the long period in the wilderness (Check: Passed Circles Ob4).

As things settle down Lucius, with his family head's good will start to arrange for a feast for the patrol, Mamercus Fabius Longius and the philosophers. The feast will just be a dinner for M F Longius but Lucius presents it as a simple dinner to remind fo the hardship the patrol and the philosophers endured together. The feast goes well and Mamercus finds it nice and picturesque and leaves thinking good of Lucius family (Ceck: Arrange dinner for Mamercus in a way that makes him focus on Lucius family as partners in the affairs with the philosophers, Passed Resources Ob6). During the dinner Dekia has her own agenda, she wants to lure Aeneas to tell her what the thing in the box is. Interested and curius as Lucius is he can't stop her although there's some risk that her attempts ruin the feast. In good team work witht he rest of the patrol Mamercus is distracted and Aeneas tungue slip late in the evening and he tells Dekia that it was a Astrobium, whatever that is, but as he's gone so far his own ego makes him to shortly explain what it could be used for. Apparently the one holding it will be able to sail across the big sea instead of around it. A fact that could topple the power balance in The League of Mice Cities not a little (Check: Passed Deciever versus 3D). 

Satisfied with the course of events the patrol relax and finnally get some real rest for a while (End of GM's Turn).

illern (a) illertass.se

SPQM c1s10: Finally, the box is in Asylum!

Early Summer, 3 Weather Twists.

The patrol arrives at Asylum and immediately takes the philosophers to the barracks to leave them in the care of The Guard, report and convince the tribunis in command that there's still a chance to get to their half of the box - if they just get some extra patrols and quickly go out to comb the terrain. Dekia and Gaius leaves their report and try to convince the tribunis while Lucius keep an eye on the philosophers. Aeneas actually seems a little interested in the order of everything at the barracks although he usually seems to think that Asylum is well below Sapientia in every mean.

Dekia manages to convince the tribunis to give them three extra patrols and immediately go out and track the godmice down (Obstacle: Failed Persuader versus 3D, succeeded with Condition Angry). Immediately they escort the philosophers to Marmercus Longius Fabius, the city praetor, who will be their host in Asylum while the other patrols gather for the mission, only to find out that two of the three patrols are Faustus' and Nona's patrols. Gaius and Dekia bite their tongues, control themselves and they set out on the mission.

Now organization is a hard thing for mice but Gaius does a good job and the next day they're closing in on the godmice in double cadence and in good organized. It's almost that they for a moment feel a little breeze from The Golden Age as they fall down on the godmice who drops the box and run for their life (Obstacle: Passed Beginner's Luck Militarist).

They get the box and quickly returns to Asylum, a little surprised they could work so well together although the harsh relations and a little worried about that only a few godmice was travelling wioth the box. Without ambushes they arrive to Asylum and can give the box to a happy Aeneas (End of GM's Turn).

They now actually get two weeks of rest where they will get no new missions and they fall into some our-big-important-mission-is-finished-and-we-succeeded-coma. Later Lucius visits a Doctor and get his injuries treated (Check: Passed Contacts Ob4, Condition Injured is removed). Both Dekia and Gaius manage to, after a while, come to senses and relax now that the missions is over and they don't have to work with Nona or Faustus. Now the responsibility for the box is no longer theirs (Check: Passed Will Ob2 for both Dekia and Gaius).

The happiness is tainted with sadness though when two small mice babies, Lucius sister Prima's daughter and Gaius’ sister Prima's son, dies in some strange sickness that the patrol is supposed to have brought upon their families from their long mission in the wilderness (End of Player's Turn).

illern (a) illertass.se

SPQM c1s9b: And the box is lost...

Early Summer, 2 Weather Twists

The patrol almost manages to get to Asylum when they're attacked Again. This time it's not someone's Liberation Front. It's godmice, those ridiculous mice that say that the forefathers doesn't exist and that the emergency plot device ''god'' actually exists and that all mice have to obey his will. The patrol readies their weapons and fight bravely but there's so many of them, so many…

After a hard fight the patrol breaks apart and a godmouse manages to get the box and run (Check; Travel the last part of the journey to Asylum with the box and the philosophers: Lost Conflict with Compromise, the patrol can follow the godmice with the box). The godmice withdraw and the patrol pants but there's no rest for the pretorians. They park the philosophers at a tavern and set out to get the box back.

They hunt down the mice, tackle them and grab the box and run away but it gets snatched from their paws again (Twist: Fighter versus 6D, Failed with a Twist).

Again the patrol hunts the godmice and catches them in a glade. They stop, drops the box and threatens to stab it to pieces with their spears. During this fight of the wills a godmice sneaks away with the box and disappears and then the other godmice also runs off (Fighter versus 5D, Failed with a Twist, Unseasonably Hot).

Depressed the patrol returns to the philosophers, pick them up and in the heat returns to Asylum. On the way they pick some hope. If they could convice a tribunis to send out several patrols it might be possible to get the box after all. It's just two hours to Asylum. The patrol hurries on (End of Players Turn)

illern (a) illertass.se

SPQM c1s9a: Still got the box, still got the box...

Early summer, 2 weather twists

The hare appears again and the patrol really bothers about it and is convinced that it's following them and reporting to someone about their whereabouts. Something has to be done. They decide to try to lure into a cramped situation and hurt it but not kill it with the belly shooter. They scout out a good place and some of them take the regular route their while some take a shortcut and prepare the belly shooter. The hare appears and Lucius fires. The spear goes through the ear of the hare and it takes a jump right away and disappears (Obstacle: Passed Physicist versus Hare 7D). The patrol sighs reliefed and continue their journey.

After some travelling they suddenly spot a crow and even before it dives down towards them they know that it will try to steal the box. Ravens are tricksters and can steal for the fun of it but are on the other hand not that bent on actually stealing something. Crows on the other hand are common thieves and engaged in stealing stuff. The patrol back down and when the crow lands they form a line with the spears towards it. The crows makes an attempt but gets quite badly hurt and gives it up (Obstacle: Passed Fighter versus Crow 7D). They hurry on (End of GM's Turn).

They continue their journey and when they rest for the night at a wine tavern Lucius manage to reason his way to a stoic way to look upon the hardship they have to endure (Check: Passed Recovery Ob2, Undisciplined is removed). They still have quite a piece of a road to travel to get to Asylum, they straggle on (Check: get one third of the way to Asylum, Complex Test with two Tests). As they walk on they come to a town where the inhabitants are about to start building the bridge. They have one problem though; they have to make an offering to the spirits and the forefathers before they begin this big engineering project. That's not a problem in it self but one or two poor families has fallen to banditry and will most probably attack and steal the offerings which contain a lot of food and a little silver and a gold coin.

After a short discussion the patrol conclude that they can't just walk on, they have to help the farmers laying the ceremonial foundation for the mundane bridge foundation. So they escort the caravan toward the stream to be bridged and they are attacked by the bandits. When the bandits see the pretorians they turn around and flee and at first the patrol thinks they made the day but in the meantime one of the accompanying farmers ran off with the silver and gold (Complex Test part 1: Fighter versus 4D, Failed with a Twist).

The patrol immediately hunts after him and quickly closes in when he lets go of the loot and runs away (Twist: Passed Scout versus 2D). The patrol picks up the money and return just in time to deflect a new robbery attempt. Now the caravan can travel in peace to the stream and conduct the ceremony. The pretorians travel on.

After a week or so they run into another patrol on a mission. The patrol is escorting workers towards the scent border where they will lay out scent to strengthen the barrier against predators. After some exchanging of news the patrol leader asks for help. They have sighted a kestrel and probably it's after the civilians. Normally the patrol probably could ward it off by themselves but now it's very important that no civilians get hurt or any of the equipment gets thrashed. Again the characters can't turn down the plea for help and change route to follow the other patrol until dusk and to stay with them until after dawn.

While the other patrol prepares the encampment together with the civilians the characters put up the belly shooter. Now the kestrels gonna encounter some mouse technology.

When darkness falls the kestrel attacks and Lucius once more fire the belly shooter. The kestrel gets the spear in the tars and almost drops to the ground before it turns away to get some easier caught food (Complex Test part 2: Passed Physicist versus Kestrel 6D). The other patrol thanks them and promises to tell about them when they return to Asylum. After dawn they part ways and the characters start the last part of the journey to Asylum (Almost End of Player's Turn).

illern (a) illertass.se

SPQM c1s8 Onwards, onwards.

Early summer, 2 weather twists

As a preparation for the journey they buy some crusts so that they if needed could travel a day without foraging which would make it possible to pick up the speed significantly for that day (Obstacle, buy crusts for one day for eight people: Resources Ob 4, Succeeded). 

They have just travelled a few days when they start to notice a hare that seems to be the same hare every time and after yet a day or two it's obvious that it's following them. Already at the first encounter with a hare they suspected that it was reporting to someone and they discuss how to lure it or scare it away but don't find a way. Also the hares are allies to The Pretorian Guard so they don't want to hurt it. They have to live with it following them (Obstacle: Get away from the hare, outcome the hare is following them is accepted and not dealt with).

The keep walking worried about an ambush around every corner (End of GM's Turn)

After yet another day or two they start to get really, really worried about the hare following them and decide to try to talk to it to talk it out of following them. They even go out to find some nice food for hares to offer it but still doesn't manage. On the other hand it seems to actively avoid them (Check, Talk with the Hare: Loremaster Ob 3, Failed with a Twist). Not so surprisingly there soon comes an ambush right after they have walked through a village where all the houses have the same decoration on the doorposts. It's some plant Lucius doesn't recognize but it's obvious that it's always there even if it's sometime mixed up among other decorations. Shortly after the village they hear a cry, but a new one this time.. ''For God. By God's Word''.

The philosophers get very upset when they hear someone use the word ''word'', a word which also has the meaning of ''order'' and ''reason'', in combination with the word ''god'' in real life. To them and the patrol ''god'' is some obviously made up entity used in theatre plays to have en excuse to introduce a character or other element in the play without having to really write the play so that it leads up to that moment. You just introduce this god entity who with it's power comes down and do stuff. ''This is ridiculous!'' they shout.

The patrol form up and meet a many mice but not that experienced and they fight them off (Twist, fight off the godmice: Complex Test: Fighter versus 4D, both Tests Passed). They quickly move on.

As they move on they don't get that much opportunity to forage and Dekia buys some extra food for them (Check: Resources Ob 2 Passed, Condition Hungry & Thirsty is removed). There's not much else to do than move on and keep every eye open for more ambushes. Not surprising at all they soon again feel that they are followed and start to take small detours and keeping away from the obvious road choices and manage to avopid their stalkers. 

As they travel on meet a scared family of a weak husband, a quite go-ahead mother, a young mouse and a small baby mouse. They're quite scared and says that a flying squirrel has been lurking around throwing glances at their youngest. Dekia gives the rest of the patrol no time to decide. Of course the patrol sahll help the family and so they form up to scout the the flying squirrel, protect the family and fight off the squirrel. They have just done that when the squirrel attacks from above in a silent glide. The patrol leaps forward as the civilians throw themselves to the ground and give the squirrels some good cuts that make the squirrel go away and find easier prey. They follow the family to their village which is approximately in the right direction. They then turn toward the correct direction and walk along towards Asylum (Check, get one third of the trip back to Asylum, Complex Test, part one avoid godmice, part two help family attacked by a flying squirrel: Passed Scout versus 5D and Passed Fighter versus Flying Squirrel 6D). Two weeks later they reckon they have during some intended and some not intended detours have gotten about a third of the rest of the trip to Asylum (End of Player's Turn).

illern (a) illertass.se

SPQM c1s7c: It must be destroyed or you’re doomed...

Early summer, 2 weather twists

As Dekia thinks the thing should be delivered to Asylum at almost any price and haven't trusted Nona since the events in Asylums harbour she immediately sides against Nona. Gaius is convinced that the orders should be followed as they were intended and that means that the thing and the philosophers should be escorted to Asylum and if that comes with a price that's a risk you take when in The Guard and working for the community.

Nona is actively trying to convince the patrol that they won't survive trying to get the thing to Asylum and that the thing getting into the hands of Navalia will topple the whole balance of The League of Mice Cities, maybe even destroy it. They all know that Navalia can't fully be trusted. She looks at Lucius who isn't really participating but seems to be filled with anxiety and asks why he isn't siding up with the family and why he, if any in the patrol, doesn't see the political catastrophic effects of the thing getting lost to Navalia. Doesn't he trust her? Lucius doesn't know where to turn, patrol or family and nobiles? He is convinced that a pretorian should represent The Pretorian Guard and not his family but still he often instinctively defend the nobiles and Nona is after all both nobiles and family (Lucius sits out the first three actions of the upcoming conflict).

The discussion goes high and quickly involes insults and challenges for duels. Dekia and Gaius is also frustrated about the civilian mouse, Nona's client, who apparently knows a lot about the secret maters and who talks about being in the guard as if he know anything about it. After a while Lucius joins on the patrol's side (Check, Get all the philosophers and the thing to Stameus in it's current state: Conflict versus 4-5D, Won with Major Compromise, New Twist: The thing has to be dismantled and sent two different ways and they’re in  a hurry not to be discovered).

Nona backs off in front of their arguments and her cousin Lucius taking the other side but only if the thing is dismantled and sent with two different parties rather than with one big party. Everyone agrees on that although Aeneas himself is skeptical. Now they only have to find a trustful smith that can modify a chisel into a special one needed for dismantling the thing and all the normal tools needed. They manage to find a smith that can do it and try to pay him to not talk about what they have ordered and what they have done in his workshop (Twist, Find a skillful smith and dismantle the thing within two days: Failed Physiscist Ob3 Succeeded with Condition). 

After two days of hard work, a lot of lost money, little sleep and not that much food they look at the thing dismantled. The thing that, as Lucius trained in mechanics, is some kind of mathematical device is dismantled into it's four modules and a central piece is taken from each module and given to the wrong module. In that way, should a module get lost it will still not be functional and it will take a lot of work to reconstruct it and to guess one's way about the other modules needed. Lucius doesn’t really get the grip on the thing but a mathematical device could mean a lot of things. If one could just crank a dial and get the results of formulas then a big step would be taken for physis knowledge among mice. Lucius is still guessing a lot and he knows that Aeneas snatched a few things away from the device before he let them get at it...

illern (a) illertass.se 

SPQM c1s7b: Stameus finally?

Early Summer 2 Weather Twists

Gaius chase of the robbers but don't follow them into the night. When they finally after a while wind down the manage to get some sleep and nothing more happens that night. THe next day the philosophers decide to go to the library and the patrol decides that they have to be escorted and since Lucius doesn't mind going to the library he volunteers. Dekia feel the duty to protect the philosophers. Gaius conclude that the mice trying to stop them won't be back already today and not during daylight so he decides that they don't have to escort the philosophers all three of them. He therefore takes the chance to go to the palestra instead of the library.

As the part and all but Gaius head for the library they manage to not take the shortest route to the library and end up on smaller streets than planned and suddenly some mice pop out in the street and tells them to hand over the box. All three of them is armed with knives, Lucius and Dekia has no weapons at all and the philosophers has only done some friendly wrestling on the palestra.

''Run!'' Lucius shouts turns Aeneas around and runs with him. Dekia stays behind a fraction of a second staring at the bandits and then runs after Aeneas and Lucius managing to buy the company a short head start. They run for their lives while the rest of the philosophers hide against the wall. The hunt goes on and the bandits manage to keep up. Gaius hasn't strolled that far towards the palestra when he hear mice come running. He turns around and see Aeneas, Dekia and Lucius come running along the street with three armed bandits after them.

As his patrol mates and Aeneas pass by he steps out in the street bravely taking the risk of fighting with three armed mice but thereby saving his friends, Aeneas and the mission. One bandit pass by on each side of Gaius but one has to stop and Gaius thereby evens out the struggle a little to his mates advantage. A quick and dirty fight starts. With his superior fighting skill Gaius even manage to knock down the bandit without any serious wounds which usually is the result of a knife fight (The Chase Conflict becomes a complicated Test with two Conflicts. If Gaius wins his Conflict only two mice will make up the opponent team for Dekia, Lucius and Aeneas. Gaius wins the Conflict, Fighter versus 3D, without Compromise).

The other two bandits keep chasing Aeaneas, Dekia and Lucius but the chased ones manage to keep the distance long enough for reaching better quarters with at least some city militia and even maybe one or two merchant body guards interested in the order in the city. The bandits give up and scatter off (Won Conflict, 5D at first but then just 4D, with minor Compromise). What Aeneas and the patrol hasn't noticed though is that some cog fell out of the thrashed box and that the bandits grabbed these when they ran off (Minor Compromise).

Dekia gets some city militia to come over but they're not that interested in mice chasing each other. Strictly that's not forbidden and after all Aeneas, Lucius and Dekia is citizens from another city and not formally included in the primary group of mice to protect - that's the citizens of Navalia. Meanwhile Gaius has manged to get another mouse to get some other militia mice who arenät that interested either but it's definitely very forbidden to bear arms inside the city walls so the grab the bandit and drags him away. The patrol gathers and go back to where they met the bandits and to their relief they find the philosophers hiding at a tavern (End of GM's Turn).

A little shook up they go to the library to do the research. THe philosophers order copies to be sent to them and Lucius look up some of the pictograms he found at the inner box (Check: Failed Archivist, Succeed with Condition). When they later eat they manage to convince the philosophers that Navalia actually is that dangerous that they have said all the time (Check: Passed Persuader versus 4D). Satisfied with that the patrol can conclude that they will do least wrong by escorting the philosophers to Asylum rather than wait in Navalia (although that's their new orders). Lucius try to soldier on and Gaius try to get rid of his frustrated thought after his misjugdement about the bandits but neither succeed (2 Failed Checks without Twists).

They now decide that it's time to leave Navalia as soon as possible and early the next day they leave for Stameus. They get to Stameus a little shaken and paranoid but without any mishaps but as they walk into the Inn an old enemy to Dekia sits there and directly greet them. It's Nona Iustus Carnifex, a not too distant relative to Lucius. Apparently she's there to meet up with them and see if they need any help and what kind of help they might need. It's a little strange though because she also has an client with her and has sent away the rest of the patrol as she wants to talk to them alone. She explains that they won't reach Asylum alive and that the box then will fall into the hands of the enemy and the box is mighty enough to give Navalia total power on the sea wich would topple the balance between the cities and Asylum, Saoientia, The Pretorian Guard and The League of Mice Cities would all lose in that case. Therefore they has to destroy the box. (Check, Get to Stameus with all the philosophers and the box, Conflict, resist getting convinced to destroy the box).

<GM's Note>Here it was late again and we decided to paly the Conflict the next meeting when we would be less tired and fully appreciate the exciting and quite importantat and crucial Conflict.</GM's Note>

illern (a) illertass.se

SPQM c1s7a: Navalia it is after all...

Early summer, 2 weather twists

When the patrol arrives with the broken box to the philosophers and the trader they try to break the new slowly to Aeneas but he's of course very interested in whether they got the box back and almost immediately spot the thrashed box and is devastated. They don't really manage to calm him down but when he instead lapse into some kind of depression they manage to get him walking toward Navalia and the company moves again.

They arrive to Gaius' friend's inn outside Navalia. Gaius' friend greets them warmly and gets them food and drink and, do they discover lately, new bedrolls and sheet. They eat, drink, talk and tuck in for the night. The next day they and the trader go separate ways as he's going into Navalia and the patrol just want to see if there's any patrols or new orders in Navalia. Lucius visit the post office in Navalia and gets one letter fro the patrol, one letter for the philosophers and one order from The Guard. He opens the order and the letter to the patrol. The order is an order to wait for reinforcements or new orders in Navalia and the letter is a short private letter stating that it is good that they are in Navalia, since they are reading this letter. It would be very good for the patrol and their families if they just stayed there.

Lucius returns and shows the orders and gives the philosophers their letter. They don't tell what it's about but from their expressions it's not good. When asked they tell that terrible things have happened at home. As they sit at the inn and damn the new orders things get worse. In comes a small company of three mice and quite soon oit's obvious that they are among the few mice who don't believe in the forfathers and the need to please them to gain backing in this life and also speak of a god, something only talked about in strange stories or comedies. Sometimes it's joked about that the weasels believe in a god.

Gaius can't take this and explain to them that since they're outside the city they'd better take that talk somewhere else since it's illegal, even of the second sanctum degree, to deny the existence of the forefathers and the penalty for that is death. The three mice gets very, very smooth, irritatingly smooth and mild and manage to duck the question whether they deny the existence of the forefathers or not but leave the inn when confronted with the angered centurio.

In the afternoon the patrol has decided that they can't sit outside Navalia but has to go inside and stay there instead. The philosophers see that as an opportunity to meet other well of citizens and going to the library and don't see the same dangers as the patrol does. When they wait outside the gates they hear the three god mice again and Gaius approach them and tell them that if they don't leave very, very soon, like immediately he will have to arrest them. They are still outsiode the cities and under Pretorian Guard jurisdiction. They scatter off.

When they have gotten a room at an inn they go to the baths to clean up for real and live some civilized life again. During this Lucius accompanies the slave who guards their clothes and the mysterious box and actually manage to make the slave belive that it won't harm if Lucius get to look in the box and so he does. He gets a good look and bunch of old., old pictograms on the outside of the box and memorizes them to be able to look them up at the library.

The next day when they pass the main square they hear another mouse speaking about ''god'' and about the forefathers. Lucius can't let this go on but takes a stand and starts to speak against him and a row of replies follow during the coming days. In the end Lucius lose but at least someone stood up against these craziness (Orator versus 5D, Lost with a Twist).

Suddenly one night they wake up and out from the room some mice run very quickly. Gaius is first on his paws and run after and hunts them out of the inn. Someone tried to steal the box! In the middle of the town on a repsectable inn (Twist; Passed Scout versus Scout 4D). Now hte philosophers start to accept that there are dangers inside Navalia too but still don't really fear that anything dangerous could happen. In the evening they go to a symposium with some other philosphers while the patrol is treated as regular body guards and has to stay outside the triclinum where the actual symposium is.

<GM's Note>Here much time had passed in real life and we decided to take a break since we all have to get up early the next morning.</GM's Note> 

illern (a) illertass.se

SPQM c1s6b: There goes the box...

Early in the morning the patrol and the caravan leaves towards Navalia and Camillius and his patrol travels on towards Sapientia. As they travel on they discuss the latest happenings and Lucius let out a little idea he has; what if someone sent the hare to find out if they were carrying the something? Even if not it's a matter that a lot of animals is able to sniff the big amount of bronze in the box. They decide to shop an iron pig, iron smells more than bronze, and some garlic to camouflage the smell from the something and to make a decoy. The next day they reach a smith by the road and but a iron pig wich they put in a wooden box on one of the bugs who isn't that much loaded right now. They also buy some garlic and put into Dekias bag next to the something to hide the smell (Check: Resources Ob4, they use some of the guard money to protect them from Resources Depletion but that isn't needed as they Pass the Test).

As they travel on they really start to feel the toll of protecting the civilians, the something and not knowing what it is and never being able to really rest or lower the garde. Gaius tries to be a good example and lift his head and struggle on (Check, Soldier On, Passed Health Ob 3). When Lucius the nobiles see his plebeian leader straighten up and carry on he tries to do the same, he can't be weaker but apprently he is (Check, Soldier On, Failed Health Ob 3). Dekia on the other hand gets inspired and find some inner resources and straighten her body and correct the bag hanging and disturbing her all the time and carry on (Check, Soldier On, Passed Health Ob 3).

As they slowly travel on they discuss the matter that they have to visit Navalia after all and get the idea that someone could leave and travel att normal speed and reach Navalia, go inside, check for orders or reinforcements, get outside again and meet up with the others. In the end they decide that it's probably to dangerous (after hearing the resistance to be overcome with the Check). They travel on but decide that they should visit Gaius old friend who runs a tavern outside Navalia and rest there while one of them goes inside to check for reinforcements and orders (Check, get to Gaius friend outside Navalia, Complex Test; avoid Navalia's Liberation Front and robbing attampt at demolished road).

Suddenly their hear the call again ''For the freedom of Navalia!". They throw down everything and raise their weapons and fight well but as they kill two rebels two other knock down Dekia, grab her and the box and run of with her (Avoid Navalia's Liberation Front, Conflict, Rebels Win with Major Compromise, two of them die but they manage to get the box). Lucius and Gaius tell the other to stay beside the road and hide and runs after the rebels. As they run Lucius look for some Mentha and they stop for a short moment while he crush a leave and mix with another leave from his medicine pouch and make a substance to snort to clear the respiratory tracts and make it easier to sniff the rebels as they hunt them down (Lucius lower his Nature from 4 to 3 to raise his Temporary Nature from 2 to 3, Check, Construct a Tool to gain an extra dice in the hunt, Passed Scientist Ob 2).

They run further and gain on the rebels and finally catch up with them. They run towards Dekia and tackle the two rebels and run of with Dekia and the box (Check, Complex Test, Catch up with the Rebels and Free Dekia and the box). They quickly ran away and hide (Test 1, Passed Scout with Tool versus 5D, Test 2, Passed Fighter versus 5D). Cautiously they return to the other and move away.

Some days later as they has to pass a part of the road ruined in the summer rains and are stringed out a few bandits appear and distract them as two throw themselves at Dekia, hold her down and destroys two swords and an axe to cut the chain and run off with the box (Robbing Attempt, Failed Scout versus 6D -> Twist).

The patrol gather and Dekia is almost chocked over her luck that they didn't cut her arm instead of the chain. Quickly they send the trader adn philosophers into the bushes out of sight from the road and sets off after the bandits. They run and catches slowly up with the bandits. As the bandits reach an open area they realise that they can't outrun or hide from the patrol (Twist: Passed Scout versus Early Summer 3D). The bandits stop and drops the box with the thing and seem to ready themselves for fight. The patrol slow down and take a look at the surroundings. One of the two bandits raise his spear in a two handed grip and the other one shouts that if the patrol don't leave the box gets it. The patrol stare at them, everyone trying to figure out if they're serious and what they think about the box.

Lucius doesn't care theat much about the box, he rather get the bandits and makes the road safer for civilians guards alike and suddenly he charges the two bandits and then the rest of the patrol can do nothing else but follow. The bandit thrusts his spear into the box, again and again and again but the patrol doesn't stop. The other bandit gives him a nudge and they run off.

The patrol follow the bandits and at small hole under the nearest oak the bandits take a stand. This is gonna be hard fight two desperate bandits at a good position against three pretorian guards. The fight begins and both parties are fighting fiercly and slowly the bandits has to back and suddenly Gaius and Lucius fell one of them. THey're all three quickly after the third and Dekia tackle him to the ground but he get to his feet and run as Dekia tackle him again and he falls down a hole between two small roots and in the darkness they hear him tumble. No one survives that they say and quickly return to the box (Check: Fight Conflict Won with Major Compromise, the bandits wanted to get the patrol to leave and the patrol wanted to kill the bandits, one of the bandits are killed and one disappear in the darkness and are left for dead).

The box broke at the first thrust and the other three or four went into the thin copper housing of the thing and through and into the machinery - a lot of cogs. As they lift it up they hear loose parts tumble around and although they try to carry it carefully it makes clanking and rattling noises and seems quite broken. They don't look forward to telling Aeneas about. Telling their superiors won't be fun either but at least Lucius is convinced that the box isn't worth any greater sacrifices and are ready to declare that standpoint and why he thinks so. During the walk backLucius has a hard time not looking inside Dekias bag with the thing (End of Player's Turn).

illern (a) illertass.se