GM NOTE: This scenario reflects the game style, ranks, and practices of the "Old Roman Legion" and may not accurately represent the history of the current game's storyline. Consult with a GM before referencing any component of this scenario.

Tomidius Servo was now a year into his new position. It didn't suit him as he
thought it might, but it suited him well enough. It was a vast change from his
duties of a General, but in many ways so similar. Recently, Postumus Varro's
life came under attack before he left the city, and the Emperor's life is more
so every day under the threat of assassination. H. Septimus had been also been
killed. His murderer suffering the just punishment. Tomidius ordered that every
Senator should have two guards each. This pleased the Senate and the Emperor. It
was also well known that anyone acting in any way towards the Emperor which was
threatening, they would die for it without question.

Tomidius ordered the immediate arrests of Decenaeus Otho Aelius, Aelianus
Flaccus Maxus for questioning. Also to be questioned were Livia Julia Agrippa,
Antonius Julius Agrippa, and Maximus Nero Daia. Tomidius smiled (when news of
his Praetorians swooping down upon them one by one as they were all surprised to
be under arrest) and said. "I will get all info from them about their plots on
the Emperor! If they cooperate, their deaths should perhaps not be unnecessarily
brutal."

-----

meanwhile

-----

Flavius Tiberius Daia was walking home from the Senate with a brisk pace. He
was working on some reports on the economy of Rome that the Senators wanted. It
was a very hard day working, so Tiberius decided to go to the bathes and
relax...a man his age needed such mild amusement and good health could have no
substitute.

As he entered the figidarium, he overheard some citizens talking. They were
clearly talking about the market, and the insufferable taxes. Tiberius looked
behind the corner, and saw 3 men sitting and talking.

"I had to take loans from some friends in order to get out of a debt!" said
one of the men.

"I have 3 barely farms, and I'm barely making it through the month!" said
another one of the three men.

"DON'T WE ALL?!" a voice called cynically, and the whole figidarium laughed.

"The taxes are an abomination! They are too high! I can't support myself
anymore, not to mention my wife and children! This is ignoble for a patrician!"
said a voice from the other room.

"Well it is not as if the rest of us line our chests with gold!" said that
cynical voice again.

Tiberius wanted to take another look at those who were talking behind the
figidarium corner, so he stepped forward, and tilted his head, so only his eyes
were visible. But what Tiberius didn't remember, is that the floor he was
standing on was wet... Tiberius slipped, and soon enough he heard-

"It's Flavius Tiberius Daia! He's a Tribune!" said one voice. "And running
for Senator!" said another. "GET HIM! HE MUST HAVE MONEY!". Tiberius got up on
his feet, and called- "GUARDS!".

Two Praetorians, who were Tiberius' 'body guards' thanks to Tomidius,
appeared. Tiberius fled, and ran out of the bathes half naked. Two Prefects
noticed him, and asked him what happened. "Never mind what happened! Go and help
the Praetorians in the bathes!".The two prefects hurried to the bathes, while
another prefect soon came with some clothes for Tiberius.

An hour later, after the fighting was over, and 4 men arrested, Tiberius
hurried back to his home, escorted by the prefect, hoping to finally relax."

They thought I had money..." Tiberius thought to himself. "I'm in the same
trouble that they are. A Tribune, maybe a Senator soon, and I barely make it
through the month...but then again most of Rome is struggling to make it through
the month!" Tiberius got to his home, and told the prefect that he can go along
now. But the Prefect waited, and looked at Tiberius. "Oh, all right" said
Tiberius, and entered his house. A minute later he emerged from the door,
slipping a few coins into the prefect's hand. "Thank you sir! I'll just stay
around your house for a while, until the Praetorians will come back" said the
prefect, and with a smile on his face, throwing and catching a coin, he walked
away, and started patrolling around Tiberius' house. Tiberius entered his house,
and thought to himself- "even the Prefects, that without which Rome is nothing
but chaos, are made gleeful by only a few extra coins...".

-----

meanwhile

-----

Hadrius Castus was, strangely, grateful for the temporary relief that
imprisonment granted. He knew that it was unwarranted, but also knew that he had
no evidence that he could provide to prove his innocence. He thanked the gods
that he had not been connected to a plot against the emperor, for he feared that
he would not have even made it to jail if that were the case. Hadrius supposed
that most Romans in his position would be enraged at the indignity, but Hadrius
was filled with an inner peace Ceres granted him. He knew that his god had plans
for him, and he would have to be alive to carry them out.

Ceres had appeared to him in a dream several days before his imprisonment,
telling him that hard times were coming for her priest, and for all of Rome. She
was disappointed with the attention she was receiving, and planned to make
Romans remember her. She knew, however, that Rome would suffer greatly in the
face of a famine. She did not want to hurt Rome. In this light, she decided to
use me, her faithful servant, to show Rome her will. But, as with all gods,
Ceres wanted Hadrius to prove himself before she would allow him this greatest
honor and responsibility. She would have him placed in jail for a time to test
his patience and loyalty to his god.

Hadrius, in this knowledge, put aside any thoughts of revenge or escape, and
instead focused on what Ceres had told him, and what he would do once he was
released. He had heard that there had been an announcement by Antonius Maxus
about all the recent imprisonments. He asked the guards what it was about. Their
response was that troublesome people like himself were being caught for making
plots against other Romans and thrown in jail. The emperor also made a plea that
everyone would stop their internal bickering and focus instead on make Rome a
better place for everyone. He had also threatened the populace that unless the
plotting stopped, more arrests would be made.

Hadrius settled back into his cell to think about these things. He allowed
his mind to clear and the peace of Ceres to settle upon him. He could think the
clearest when he was like this, and believed that his god helped inspire his
thoughts. And so he sat for nearly half a day. When the guard came with his
meal, he thought the poor priest dead he was so still! The guard rushed into his
cell. Finding Hadrius breathing, he quietly left him alone. When the priest
awoke from his trance, he knew what his path must be. He would first wait until
his prison sentence was up. Once he was a free man again, he would approach the
emperor with his plea to be made Oracle of Ceres. His request for a promotion
would surely be questioned, having been a prisoner so recently, but Hadrius had
a plan. Antonius had said that he wanted people to work towards helping Rome,
rather than fighting. Therefore, the priest would argue, he would be better able
to serve Rome as an Oracle. In addition, with the added responsibility and
prestige, it would be harder for him to have time to scheme in private against
anyone else. Hadrius would also mention what Ceres had planned for him. Surely
even the emperor would not cross the will of a god!

Once an Oracle, he would put his entire being into his work. Living only to
serve his god and Rome. He would remind people where their food came from, and
that they should be grateful that even in their ignorance, Ceres had looked
kindly upon them. The excessive budget of the Temple of Jove would quickly
return to a less extravagant amount, but the money would be well spent on
pleasing the gods.

With his enlightenment complete, and his path determined, Hadrius could sleep
easily now, knowing that his young life had much promise ahead of it. Perhaps
the Emperor would see reason.

-------

meanwhile

-------

Tomidius had spent weeks tracking down people that said they were working for
Claudius. Many were using the name of Claudius to try and bully other Romans
into doing their dirty work. It seemed every stone in Rome had a plot hidden
under it. The deeper he looked the more trouble he found. It was good no one
seemed to be trying to kill the Emperor. Well at least for the Emperor. Everyone
in Rome seem to have enemies that were actively looking to kill them. It was all
quiet after Emperor and himself had put a good number of the plotters in Jail.
Then Decenaeus Aelius gave Tomidius a note that was meant for another person
nicknamed Dec. The note said that all was in place for a prison break. Tomidius
had Decenaeus Aelius write a note, meet with the massager and send it back it.
The reply note stated that "Dec" felt that they didn't have enough support to
pull it off. In less than a day a reply note came stating that they had a good
plan. The note went on to list all the people and the plan. Tomidius had all the
people in the note rounded up for questioning and went to see the Emperor.
Tomidius had hardly started going over all the facts with the Emperor when a
guard came with bad news. Over have the people that he had waiting for the
Emperor's judgment had killed themselves. Antoninus was most displeased that
they would fear what he had to say to the point that they would kill themselves.
He went over the facts and found that the leaders and most of the main people
had killed themselves. That left a few people that had agreed to not get in the
way and a few more that had only agreed to listen to the trouble makers. Both
men agreed there were larger problems in Rome. Antoninus had Tomidius set those
left alive free. They were to be warned to never be a part of any plots and
pardoned. Needless to say, Rome was surprised as such moderate action by the
Emperor...but they had come to expect it from Antoninus who tended to try to
please Rome first before punishing it as he had done with the old Senate.

-----

Postumus Varro began writing the scrolls that the whole of the Empire was
poised for. Antoninus had left it up to the lifelong beaurocrat to run his
armies. Postumus was not about to lead the Legions, but he knew who would. In
the south he instructed his old friend Turpillius Castus to prepare a strong set
of fortifications along Macedonia's border. There could be no money, so the work
would be done with his soldiers and, as Postumus had directly instructed,
whatever provincials could be grabbed to "volunteer" for service. Postumus
addressed as well the Emperor who had still not assigned any Roman legions
whatsoever to Africa. Postumus pleaded with the Emperor of the folly of not
properly stationing at least three legions in on the continent to tend to any
rebellion or invasion.

Lastly, he addressed Praetor Acedus Marius Julianus. The orders were in.
Southern Lugdunesis Gaul, and the whole of Rhaetia were to be invaded with his
entire force. Postumus instructed a short campaign. Rapid movement, and
overwhelming force whenever it was needed would be needed. Postumus warned of
the pitfalls of failure to appreciate the ability of the fighters, or the
harshness of the mountainous terrain. Rome was again at war.

--------

Antoninus received many scrolls that morning, but only two with important
seals upon them. He first read the dispatch from Postumus Varro instructing
legions to be sent to Africa, and agreed...also he was glad to see Postumus was
ready to expand the Empire. Antoninus sent for a scribe to take his orders down
as he opened the next scroll.

==Emperor Antoninus, It is reported that Aegyptus has invaded our borders
with some 50,000 soldiers. We are concerned greatly. The local militias are no
longer fully trustworthy. We are abandoning all of Numidia. We hope that you
will send reserves or full legions. There are 7,000 local soldiers in Eastern
Africa, our most loyal African province as far as I can tell. Ave Emperor. ~
Didius Justinius Pillus, Governor of Numidia=

------------

Tomidius Servo, Flavius Tiberius Daia, Lacrino Hadrius Castus, Antoninus
Maxus, Postumus Varro, Marius Julianus