And since the bard got a song, I think it's fair to give Salvius a chance to explain (to hilariously inapproapriate music) his version of the story so far...
Travelling through the lands Combrogi
With a werewolf, a crossbreed and chased by zombies
We met a royal woman, she made me nervous
But she sat us down and gave us breakfast
And she said
"I come from a land down under
Where demon eyes glow and the orcs plunder
Can you hear, can you hear the thunder?
We'd better run, we'd better take cover."
We met up with a masked man called Gabe
With an attitude and not much to say
He started mouthing off at the mighty dwarf king
I said to him, "Man, you gotta be joking."
We were locked in a cell down under
Where I took a rage and Numiera chundered
And outside, all the cannons still thundered
I said to Gabe, "You better take cover."
A stranger came and helped us get away
But my werewolf friend, he stayed back to play
I wanted to wait, to do him some justice
But the stranger betrayed us to some guys with muskets
And I said,
"To hell with this land down under!
We've not even made it as far as Afragia!"
It'll take a sequel to fix this blunder
So you better read it cover to cover.
Anyway, to business...
Spoiler: Updated profiles
MAJOR CHARACTERS
Spoiler: DECIUS MARCIUS
A natural commander, a dedicated family man and an unrelenting Namorian supremacist, Marcius is perhaps the best and the worst of the Imperium distilled into one man. He is not cruel by nature, even to his slaves, but he is ruthless in prosecuting those who would threaten the Imperium. Hard-won victories have led him to become allies with Earthborn, Romans, Greeks and former crocolyke rebels, but he still does not trust them fully, keeping command decisions in his own hands and thinking often of what will happen once the current crisis is over. Still, he is determined to press on with his mission, to liberate Dun Moriga and buy time for the small party seeking the Alcamor Stones, to the best of his ability.
He does not know about the recent murder of his wife and children, and for all his strong will, such knowledge would likely break him.
Spoiler: Marcius full profile
Name: Decius Marcius
Age: 39
Race: Namorian
Rank: Dux (general)
Godly Parents: N/A
Appearance: Standing at 5'8, Marcius is average height for a Namorian but short when compared to the likes of the Combrogi and the Southmen. However, with his strong jaw, aquiline nose and piercing eyes, he can be quite imposing when he wants to be. He has black hair, cut short, and olive skin prematurely lined around his mouth and at the corners of his eyes by the northern sun. His limbs are corded with old muscle and one or two scars, as well as some nearly-healed burn scars on his chest and neck from his recent run-in with a dragon. His right hand is crippled from severing his own wrist tendons at the battle of Hercinia, and it will be at least a year before he can hold a sword in that hand again, if ever.
Personality: Decius Marcius is a man of contrasts. As a commander he is cunning and pragmatic; humane to his own men, and ruthless towards his opponents. As a man he loves his family, is unflinching in his duty to the Emperor and the Namorian people, and is utterly determined to see the Free South crushed and the Namorian borders secure. He is even willing to work with his former enemies to achieve this, though he keeps a wary eye on them at all times – especially the crocolykes who he has hated ever since putting down their last rebellion. Like many Namorians he has a certain distrust of foreigners in general, though dwarves are an exception as dwarven auxilliaries have been a long-standing component of his legion. He respects Ann von Bayern, who aided him in his previous campaign, but retains a quiet distrust for all other Earthborn despite their theoretical alliance.
Background: The firstborn son of a respected political family, Marcius was given command of the newly-founded 18th Legion (the Fulminata, or 'Thunderers') at the age of 25. He proved that he had a talent for command by putting down a crocolyke uprising in Hercine, for which he won much acclaim, followed by border patrols against the South and other minor campaigns. After establishing himself socially and financially, he settled down at the age of 30 by marrying Lycinia Caelesta, the daughter of a Namorian praetor. Arranged by their respective fathers, the marriage was of course politically motivated; however they proved to be a happy match and raised three children - Marcus, Diana and Aurelia.
Marcius did not have to fight another major war until the arrival of the Earthborn, where the emperor struck an alliance and recalled half the Namorian legions (as well as raising 5 new ones) for an expedition to conquer the Free South once and for all. However, the murder of the Southern king Korzan heralded the invasion of the Imperium by immortal armies raised from the dead of ancient Earth. Summoned to action by the emperor, Marcius understood the peril of appearing weak before their Earthborn “allies” and so advised that the Southern invasion go ahead, while sending his own trusted bodyguard to retrieve the legendary Alcamor Stones that could help defeat the invaders.
Marcius himself bought time by taking his legion west to meet the invaders, and received help from the gods Mars and Lupinus in the form of a demon-possessed sword (formerly belonging to the demigod Gabriel) and a dire wolf bodyguard respectively. He succeeded in defeating both the Roman and Greek invasions, and later made allies of both, but during the final battle the dire wolf Silverwick was killed by the demigod Chaaru, who also made off with the demon sword. Marcius was not grieved to see it go, as the demon within the sword had nearly overwhelmed him, such that at the end he had to cut his own wrist to be free of it.
After a brief return to Emor, Marcius was promoted to Dux Orientem and tasked with liberating the eastern provinces from their invaders. This he set out to do with the help of his former enemies the Greeks and Romans, as well as an unexpected force of crocolykes. The alliance is far from stable, but after defeating another immortal force with the help of the guardian spirits of Combrogia, Marcius and his army are poised to enter Dun Moriga and confront whatever enemy is attacking the dwarf realm.
Faction: Namorian Empire
Loves: His family, the Emor skyline, Hercinian wine
Hates: The cold, the Southern tribes, Crocolykes
Weaponry / Armour: Marcius wears Namorian laminar armour, made of hardened steel bands over leather. He carries a sword which is engraved with the Imperium's trademark initialism, IPQE ("Imperator Populusque Emorus"), though for now he can only wield it left-handed. His indigo cloak is pinned with a clasp displaying the Fulminata thunderbolt, and he wears the emblem of the eastern provinces (a hammer and a sun held in the talons of a Namorian eagle) on a chain around his neck.
Spoiler: VARRO SALVIUS
Salvius is a soldier's soldier – pragmatic, loyal to a fault, and a gutter fighter. He was chosen by Marcius to lead the quest for the Alcamor Stones. But, instead of a squad of elite legionaries, fate left him embarking on the quest with a former friend from his legion, an Afragian princess, a young half-demon, a mysterious Earthborn, and only one of the emperor's praetorians. He is warming to the half-demon Numiera as she proves herself more useful than expected, although he hasn't forgiven her for being indirectly responsible for several deaths (and if he were to find out that she lost control and attacked another party member, he would likely send her away for good). Used to professionalism and to being obeyed, he has gotten on poorly with the impulsive, insolent earthborn Gabriel.
After a disastrous and avoidable incident in Dun Moriga separated him from all but Numiera and Gabriel, the three escaped into the Afragian desert only to be waylaid by a mysterious foe.
Spoiler: Salvius full profile
Name: Varro Salvius
Age: 32
Race: Namorian
Rank: Centurion, protector (bodyguard)
Godly Parents: N/A
Appearance: Tall for a Namorian and heavily muscled, Salvius is an imposing man. He has black hair and is cleanshaven, accentuating a square jaw and a blocky face that looks like it has been punched in repeatedly (which it has).
Personality: Salvius is a man easily provoked to both laughter and anger. In the presence of royalty or superior officers he is rigidly professional, but around friends and men of his own rank he reveals a sardonic, irreverent sense of humour and is an easy man to like when he is not trying to be threatening. Being threatening is an art which he has – admittedly – perfected, and he is unapologetically stern in a command role. He has a strong sense of duty and will see a mission through whatever the cost, although given the choice he will not leave friends or children to die.
Background: Salvius is a career soldier, having served in the 18th Legion for many years before being promoted for bravery during the 3rd Southern campaign. Put in command of the 1st cohort's 4th century, Salvius developed a reputation as a tough but popular leader. Centurions are expected to lead by example and Salvius did just that, which brought him to the attention of the legion's new commander, Decius Marcius. After seeing the man in action against the Southerners, Marcius employed Salvius as his personal bodyguard. Taking the day-to-day approach to life common in soldiers, Salvius enjoyed the status and pay of his post, while still taking his job very seriously.
With his current tour of duty soon to end, Salvius was unsure whether he wanted to retire to a rich civilian life or extend his commission for another 10 years, but this problem was put aside following the death of Korzan, after which the Imperium found itself under attack by unkillable armies from ancient Earth. Salvius was sent on a mission to Tartarus to retrieve the Alcamor Stones – a slim hope, but one which could save the Imperium. Chance, mistakes and the intervention of gods both friendly and hostile have seen him through to Afragia with a mysterious guide and only two of his companions remaining. Although Salvius hopes to be reunited with his old friend Kuronus (who, unknown to him, is now a werewolf) and the Afragian princess Nesara, he has a rather more immediate problem in that he, his guide and his companions have been ambushed and captured by unidentified enemies.
Faction: Namorian Empire
Loves: The perks of his job, games of chance, beautiful women
Hates: Dereliction of duty, any and all Southerners, being idle
Weaponry / Armour: Salvius' preferred weapon is still his long cavalry spatha. Being made of iron, an element that naturally repels demons and disrupts their corporeal forms, it should prove useful in the underworld. He pairs it with an oval shield, and while both weapons are designed for use from horseback, he is just as competent with them on foot. Under a plain travelling cloak Salvius wears scale armour and steel greaves, and still carries his distinctive horizontal-plumed centurion's helmet.
Spoiler: AULUS OVIDIUS AND SURIYANA
Ovidius is not a man to influence the course of a war from the front line, but it was he who brought news of the demon attack on the mages' guild, and he who Isis visited to warn him of the necessity of making allies rather than enemies of the immortal Romans. Ovidius is less than enthusiastic about the idea of being a hero or of being singled out by Isis, but he is loyal enough to the Marcius clan to accept the mission to Afragia to try and tip the balance of power towards a potential ally. Another factor in that decision was that it allowed him to be close to Suriyana, who he had been attracted to for some time but was only recently able to act on it. They make a natural couple, but both are independent minded and as such their relationship is more physical than emotional, although this may change over time.
Suriyana, originally just a body slave to Marcius' wife Lycinia, came to prominence when the Marcii recognised the advantage of having a native Afragian as a guide, translator and co-conspirator on the mission. Already familiar with the gods of ancient Egypt, she is tasked with getting close and influencing the immortal Egyptians by impersonating a priestess of Ra, and she has given a crash-course in the gods' lore to Ovidius so he can do the same with Anubis. Travelling with them is Ann von Bayern, who has taken Suriyana under her wing and begun to teach her magic so she can hold her own if things turn sour.
Spoiler: Full profiles
Name: Aulus Ovidius and Suriyana (aka Afragia)
Age: 26 and 20
Race: Namorian and Namorian-born Afragian
Rank: N/A, spy and body slave respectively
Godly Parents: N/A
Appearances: Ovidius has classical Namorian features, with a narrow, aquiline nose and a broad forehead crowned with curly black hair. His olive skin is sun-lined but still youthful, and his eyes are dark and sharp, missing little and giving away even less. He carries a scar across his ribs where he narrowly avoided the Assassin at the mages' guild.
Suriyana is the daughter of two Afragian slaves, and inherited their deep brown skin despite growing up in temperate Namor. She has a delicate oval face with shrewd brown eyes and very white teeth, which she often flashes in a slightly lop-sided smile. Her hair is black and naturally wavy, and falls to her middle back when not tied up.
Personalities: Ovidius is a man from the gutter and he knows it. He is aware of the nature of his work and so tends not to ask questions about it, but that doesn't stop him from having a roguish wit and an affable, easygoing nature. He is cunning, quick-thinking and, to a point, brave, although he can recognise a situation where he is in over his head.
Suriyana is just as quick-witted as Ovidius and very sardonic, and she can easily match him blow-for-blow in an argument. She is however more mindful of long-term consequences, and so is somewhat more level-headed. Cautious and pragmatic, especially about her own situation, she hopes to buy her freedom some day but is proud enough to want to do this on her own merits rather than anyone else’s help. She also does not want to risk the life of a fugitive by running away, especially since the Marcius family have (by and large) treated her well.
Background: Suriyana (Afragia to her Namorian masters) is a body slave to Marcius' wife and Ovidius her eyes and ears, and until recently they only met through their mutual employer. Ovidius however had had his eye on Suriyana for some time, and a silver lining of being injured several times in the line of duty was that he got a chance to talk to the young slave. It was Suriyana who patched Ovidius up after he barely escaped the demon-infested mages' guild, and she who helped him remember the vision that the goddess Isis planted in his head, ultimately leading to an alliance with the Romans that saved Emor from a devastating siege. Ovidius was somewhat unnerved at being singled out by a goddess, but Suriyana (who, following the religion of her Afragian parents, was a strong patron of Isis) encouraged him. Enjoying each other's company more than Suriyana had expected (and as much as Ovidius had hoped) the two began a tenuous relationship.
After word reached Emor of the power struggle between the immortal Egyptians who had landed in Afragia, Ovidius and Suriyana were sent to pre-empt the kind of bloodshed which had occurred in Combrogia and Hercine by covertly assisting the Egyptian leader most likely to be friendly to the Imperium. Flying there in Ann von Bayern's hi-tech dropship, they have reached the Egyptian city of New Giza and are poised to begin their mission. Neither of the two are aware that their former mistress has just been murdered, or where this might leave them.
Faction: Namorian Empire
Weaponry / Armour: Ovidius carries a dagger, usually concealed. Currently posing as an assassin priest of Anubis, he dresses mostly in dark colours and wears the jackal seal around his neck. Suriyana is unarmed but is learning magic from Ann von Bayern, assisted by a small avian familiar called Qia'bul.
MINOR CHARACTERS (who I may reference or use as POV characters from time to time)
The Imperial Army
Tribune Caeso Cassius - A young and eager cavalry commander looking to advance his political career, something that shows in his shrewd mind and diplomatic tone. As tribunus laticlavius, he is the 18th legion’s nominal second in command.
Tribune Titus Varinius - A grizzled and cynical officer with opinions as blunt as his rough-hewn face. Marcius’ most capable infantry commander.
Prefect Tiberius Lucullus - The 18th legion’s third in command; a master of organisation and logistics.
Protector Sextus Varrius - Marcius’ current bodyguard. A man of few words but lethal with a sword, though perhaps not as lethal as his now-dead predecessor.
Praetor Quintus Maximus - Commander in chief of the southern invasion force. A sober, relentless general who fights with the inevitability of a meat-grinder.
Praetor Numerius Graccus - Garrison commander and chief Namorian “ambassador” in Dun Moriga, he does not even know yet of Salvius and his mission. Princess Nesara seeks his aid for her homeland of Afragia.
Protector Lucius Calvus - The finest swordsman in the 18th’s first cohort, and Marcius’ former bodyguard. Killed fighting Achilles, he has been resurrected by Kronos to serve a higher purpose.
The Emorian Nobility
Gaius and Seppia Octavius - Marcius’ cousins by marriage, and somewhat scandalised following the incident at the Mages’ Guild, as Gaius and his son Titus (who barely escaped the demon attack) are former students there. Following the murder of Marcius’ family, Gaius has become obsessed with tracking down the killers.
Marcus and Julia Agrippa - Friends of Marcius’ late wife Lycinia.
Servilia - Another friend of Lycinia and wife to the commander of the 4th legion.
Lucius Agrippa - A wealthy senator with holdings in Afragia, and a friend of princess Nesara. Keeping a low profile after the deal he helped broker with the Earthborn is proving to have more strings attached than the emperor expected.
Over time I can update my CS right? With her name, personality, and if need be, history?
Also Apollo does exist right? Does he still have the same domains or no? I assumed in mine he still ruled medicine, prophecy, and music at least. Was that alright?
*EDIT*
These are the questions I had in the CS itself, you can edit them out if you wish.
(I was going to leave it open for you Korzan to decide if Apollo would approach her or not. I was also hoping she could, in time, unlock all her former memories when she was Hyacinth?)
God, after those character-Actor comparisons, I'm having a hard job hearing Jason Statham singing that song
And of course, accepted
EDIT:
Yeah I'm okay with updated the character sheet as we go along, just let me know when there's been an update and stuff and I'll sort things , you can progress your character as you go along by all means!
And yeah Apollo is the God of Music, Merriment, one of the minor gods of Medicine and the self proclaimed god of Masculinity.
Last edited by Death of Korzan; 11-22-2013 at 04:05 PM.
Yeah I'm okay with updated the character sheet as we go along, just let me know when there's been an update and stuff and I'll sort things , you can progress your character as you go along by all means!
And yeah Apollo is the God of Music, Merriment, one of the minor gods of Medicine and the self proclaimed god of Masculinity.
Alright! Thank you so much! I am loving the cast so far! I'm rereading the summary again to grasp the current story so far! A LOT happened!
Ahah, if you ever get round to it you should read book I, good stuff and I can assure you you'll love the characters even more, the summary is only loose but you'll no doubt be filled in on things
So I notice you keep referring to it as a book. I'm assuming you are saving all the work the players are doing? Is the story something you're going to keep for personal enjoyment?
Also, how many 'books' did you plan on making? And I'm going to read the IC to see how the play style is!
Question: If I'm inspired to make a second character, may I?
I have compiled the story into "book form" in a Word document, with all the text proof-read, edited together and put in the right order. It's easier to read than the original IC thread and includes some extra stuff as well, so just PM me with your email address and I'll send you a copy.
Originally Posted by Death of Korzan
EDIT:
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