Viae Romae

[Crozimodo]

The Viae Romae



The hustle and bustle of the streets of Rome hold many things, vibrant colours, amazing bargains, a knife concealed in the darkness...

Here deals and meetings are made, power and coin traded and names are made. Chance encounters and planned both have the power to change the fate of Rome and many of Rome's greatest men were born due to the people that walk these streets.

[Tazgrent]

A man in a dusty robe rides next to a cart being pulled by a mule. Several slaves follow behind. The Cart seems to be piled high with household items and is covered by a large sheet. Everyone, slaves and master, seems somewhat downcast. The cart ascends the Palatine and pulls up to a somewhat out of repair, but rich looking, domus. The man takes off his robe, revealing the purple lined toga of a senator, and the slaves begin moving the items into the house. The man sighs and enters the house as well.

[Roxas]

Consul Aquillius had ample amount of exposure to Politics for the day and retreated back to the roads of Rome, he briskly began to trawl through the markets and explore the stalls which littered them.

[M D]

Senator Gracchus walked past the Consul, stopping him,

"Consul Aquillius, what brings you to the depths of Rome.. Or are you here to find your latest property acquisition?"

[Roxas]

Spinning round to look at the man, the Consul was surprised to see the face who had been causing quite a stir within the Senate.

"It will no be long Gracchus before I will surely be assigned to fight some dirty and vile barbarians outside of Rome, I intend to enjoy the pleasures of the city before I must contend with the unrefined cities outside of Italy. Enough about me, what are you doing here; I hope you are not stirring up the Plebs...."

[M D]

"I am one, my dear Aquillius.."

He laughs,

"It will not be long, Consul.. It will not be long."

He walks off

[Royal_McKeogh]

Sextus walks in off a side street with a large amount of dust on his cape and clothes as if he had traveled a long way, with a large pouch at his belt with nothing in it. He walks up to a man who appears to be of Numantia, a region of Iberia. He slips a scroll into the man's hand and the man in turn slips a great deal of coins into the pouch. As the man walks away, he opens the scroll slightly to steal a quick glance at the contents to find that there nothing on the scroll other than "Infiltration Completed. More money WILL be required for more information" The man quickly turns around to discover Sextus is gone. He screams in frustration, knowing that to return would mean failure and death. He walks off towards the slums looking for a cheap inn to stay at, knowing he would stay there, in the city, as long as it took.

[dragoon47]

Lucius walked among the streets, some were celebrating the victory in Spain, others were having quiet meals in their own homes but one thing was clear, he would never have known that just a year ago there had been so much torture and death upon the streets. The Sacred Fire of Vesta was burning brightly in the temple, a temple which none of the priestesses from that night would never enter again, preferring solitude. Luckily he had enough room in his Villa for them as most would not even face their families although rumours were obviously starting to spread of his "generosity" towards them.

This was the first time he had walked amongst the plebeian quarters since the revolt, he had expected to feel anger but all he had felt was disappointment, not in them but in himself. He had led these citizens' family members to death is so many engagements, thrown them away at Trasimene. He chuckled at the thought, now he was starting to think like Pallas and the rest.

The local tavern was still open and he entered it, prepared to make a deal to sell his family wine here. It seemed like a quality establishment, not as many prostitutes as he had expected upon walking through the door. It was well-lit, seemed to have a few equestrian patrons sitting in the back drinking themselves to a stupor. Overall though, the tavern was perfect for his business. He walked up to the keep and took a seat.

What can I do for you sir?

Lucius felt a fair bit taken aback that he was not recognized.

I was wondering if you would sell my wine here. I can assure you it is of good quality, I oversee the making of it myself.

...and what wine is that?

Valerii family wine of course.

The fact that he had to say it confirmed he had no idea who he was.

Do you have a sample of it?

Lucius pulled out a few small jugs, maybe half a pint and gave it to him. he tasted each one.

What a wonderful combination these are. What did you say your name was again?

Lucius of the Valerii, called Poplicola.

The barkeep's face turned to an almost blueish hue as he set down the jug.

Umm...yes, well you see...umm...

What is it?

Lucius didn't mean for the question to have much of a commanding tone but it did.

I'll buy it, don't worry about it.

I'll ship it here within the week then.

Lucius picked up his things and left. He obviously wasn't well-liked around these parts. nearly two thirds of the people he executed as Praetor lived here. That's why he had to regain their confidence, the people hated him for standing up to Gracchus, hated him for giving in to his demands, hated him for Gracchus' last words to him, hated him for stabbing his killer, and hated him for his reign of terror during martial law. All things considered, a few jugs of wine won't be able to reconcile their differences, then again it may. Luckily this was only the first step in his campaign for their hearts. He couldn't let Pallas have them.

[dragoon47]

Lucius walks out of the Curia and into the Forum, glancing back a few times before continuing to walk, satisfied with the way the days' politics had gone.

[Nota']

*As Poplicola passes a slightly dark alley, but still within in reasonable sight of many a passerby, a hand emerges from the alley and grabs Poplicola round the mouth and pulls him into the alley. As Poplicola's eyes become accustomed to the comparative darkness, two Latins are revealed to him, and he can feel the third's vice-like grip around his mouth and chest. The two visible Latins begin to beat Poplicola in the chest and stomach. The pain is already visible in his eyes. The man holding him lets out a poorly stifled scream as the senator manages to find a purchase on the man's fingers, and Poplicola's jaw clamps down upon them. Poplicola is released and begins to makes an all too slow exit from the alley. He was near the exit by the time one of the other Latins hit him in the head with a wooden mallet.*
"Lets make it so he won't be able to escape us again" *This was the Latin that Poplicola had bitten speaking*
"Titus, hold the man up, and try to keep him still!" By now some onlookers had gathered around the entrance to the alley, none of them willing to assist Poplicola. The Latin thugs didn't seem to care about their presence.
Poplicola is hauled up, leaving his legs straight, but not perpendicular to the ground. The bitten Latin uses this to aim a powerful kick to Poplicola’s knee, which immediately breaks, bending backwards, giving an audible crunch. The bitten thug then proceeded to sit on Poplicola’s heaving chest, delivering punch after punch to Poplicola's face, which began to spurt blood on impact. The thug then lifts Poplicola's head up, smashes it into the ground and gets off the body. He then digs around in his pouch, pulls out a semuncia and puts it on a wound on the victim's forehead, making sure to apply sufficient pressure for a wince from Poplicola. The Latins then begin to jog leisurely down the alley, after the bitten Latin gives Poplicola's knee a nudge, taking visible pleasure in his pain. They leave him with his wounds and a semuncia for his troubles...

[dragoon47]

Lucius lay on the ground, the world was darkening yet he was still wide awake. The throbbing in his body was so immense that he could neither speak nor move. He attempted to move his leg and got nothing but a sharp searing pain in return and a throbbing beyond all belief. He summoned the strength to look down upon his leg and found a bone sticking out of the back of it, the throbbing had been his blood oozing from the wound and a new throbbing began in his chest, the rib was broken.

He lifted his hand to his eye which had darkened and saw only blood on his hand, the eyelid had been ripped, no doubt when that pig had beaten him. He had trouble breathing and blood clogged his throat, he had bitten his tongue as well as the man's hand and he could not speak. Within moments he fell asleep.

[Tazgrent]

Keep the change.
Titus's world goes black as an oak staff takes him in the head. The other thugs see the enraged Cassius with murder in his eyes, and take off at a sprint.
Jupiter's Arse...
Cassius reaches down to help his friend up.
Wish I hadn't left those scrolls behind at the Curia. Let's get you to a Medicus.
Supporting his friend, the pair heads toward the open Forum.

[Tazgrent]

Cassius stumbles as his friend goes out like a torch.
Great Balls of Mars! Come on, old friend! You survived Telamon, and you'll survive this.
Cassius drops his oak staff, and with a mighty roar, lumps his friend onto his own back. He drops him into the nearest cart. He looks at the shocked wainsman and says,
This wagon is being requisitioned by the Senate and People of Rome!
Cassius begins the laborious task of pulling his friend to the Medicus...

[Tazgrent]

Valerius wakes to see a hunched over old man with a beard.
"Lay still, young master. This work is delicate enough without you flopping about like a speared trout."
The Medicus finishes stitching Valerius's eye.
"There. That should stem the bleeding. It'll scar, though. The man who left you here, angry looking sort with a stick; he said he had to finish the business with the man who did this to you, and left you with me. And the bill, it would seem."
The Medicus takes a bottle from the shelf.
"Take two of these every morning, and sacrifice a dove or two to Apollo; three would be best. If you don't see a flock of sparrows flying east by next Satruday, come see me."

[Lord Slayer]

A man in middle class clothing walks around the market looking at the different wares. He was not interested in pottery or fine linen clothing. No he was interested in some information and a few slaves for his master. His master had given him some money for information and for slaves.

The servant approached the slave vendor first. The servant looked at the slaves. some where skinny and on the verge of dying. others where built but lack any sense of belonging to anyone but themselves. and finally their was a child slave. The servant smiled and waited for the owner of the vendor to come to him.

" Yes servant ?. what can i do for you ?. " The man was in his late 40s and clearly he use to be in the army. But what stood out the most with him was the scar on the side of his face. clearly this man was hurt in battle and cast aside.

" Hi yes i am shopping for my master Servius Muncius Septimus. He wish's for me to buy a slave for him and that child over their seems to meet the requirements of my master. what is his name " The servant asked in a calm collected voice

The man spat at him" The boy name is Ashtzaph he was recently sold to me from a roman captain. He is worth 500 Denari. " The servant slowly took out the money and handed it to the man. The man spat again and went to get the boy. The servant watched as the man whipped the boy and then smacked his face as the boy began to cry in pain.

" Here you go servant. tell your master to shop again ". The man said as he spat at the servant once again and walked towards another group of buyers. The servant looked at the slave boy and smacked him also as they began to walk back towards his masters villa

[Nota']

OOC: I assume this is Kaeso?

[Lord Slayer]

OOC :No this is the Servant that went and bought a slave at the market for Servius (( Although he did not know his servant would buy a Child slave )). This slave is already at the household but in the basement. servant bought him home already

[War lord]

The silence of dawn is broken by screaming,the body of Aulus Licinius Caldius has been discovered,brutally mutilated,with the words "Plebeian scum" carved onto his forehead,by the evening graffiti has appeared on walls pointing blame in various directions and all talk in the city is of possible motives.