Lusitania - Mending Fences

**Pontifex Maximus** · October 13, 2016, 03:51 PM

Publius Cornelius Sulla left the war torn fields of Italy for the furthest province of Spain. He had commanded three legions previously and now found himself in command of none. This would not have been a very startling realization had the province not abutted one of the most hostile tribes on the peninsula. Given this, Sulla immediately sought to bring the Lusitanians to the bargaining table to negotiate a peace between them and Rome. Sulla left without much support, and little to no way to back up Rome's authority in the province. He proceeded under a flag of truce into Lusitanian lands and sent out word to the chiefs that Sulla meant to treat with them. Chief Punicus was the premiere Lusitanian chief, and it is that man Sulla wished to speak to.

**General Brewster** · October 13, 2016, 04:20 PM

Chief Punicus chieftain of the Lusitanian's sends word to the pro-consul Sulla that terms for a meeting are the following.

I. Each side may bring 3 confidants.
II. The meeting will take place on an open plain on Lusitanian grounds

OOC: Just trying to help out. not sure If I can just RP that chief

**Dirty Chai** · October 13, 2016, 04:22 PM

[OOC: I was just researching Lusitanians to do this, as requested. I'll take over from here. Thanks though.]

**General Brewster** · October 13, 2016, 04:24 PM

OOC: I didn't mean to steal someones thing. If you made a agreement to do it, its your mate.

**Dirty Chai** · October 13, 2016, 04:25 PM

[No worries, Brewster, thanks for trying to help]

**Pontifex Maximus** · October 13, 2016, 04:27 PM

Having agreed to the terms, Sulla waited impatiently for Punicus to arrive.

**Dirty Chai** · October 13, 2016, 04:35 PM

Punicus was an aging man, with a grey beard waving down in great shag to his collarbone. A brooch hung around said collar, similar to what the Gauls wore, but markedly different in design. He took a seat in the meeting place across from the Roman proconsul, glaring across the tent without a hint of emotion... surely the barbarian way of things. The three retainers he brought seemed to be two other chieftains - onlookers, observers, vultures, all the same - and an interpreter of sorts, who had a darker complexion than the typical Lusitanian.

The interpreter listened warily to his lord and then turned to look at Sulla even more warily.
"The Lusitani would offer you satiation, but they only have feces of the stallion to offer."
His Latin was horrid, but clear enough.

**Pontifex Maximus** · October 13, 2016, 04:42 PM

Sulla remained expressionless. He wore his Toga Praetexta and Myrtle Wreath, both tokens owed to him by means of his status in the Republic, not that he expected this horse

er to understand any of it. He chose to ignore the jape. "I am Publius Cornelius Sulla, Pro-Consular governor of Baetica. I have come to negotiate a more sound peace between Rome and your people. As it stands now, intermittent warfare has controlled our relationship. I intend to enact a formal treaty between us in order to achieve this." Sulla hoped he was hiding his disgust well.

**Dirty Chai** · October 13, 2016, 04:56 PM

The interpreter looked to his lord, less warily. He liked Romans, in this moment. They didn't tell him to translate insults. Punicus sniffed and snorted as the young man explained to him in babbling tongues what the proconsul wanted. A few questions went back and forth, followed by Punicus eyeing Sulla with a raised brow - a "consul"? Like me, a king? But they kill kings in Rome? Ah, Romans. So ridiculous.

Punicus glanced at his two lessers who watched with sleepy eyes, and then gestured as he spoke back to the translator. In turn, the latter looked back to Sulla finally and explained what the Lusitanian chieftain-of-chieftains had said.

"The princeps Lusitanum finds it hard to trust anything from the mouth of a Roman. His grandfather and father died at Roman hands, and the lands to the south of here once belonged to the chieftains present."

**Pontifex Maximus** · October 13, 2016, 05:23 PM

"None of my ancestors were killed by the Spanish tribes." Sulla responded. "The interests of Rome as so expansive that we hardly think about the Spanish tribes until they make war upon us. Do what is right for your people, Chief Punicus." Sulla entreated. "Let us commit to a firm peace between our people for a single year, at least."

**Dirty Chai** · October 13, 2016, 05:36 PM

Punicus frowned deeply as Sulla's words were translated. He grunted and growled back to the young interpreter.
"Why should the Lusitani make peace with the Romani? To seek peace is testament to your weakness, fat and spread out as you are."

**Pontifex Maximus** · October 13, 2016, 05:44 PM

Sulla smiled lazily. "Punicus...you could win back all of Baetica throught conquest in one year. For the next year you could revel in your success and celebrate the victory. But the year after, the legions will appear on your border, and before the next year passes you will have lost not only all the lands you captured, but those you hold now. Roman fate is inexorable. It is only through friendship with the Roman state that you will retain any independence or self rule."

**Dirty Chai** · October 13, 2016, 06:32 PM

"What do you offer for peace?"

**Pontifex Maximus** · October 13, 2016, 06:34 PM

"My pledge that for the next year Roman armies will not move into my province." Sulla began. "You shall be granted autonomy over your lands so long as you maintain the peace. But you must also not break the peace with the allied Spanish tribes to the north."

**Dirty Chai** · October 13, 2016, 06:54 PM

Roll: 1/20. Oh god.

Punicus stands up with wide blood-shot eyes as the interpreter gets half way through his barbarian sentence. The youth goes silent before he finishes Sulla's terms, and then turns to the consul remorsefully as the Lusitanian chieftain barks and bellows angrily, gesturing with fury. Autonomy? Autonomy?!

"My lord says that there can be no peace when Romans threaten his people with their armies and offer him 'autonomy' on lands that are already his own. If you wish for peace, you should give back the lands you stole."