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Topic: There's No Place Like Rome
Subject: Alright, here's the deal...
In the next week or so, I need characters from the lot of you!
This includes your name, background, personality, etc. Remember that the 13th Legion has been fighting in Gaul for nearly seven years now, so you've likely had a lot of combat experience, depending at which point you joined up. As you're all Legionnaires in Caesar's army, you're all citizens, albeit plebeians. The year is 52 BC.
The equipment you start out with will be your standard fighting kit, weapons (gladius, spear, knife), breatplate, uniform (cape, sandals, etc.), helmet, and other knick-knacks of your uniform (most of which are ornate)...
And our Centurion gets a fancy helmet and a whistle. (seriously).
Other than that, you have your personal rations and extra clothes.
Often, before an assignment, Mark Antony himself will provide you with gold, for expenses or bribes (while often taking a cut for himself), though the rest of your money is personal wages (most keep their stock in slaves, but that's up to you).
While you are an elite branch of the 13th, the other Legionnaires are not technically your underlings - though you are generally respected by the Legion. However, your little cell reports directly to Mark Antony. In other words, you don't take orders from some Centurion in another cohort, etc. As such, you might not always have the ability to call on other Legionnaires to help, but it is likely that you'll often be assigned some extra hands (sometimes from your own legion, sometimes from the non-citizen legions, or perhaps Ubian cavalry).
Feel free to be creative with your backgrounds (as always) - the only things you all have in common is that you're all soldiers in the 13th Legion and you're all Roman citizens. And as of the start of our game, you will just have returned from the Battle of Alesia, the last major engagement with the tribes of Gaul, and Vercingetorix, the King of all the tribes of Gaul, is about to surrender to Caesar.
Here is some historical background about the start of our game, from wikipedia (I know, I know...  )
Julius Caesar had been in Gaul since 58 BC. It was customary for consuls, Rome's highest elected officials, at the end of their consular year, to be appointed proconsul and assume governorship of one of Rome's provinces by the Roman Senate, and following his first consulship in 59 BC, Caesar engineered his own appointment of Cisalpine Gaul (the region between the Alps, the Apennines and the Adriatic), and Transalpine Gaul ("Gaul beyond the Alps"). Although the proconsular term of office is normally one year, Caesar was able to secure his post in Gaul for an unprecedented ten years. With a proconsular Imperium, he had absolute authority within these provinces.
One by one Caesar defeated Gallic tribes such as the Helvetii, the Belgae, and the Nervii, and secured a pledge of alliance from many others. The ongoing success of the Gallic Wars brought an enormous amount of wealth to the Republic in spoils of war and in new lands to tax. Caesar himself became very rich since, as general, he benefited from the sale of war prisoners. But success and fame also brought enemies. The First Triumvirate, a political (although informal) alliance with Pompey and Crassus, came to an end in 54 BC, with the deaths of Julia (Caesar's daughter and Pompey's wife) and Crassus in the battle of Carrhae. Without this political connection with Pompey, men dedicated to the Republic like Cato the Younger started a political campaign against Caesar, arousing suspicion and accusing him of wanting to overthrow the Republic and become King of Rome.
Posted on 2008-07-01 at 17:10:02.
Edited on 2008-07-01 at 17:14:35 by Cap'n Lou
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Topic: SW Patterns of Deception Q & A
Subject: Post soon!
Oh. I was waiting for you to get back to post; didn't realize that you were back already. My mistake!
Will post pronto.
Posted on 2008-06-30 at 22:28:51.
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Topic: The Embodiment
Subject: Looking forward to it.
I need a few more character connections, but otherwise I think I have my character figured out.
Still looking forward to the Embodiment very much.
Posted on 2008-06-30 at 21:28:38.
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Topic: There's No Place Like Rome
Subject: Small party?
Go with 4?
I'm considering just jumping in as a fellow Legionnaire and starting this thing up in a week or so.
If everyone is okay with this, we'd start sometime around next Monday and Merideth would be our Centurion. I'd be handling most NPCs and the general plot outline, but feel free to write in dialogue for my NPCS or some of your own, etc.,etc.,etc. ... it is freeform after all.
I find smaller play-by-post games are more managable, anyhow...
Let me know what you all think of this. And Shounin, if you're still in, please post sometime. Thanks,
-Lou
Posted on 2008-06-30 at 21:22:45.
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Topic: A Shadow Over Drasnia Q&A
Subject: Damnit.
I just wrote out a post...
then I pressed the wrong key and it was lost.
I have most of it saved on word, but after something like that, I don't have the heart to retype the missing bits...
I promise I'll post soon, I'm just flustered right now...
Posted on 2008-06-30 at 21:19:05.
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Topic: SW Patterns of Deception Q & A
Subject: YeOlde
So...umm...
I'm not exactly sure what YeOlde's status is. We'll resume when YeOlde posts either here or in the game thread.
And trust me, we've suffered a lot of hiatuses, but it won't be long before this game gets pretty interesting...
Posted on 2008-06-30 at 15:54:23.
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Topic: yet another movie thread...
Subject: Batman & Bond
I'm a batman fan, but a gigantic Bondphile.
Favorite Batman?
No contest.
Hands down...
Val Kilmer.
...
Just kidding. Christian Bale, without question.
I'm a huge Bond fan, and I love the Connery movies so much, more than any of the others. All of his films are enjoyable and really capture the essence of the character. Don't get me wrong - I love the other Bonds too. But Connery has a nostalgic element to his films that the others, I think, lack.
That being said, Daniel Craig has done an excellent job so far. It's too early to call it with the newest film (EON has a habit of making a great Bond film, then making a terrible one, sort of like the theory that only the even-numbered Trek films are the good ones), but if Craig keeps it up, he might be a close second to Connery in my book...
Posted on 2008-06-30 at 15:52:40.
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Topic: Add On Story. Fill in 3 words!
Subject: rarrg
open fire on
Posted on 2008-06-30 at 04:45:39.
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Topic: A Shadow Over Drasnia Q&A
Subject: rollplaying
Ack.
I didn't mean that you would do the rolls - I meant that you would post which spell, skill or whathaveyou you might be using; also if you were doing that something that might require a roll (i.e. a simple check of strength). In other words, I meant that any time dice might need to be rolled, I'd like you to post it up.
If for no other reason, to remind the absent-minded DM.
Merideth - I allowed the roll you did because...well, I'm not a stickler. But had you done that, say...in combat, I would have ruled that the DM would be rolling. One roll here and there is fine, though.
Ack, my mistake.
Posted on 2008-06-30 at 04:38:37.
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Topic: There's No Place Like Rome
Subject: Why not?
I s'pose... 
Posted on 2008-06-30 at 04:33:36.
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Topic: Add On Story. Fill in 3 words!
Subject: Insert name here.
Warp 3, Mr.
Posted on 2008-06-29 at 17:44:18.
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Topic: There's No Place Like Rome
Subject: Keeping this thing alive.
Just another notice: we're still looking for one to two more brave Roman soldiers for this game...
As stated before, we have no projected start date as of yet. And all prospective players, keep in mind that this is to be a light side-project of a sort. It'll be ongoing, relaxed, freeform but with preferable quality of writing.
Hopefully, our current three players (Merideth, Shounin and Duncan) are all still on board. If there's anyone else at the inn who has just a bit of time on their hands and an interest in this game, please let us know by posting here or PMing me.
And you other players, message your friends and get them to join... 
-Lou
Posted on 2008-06-29 at 17:41:12.
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Topic: A Shadow Over Drasnia Q&A
Subject: rules stuff
Gigi-
In the future, please list which spell you're using and all appropriate rolls, and other info that might be relevant. I can always guess or make an educated DM-style decision, but I prefer not to. I am lax on the rules - I prefer writing and story, but I prefer the PCs to throw in a short (OOC: this is what i'm doing rules-wise) to make it clear.
That being said, I'm assuming you're using Alter Self. Even when its fairly obvious, I'd still prefer a little rules-based note; just one of my little idiosyncracies...
I will throw in a post either later today (not probable) or tomorrow (likely). So far so good, everyone.
And quite evil... 
Posted on 2008-06-29 at 17:32:32.
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Topic: Help Lou Design a Campaign Setting!
Subject: Elvish
Sounds great, I've been working on a few things myself, concerning the Elvish language.
I've got a small guidebook of some words, but those aren't important so much as the fundamentals of the language...
The language is quasi-metaphorical. While words do mean definite things, often a word used to describe a concept is a word for something in nature.
For example, the term for alone might be, "As a single tree in an open field." or something of the like. Moreover, you might only have one word for such a phrase (just as the innuets have dozens of words for ice and snow, the elves would probably have dozens of words for trees). So, the word enebri (just making up elvish words off the top of my head here) might translate roughly to alone, but might actually have a deeper metaphorical meaning.
Which means that Elvish would probably end up being an obscure and complex language to a nonspeaker...
Posted on 2008-06-28 at 19:08:59.
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Topic: SW Patterns of Deception Q & A
Subject: I'm surprised...
No one commented on the mention of a "Hoth Dog" vendor in my post... 
In other news - sure, up to you, it's your character. It would make most sense if Lysander found somewhere to lay low, yes.
Posted on 2008-06-28 at 19:01:51.
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Topic: yet another movie thread...
Subject: Idiocracy
Idiocracy is one of the best and, ironically, most sophisticated critiques of consumer culture, media concentration and government control of our age. There are a few things I would have changed had I been writing the film, but overall, a great movie.
And, (surprise surprise!) Fox tried to kill it, limiting its theatrical and video release. It's cult following after the fact saved it, though...
Posted on 2008-06-28 at 18:59:18.
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Topic: yet another movie thread...
Subject: Wanted: More like...Not Wanted.
Sorry, have to disagree.
Equilibrium is one of my favorite movies, and the Matrix is, of course, a classic now. So I'm not genre-biased.
And Wanted is, in my opinion, god-awful.
Seriously, the plot was horrible (weaver-assassins?! wtf?), and the action sequences made it absolutely impossible to suspend your disbelief. People were shooting, and the bullets curved because they were slinging their arms a certain way. Bullets blocked bullets. The laws of physics don't apply in this movie.
Does that make for a bad movie outright? Well no - but the Matrix had a plot outline that facilitated that kind of thing. It's a computer program. Okay, I buy that. In Wanted, however, we're supposed to believe that they can pull off these Matrix-style stunts...in the real world...in the modern day. Riiiight.
And the plot is predictable.
Laaaaame.
Posted on 2008-06-28 at 07:47:47.
Edited on 2008-06-28 at 07:48:18 by Cap'n Lou
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Topic: A Shadow Over Drasnia Q&A
Subject: nyx listens
Threw in a post with some scattered convos...not much there, mostly just to have write some dialogue of the everyman in this world...
Posted on 2008-06-27 at 18:25:18.
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Topic: A Shadow Over Drasnia
Subject: Nyx Listens.
His gaze returned again to the streets beyond their penumbral blind and he expressed to his recently acquired companion that, while the prevalence of these veteran Snakes likely had little to do with their own task, it could be quite a useful thing to know what was afoot in the rival organization and, should this gangland gathering be an enduring thing, it may even serve well enough to mask their mission and even deflect responsibility from the Hellkites to the Snakes should things go awry in the undertaking...
As Nyx stared out into the streets, he could hear the occasional banter between passersby and loiterers alike...
"...a gold piece for a pint of ale? Either that's the best ale in Drasnia or he's gotta be insane..."
"It's brewed in Ellisia East...there's good grain out there. Good hops..."
"I don't care if it's brewed by the best brewmaster in Kal-Tar! A gold piece for one pint is highway robbery..."
As Nyx shifted, listening in a different direction, say, or focusing on a different pair or group, he picked up different conversations. Elvin ears were truly the best for such things...
"...I swear it was some Nightcloak gutterkin that took it off me..."
"You're just clumsy with your gold, Tarael."
...
"...boss wants the place watched, that's what we do..."
"What place?"
"The whole damned border."
"But why does he-"
"I don' know!"
Nyx had found a conversation worth listening to...
"Don't ask me again," the same voice repeated, and Nyx spotted a group of three Sea Snakes standing near one of the shops on the corner. "You shouldn' a' asked me anythin' in tha first place! Just do as yer told..."
"Right..."
The group moved off, out of sight...
...
"Lots of Snakes out tonight, eh?"
"What do I care? As long as they keep the girls horny and the ale flowin', I got no problem with the Snakes..."
"The Lord says they're ruining the economy..."
"What does that ol' Lord know? He can't even eradicate the ogres in the Northern Spine..."
"They only have one legion here..."
...
"Get ouf of my way, urchin!"
"Sorry, sir..."
...
A typical night on the town in Drasnia.
Posted on 2008-06-27 at 18:17:08.
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Topic: A Shadow Over Drasnia Q&A
Subject: OOC
Be sure to tell me things like that in the future in your post, Eol...or, if you did tell me and I missed it, then I'm sorry. lol
Posted on 2008-06-27 at 17:57:33.
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Topic: A Shadow Over Drasnia Q&A
Subject: Q&A
She wouldn't know - she's only caught a glimpse once of the 4 soldiers enterring the inn with Thanald, and not much since then.
However, a good professional knows how to plan for all possible scenarios. 
Posted on 2008-06-27 at 17:01:46.
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Topic: Add On Story. Fill in 3 words!
Subject: (take it off!)
(assuming that was the end of the sentence...)
Take off your
Posted on 2008-06-27 at 16:57:56.
Edited on 2008-06-27 at 16:58:53 by Cap'n Lou
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Topic: A Shadow Over Drasnia
Subject: Ovelia
"Well... you know I guess that would depend on how much information you have to give. You know if I pay the butcher five gold coins I expect to get a nice bit of rump roast and some ribs... not some dinky sausages. I'd also expect that meat to be fresh." She raised her eyes slowly to Ovelia's to see if she was catching on... likely the girl was, she was usually rather quick.
"Now if it's just sausages... I pay for sausages." Shrugging slightly as if it didn't matter if it were rump roast or sausages, because it was still dinner, she lowered her eyes and went back to picking at her nails, waiting to see just how much information the girl knew.
Ovelia smiles, stepping out into the alley and shutting the door.
"As shifty as ever, Cay," she says, smirking. "I'm not goin' to hear about anything bad happenin' to our friend Gracchus if I tell you will I?"
She lets out a small laugh; her tone clearly indicates that she doesn't care either way. She then sighs, beginning,
"Very well. Yes, Gracchus Thanald is staying here. And they made a big deal of it when he got here. The innkeepers, the head chef...everyone. They told all of us lesser mortals that we'd best be on our best behavior, and that no slip ups in service would be allowed. Then the bloody nobleman shows up with four soldierboys...
"Now I'm not an expert, but my brother joined the army, he taught me how to read the little insignias they wear on their armor. I'm not very good, but I'm pretty sure one of the men escorting Thanald was a Legate. A Legate! So, obviously, from every clue available, this guy is pretty important. But as soon as he gets here, he stays in his room the whole time. Doesn't have a drink at the tavern, doesn't ask for any girls, just goes up to his room and stays there. And I caught a look at him from the kitchen when he walked in...a right, sour, ornary looking bastard, I can tell you that."
Ovelia sighs, suddenly realizing that she may have ranted a bit too long about information that's not particularly important.
"I'll tell you this," she says, "And you'd better pay for it. He's staying on the third floor, the top one. The nobleman's suite at the end of the hall, to the left. On the west side of the Goblin. And that's all I know."
Posted on 2008-06-27 at 16:47:14.
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Topic: SW Patterns of Deception Q & A
Subject: Grugg's leave of absence
Grugg is leaving for 3 weeks soon. I personally think we could simply have Lysander 'disappear', i.e. lay low for awhile, while the others meet with Administrator Namor and whatever else. However, I'm open to ideas.
Suggestions?
Posted on 2008-06-27 at 16:32:04.
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Topic: Valdary - Bardess of Bhriuthainn
Subject: Valdary
Never knew her - wish her the best, though.
Posted on 2008-06-26 at 04:10:32.
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