DISCLAIMER: I am not a professional Roman historian. I have a large amount of knowledge about Roman times and people from amateur study, but I do not pretend to be an expert- therefore details are likely to not be 100% accurate to history.
The year is 149 B.C. Since it’s defeat of Carthage and the general Hannibal nearly a century before, the power of Rome has begun to spread around the Mediterranean. In the Senate, Cato the Elder ends every speech with “Carthage must be destroyed!” It seems war is again on the horizon, even though Carthage hasn’t been a military threat since the last war- grudges die hard in Rome, and it seems the Republic will not be satisfied until its rival is dust and ash.
On the eve of the Third Punic War, the climate in the Eternal City is one of pride and optimism mixed with uncertainty about the future. The population of the city has been rising, and it is becoming harder to feed the milling masses. While the Senate talks of war with the Carthaginians, the common people do their best to scrape by.
Who are you, in this time of conflict and hardship? A time when a global power is on the rise, and the road to eventual Empire is opening before your home.
Are you a merchant, making your living in the Forum of the great city? Are you a Senator, debating the future of the world among the greatest men of the age? A soldier, preparing to set off with the Legions for the next war? A woman, wife or daughter, trying to leave your mark on the world? Or even a slave, trying to earn your freedom and a place among free men?
A small group of Roman citizens are about to be swept up in a tale intrinsically tied in with history. They may come from all walks of life, but they are all Roman, and when a conspiracy threatens to overturn the order of their great Republic, it is up to them to find a way to stop it. But time is the enemy of all..
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General info: This story is historical fiction. As noted above, I am not an expert on the Roman Republic, but I am a fairly knowledgeable amateur. The actual events of this story are fictional, but it is set against the backdrop of a real time in history. If you apply for a character in this story, please at least have general knowledge of the time and make your character realistic given the setting. A few minutes on wikipedia ought to give you enough knowledge to do so. Thanks!
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Character creation guidelines:
-I am looking for 3-4 characters for this story and will close invitations after that. If I get more applications before I finish approving, you may end up being rejected- no hard feelings if so! I will also likely be somewhat picky with characters, so don’t be surprised if I request some revisions, though I am more than happy to discuss changes prior to approval.
-Feel free to create your own cards as long as they make sense with the time period and character idea, but be prepared for me to possibly ask you to alter or revise them slightly based upon where I want the story to go.
-Your character can be anyone you like, though as noted they must be realistic within the setting. The only other requirement is that they be living in the city of Rome, and preferably natives (although I am open to negotiation on that if the concept is good enough).
-These characters will be thrown together through circumstance and given the chance to solve a mystery. There will be opportunity for all sorts of skillsets to come in handy, from martial to mental, oratory to menial labor. Don’t be afraid to make an ordinary citizen, though if you wish to make a Patrician Senator, you can do so as well!
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General RP guidelines:
-Respect other players and their characters! Make sure you write for yourself, but don’t say what other player-characters or major NPCs say or do. The exception to this rule is when completing a challenge- in that case you may write for NPCs (but not PCs) as long as you follow the Narrator cues!
-If you want to take an action that will seriously effect another player character or NPC, please ask in the commentary section first. It’s fine to do this, just be sure to ask first! Communication is key to a good collaborative effort.
-Not every move has to use a card, nor apply to a challenge- don’t be afraid to post just for the sake of dialogue or actions unrelated to the current challenge, as long as they make sense within the scene.
-I am well aware that the role of women in this time was substantially more confined than it is today, but I will make the story accommodate women characters just as well as males should anyone choose to play them. In addition, please refrain from any overly harsh disrespect towards women characters, regardless of how historically appropriate such comments might be- in this case, the comfort of the players takes precedence. The same goes for anyone who chooses to play a slave- behave logically considering your character’s social class but please refrain from anything too crude or extreme. We’re here to have fun and I don’t want anyone making another player uncomfortable, regardless of how historically accurate any such behavior might be.
-This story is intended to have an R rating. Some harsh language and violence or mild sexuality is allowed, but please go no farther than that. Thanks!
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Hosted and narrated by:
Erich (Exaar)
Started 05/21/14.
Scenes played: 2
License: Community License