[Welcome to the newest installment of the pseudo-historical fantasy quest following the rebirth of Caesar. The rest of the chapters can be perused at your leisure in:

http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/qstarchive.html?searchall=Commentarii

Updates are typically once a day, though occasionally I do make second updates.]

>>3546412
>Barbarians who display duplicitousness cannot be trusted to make deals with, especially in the long scope. The Gallians, who Caesar had conquered with great shedding of blood in decades prior, were despite their barbarity an honourable people, who knew concepts such as love of freedom and a desire for public order. It was only due to their Roman traits that Caesar had judged them fit to be integrated to the Republic, and certainly not the wealth and slaves that awaited its conqueror. These natives deserved only death and displacement.

>Though the natives had indubitably displayed great error in attempting to parley with him instead of submitting fully and without condition, Caesar understood that this sort of low cunning was an invention of necessity among the uncivilised savages who cannot erect even the beginnings of a city. He resolved to show lenience, and when three days passed and the visibly fearful elder returned, demanded hostages of children from those among them considered prestigious and powerful, as well as a promise of complete submission from their part.

>Alexandros saw nothing wrong in a people seeking self-rule by any way possible when faced with an unknown and superior foe. Indeed, he rejoiced in it, for it showed that the people had a kind of fire in them, the unfortunately non-universal drive for freedom that burns bright in the hearts of true men. Though the natives were of short stature and undisciplined, they might, in time, become true citizens of the new State. Thus he accepted the inclusion of the natives wholeheartedly.

>Custom

>>3546421
>Barbarians who display duplicitousness cannot be trusted to make deals with, especially in the long scope. The Gallians, who Caesar had conquered with great shedding of blood in decades prior, were despite their barbarity an honourable people, who knew concepts such as love of freedom and a desire for public order. It was only due to their Roman traits that Caesar had judged them fit to be integrated to the Republic, and certainly not the wealth and slaves that awaited its conqueror. These (firstly encountered) natives deserved only death and displacement.
One holds out hope for betters on this island of smallfolk and peons, but this weak and shortsighted deception will not stand.

>>3546421
>Though the natives had indubitably displayed great error in attempting to parley with him instead of submitting fully and without condition, Caesar understood that this sort of low cunning was an invention of necessity among the uncivilised savages who cannot erect even the beginnings of a city. He resolved to show lenience, and when three days passed and the visibly fearful elder returned, demanded hostages of children from those among them considered prestigious and powerful, as well as a promise of complete submission from their part.

>>3546383
>Right now the south is populated by the Nanman which is itself a generic group-name for "southern barbarians" that indicate the modern Vietnamese, Thai, Laos, etc., who occasionally count as "China" (Chu Kingdom during the Zhou Dynasty, Shu Han vassal during Three Kingdoms)
My recollection of this fact is quite strong, playing China in EU 4 was a foolish phase of my younger years.

>As you can see from the map, the vast majority of Han Chinese population were concentrated in the north at this point in time.
Yes I see what you mean, this however does mean that China is more assailable than I was really expecting, though still too much for us to tackle anytime soon.

>>3546421
>Though the natives had indubitably displayed great error in attempting to parley with him instead of submitting fully and without condition, Caesar understood that this sort of low cunning was an invention of necessity among the uncivilised savages who cannot erect even the beginnings of a city. He resolved to show lenience, and when three days passed and the visibly fearful elder returned, demanded hostages of children from those among them considered prestigious and powerful, as well as a promise of complete submission from their part.

As far as they could see before now, we were just some odd ship-captain come to capture some slaves or perhaps set up a cove for piracy. Now they know we are something quite beyond that nor anything else they've seen before.

>>3546421
>Though the natives had indubitably displayed great error in attempting to parley with him instead of submitting fully and without condition, Caesar understood that this sort of low cunning was an invention of necessity among the uncivilised savages who cannot erect even the beginnings of a city. He resolved to show lenience, and when three days passed and the visibly fearful elder returned, demanded hostages of children from those among them considered prestigious and powerful, as well as a promise of complete submission from their part.
Neither fearful nor foolish.

>>3546421
>Barbarians who display duplicitousness cannot be trusted to make deals with, especially in the long scope. The Gallians, who Caesar had conquered with great shedding of blood in decades prior, were despite their barbarity an honourable people, who knew concepts such as love of freedom and a desire for public order. It was only due to their Roman traits that Caesar had judged them fit to be integrated to the Republic, and certainly not the wealth and slaves that awaited its conqueror. These natives deserved only death and displacement.
Don't clasp traitors to your breast, Caesar. It didn't work the first time.

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>>3546432
>more assailable
Well yes and no. Yes, because there are less of them, but also no, because they're pretty decentralised which means no convenient "top man" to focus on. They are currently de jure under the rule of the Han Imperial government which annexed them around a century ago, except the Han Imperial government currently does not exist since Wang Mang is currently reigning in the Capital as the founder of the Xin Dynasty.

For narrative purposes, I will be hastening the downfall of the Han Dynasty. In our history, one of the Liu warlords (Liu being the Imperial clan of Han) overthrew Wang Mang and then "restored" the Han Dynasty (though never to the extent it was before the interregnum) for another two centuries. In our story, we will see the introduction of names and faces more familiar to the western audience.

>>3546467
Oh christ we have to deal with the bullshit that is Cao Cao, screw mainland China, it can burn in hell. Let's just go back to India.

Seriously though, the fact that they are going to be ham-stringed by being dependent and under a unresponsive bureaucracy works in our favour.

>>3546412
>Barbarians who display duplicitousness cannot be trusted to make deals with, especially in the long scope. The Gallians, who Caesar had conquered with great shedding of blood in decades prior, were despite their barbarity an honourable people, who knew concepts such as love of freedom and a desire for public order. It was only due to their Roman traits that Caesar had judged them fit to be integrated to the Republic, and certainly not the wealth and slaves that awaited its conqueror. These natives deserved only death and displacement

Well fuck, was halfway through writing the Moderate option. My fault entirely, teach me to close the vote before writing.

So. Back to a tie, then.

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>>3546511
Just do it, Fortuna, end this farcical committee. Nothing good will come of extending the vote any further

Why are voting to leave people that will without a doubt be very bitter about this thing here when it is supposed to be our safe haven?

>>3546485
>bullshit that is Cao Cao
I don't think you have much to fear from him though, given your geographic position. Not in the early game, anyway. State of Wei is way up north while State of Wu is your more immediate neighbour.

Cao Cao did nothing wrong

>>3546513
I try not to invalidate player votes unless the ties become excessive, and I've already made my daily post. While waiting, shall we brainstorm some names for our state continuing from the previous thread? So far I have:

>Alexandria Eskhata (Alexandria the Furthest)
>Rhea
>Eonesia (East Island)
>Caesarea Orientis
>Palaios Graecia (ancient greece?)
>Graecia Nova

>>3546517
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Romanization_(cultural)

Not saying you should vote for it, I am strictly neutral until the vote passes and I get to reveal my own bias but it is a thing.

>>3546518
>names
Greek names are a pain in the arse. Probably because Latin is more familiar to anglophones.

>>3546521
Yeah, it’s a thing, but if we want the game to be in a reasonable timeframe, we won’t have time for this, and I’ll never trust to leave those guys behind when we take our army out for a spin after this.

Also important to note that we currently are not Romans, and as a matter of fact have no unified culture to integrate them into.

>>3546518
>Alexandria Nova
>Corona Regis
>Paulo Gravitas

>>3546426
>>3546456
>>3546499
Murderkill

>>3546428
>>3546432
>>3546446
Subservient people

Rolled 2 (1d2)

>>3546585
The coin decides.

>>3546518
I maintain the superiority of Rhea.

>>3546518
>Three Kingdoms shenanigans
Aren't we still a little early for that?

>>3546588
Moderate it is, writing

>>3546697
As mentioned in >>3546467 I'm going to jiggle a bit with the timeline.

>Barbarians who display duplicitousness cannot be trusted to make deals with, especially in the long scope. The Gallians, who Caesar had conquered with great shedding of blood in decades prior, were despite their barbarity an honourable people, who knew concepts such as love of freedom and a desire for public order. It was only due to their Roman traits that Caesar had judged them fit to be integrated to the Republic, and certainly not the wealth and slaves that awaited its conqueror. These natives deserved only death and displacement.

>Though the natives had indubitably displayed great error in attempting to parley with him instead of submitting fully and without condition, Caesar understood that this sort of low cunning was an invention of necessity among the uncivilised savages who cannot erect even the beginnings of a city. He resolved to show lenience, and when three days passed and the visibly fearful elder returned, demanded hostages of children from those among them considered prestigious and powerful, as well as a promise of complete submission from their part.

Caesar began by ennumerating the offences committed by the natives - who called themselves Taivoan - to the elder before announcing his merciful ruling, all the more to stress the benevolence of their new ruler. These Taivoani would henceforth send the children of their leaders to Caesar, so that they may be educated in the new tongues of the rulers, namely Latin and Greek. It was hoped that this method of hostage exchange, so crucial in past Romanisation attempts, would uplift these savage peoples and promote the growth of a national unity.

The elder fell to his knees and slammed his forehead three times, crying each time, "The Sunset King is merciful!" in his native tongue. This was because Caesar's mothership had come from the far west.

While finalising the receiving of hostages, Caesar wasted no time in ironing out the details in his new nation before riding out to pacify the other tribes that must dwell in this island. It would be highly embarrassing if after all this time, the diverse peoples he brought out from the west were to break apart due to the return to their older national and ethnic bonds. A new common national identity was called for now that everyone was able to step on land, free from the forced intimacy of being on the same ship.

Venerable patres conscripti, the time of voyage has ended and now we build. Take great pains in considering your votes before casting them, as they will have great influence in the growth of the new State.

(1) The Naming of the Province
There is an ineffable sort of power in words, and all the more so in names. This is the ur-identity around which citizens and denizens of the State shall adress themselves as. With administrative skill, thoughtful planning, and not a little bit of luck, it will be a name remembered throughout history by future inhabitants of the world.

As there is only one province, this will be the name used to address your newly-birthed nation.

>Alexandria Eskhata (Alexandria the Furthest)
>Rhea
>Eonesia (East Island)
>Caesarea Orientis
>Palaios Graecia (ancient greece?)
>Graecia Nova
>Alexandria Nova
>Corona Regis
>Paulo Gravitas
>[Other suggestions]

>>3547078
>Eonesia

>>3547078
>Rhea Orientis

>>3547078
>>Caesarea Orientis
If this is what we'll be "known for", might as well add a little flair

>>3547078
>Alexandria Eskhata

>>3547078
>Eskhata
Just Eskhata for the island itself, Alexandria will be reserved for the capital itself

>>3546588
>>3546968
Oh come on! That was a major decision!

>>3547078
>Alexandria Eskhata (Alexandria the Furthest)

>>3547159
We’ll always have time to commit genocide later. Also, maybe Fortuna will simply have disease do it’s work.

>>3547145
>>3547157
>>3547164
>Naming after himself
Can’t say I agree with this

>>3547166
It's not that I have a huge problem with the choice picked, I just hate to see decisions settled at random. Especially when I missed the vote.

>>3547168
Naming it after our mother is not any better, as far as others are concerned.
At least we got the first Alexander naming city as a Geographic and historical link
We can also what we damn well please with our vote.

>>3547078
>Alexandria Eskhata

>>3547168
Really, you can't? It was a major tradition with Roman colonies. Not only did Caesar do it IRL, our namesake Alexander was famous for it. We have a double reason for naming it thusly, and I really can't see any reason for naming the province after our secondary mother, as you voted for.

>>3547168
>Can’t say I agree with this
No shit, you didn't vote for it. Got a reason?

>>3547170
Not questioning that at all

>>3547172
True enough

>>3547173
>>3547174
My main reason for not wanting to name the island after Alexander/Caesar is that, unlike his namesake or Caesar in his first life, Alexandros stands to rule over his domain eternally. I consider self-naming to be a measure used by more mortal conquerors, unnecessary for a god. With that in mind, honoring his deceased mother (and his father later, hoping all goes well) is an excellent showing of filial piety which should impress all who hear of it and bring some measure of satisfaction/closure to Alexandros himself.

>>3547191
I like Alexandria as a temporary name for the moment while we haven't yet reached the height of power. Once we've developed our divinity further and expanded our domain into the mainland, I'd have us rename Taiwan to something like "Gateway to the East" or "The Emperor's Arrival" translated.
As for Rhea, I don't like the sound of it much as a place name.

The fellow decided to use the dice to pick for him. That's still a legitimate vote - if I didn't count flippant votes, this quest would have stopped moving a long time ago!

(2) Ethos
It is by no means every monarchy which we can call straight off a kingship, but only that which is voluntarily accepted by the subjects and where they are governed rather by an appeal to their reason than by fear and force. Nor again can we style every oligarchy an aristocracy, but only that where the government is in the hands of a selected body of the justest and wisest men. Similarly that is no true democracy in which the whole crowd of citizens is free to do whatever they wish or purpose, but when, in a community where it is traditional and customary to reverence the gods, to honour our parents, to respect our elders, and to obey the laws, the will of the greater number prevails, this is to be called a democracy.
- Polybius, Book 6 of The Histories

(I) Distribution of Power, Part One

>Autocracy, or the Rule of One
Lords are needed to steer their peoples to the right path with an iron fist, for men at their heart of hearts are foolish, craven beings that look for their own personal gains. Only you, Caesar, have the necessary long view to guide the people to their manifest destiny.

>Oligarchy, or the Rule of the Few
It is the duty of the political elite to steer its citizens towards the paths that are the most productive. As the primus inter pares, you would have primacy among the senatorial ruling class and the greatest power, but open yourself to being checked by the rest of the lesser, but significant, ruling class.

>Democracy, or the Rule of the Majority
The ruler rules by the consent of the ruled. But what if the latter decides to become the former?

I’d like a bland of Autocracy and democracy to be honest.

>>3547415
For example?

>>3547409
>Autocracy, or the Rule of One
Which of these is most scalable? Which of these most directly appeals to the simple peoples we are soon to conquer, as well as the far-flung people we will conquer in the future? Which of these eliminates the short-sighted and ultimately selfish aristocrats who stood against Caesar and stand against all similar greats who could’ve affected mighty changes in the world? Alexandros Basileus, son of Landros, Caesar reborn, has descended from the heavens. All should bend the knee.

>>3547423
Well, a Ruler with absolute command over the army and executive power as well as a right to pass and veto laws, and an elected legislative body that can take care of most laws and bring up regional problem and do some brainstorming in regard to decision making?
I don’t know, someone can probably explain it better than me.

>>3547440
Likable, but I distrust any system which surrenders legislative powers to others. Perhaps when Caesar conquers the continent proper, we can establish a body of sufficient size as to limit the influence of any given voter. But for now, I would desist .

>>3547440
>>3547440
Roman Dictatorship? Or... I can see that as being a Constitutional Monarchy, in that the authority of the state is shared by the head of state as well as a democratically elected governance apparatus. If you remove the "elected" bit, that's basically Augustan Roman "Republic" (so Roman Dictatorship). Did I describe your idea correctly?

>>3547409
>Autocracy, or the Rule of One

>>3547453
Sort of, expect we are king so nobody can get us or our line to step down, and no veto power for the legislative body.

>>3547464
Mmm, the difficulty is that political systems are not strictly categorised, but are rather grey gooey sludge that undulate in fifty different shades of black to white. That's partly why there will be a Part Two vote after the rough outline of the Distribution of Power is determined. I think what you are talking about is basically what Augustus had though, aside from the senators not being elected by the people. It would have a legislative body as an advisory council more than an independent and powerful government institution.

>>3547477
Yes, an advisory council with some limited ability to redact and pass law, to lighten our burden a bit.

I think it’s important to note that Caesar was quite shit when it come to managing money.

>>3547409
>Autocracy, or the Rule of One
The main issue with autocracy has to do with the foibles of human nature and the fragility of mortality. Being a god, we can set these concerns aside and enjoy autocracy thoroughly.

Well unless you want to stay as a tribal chieftain, you are going to need some assistance in government function. I assume you want to at least become a Kingdom-tier polity. The chief difference between Autocracy and Oligarchy is the degree of power difference you have between the rest of the political elites; there will still be political elites in an Autocracy. Think of the difference between Louis XIV (of the "I am the state" fame) and the English kings.

>>3547409
>Roman Dictatorship + this>>3547464

>>3547512
Certainly. But there is a difference between necessary bureaucracy and meddlesome parliament. Btw, we should 100% preemptively steal the Sun King title

>>3547409
I suppose I vote for an autocracy, but had a sort of "bill of rights" for the citizens. Other than that, we have the local and regional governments that take care of everything but the big stuff that our office will handle.

>>3547533
Do you guys want a Roman Constitution guaranteeing certain rights to citizens? Different levels of protection and rights depending on the tier of citizenship, of course.

...or would you rather go China and have the social stratification be less nuanced than that?

>>3547541
I like the Idea of a Roman constitution.
I am sure our future Chinese subject will like the idea too.

>>3547541
No reason not to, having clear social classes and clear lines of advancement ensures a degree of order and control beyond more traditional methods.

>>3547541
>>3547547
>>3547557
I agree. Protecting the rights of our citizens against lower levels of government is important, especially how we are structuring our society.

Since the Oligarchy-Autocracy-Democracy thing is hopelessly ineffective in portraying models that can be comprehended intuitively, let me just use real world examples. Do you want:

>Late Roman Republic/Augustan Republic (closer to Oligarchy)
- Princeps senatus
- Senate still holds authority (Parliamentary Sovereignty), to which the princeps senatus belongs; all governors and other political offices are held by members of the Senate
- Tribunes are directly voted by the people and have veto rights in the Senate
- Constitution: YES - Multi-level laws that assure citizens of certain rights, even from the highest levels of the government

>Parthian Shahanshah (Definitely Autocracy)
- Absolute Monarchy
- Everything is top down, governors are directly sent from Capital
- Everyone is open to torture and execution by the order of the ruler
- Constitution: NO

>Chinese Dynastic Emperor (Autocracy with caveats)
- Absolute Monarchy
- Devolved administration of other duchy-tier regions by hereditary governors
- Meritocratic exams for civil servants via Imperial Exams
- Constitution: NO

>Carthaginian Suffet (Elective Oligarchy)
- Comparable to early Republican Rome
- Suffets (basically Consuls) preside over the council of merchant-prince families with magisterial powers
- Is Carthaginian
- Constitution: SALTED

Other examples? Issues with mine? Go right ahead and discuss.

>>3547611
Sort of interested in the first option, except I want to be king and the senate still has to much power.

>>3547611
>Late Roman Republic/Augustan Republic
I would go for the Augustan model with one caveat. We should not be a member of the Senate, but a separated and elevated monarch. During Caesar's life he pursued the trappings of kingship, and Augustus' "First Citizen" attitude can be seen as a step back from that. Again, we have Alexander as a namesake. I want to structure society based on the Roman Augustan age, but take the reverence for a living divine monarch that was awarded to Alexander.
I like the other anon's idea of using the Sun King title, and in an early thread I had suggested we make the sun our divine specialization. There was talk of our being called the Conquering Sun, I believe?
I'm rambling, but my point is this: structure society according to Augustan Rome below the monarch, but characterize Alexandros as being above all others, a living god.

>>3547638
>>3547627
Yeah modifications and such are acceptable if others agree to them
More details are generally better

>>3547650
(Do need other people to support the write-ins though or they won't get passed)

(Going to sleep now)

>>3547638
Going to living god immediately would be a bit much, not sure our people would accept it.
But I agree with the General idea of having a Monarch above the senate.

>>3547652
‘Night Fortuna.

>>3547653
Well, the thing is that we are already a living god. This isn't a proclamation out of nowhere; it's proven to be true.
That said, downplaying that aspect for marketability to the people is something I can understand.

>>3547611
>>Natty Neo-Caesarean Monarchy
>- Absolute Monarchy
>- Governers are selected and assigned by the Capital, but must be from different regions than that which they are governing
>- Meritocratic exams for civil servants via Imperial Exams, only necessary for high level gubernatorial or imperial level positions
>- Constitution: YES - Multi-level laws that assure citizens of certain rights, with the obvious caveat that the divine emperor alone may make abuses as necessary

>>3547665
noice, I change my vote from >>3547462
to this

>>3547665
>but must be from different regions than that which they are governing
everything else sounds good, but this seems like a disaster waiting to happen. There's a reason why carpetbaggers are so disliked. It seems like it would be easier to have governors for each province have to have been born in that province. Hell, maybe we could even have voting for low level public servants

>>3547754
I personally fear governors trying to establish their own little fiefdoms in their home states powered by anti-imperial and anti-foreigner sentiments. I would add that governors assigned would be selected, and hopefully between Augustian moralizing and anti-corruption pushes we can minimizes abuses in the system. We could also have gubernatorial postings be more long term than the Roman postings were, allowing for a slight uptick in “going native” rates in exchange for further stability in the provinces.

>>3547761
obviously there's two sides to the coin, and you're trading efficiency for safety, which is understandable, but at the same time, you risk angering the provincial population through ineffectual governing. I have also been throwing the idea of political instability around, and I believe that if we start our "cult of man" early, as well as having constant communication with provinces as well as not giving generals/governors the power of rulers, we should be fine.

>>3547765
Fair enough. Mind you, unlike the Chinese I would prefer local rule at all levels *except* the assigned governor. The governor’s purpose is to efficiently but sustainably generate tax revenue, while also enforcing imperial edicts. With this in mind hand-selected, long-term, but explicitly non-local governors should be sufficient.

>>3547774
Okay, if the Governor is instilled just to keep tax revenue moving and to make sure Imperial will is carried out, then I could see that. Keep the people and the governor somewhat distrustful of each other to stop a powerful populist

>>3547754

voting >>3547611

Right, read through the comments and I've got some questions

>What distinguishes the Senate to the local/regional government clerks?
Will you want to retain the aspect of the cursus honorum requiring prospective senators to pass through military posts? Can men from local/regional government eventually end up in the Senate?

>What is the entrance requirement for the regional government posts not fulfilled by the Senate?
Another Exam? If men from local/regional government eventually end up in the Senate, would it not be more streamlined to make the Civil Service require the Imperial Exam and then have an additional requirement of military service to qualify for a Senatorial post?

>What will the Imperial Exam focus on?
I assume you don't want to go full Confucian and start having the contestants write poems in Hanzi or something. If you want to maintain an empire as martially spirited as Rome, you are going to have to have some military aspect into it. (The cursus honorum fulfilled that function by ensuring that every Senator had done a tour of duty in the legion, but I don't know if you still want that.)

>How will you portion out the different privileges of the varying tiers of citizenship?
I recommend a quick read through https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman_citizenship#Classes_of_citizenship to get an idea of what Caesar might be used to, and thus naturally predisposed toward.

>>3548751
Since I voted for the modified Augustan monarchy, I may not be who these questions are directed to. But...

>Senate distinguishing characteristics:
The senate is an advisory and legislative body at the capital. People can go into the senate from local/regional government, but cannot revert. It's a one-way track, so to speak. Yes, senators must pass through military posts.

>Entrance requirement:
I'm in favor of the one-exam suggestion you have here, with the qualification that local governors are appointed by the Senate with the approval of the emperor.

>Imperial Exam focus:
Knowledge of legal precedent, history, economics, and military strategy. Essentially, test the knowledge practically useful to a politician.

>Classes of Citizen?
This is the most interesting part. Now, for the general populace we can have four classifications: Citizens, Inhabitants, Foreigners, and Slaves. From the classification you linked, several of the classes seem to differ only slightly and to fill at different times the same role in society, of what I'm calling Inhabitants. So, what distinguishes the classes?
Citizens are afforded full protection under the law, including basic rights such as freedom of speech, exemption from torture, holding of public office, et cetera. Any citizen can rise at least to the lowest level of provincial governance and as high as sergeant in the military.
Inhabitants are those who have become part of the population of our nation but have not earned their citizenship. These have more limited rights. They cannot hold public office or any military rank higher than private; cannot own property in excess of a set maximum; do not have freedom of speech; can be tortured by the state; et cetera.
Foreigners are those who are not in any capacity members of the nation. Simple.
Slaves are those who have fallen into slavery by debt, capture in war, or legal punishment. The children of slaves are inhabitants, even if one or both parents were citizens prior to their enslavement. A slave, given his freedom, becomes an inhabitant regardless of his prior station.

Now, regarding offices higher than the lowest administrative or military level, these are reserved for those of the noble class. Citizens are divided into two classes, the noble and the base, by lineage defined based on the station their ancestors held on the ship during the present voyage. In addition to access to the higher stations in civil and military administration (and by extension the Senate), only noblemen may own slaves or serve as priests. The descendants of officers shall be noble, while the descendants of laborers shall be base. Of course, the emperor can elevate new noblemen or strip the nobility from the noblemen as he pleases, but we should do this in moderation only.

>>3548751
Retain service requirements, setting required service time for senatorial candidates @ ~10 years with no allowances for lineage (fuck Sulla). I like anon’s “1-way street” idea as well.

Precisely as you say, with a standardized Civil Service exam for provincial high positions and all imperial positions with military requirements for senatorial postings.

Focus on high literacy and basic numeracy, with a solid grounding in whatever western texts of worth we have available + the military histories we have available. Unlike our RL Romans, I’d like to minimize the rote memorization elements and emphasize comprehension + deftness in non-standard applications of concepts.

Full Citizenship, as the Romans defined it, should be given to ship-dwellers and their descendants. Caesar should be able to bestow it on a case by case basis as well, and any lineage which descends from someone (within 2 generations) who passed the Civil service exam should also earn it. Essentially, full citizenship for the vast majority of the population must be earned by merit. There should be a baseline Tax-level for full citizens, and if a lineage fails to attain higher office or pull their weight in taxes for a generation or two they ought to lose their citizenship.

Secondary citizenship, a la the citizenship of the Latins, should be given to any family which has a living member who served in the legions. In addition, it should be extended to any large-scale tax-generators.

Permanent inhabitants of imperial lands should have the equivalent legal standing of Provinciales, and should be exempt from forced enslavement.

Foreigners, obviously, have no rights whatsoever. A special class of “citizenship” should be designed to suit the needs of regular traders who (once again) fulfill a baseline of tax payments.

Slaves should be given some baseline right of “not murdered at will”. I might also propose some sort of fundamental legislation which sets a generational limit on enslavement, where after 3-4 generations they’re given inhabitant status.

Also, no nobility. Be rich, own property, have a storied lineage, but blood merits nothing special beyond what I’ve already defined above.

>>3548793
Don't you think it would be a bit odd for a person coming from a life as scion of one of Rome's finest Patrician families not to implement the Patrician/Plebeian divide?

>>3548808
A functional divide enforced by wealth and meritorious service should be sufficient for Caesar’s wants imo.

>>3548793
support

>>3548808
i would think that while caesar still believes in latin gene superiority, he wuld appreciate that bringing those ideas this far from italy would be untenable

>>3548771
>>3548793
>Autocracy
>Limited Senate authority
>Constitution detailing rights of the different tiers of citizenship


(3) What is your reigning title?
This will affect the status of your state as well. Keep in mind that claiming a high title without the assets to back them up will earn you only scorn and ridicule, like Japan claiming to be an Empire at this age. Your assumed title will also automatically translate to your state's name, ie Emperor with Empire, King with Kingdom, and so on.

>>3548923
This is me, by the way

A title that was suggested in this thread earlier was "Sun King" - Rex Solaris? Any other suggestions?

>>3548924
Dictator Perpetuo is a callback option

>>3548923
Divus Imperator

>>3548923
Some titles:

>Functional
Dictator
Caesar
>Dignified
Imperator (Sinica?)
Pater Patriae/Populusque
>Grandiose
Caesar Optimus Maximus
Imperator Aeternum

>>3549041
I like Pater Patriae, kind of gives me a Moses vibe

"I led these shits out of the west to one filled with opportunities"

Not saying I'm voting for it by the way, as QM I forfeit that

>>3548923
>Pater Patriae

>>3549042
>kind of gives me a Moses vibe
Will it give the Jews a Moses vibe as well?

>>3549107
More of a Cyrus the Great, maybe? After all, he's the OG Messiah. As in that title was literally invented for him, not some random carpenter centuries later on. Do you feel like building the Third Temple?

>>3549112
>Do you feel like building the Third Temple?
Only if we get to cuck Mohammed out of being the last MessiahSure.

Were those questions that you asked answered by other anons, fortuna?

>>3549041
>Pater Patriae/Populusque

I like Imperator (or Divus Imperator) because of the flexibility. At the time of Caesar's life, imperator signified an accomplished military commander, which is what Alexandros is right now. It evolved into the meaning of emperor over the course of the Roman Empire, and could do the same in our new capacity as our empire here in the east grows in power and prestige.

Not sure how Imperator will translate in Sinae, but if it translate as Emperor or sound like it, we are going to be laughed out of the door, or dogpiled.
It depend.

>>3549732
It'd probably translate to something like "warlord" or "generalissimo", seeing as how having imperium was a prerequisite to lead a Roman army

>>3549390
If the other anons are happy with it, that's what we'll go with. I did need to use the real life example since there are always little nooks and crannies of details that get overlooked in state generation. Wish I had some table to assist me with instead of making one from scratch. Did you want to throw in your own two cents?

>>3549703
Currently Imperator means just that - commander, and while you -can- decide to make use of this title, you won't get the Imperator mechanical bonus until you accomplish the Triumph.

>>3549732
Most of the big players will probably get pissed off that you would dare claim the title, actually. Titular posturing was a major factor in Chinese politics. So dogpile is not out of the question. BUT that is only if you try to translate Imperator as Emperor, which in the current timeframe and understanding does not quite fit since it means Commander, or One Who Holds Imperium (Authority). It is ultimately a military title.

>>3549819
Wasn’t there one guy who did just that and got dogpiled by every warlord?
Not sure a military title is what I want for the founder of a nation, Pater Patriae is more to my taste.

>>3549819
I like everything else, but like >>3549849 said, I would be interested in a title that just didn't mean "warlord" as we are much more than some barbaric tribal leader, we will be creating the greatest civilization in history out of scratch, so maybe something that draws from the different jobs of a ruler. Sun God might be a little strong rn, but maybe we literally could just call ourselves Caesar as the title. Maybe a little confusing at first, but history tends to repeat itself.

>>3549862
Not sure our Gaul and German people would appreciate.

>>3549869
That's something to seriously consider, but after the years of them serving under us, and our goal of "destroying cultural divisions", maybe it would be time.

Fortuna, what is the general "anti-roman" sentiment like?

>>3549849
Yep, Yuan Shu. Though I assume there are other examples as well, but that's the one that comes to mind (and is relevant since he's a Romances of the Three Kingdoms character). Calling yourself Emperor is basically painting a very, very big target on your back, because other would-be Emperors will get a great publicity boost in destroying you.

Not that there are other would-be Emperors yet, currently Wang Man reigns in the capital of Chang'an as the first emperor of the Xin Dynasty, after having illegally deposed the Crown Prince Liu Ying, or "Emperor Ruzi" (though he was never crowned Emperor). The Winds of Fate have yet to blow into this world to shake things up a little with the heroes of the Three Kingdoms...

It -would- possibly make you the target of every self-righteous governors and generals in China.

>>3549862
>>3549869
>>3549885
They'd vastly prefer a Solar God cult to an explicitly Roman cult. This is part of the reason I kept the Caesar name on the down low (aside from Scrivener Veicht, who had to know it retroactively due to him ghost-writing half of the italicised texts) since both the Gauls and the Germans have experienced displacement by you. As in, your legions. During your time. Your legionaries probably killed Hermann's parents, actually.

Was something I was gonna expound upon but y'all loved Ariamnes too much and kept spamming him :P

>>3549897
Keep forgetting to reattach my nameplate, this is me

I feel like this choice is actually really important. The title can sometimes make the man. Obviously we cant go calling ourselves emperor, or caesar. I'm not too big a fan of stuff like "sun god" and I dont think we wanna make a cult of man yet. I suppose we could say fuck it and start walking around like a divine being, but I feel like its reserved for when we become truly powerful.

It sucks we dont have something like the Fuhrer. Imperator is good, but its purely martial. I would like something that includes all aspects of governing, not just war

>>3550011
Fuhrer mean guide, that would be a bit strange in ancient time I think.
I like to think Pater Patriae encompass a lot.

>>3548923
Given the response Imperator has gotten as too martial, I'm throwing my vote behind Rex Solaris, with a later elevation to sun god (Deus Helios Alexandros?) status once we've proven ourselves.
Definite no on cult of man, whatever that's supposed to be. Sounds like picking a fight with the existing deities, one of whom I'll remind you is our ancestor.

>>3550023
I like pater patriae, but it seems like more of an honorific title than anything. Something we would put on a coin or ob a statue. I dont know what I'm looking for exactly, but a singular word that combines everything leader should be.

Sucks about the tribal leaders we have, I think Caeser woulda been perfect

Actually yeah, what do you guys mean by "cult of man"? Do you mean cult of personality?

>>3550042
Well I envisioned it that because we are a diety, and we are walking the earth, we are seen as an immortal powerful being. Obviously we cannot be the God, but I see no reason for a following based on the fact that we are more powerful than any living man.

>>3548923
I still like Divus Imperator, but I'll switch to Rex Solaris if only to forestall Pater Patriae and other names with no divine or royal appellation.

>>3550042
Somthing like the impirium where man are above such trifle influances such as gods and should hold themselves above them as ghe gods simply view them as peices in their own game. Revolutionize it and overtrow the exsisting dichotomy.

Of course as a god ourselves this would be a tad troublesome but you know godking of mankind and all that should solve it.

>>3550048
Oh, that's not so bad. I thought you were going for some kind of worship of mankind, cast off the gods, sort of thing. It was suggested in a previous thread, and I really can't stand the idea.
That said, I don't see why we can't simply be a god. We are one, first of all, and deification of monarchs was quite common at the time. If Alexander the Great and all the Pharaohs of Egypt could be living gods, there's no reason why Divine Caesar should settle for any half measures.

I mean I would be fine holding off on the "imperium of man" until we become sufficiently powerful. Who knows, maybe our arc could be overthrowing the divine power the gods hold over man and letting them have self determination.

>>3550068
I mean I'm fine going both directions, I just think we should be seen as we are, a diety come to being peace and stability to the world. If anons want to keep the status quo on gods, I'm fine with that too.

>>3550065
Oh no, get out of here with that 40K shit. We should have more sympathy for our relatives on Olympus than the mortal worms on earth.

>>3550068
Interesting thing is that the Huang Di would usually claim sovereignty over all things "under Heaven" (tian ha? Dunno how to romanize it properly), rarely above. Divinity is a domain not often broached by living Emperors, though posthumous deification is fairly common.

Though by deification we are talking on a scale of "protective/guardianship spirits of certain domains" rather than the kind of gods more familiar in the western mindset.

It’s too soon for any claim of divinity, a random guy controlling a small patch of land with a few thousand people under him is simply going to be laughed at by everyone in Sinae if he claim «divinity»

>>3550105
Which I think is why we should keep a normal title for now, and as we collect power like a katamari ball, we can start elevating our status.

>>3548923
I'm throwing down for Pater Patriae, at least for the short term. Dignity separates us from the barbaric hordes, allows us to be vague with our ruling tone to our advantage, and it isn't going to give someone a PR boost by encouraging them to take us on early.

>>3550105
Well yes, that's why I wrote
>I'm throwing my vote behind Rex Solaris, with a later elevation to sun god (Deus Helios Alexandros?) status once we've proven ourselves.

Pater Patriae is too bland for a ruling title. As another anon noted, it works as an additional honorary note, but not as our primary form of address. If we're too weak now to call ourselves by our proper divine title, let us at least be the Sun King.

I can't in good faith really agree to any of the titles. They're all good in their own way, but we haven't done anything to deserve them. I suppose my vote is to hold off, let the natives call us what they want, and pick a title when we have a little punch to our power.

>>3550380
>we haven't done anything to deserve them
While this is true, the natives will probably call us "Gringo With Small Brains and Stinky Breath and His Mother is a Rotten Old Hag" or the equivalent.

>>3549897
If I remember correctly, Yuan Shu was actually a distan relative of the Imperial House and at the time was actually in a good position to eventually unit China and become Emperor... until he prematurely proclaimed himself Emperor and got dogpiled by everyone.

>>3551704
The biggest justification was that he held the Imperial Seal, but that didn't fly while Cao Cao still had the Han Emperor nominally ruling.

--

It seems we have two strong contenders, though reaction is mixed. Let's get a definitive vote down so I can start writing again!

>Pater Patriae - Father of the Nation
Relatively neutral, even benevolent sounding. This title is most likely to get the least negative reaction from the powers that be in the Mainland, partly because Confucian virtues praise faux-humility (pretending to be humble while being powerful in reality) as well as the seemingly confined nature of the title (it doesn't make grand territorial/hierarchical claims, merely that you are the ruler of your people) will make you seem unthreatening.

>Rex Solaris - The Sun King
Claiming kingship, while audacious, will not bother the regional powers of China proper as plenty of "barbarian chieftains" similarly style themselves in such honours. Of course, they will not treat you as befits one who is royal, since the only "true" kings are those declared to be one by the Emperor. Kings who are acknowledge to be kings outside China by the Emperor receive items of value such as a royal seal or a crown, symbolising the vassal-like nature of such "barbarian kings".

Whichever title you choose, the Chinese are unlikely to bother you for the time being, focused as they are inward due to the current peasant revolts.

>>3551735
>Pater Patriae - Father of the Nation

Sticking with this.

>>3551735
I suggested Pater Patriae and I'm sticking to my guns.
>it doesn't make grand territorial/hierarchical claims, merely that you are the ruler of your people
Little do they know, all people are our people.

>>3551735
They also love from filial piety.
Well, technically at least...

>>3551735
>Pater Patriae - Father of the Nation
While I did initially suggest the Sun King, this title is a bit more on-brand. Caesar did bring together this motley crew and forge them into a people to be feared.

>>3551735
>partly because Confucian virtues praise faux-humility (pretending to be humble while being powerful in reality) as well as the seemingly confined nature of the title
This explanation settles it for me.

>Pater Patriae
Interesting how the powers will react to this new emergent ruler.

>>3551735
>>Pater Patriae - Father of the Nation

>>3551735
>>Pater Patriae - Father of the Nation
this probably comes closest to what we all want. I think most of us are on board with a sort of cult around us, so that can come later

Finishing for the time being the necessary but burdensome task of creating a nation out of many peoples, Alexandros began pacifying the Island in earnest. He had learned from the subjugated Taivoani (who numbered barely more than three thousand) that there remained three tribes on the island: two great tribes who lived up in the mountains, locked in eternal warfare, and another plains tribe who lived in the north.

Unwilling to contend with uncivilised tribes in the same island as neighbours, Alexandros quickly convened his lieutenants and drafted his war plan...

Enemy Tribes

>Bunun
According to the Taivoani, the Bunun are a mountain people who live in small family-clan units but congregate in times of war. They count individuals honourable who have a great pile of heads from defeated enemies, fashioning from them drinking bowls, which they dip with tar to make them last longer. They are particularly excellent archers, all men going through a rite of passage involving the shooting of a deer's ear before being considered an adult. [Estimated pop: 2k]

>Atayal
Like their rival Bunun, the Atayal prize combat skill above all things. Their weapon of choice is a long, curved knife called lalaw behuw, which they use to great effect by sneaking closely to their enemies under the mountain foliage, aiming for the neck so as to preserve the head, which they also prize as trophies. But unlike the Bunun, they consider the severed heads to be sacred regardless of the source, and honour them greatly with food and drink, even more than they do the living. [Estimated pop: 1k]

>Sakizaya-Kavalan
The northern plains people of Sakizaya and Kavalan have been allies since the dawning of the Sun, or so the Taivoani say. They are a sedentary people, subsisting mainly on yam and millet, and frequently suffer from incursions of the Atayal. Due to small-scale contact with Chinese fishermen and minor merchants, the S-K are more used to foreigners than the other tribes and may submit without a fight. [Estimated pop: 4k]

>>3552045
Caesar's Forces

LEGIO I CLASSICA

>COHORS PRIMA SVERNICVM
Primus pilus ("first spear", senior centurion of the entire Legion and commander of the first cohort): Galen "of Suerna"
612 Legionaries (heavy infantry)

>COHORS SECVNDA GERMANORVM
Senior Centurion: Vaeli
441 Legionaries (heavy infantry)

>AVXILIA I GALLORVM EQVITATA
Praefectus equitum: Ambiorix, Chieftain of Gauls
401 Gallic cavalry (light cavalry)

>COHORS GERMANORVM EQVITATA
Praefectus equitum: Hermann, Chieftain of Germans
123 German cavalry (light cavalry)
124 lance-bearers (specialised light infantry)

>EQVITES CATAPHRACTARII PARTHI
Decurio (leader of a turma, or squadron of horsemen): Ariamnes I
20 cataphractarii (heavy cavalry)

>>3552055

Reviewing the capabilities of his troops and that of the enemy, Caesar pondered in his tent alone.

>Where do you send which unit?

So the Bunun are expert archers and the Atayal are scouts.

With that in mind, I want to send the Cohors Prima Svernicvm against them, since the heavy infantrymen should be able to handle archers.
We should counter the Atayal with either a scorched-earth policy or our own scouts (although the first approach is preferable when dealing with guerrilla warriors).
Then we send the Equites Cataphractii Parthi to intimidate the Sakizaya-Kavalan into joining us.

>>3552106
I'll support this, though I'd think the Sakiaya-Kavalan would be more likely to surrender to us if they knew the results of our assault on the mountain tribes beforehand.

>>3552106
I don't know anon, I'm getting flashbacks of Parthia and their damned archers. I honestly think they should be our last target.

>>3552055
>COHORS PRIMA SVERNICVM
>EQVITES CATAPHRACTARII PARTHI
They should be used to Pacify the Sakizaya-Kavalan. Seeing our best forces march through their lands, and able to crush any type of dissent, it should give us access to their large population for cannon fodder and auxiliaries.

>AVXILIA I GALLORVM EQVITATA
>COHORS GERMANORVM EQVITATA
>COHORS SECVNDA GERMANORVM
The combination of these forces should be more than enough to pacify the skirmishing Atayal and beat them at their own game, using cav to round them up, and heavy infantry to pound them into submission.

I think we leave the Bunun for now, until we get the two other tribes under control, so we can turn the island against them. To my knowledge, fighting in the mountains against archers won't be the most effective way of dealing with them. We would win, I'll admit, but it would be much too bloody.

File: asdfasdfsa.png (1.11 MB, 850x966)

1.11 MB PNG

I completely forgot to include this terribly marked map showing rough areas of the tribes

>>3552456
Lovely, the text I put in there evidently did not save together with the rest of the image.

Black = Taivoani
Red = Bunun
Orange = Atayal
Purple = Sakizaya-Kavalan

>>3552425
Seeing the map though, it occurs to me that horsemen do not do well in the mountains.

>EQVITES CATAPHRACTARII PARTHI
>AVXILIA I GALLORVM EQVITATA
We'll send our dedicated horsemen to Sakizaya-Kavalan. It should be enough to pacify them, even that large population. Hell, the Parthi would be enough on a good day.

>COHORS GERMANORVM EQVITATA
>COHORS PRIMA SVERNICVM
We'll send these guys in to take care of the Atayal.

As for our Prima, we'll use them for reinforcements where we need them. The archers will be taken care of last where we can be in a much better position for it.

>>3552541
>AVXILIA I GALLORVM EQVITATA
>COHORS GERMANORVM EQVITATA
>EQVITES CATAPHRACTARII PARTHI
All against the
>Sakizaya-Kavalan
There’s 4K of these plainsmen, and I would love to have them submit without fighting. I’m sure ~700 elite horsemen can do the job.

>COHORS PRIMA SVERNICVM
>COHORS SECVNDA GERMANORVM
Against the
>Atayal
I don’t like creepy jungle skirmishers. Let’s crush them, throughly. Never another Varian Disaster! Have Alexandros accompany this troop as well.
I’d like to wait & leverage our full forces against the archers. I have a deep respect for prehistory/tribal tier archers, and refuse to treat them lightly. If possible, I’d like to have them submit and become some neo-numidians auxiliary archers. Mhmm.... blood skull wine....

Also, kudos again Fortuna. This is one of maybe three active quests where I can dive back into the archives and enjoy rereading the material. The timeskip thread was a real masterclass.

>>3552932
>>3552066
Whoops, mislinked.

Anons, I also figured something out whilst reading. Ariamnes cannot possibly be long for this world at his age, and there are only ~19 other Parthians around. Given Alexandros’ proficiency with Heavy Cavalry, should we see to training the next generation of Cataphractii once the conquest of the isle is complete?

>>3552425
>Parthia and their damned archers
They were mounted archers, a totally different thing. The Bunun will favor standing in defensible positions and firing down upon enemies, since it's a jungle and they can't use horses.

>>3552066
Supporting >>3552932

>>3552948
We should probably try to find someone to take over after Ariamnes, preferably someone he approves of but in a pinch someone loyal and harmless to us.

File: Village in a mountain.jpg (40 KB, 342x600)

40 KB JPG

During the reign of Wang Mang the Pretender, three friends of Sima Hui (who were themselves kinsmen with each other) gathered in his mountain home to celebrate his ninetieth name day. A favourite activity of the Hermit's was the reciting of impromptu poetry under the stars, accompanied by cheap wine and fried fish. So, gathering their pen-brush and paper and a bottle of horrible local wine each, the three friends made their way up to the old man's hut.

Like usual, the carefree hermit greeted them cheerfully. As always, he answered the how-do-you-do's from the three friends with a nonchalant "Yes!" [in this case meaning to be "good", or "positive"]. But when the party began, Sima Hui looked up to the stars and burst into bitter tears.

The three friends, concerned about the sudden change in their usually easy-going acquaintance, questioned the source of his tears. Sima Hui ceased weeping, and said:

"You three are all Confucian gentlemen, deeply learned in reading the celestial ways. Furthermore, each of you are worth a hundred Strategists who lead the courts of warlords that run rampant in the world. Tell me, what do you see from the stars?"

The warrior who was called Zhuge Dan replied:

"The celestial body of the Han Dynasty wanes while the North Star exudes great energy. I expect for the emergence of a new imperial dynasty in the near future, centered around one of the warlords there - perhaps Dong Zhuo, who marshals his horsemen in Liang Province, or Yuan Shao, who holds primacy in the greater Northern China, with no rival but the Gongsun Clan. But there is another just behind the North Star, smaller but just as intense in its light. I cannot tell who that represents."

"As clear sighted as ever," Sima Hui answered him tartly. "You are quick to spot the emerging powers in our chaotic world, separating the wheat from the chaff. But that is not why I weep."

The scholar who was called Zhuge Jin said:

"The Yellow Fluorescence that represents the Han people move southward, as if fleeing from a great tragedy in their birth-cradle of the Yellow River. There is a yearning for stability and peace among the exiles, but to find it they will need to push back against the Nanman who already reside there. From these signs I surmise that we shall see the rise not of a northern Emperor, but a southern one."

"Your concern for the people has always reached the Heavens" Sima Hui answered him with impatience. "None can measure up to you in minding the greater well-being of our fellow men, and I do not doubt that you will go on to serve those who sympathise with the plight of the common man, to aid them in their south-bound flight. But that is not why I weep."

File: Mars, Bringer of War.png (167 KB, 350x350)

167 KB PNG

>>3553352

Seeing that the two highly qualified men of virtue and valour was unable to puzzle out the cause behind their friend's tears, the insouciant village drunkard who was called Zhuge Liang smiled and said:

"The Fire Star invades the boundaries of the Three Enclosures."

The two Zhuges chastised their kinsman for being so trite and darkening their drinking tables with that fearful omen with a smile on his face. The two had diplomatically steered clear of mentioning the obvious ur-cause of all the troubles, for it was known even to breast-suckling babes that the rise of the Fire Star prophesied war of great scale. When the Emperor was unlawfully dethroned and the Son of Heaven made a mockery by an usurper, what else but chaos may reign in all the realms under Heaven?

Then Sima Hui begged them cease their remonstrations and said, "I have lived for ninety years in this world, but never have I seen that hateful red star to be so prevalent in the Heavens. Kongming has said rightly - the Fire Star's ascension is not merely a sign of the times, but indicates active agency of its own self, as it breaks through the celestial walls of the Three Enclosures, filling the Middle Kingdom's stars with its unholy light. Friends, I fear for the future of the people of Xia."

After the name-day's end, the three friends returned to their homes greatly disturbed.

-The Book of Yuanzhi

Posted something I'd intended to do yesterday, but forgot because sleep. Doesn't look like there is consensus yet.

>>3552932
>kudos
Thanks! Isn't this the timeskip thread?

>>3553358
Hey, look, it’s our old buddy Mars! :D

>>3553365
An inauspicious symbol for a Roman, not so much for the Chinese

Vote Consolidation

(1) First Suggestion >>3552106
>Bunun
COHORS PRIMA SVERNICVM
>Atayal
No unit specified
>Sakizaya-Kavalan
EQVITES CATAPHRACTARII PARTHI

(2) Second Suggestion >>3552541
>Bunun
Leave for now
>Atayal
COHORS GERMANORVM EQVITATA
COHORS PRIMA SVERNICVM
>Sakizaya-Kavalan
EQVITES CATAPHRACTARII PARTHI
AVXILIA I GALLORVM EQVITATA

(3) Third Suggestion >>3552932
>Bunun
Leave for now
>Atayal
COHORS PRIMA SVERNICVM
COHORS SECVNDA GERMANORVM
>Sakizaya-Kavalan
AVXILIA I GALLORVM EQVITATA
COHORS GERMANORVM EQVITATA
EQVITES CATAPHRACTARII PARTHI

Please respond to this post with a 1, 2, or 3, indicating your preference.

>>3553376
3

>>3553376
>3
As cavalry in an unfamiliar territory and deployed at unfavorable terrain (jungle and mountains) is going to be at a disadvantage.

And I suggest Caesar tends to Sakizaya-Kavalan in person. Perhaps we may even get some intelligence on how to assault the mountain tribes there.

>>3553378
>>3553379
Not saying 3 is decided (because I usually wait for more votes than just two) but if it wins, how do you plan to send your troops all the way north to S-K?

>>3553383
The map makes it look like there's a wide unoccupied plain on the western side. Also, from the phrasing I assumed us to be required to attack multiple groups.
If not, I'd have us pool all troops and attack the Bunun immediately, then continue northward.

>>3553383
I was thinking ride out with cavalry while infantry embarks and sails to meet with us in the north.

>>3553384
>attack multiple groups
Not a necessity, though there is advantage in immediacy. I need consensus on troop movement method as well, since marching around is a very important part of battle. Ambushes, for example, are effective because soldiers are not quite prepared for war mid-march.

>>3553376
>3

I am curious, would Hades be interested in our cursed Bronze in exchange for Mineral wealth in our nation?

>>3553444
Using it as a sacrifice to offer to the god(s) is a possible thing to do. Question is, do you really want to give Hades the remnants of an eldritch was-god?

>>3553469
Well, considering he will probably use it to fuck with other gods, and the gods seem to have thrown in with that wathever prince that has a hate boner toward us..... maybe?

>>3553481
Carthaginians (and their descendants) have their own gods, the thing with Juno being a bitch is her own private grudge. I think I referenced the cause throughout the quest, but to condense it in one place as a refresher:

Untold aeons ago...

>Someone decides not to invite Eris to a wedding, because no one likes discord
>Eris gets pissed, and throws a golden apple labelled with "to the most beautiful of goddesses"
>Three goddesses, namely Aphrodite, Hera, and Athena squabble over said apple
>They pick on a young Trojan boy and show off their assets as well as promises of various things if the boy picks them
>Boy picks Aphrodite and now Hera has a hateboner on him and his country and all his descendants

Aeneas, Prince of Troy, would go on to found the proto-Roman state (not Rome itself, that is not for a few centuries yet) in Italia, after fleeing from the famous war that came afterward. Athena isn't too chuffed about being snubbed for the category of "prettiest goddess" after all these centuries, but Hera?

Oh she remembers.

Also, Juno = Hera, and Caesars are descended from Venus, so that's a double whammy right there.

>>3553469
>do you really want to give Hades the remnants of an eldritch was-god
He already has the remnants of an eldritch was-god in his party pit. He'll be fine.

>>3553492
Which one?

>>3553503
Anyone seriously dangerous that the Olympians imprisoned down there, such as the Titans.
Who are not really eldritch, but neither was that forgotten Poseidon we fought, right?

>>3553550
But I'm not discounting a surprise Nyarlathothep or anything

>>3553550
Oh those, yeah they're imprisoned. Probably. I mean, did you go down there to check personally?

>>3553556
Cronus was let out later and became the ruler of Elysium, so one of them got free.

>>3553558
Sure, in that story. Our story involves a few more pantheons than the traditional retelling of Greek mythologies. I will say no more on the matter, because spoilers!

---

>Bunun
Leave for now
>Atayal
COHORS PRIMA SVERNICVM
COHORS SECVNDA GERMANORVM
>Sakizaya-Kavalan
AVXILIA I GALLORVM EQVITATA
COHORS GERMANORVM EQVITATA
EQVITES CATAPHRACTARII PARTHI

--

What is a horse? It is a companion, lending its back for you to free yourself from your own weight. It is a source of hide, which can be cured and used for various leather implements in their deaths.

To a person who has never seen one in his life before, it is a source of terror. Especially if sent in a herd, with armed men riding atop their backs.

"Ariamnes, Hermann, and Ambiorix will ride to the land of the northern plainsmen and subjugate their population. I would like to gain their allegiance with their population intact, but I leave the details up to you three, since you will be in site and more able to judge. If there is a dispute..."

(1)
>Ariamnes
>Hermann
>Ambiorix

"...will have the final say. Galen."

Your legatus steps forward, hand on chest. "Lord?"

"Prepare our troops. We are going headhunting."

"Understood, sire. Shall I leave any garrison force behind?" The unspoken question - is it safe enough to leave the Taiovani with the rest of our people?

(2)
>Answer

>>3553360
I was referring to the “brief summation of the three missing years”

>>3553376
3

>>3553383
A march along the western plains, taken at a relatively slow pace with the cavalry and legions proper separating. Obviously order both groups to maintain their night watches for camps and to be prepared for ambushes at any time.

.....I really, really don’t like leaving so many people of dubious loyalty on the Island that is supposed to be our safe haven.

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>>3553575
I just realised this is the second thread of Book 2, not the first. Got confused there...

>>3553576
Welcome to China, here's your complimentary poisoned dumplings

>>3553573
(1)
>Ariamnes
picking hermann over ambiorix or vice versa strikes me as a bad idea.

(2) Leave twenty good men half each from the two cohorts. leave either vaeli or galen behind to serve as leader

>>3553573
>Ambiorix
Seniority in our band, and I trust his heart with this matter

Leave twelve men from the first cohort, and 41 from the second. These little islanders wouldn’t dare....

>>3553581
Twenty men against 3000, not sure how useful that would be.

>>3553573
>Ariamnes
Should be crazy enough to scare the Sakizaya-Kavalan.
>Answer
>>3553581
This seems alright.
"The garrison shall be twenty men from each cohort, led by Vaeli."

>>3553581
While picking a bipolar knight is the brightest.

We should ride with our cavalry.

Galen marches into the mountains apparently.

I like leaving some men to guard our civilians but some kind of leader should also stay behind just in case.

>>3553581
>>3553590
>Choosing the absolute madman
I don’t think there’s any issue in giving either Hermann or Ambiorix seniority.

Also, we should leave a light rider or two to serve as messengers if necessary.

>>3553589
we do have a nice fort, which can surely hold off natives. I like the idea of leaving one horseman to serve as messenger in case of revolt
>>3553581
I meant hermann over ambiorix, and vice versa.
>>3553591
fair. actually, it might be better to utterly destroy atayal and have the cavalry block any incursions on our beachhead. after that, concentrate all forces on atayal pacification and only then attack the sakizaya

even assuming both bunun and sakizaya are pacified, the current plan leaves us vulnerable to a sneaky from either the taivoani, atayal, or even both. is it too late to revisit the vote?

We'll have Hermann lead while we March with our legions into the mountains, its only right. Anyway, we should pull about 50 off from those light cav, 15 off from the smaller light cav, 15 from the light infantry, 25 each from the infantry units. We could leave Galen commanding these reserve forces

>>3553863
Scratch that, have Ambiorix lead the reserve force. Galen will needed in infantry

>>3553868
>>3553863
Yeah I'll support this

>>3553573
Supporting >>3553863
>>3553868

>>3553868
support

>>3553627
Yep

>>3553863
>>3553868
Writing

"Jungle. Why did it have to be a jungle?" Your complaint goes unheeded by the uncaring plantlife. The island boasted a meagre population of barely ten thousand throughout the entire territory, with none of the peoples having the know-how of constructing true cities. The virginal wilderness irritates you with every step, from the mosquitoes and the rope-like plants that threaten to trip you, to the sweat-blocking humidity that comes with so many plants living, breathing, exhaling their ill-gotten water.

"I always liked forests," Galen muses introspectively beside you. "They always feel so alive, unlike the sandy dustbowls of Iran. Scrivener told me once that they used to be fertile." Behind are the two cohorts in marching lines, similarly tired from having to go on a mountain hike with all their gear on. That was the thing with difficult terrain such as mountains. They prevented logistics caravans from passing through, forcing soldiers to carry not only their usual arms, but also their ration.

Little surprise then, that everyone is tired.

"They make for terrible battle fields. Especially for our heavy infantry. The enemy could be right around us and waiting for an opportune moment to attack. While we are passing through a gorge..."

"Or exhausted to death. I wasn't born yesterday, Alexandros," Galen smiles. "But you underestimate the endurance of my men as well."

>"I see you've dropped the title." [>.>]
>"I still think we should have burned the whole thing." [More grumbling]
>"Two sesterces that one of the men drop from exhaustion before we encounter a single enemy." [Bet]
>"Shame we don't have competent scouts. Armours are great and all, but they hardly allow stealth and speed." [Talking shop in the middle of march]
>"You're right, you -weren't- born yesterday. When are you going to get a wife for yourself, old man?" [Jocular]
>[Say nothing, pay attention to the forest sounds]

>>3555557
>[Custom write-in]
I wish I would stop forgetting to put that in

>>3555557
We need babies you git.

>>3555557
>"You're right, you -weren't- born yesterday. When are you going to get a wife for yourself, old man?"

>>3555557
>"You're right, you -weren't- born yesterday. When are you going to get a wife for yourself, old man?" [Jocular]

Forgot the vote

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>>3555569
What is the Prime Minister of Japan doing in my quest?!

>>3555576
We are going to conquer China, how could I NOT be here? :P

>>3555557
>>"Shame we don't have competent scouts. Armours are great and all, but they hardly allow stealth and speed." [Talking shop in the middle of march]

>>3555557
>"Galen, listen closely. I feel something is wrong." [Pay attention to the forest sounds]

>>3555557
>[Say nothing, pay attention to the forest sounds]

Cautiousness vs Socialite, eh?

I'll switch. Seems most like us

>>3556230
>[Say nothing, pay attention to the forest sounds]

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107 KB JPG

It's a subtle thing; the gradual cessation of bird calls, a rustle in the underbrush that could almost pass for the movement of some small critters, a stillness in the air that is far too artificial.

And that subconscious feeling, raising the hair at the back of your neck, that you are being watched. Quickly, but not too quickly, you let your gaze wander across the line of legionaries behind you.

"It's the canals that did them in, you know?" Galen says. "Saline buildup from decades of circulation of water. River water, sure, but even they contain trace amounts of salt." That's Scrivener talking again. Galen had aspirations of becoming a farmer once he retired, and often spoke with Veicht who was an infinite pool of random knowledge.

"Very interesting," you agree blandly, keeping your voice calm and modulated for the coming switch in conversation topic. "Pretend we are talking about whatever we were discussing just now, and don't look around. But we're being watched."

"I see," he says coolly, not reacting at all to the potential danger around them. "Can't say I am surprised. It makes sense that they would try to get us where they know the terrain best, before we arrive at a clearing. How many?"

You frown. "Can't say. Like I said, I hate forests." It is almost a memetic marker, your fear and trepidation of the wooded terrain. Nothing good came out of these silvan outgrowths. They nurtured body-painted barbarians and strange primordial godlings whose favourite pastime was the disruption of the normal, the civilised. The Romans had firmly bound their roots to the forces of civilisation, and the primeval forests that covered the entirety of Germania was the antithesis of that. At least the Parthians were civilised. Sort of. "The leaves and trees and insects and birds tend to confuse the sounds, muddle any clear readout. Nowhere near the kind of number that could take us on, though. I would surmise a scouting force."

"Or a clan," he replies in a manner that suggests he is talking about the daisies. "The natives - Tai-somethings, they said each tribe was in actuality split into smaller blood-relation clans. Would take them some time to convene."

You nod. "Taivoani. Shame they didn't know their way around the mountain. Then again," you reflect, "they were pretty fearful of the mountain tribes, so it makes sense they wouldn't try to broach the unspoken border between them."

"Still, highly unlikely they would attempt attacking us with their numbers. I could send some men about discreetly, have them collect the watchers in the forest."

>>3557641

>"And let them traipse around in the forest in small groups? You should know by now that I prefer losing my own limb to losing any number of my men. I have an idea..." [Crazy, But Might Work]

>You nod. "Get them partnered up in groups of threes and fours, and let them cover our surroundings. Try not to rough them up too much, I want to know what they know in terms of terrain." [Safe and Conservative, Some Loss of Life]

>"Let them watch for now. Until we get to a clearing, we have the disadvantage of being on the march. Once we set up camp, we can start sending out sorties." [Existence of Clearing Not Guaranteed]

>Custom

>>3557642
>"And let them traipse around in the forest in small groups? You should know by now that I prefer losing my own limb to losing any number of my men. I have an idea..." [Crazy, But Might Work]
Let's try it.

>>3557642
>I have an idea...
Do we suggest the idea? I haven't got any.
We're two heavy cohorts in a jungle. Caesar should really recruit a century or two of lighter woodland scouts later on.

I am inclined to vote
>"Let them watch for now. Until we get to a clearing, we have the disadvantage of being on the march. Once we set up camp, we can start sending out sorties." [Existence of Clearing Not Guaranteed]

>>3557651
>>3557646
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OXbnvMuvIyg

>>3557654
>>3557642
>"And let them traipse around in the forest in small groups? You should know by now that I prefer losing my own limb to losing any number of my men. I have an idea..." [Crazy, But Might Work]
Know what? Yeah, lets try this. Try to capture one of the scouting party by overcoming the lead cohort and ambushing a scout further ahead when they follow.

Are we familiar with any particularly sneaky soldiers to take with us?

>>3557665
"Crazy" option is basically leaving yourself as bait to draw out the curious savages hiding in the forest.

>>3557642
>"And let them traipse around in the forest in small groups? You should know by now that I prefer losing my own limb to losing any number of my men. I have an idea..." [Crazy, But Might Work]

>>3557665
We should have the Jews available

>>3557642
>>"And let them traipse around in the forest in small groups? You should know by now that I prefer losing my own limb to losing any number of my men. I have an idea..." [Crazy, But Might Work]

>>3557642
>You nod. "Get them partnered up in groups of threes and fours, and let them cover our surroundings. Try not to rough them up too much, I want to know what they know in terms of terrain."
"So crazy it just might work" plans are more often than not crazy enough to fail horribly.

>>3557642
>"Let them watch for now. Until we get to a clearing, we have the disadvantage of being on the march. Once we set up camp, we can start sending out sorties."

At least none of these natives are Fremen....

>>3557642
>"And let them traipse around in the forest in small groups? You should know by now that I prefer losing my own limb to losing any number of my men. I have an idea..." [Crazy, But Might Work]
Would rather not lose too many of our "good" men just a few days in

Picture the scene: two men seated opposite each other on folding chairs, a square portable table between them. Three leather-bags of cheap posca and two wooden cups compliment the the table, fancying up the encounter a little, with complimentary cheese to go with. Comrades-in-arms sharing a hearty cup of their cheap and easily portable drink - a common sight in any Roman military encampments.

But this is not an encampment, safely nestled beneath the wooden walls of the castrum. Neither are the three men Romans, but Greek in blood. The older one is struggling to maintain his composure, while the youth with gold-flecked eyes calmly pours himself another cup of the commoner's drink as he takes in the surrounding silvan scenery.

"Relax, Galen," you say smoothly. "If they wanted to kill us, they would have done so an hour ago. That they are only watching us long after the rest of the army has moved on is a good sign."

"Sometimes I don't know if you've got balls, or a giant tumor in your head," Galen growls, not even touching his cup. "First that time in Ypra, and now this..."

"No powerful fertility cult to deal with here," you chuckle. In truth, this was a crazy plan, not one you would have tried in your mortal days. Divinity has emboldened you somewhat, it seems. "And besides, I am making them curious. Barbarians fear what they cannot understand - and they most certainly do not understand why we, the two obvious leader-figures of the foreign army, are hanging back while the rest of the troops march on ahead. Sooner or later, they will make contact."

"And they will be drinking piss-water from our skulls."

"Oh, I expect something better than that." The sound of approaching footsteps become louder. They are not hiding themselves anymore. "In any society, the competition to climb to the top is fierce. Barbarians are no different despite their lack of culture. Leaders of savages require portrayal of bravery and a primitive kind of honour to sustain their own aura of prestige... that elusive means of commanding other men. They have no rules, no conventions, no constitution. So must they rely on such tacky means."

"Sounds familiar," he grunts, finally taking a swig of the posca. He grimaces. "Vile stuff."

>>3559878

"Of course it is familiar. Alexandros Basileos was a great user of his personal charm for his troops. After all, what was Macedonia? A barely-civilised kingdom that only had its military to thank for their hegemony. No wonder then that he undertook conversion into Persian courtly culture after defeating Darius."

You quietly refrain from mentioning the madness that seized him, as it seized you before. And perhaps does still. Great men are not great men merely because they do things well. High-functioning bureaucrats achieve many reforms and streamlines the running of the country, but always unseen, without being commented on. The madness that grips those historical giants is always one akin to egomania, their presence like bright, incandescent light in the night. And humans flock to them as moths toward the moon, enamoured with these greater-than-life beings.

"But how does that help us?" Galen asks, shifting nervously on his seat as the brown-skinned natives appear in view, one by one. There are ten- no, twenty, thirty of them, all told. Crude, curved lengths of beaten bronze barely recogniseable as scimitars are on their hands, though they do not make movement to attack you. Yet. "We're severely outnumbered, and though a small army may defeat a larger one, that doesn't neatly translate linearly to a fight between a few individuals and one and a halfscore men."

"Do you trust me?" you say innocently.

"When you asked that question before telling me this plan, yes. Now? I'm not quite sure."

"Yet you came along, because you too were curious. Curious how this may unfold."

"Loyalty," he says firmly, "is not a matter of curiosity. I wasn't there to help you when Ypra was consigned to oblivion, but I had a choice to make; stay here with you, or leave you alone. Not everyone operates on mercenary principles, Alexandros. Some of us remember you as you were - a precocious child. Before the... shocking growth-burst."

"Thank you, Galen," you say, a little touched. But you close your heart again. Even friends like Marcus Antonius were capable of lifting their hands against your successor, when you died. Would he sing the same tune come your funeral? Or would he, like the many generals of Alexandros Basileus, tear up the hard-won empire among themselves? Fortunate are you that you do not have to worry about successors. Not with your inborn immortality.

But you can still die, Caesar. Memento mori.

>>3559887

"Should have brought Veicht along. An interpreter would have been nice."

You shrug. "I asked him for a single phrase for me to memorise before I came here, actually. Given their probable Austronesian origins and taking into account the language of the neighbouring Taivoani, we constructed what Veicht is fifty per cent sure is their language."

He narrows his eyes. "Fifty percent."

"Very good odds."

A young man, slight of build and short like the rest of the mountain clanners surrounding you, step forward at last. He warbles a curt, wary sentence. You turn to look at him, hoping that Veicht's linguistic skills won't fail you now.

>"[I molested your mother, and thus we have become relatives. Half-son! I challenge your place in the tribe.]"

>"[I seek a worthy foe among your people, so that we need not spill so much blood in deciding the supremacy of my race. Tell me, which one of you is willing to fight for the name of his tribe?]"

>"[How do you do? Lovely weather, isn't it? Can't say I enjoy the humidity in this island, but I reckon I will acclimatise to that in time. Say, wouldn't you pull up a chair and join us with a drink?]"

>[Custom write-in]

>>3559888
>"[I seek a worthy foe among your people, so that we need not spill so much blood in deciding the supremacy of my race. Tell me, which one of you is willing to fight for the name of his tribe?]"
Let's hope we say what we meant and not #1.

>>3559888
>"[I seek a worthy foe among your people, so that we need not spill so much blood in deciding the supremacy of my race. Tell me, which one of you is willing to fight for the name of his tribe?]"
You're going to roll a d3 for what we actually say, aren't you?

>>3559897
>>3559893
...I wasn't but I am now! Thanks for the idea :>

>>3559903
Glad to help!

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>>3559903
...no problem...

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542 KB PNG

>>3559897
>>3559903
>"[I seek a worthy foe among your people, so that we need not spill so much blood in deciding the supremacy of my race. Tell me, which one of you is willing to fight for the name of his tribe?]"
Well, this was the whole plan, wasn't it?

This is just one clan though. Could we stay our hand and not slay him in the end?

>>3559937
Yep!

>>3559888
>"[I seek a worthy foe among your people, so that we need not spill so much blood in deciding the supremacy of my race. Tell me, which one of you is willing to fight for the name of his tribe?]"

That's enough votes toward the duel challenge (not-so-rude-ver.). Can I get three 1d3s rolling?

Rolled 3 (1d3)

>>3559950
inb4 1

Rolled 1 (1d3)

>>3559950
Roll
>>3559953
If you say so!

Rolled 2 (1d3)

>>3559950
Here we go

>>3559947
Hey Fortuna, this is unrelated to the matter at hand, but I wanted to say that I really enjoyed the narrative segment we saw from Scrivener's viewpoint back during the Ypra incident, and again with Ariamnes in India. Hows our chances of seeing more of these little vignettes in the future?

>>3559956
Now we're only missing a '2'

>>3559960
TIMING

>>3559958
Yeah and the picnic scene was absolutely magnificent. I haven't expected that

>>3559953
>>3559956
Lower the better in this quest, remember?

>>3559958
Ariamnes was my highlight for India segment, so we're definitely going to have more POV scenes with our lieutenants as we go. Bit tricky to plan for them since ultimately, it relies on the players voting for them to be relevant in the scene at hand.

Veicht was a bit of a special case, because he was there to show what kind of disaster had been going on while you were unconscious -> beating up Cabaleiro. Once we get to mainland china, there will be a shit ton more narratives, I think.

So many named characters in there, man. Too many. I'm wrestling with the question of how to narrate the overall going of the story without overpowering the MC by letting you guys know what is going on a thousand li away. Need to figure out how to do third person omniscient narration that won't impact gameplay too much by letting players metagame...

>>3559963
What was the picnic scene? My memory fails me

>>3559964
>What was the picnic scene?
It is what I called our most recent rendezvous with the natives.

>>3559967
Oh, the lack of sandwiches made me not associate it as a real picnic in my head

>>3559888
*look at the rolls*
What we thought we said:
>>"[I seek a worthy foe among your people, so that we need not spill so much blood in deciding the supremacy of my race. Tell me, which one of you is willing to fight for the name of his tribe?]"

What we actually said:
>Pull a chair and join us so that I can molest your mother and prove the superiority of my race.

*barbaroi back off slowly*

>>3559970
CIVILIZED

>>3559967
Ah, I thought you were talking about the scene with the Zhuge's, but I guess that'd be more properly termed "teatime".

>"[I seek a worthy foe among your people, so that we need not spill so much blood in deciding the supremacy of my race. Tell me, which one of you is willing to fight for the name of his tribe?]"
>3
>1
>2

"[Behold, I have molested men who dared raise their swords against me. Not only their bodies were defiled, but their mothers, and wives.]" (Intended statement: We do not intend your families harm, if you would not raise your swords against me.)
"[The honour of duelling me should go to the most capable and prestigious among you. Tell me, which one of you will sacrifice his life?]" (Intended statement: as spoken)
"[The outcome of the duel will decide whether your tribe is enslaved or merely butchered.]" (Intended statement: The outcome of this fight will likely decide the course of your tribe's future, thus it is not a task to be taken lightly.)

The young man startles as you begin to speak in their own tongue. He asks a question of his own, but you can't exactly speak the actual language, merely parrot it. Still, you try to fragment the memorised segment to express your desire for a duel.

Peer pressure, personal ego, and interfamilial prestige. These things force the young man - evidently the leader among their group, or at least the most combat-capable - to step forward against his better judgement. He is barely armoured, if one could call his plant-fibre dress an armour. A necklace of colourful stones decorate his bare chest, sweating from the humidity of the forest in early summer, but otherwise he is bereft of ornamentation. A practically-minded people, or just one that is poverty-stricken?

He crouches low, making smaller his already short silhouette.

>>3559976

---

(1) Style

>Cautious - Double AV (Max 80), Total unsaved damage to Foe is halved (Rounding up)
>Guarded - Exchange of Blows does not inflict or sustain damage.
>Balanced - AV and Damage remain unchanged.
>Belligerent - Exchange of Blows does not inflict damage; +1 Damage to Foe if any unsaved damaged is inflicted.
>Audacious - Halve AV (Rounding up); Each point of unsaved damage to Foe is doubled.

(2) Stance

>Dance of the Maekarii I [Personal Combat +10, -2 Damage dealt]
>Aetian Acrobatics I [Exhaustion +1(Personal Combat -5DC, stacks), +2 Damage dealt]
>Iovani Backstep II [Personal Combat +10DC, -10AV]
>Susa I [Personal Combat -5DC, -1 Damage received]

(3) Weapon of Choice

>Crucible-steel khanda
A straight-bladed longsword with a blunted tip at the end, this exotic blade was the personal weapon of the leader assassin. The material is of superb quality, known to the local Tamils as urukku. Its length lends itself well to use as a cavalry sabre. [Chance to ignore armour]

>Gladius hispaniensis
The Romans may not have invented this weapon, but it was they that put it to its proper use. Adopted from the Iberians during their pacification wars in the Hispanic peninsula, this shortsword can be used only by the most disciplined of infantrymen, willing to go face-to-face against the enemy to ensure their painful deaths. This is not a weapon of the faint-hearted who wish to keep the enemy combatants at an arm's length. Its double-edged, point-ended design lends itself especially well to bleeding the foe. [Chance to bleed enemy, negative AV modifier]

>>3559977
>Audacious
>Iovani Backstep
>Gladius
Shock and Awe

>>3559977
>Belligerent - Exchange of Blows does not inflict damage; +1 Damage to Foe if any unsaved damaged is inflicted.
>Iovani Backstep II [Personal Combat +10DC, -10AV]
Start off light.
>Gladius hispaniensis
He doesn't have any armor, so the Gladius is better here.

>>3559977
He is likely extremely agile, using a variation of our acrobatics or backstep stance

>Belligerent - Exchange of Blows does not inflict damage; +1 Damage to Foe if any unsaved damaged is inflicted.
>Iovani Backstep II [Personal Combat +10DC, -10AV]

>Crucible-steel khanda
It has better reach and less of a chance to gut him and leave to bleed out

It is possible to take a penalty in your attacks in order to make sure your opponent survives the fight (-20DC due to Elite I). Would you like to use that?

>>3559989
No, we shouldn't. Let Fortuna decide his fate.
(He could be a melee monster for all we know!)

I was thinking it would be easier to get allies among younger natives as they are potentially more flexible. But if he doesn't survive, there will be somebody else.

>>3559977
>Belligerent
>Iovani Backstep II
>Gladius hispaniensis
Get right up in his face

>>3559989
Ha, you can’t bait me into that until we see our DCs most flighty Fortuna

>>3560150
>Trying out a new mechanic to discourage idiots going without armour. Remember, helmets save lives! Letting AV fall to negatives will also cause this to happen so... be careful.

*gasp* are you saying we can’t bounce weapons of our glorious pec?!?

>Belligerent
>Iovani Backstep II
>Gladius hispaniensis
>No mercy
Trying out a new mechanic to discourage idiots going without armour. Remember, helmets save lives! Letting AV fall to negatives will also cause this to happen so... be careful.
[EDIT: forgot to add DC, added, buffed enemy slightly because look at the PC DC]

Lord Alexandros, Caesar Reborn: Healthy
>Combat = +90DC [Healthy +5DC, Skilled I +5DC, Unnatural Strength +5DC, Elite I +10DC, Iovani Backstep II +10DC, Legionarius I +10DC, Null-AV Foe +10DC, Lorica hamata +15DC, Iron galea +0DC, Parma +10DC, Gladius hispaniensis +10DC]
>Armour Value = 30AV [Lorica hamata +15AV, Iron galea +15AV, Parma +10AV, Iovani Backstep I -10AV]
>Active Skill = Belligerent, Iovani Backstep I

VS

Yungai, Atayal Champion: Healthy
>Combat = +55DC [Healthy +5DC, Skilled II +10DC, Unnatural Dexterity +5DC, Champion +10DC, Uncivilised +15DC, Arboreal Agility +10DC, UNARMOURED -10DC, Decent curved bronze shortsword +10DC]
>Armour Value = 0AV [Unarmoured] When unarmoured, each damage taken increases by +1.
>Active Skills = Seasoned Woodsman - Superior footing and familiarity with the forests allows the user to take unorthodox potshots at the enemy. Foe automatically fails a Personal Combat dice if fighting in Forest terrain.

Crit-fail = Suffer a mighty blow (3 degrees of damage sustained AND dismounted/disarmed)
0 Success = Suffer a solid blow (2 degrees of damage sustained)
1 Success = Exchange glancing blows (1 degree of damage inflicted and sustained)
2 Success = Inflict a solid blow (2 degrees of damage inflicted)
3 Success = Inflict a mighty blow (3 degrees of damage inflicted)
Crit-pass = Inflict a killing blow (what it says on the tin)

Doubles Pass = +1 damage ignores opponent AV or Dismounted/Disarmed penalty
Doubles Fail = Dismounted and/or Disarmed penalty

(1) Personal Combat DC85
2 rolls of 1d100 (Opponent: Seasoned Woodsman)
(2) Flesh Wound (bleed) [Gladius Hispaniensis] DC33
1 roll of 1d100
(3) Ego Death [Iovani Backstep] DC33
1 roll of 1d100

>Needed rolls: 5 1d100s

>>3560165
Damnit, this should say at the end
>Needed rolls: 4 1d100s
Not going to bother deleting this post, let the rolling begin!

Rolled 36 (1d100)

>>3560165
Ok, if he survives this round let’s go for a non lethal capture

Rolled 25 (1d100)

>>3560165

>>3560154
You're not overly muscled, actually, since you haven't devoted your time into going above and beyond in body training.

Rolled 42 (1d100)

>>3560165

Rolled 51 (1d100)

>>3560165
Nat 100 here, boss

>>3560182
>>3560174
that's an instakill, innit boss?

>>3560185
>You're not overly muscled, actually, since you haven't devoted your time into going above and beyond in body training.
And now I know what I must do.

>>3560165
Let's not instagib if we can help it. Bandage any wounds he might get after the fighting is over? Maybe offer some booze after we have a sip ourselves, showing it isn't poison.

>>3561147
>~3 wounds dealt with the Gladius
He’s dead jimbo. Puncture wounds, ain’t they a bitch?

>>3560224
Yep

>>3561147
I'm afraid you aren't capable of resurrecting the dead.

>>3560658
You do have muscles, but more on the terms of soldier fat-muscle than sculpted body formation.

What fancy attacks might the savage deploy? You never get to find out. As he charges forward, his short scimitar scything toward your neck, you parry his hand away with the parma a portable roundshield. Nothing like the larger Scutum in terms of defence, but much easier to carry about. And in one smooth motion combined, you kneel-step forward to get inside his personal space without being deterred by his other arm, and bayonet him with your gladius.

A slight misjudgement. You had meant to stab him in his torso. The height of the man meant you did it right in his throat. He dies messily, painfully, the pulsating blood trying to circulate to his brain choking him as they spurt in random directions. Suffocated by his own blood.

"Well, that is that." You slash the air to get rid of the blood coating the sword. A magnificent spray of crimson coats the plant life around you. Metal, metal, the taste of blood and weapon and war. Gods on High, were we made to fight miserably among ourselves, brothers against brothers, sons against fathers? There is iron in us all. "Who is next?"

The tribals approach you, but not with weapons drawn. Their faces have that uncomprehending awe of a savage seeing a merchant's carriage with silk for the first time.

"Alexandros?" Galen says, alarmed.

"Let them," you say calmly. They touch you, fingers caressing your intricate armour, the shield that smashed their champion's sword hand. One rubs the flat of your sword, still slick with blood, and then brings his finger to his mouth to taste. And on their lips, the growing chant:

"God of War."

You don't need a translator to know what they are chanting. Veneration. The adulation of a war-focused tribe who has neverr witnessed skilled combat. War has ever been the language of diplomacy, and your display was not in the least lessened by its curtness.

You turn to the amazed legate outside the circle of barbarians. "I think we may have gotten ourselves some scouts, Galen."

---

Meanwhile...

>Xanthippos POV (guarding home base)
>Ariamnes POV
>Galen POV
>Hermann POV
>Ambiorix POV
>Suggestion?

>>3561970
>Hermann POV

While fellating ourself with the Galen POV would be fun...

>>3561970
>Hermann POV

>>3561167
4 Wounds, he was unarmoured :X

2W from 2 Success, +1 because Belligerent, +1 because enemy unarmoured

>>3562020
Ah, forgot about the new armor thing

>>3561970
>>Xanthippos POV

>>3561970
>Xanthippos POV (guarding home base)