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Post by oznerol on Aug 30, 2021 9:52:19 GMT -5
Villa Licinia Crassi.Licinius Crassus owns a formidable mansion at the slopes of Palatine Hill. The residence is said to be a lavish thing, and its owner takes great pride in this, constantly spending sums of money into making it larger and more splendid. Here live Licinius Crassus, the senator, his wife Mucia and their youngest child, Licinia Tertia, and a host of servants, attendants and domestic slaves. {Cursus}7 Dignitas +5 from Cursus = 13 votes
Tier I: Junior Magistrate
Stage 0: Patronage - aged 25. Military experience as a military tribune is expected from prospective candidates, as is sponsorship from an existing senator.
Stage 1: Quaestor - aged 30. Grants this character the right to sit in the senate, giving them +1 vote.
Stage 2: Aedile - aged 35. Also grants the right to seat in the senate.
Stage 3: Plebeian Tribune - Plebeians only.
Tier II: Magistrate with Imperium.
Stage 1: Praetorship - Aged 39. Grants +1 vote.
Stage 2: Pro-Praetorship - Aged 40.
Stage 3: Consulship - Aged 42. Grants +2 votes.
Stage 4: Proconsul - Aged 43.
Tier III: Honorifics and other accolades.
(This list is not exhaustible)
Be elected Pontifex Maximus. Grants +1 vote.
Become a Pontiff, Chief Augur, or High Priest. Grants +1 vote
Become Censor. Grants +1 vote.
Build a public work. Grants +1 vote.
Conquer a province. Grants +1 vote.
Win a military accolade. Grants +1 vote.
Win a Triumph. Grants +1 vote. (stackable).
Achieve three separate Consulships. +1 vote.
Appointed Dictator. Grants +1 vote.
{Economic Assets}Agricultural Branch
Tier I: Basic
Class A:
Cost: 0
Income: 2,750
Class B:
Cost: 5,000
Income: 5,000
Class C:
Cost: 7,500
Income: 7,500
(Once Class C achieved, unlock bonus)
Bonus: -10% legionary recruitment costs
Tier II: Intermediate
Class A:
Cost: 10,000
Income: 10,000
Class B:
Cost: 15,000
Income:15,000
Class C:
Cost: 20,000
Income: 17,000
(Once Class C achieved, unlock bonus)
Bonus: -10% legionary upkeep costs
Tier III: Advanced
Class A:
Cost: 25,000
Income: 20,000
Class B:
Cost: 30,000
Income: 25,000
Class C:
Cost: 35,000
Income: 28,000
(Once Class C achieved, unlock bonus)
Bonus: -10% cavalry recruitment/upkeep costs
Tier IV: Advanced Plus
Class A:
Cost: 40,000
Income: 35,000
Class B:
Cost: 45,000
Income: 40,000
Class C:
Cost: 50,000
Income: 45,000
No Bonus {100BCE}Day 1:
Starting amount: 10,000
Income: 5000 x 8 (backdated paydays)
Expenditure: 17,500 (upgrades)
Total: 32,500
Day 2:
Starting amount: 32,500
Income: 10,000
Expenditure: 31,000
Total: 11,500
99 BC
Day 3:
Starting amount: 11,500
Income: 10,000
Expenditure: 7,500
Total: 14,000
Day 4:
Starting amount: 14,000
Income: 10,000
Expenditure: 7500
15,000
Total: 1500 {98 BCE}Day 1: 1500
Income: 15,000
Expenditure: 10,000 (legions)
Total: 6,500
Day 2:
Total: 6,500
Income: 15,000
Expenses: 20,000
Total: 1,500
Day 3:
Total: 1,500
Income: 17,000+17,000 (African loot from Scipio)
Expenses: 0
Total: 35,500
{97 BCE}Day 1:
Total: 35,500
Income: 17,000
Expenditure: 25,000
Total: 27,500
Day 2:
Total: 27,500
Income: 20,000+12,000 (Cyrene Royal Privy Purse)
Expenditure: 30,000+5,000 (Vitus)
Total: 24,500
{96 BCE}Day 1:
Total: 24,500
Income: 35,000
Expenditure: 45,000
Total: 14,500
Day 2:
Total: 14,500
Income: 40,000
Expenditure: 50,000
Total: 4,500
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Post by Gandalf on Aug 30, 2021 10:28:32 GMT -5
Metellus comes to pay his father-in-law a visit on the Palatine, accompanies by various slaves, clients and kinsmen. A small bodyguard of conspicuous looking fellows follow in-step close behind, and though they are not visibly armed or armored they have the bearing of military men.
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Post by oznerol on Aug 30, 2021 14:21:51 GMT -5
Crassus was feeding a exceedingly fat eel on a marble pond. The thing had a golden collar and it was being fed fine meat.
"Here, here, Vorax"
The senator jiggled. A slave held the plate. Breeze through the pillared courtyard, Greek statues, painted and gilded, adorned the place.
"Dominus, Metellus Pius"
"Ah, ah"
Licinius turned his head.
"Son. Come, come"
He jiggled again as the eel ate whole a piece of lamb, he gestured for the other senator to come closer.
"What brings you here? Bussiness I presume, humm, humm?"
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Post by Gandalf on Aug 30, 2021 14:42:05 GMT -5
"Father of mine."
Greeted Metellus, the younger man approaching the pond rather coolly. He had been aware of his father-in-law's eccentricities for some time. But unlike that glory-hound Lepidus, they were at least tasteful. No half-naked Greek whores running around made a nice change of pace.
"Reminds me of one of our Consuls." The Quaestor drily remarked as he watched the slippery creature devour an entire chunk of lamb. It prompted a few knowing laughs from his kinsmen. "But I will not say which. I hear you threw your hat into the ring, so to speak. I could not think of a greater improvement on our current crop."
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Post by oznerol on Aug 30, 2021 17:23:23 GMT -5
"I was a quaestor. Among many other things. Not an unexperienced youngster any longer"
Said Crassus, taking a seat on a bench, while two men brought refreshments. Mere things, slaves moved unseen and unnoticed. Like furniture, one assumed they were there. That's why the older senator simply raised a hand and found a wine-filled cup waiting. Drink watered down in a large Greek crater, covered with red and black figures.
"Good wine. Brought from my villa in Naples... Hummm... I figured out that if The Man, Marius, could be five times a consul before he died, I could very well be consul, at least once"
He sips.
"What about you, Metellus? My birds tell me you have been active enough in the forum"
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Post by Gandalf on Aug 30, 2021 17:40:07 GMT -5
"My first year in the Senate has been a productive one. With Numidicus seeking retirement, I have had to fill his shoes."
Metellus had informally assumed a prominent position amongst the Good Men of the Senate, young as though he was. Like all of the Metellii, it was expected, nay, demanded, that he would eventually lay claim to the Consul's chair. Every generation of of the family had produced at least one for nearly a century. An entire hall of their ancestral villa was dedicated to a stony collegium of Metellan consuls.
"Marius overreached, and now the hero is food for the worms. I will drink this fine vintage to his memory, so long as I have to stomach his living presence no longer."
Quintus raised his cup sardonically, then took a sip.
"I plan to run for Tribune. While I have no desire to mix with the rabble, I must attempt to put myself between Saturninus and sole mastery of our state."
The rabble-rousing Tribune had the protection of a Consul, and so had the potential to defeat the Senate at every turn.
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Post by oznerol on Aug 31, 2021 10:22:27 GMT -5
"My first year in the Senate has been a productive one. With Numidicus seeking retirement, I have had to fill his shoes."Metellus had informally assumed a prominent position amongst the Good Men of the Senate, young as though he was. Like all of the Metellii, it was expected, nay, demanded, that he would eventually lay claim to the Consul's chair. Every generation of of the family had produced at least one for nearly a century. An entire hall of their ancestral villa was dedicated to a stony collegium of Metellan consuls. "Marius overreached, and now the hero is food for the worms. I will drink this fine vintage to his memory, so long as I have to stomach his living presence no longer."Quintus raised his cup sardonically, then took a sip. "I plan to run for Tribune. While I have no desire to mix with the rabble, I must attempt to put myself between Saturninus and sole mastery of our state."The rabble-rousing Tribune had the protection of a Consul, and so had the potential to defeat the Senate at every turn. Said Licinius. "Well, fate is often convoluted and takes akward turns. We might have to suffer more of his ilk in the future. Marius did something dangerous, proved that the wheel can be broken at a powerful man's will, never had Rome have such a would-be tyrant. Not even the Grachi held that much sway over things"
Crassus sips. "That must be avoided. The mob must not be turned into a weapon again, they have to be reined in. Sadly, my own tenure was unremarkable, thanks to the consuls of the time and the context, which did not allow for much"He looks at Metellus. "If you run for tribune and myself for consul we could effectively control this year's institutions"
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Post by Gandalf on Aug 31, 2021 10:44:45 GMT -5
"We could reverse all that this rabble-rouser has wrought within a few months."
Metellus smiled.
"Sooner, if we could find you a suitable running mate. Alas all of the good men of this city have the spines of Greek women."
They could prop up some lowly patrician to stand alongside him, he supposed.
"But we should be enough. We could remove any threat of another Gracchus or Marius permanently, and turn the Tribunate into the graveyard of ambitious men."
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Post by oznerol on Aug 31, 2021 11:47:33 GMT -5
"We could seek the old Ahenobarbus"
Suggested Crassus.
"The censor might be willing to share my consulship. He's old, respected and probably too tired to be of any consequence"
He added.
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Post by Gandalf on Aug 31, 2021 11:56:16 GMT -5
"He is too old to fight a war. Which is what this will be."
Metellus waves his hand in dismissal of the suggestion of the old Ahenobarbus. They needed some fresh blood. He watched as the eel snaffled another chunk of meat, deep in thought.
"My sole suggestion is Mugillanus, who served as Praetor. He is of distinguished birth and well connected. A war hero, too."
A man who firmly stood with the good men of the city, too.
"Both of you would be a formidable pairing. The warrior and the finest of Rome's orators."
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Post by oznerol on Aug 31, 2021 17:54:09 GMT -5
"He is too old to fight a war. Which is what this will be."Metellus waves his hand in dismissal of the suggestion of the old Ahenobarbus. They needed some fresh blood. He watched as the eel snaffled another chunk of meat, deep in thought. "My sole suggestion is Mugillanus, who served as Praetor. He is of distinguished birth and well connected. A war hero, too."A man who firmly stood with the good men of the city, too. "Both of you would be a formidable pairing. The warrior and the finest of Rome's orators."
Said Crassus, tilting his head to a side. Thinking. "Maybe you can arrange it. It's better if a non-involved part checks the water before plunging ourselves into the pool"He handed the empty cup to the slave. "Waters are murky. One can hardly discern what lays below the surface. But you'll manage. Like the eel, your ilk knows how to swin through mud and dark water"
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Post by Gandalf on Aug 31, 2021 18:09:36 GMT -5
"Not your finest compliment, father. Maybe leave that out the next speech."
Metellus chuckled wryly, eyes drawn to the water as the creature writhed below them in the murky depths. Then, the trance was broken. Metellus rose.
"I will go see to it. And leave you to your eels and books."
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Post by Gandalf on Sept 4, 2021 15:38:34 GMT -5
A message is left at the house of Crassus by Metellus Pius, or rather one of his slaves. It is a scrawled note addressed personally to the Consul.
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Post by oznerol on Oct 18, 2021 6:09:02 GMT -5
Crassus returned after his two-years-long sojourn in Asia. He returned thinner, weary and wounded, in both pride and body. But he could at least save face by not losing any legion, yielding command when he should have and brokering a new set of alliances for Rome in the Levant. Few estatues he had bought and brought home were placed in fitting spots around the large residence and he ordered his slaves to put his armor and sword to rest somewhere away from his gaze. In a fortnight he would stand before the centuria and be elected censor. The most sacred office in the Republic. It would be fitting. And would do much to strenghten his status within the senatorial ranks again. On the meanwhile, he would mingle in the courts, forum and curia, to remind everyone that he was back to business.
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Post by oznerol on Nov 9, 2021 5:59:40 GMT -5
"Ah, my little darling"
Said Crassus, kneeling by the pond. The eel clicked her open mouth, the rows of sharp needle-like teeth closing around the tender meat offered by the senator's hand.
"Vorax, my precious, eat calmly, no-one's gonna steal that from you"
He then exchanged a poisonous look with the slaves around. One of them once took meat from the eels. Crassus had him whipped for this insolency. As the slimey animal swallows its meal, the censor takes a seat on a marble bench.
"Oh well. Vitus"
Hands on knees, pouty lips. He looked at his client sideways. Lucius smelled of perfume and oils and his tunic was purple.
"We will soon head to Cyprus. Not that I want to face the waves this time of the year, but my censorship is already running out and the Senate will send me on some errand"
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