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Post by rhapture on Sept 21, 2021 17:44:43 GMT -5
Here resides Lucius Valerius Flaccus with his wife two sons, Gauis and Lucius and Daughter Valeria
WIP
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Post by Gandalf on Sept 27, 2021 7:59:42 GMT -5
With Valerius now officially appointed as Pro-Quaestor, the Consul Sulla comes to call upon him in his home on the eve of his campaign against the pirates.
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Post by rhapture on Sept 27, 2021 18:50:22 GMT -5
After a short wait, Sulla is shown into Valerius' office. Ledgers and scrolls are stored in their wall holes. The window opens upon the atrium and the fountain. The sound of songbirds filters into the room. Lucius looks ups, see Sulla and stand up. "Lucius Cornealius, Welcome , welcome." He greets the Consul. "It is a pleasure to see you," he continues. "You should have sent word, it would have been no trouble for me to come to you." He states reverently.
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Post by Gandalf on Sept 27, 2021 19:16:22 GMT -5
After a short wait, Sulla is shown into Valerius' office. Ledgers and scrolls are stored in their wall holes. The window opens upon the atrium and the fountain. The sound of songbirds filters into the room. Lucius looks ups, see Sulla and stand up. "Lucius Cornealius, Welcome , welcome." He greets the Consul. "It is a pleasure to see you," he continues. "You should have sent word, it would have been no trouble for me to come to you." He states reverently. The Consul entered the house of Valerius with his traditional accompaniment of lictors, albeit he left them to loiter outside whilst he went to speak with the man himself. "It is no trouble for me either, Valerius. Congratulations upon your election."Greeted Sulla, with a wry grin. Lucius then joined the Quaestor in being seated."Let us take a cup of wine before we speak of business. It would be an ill omen not to celebrate."
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Post by rhapture on Sept 27, 2021 19:40:48 GMT -5
"It is but a minor victory, Sulla" Lucius replied, taking a quick drink. "Destroying the pirates is what will enshrine out names in the tablets of history, even if mine is but a minor mention." He stated bluntly.
He sat down and mentioned for Sulla to do the same. The servants were stationed outside the room, waiting to be called to action. "Please be comfortable, Consul, I want you to open with exactly what you expect of me." Valerius opened up to Sulla.
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Post by Gandalf on Sept 27, 2021 20:12:08 GMT -5
Lucius never missed an occasion to partake in wine when it was available, and gladly took one or two cups during the course of the conversation.
"Very well. While the Republic has a small force of standing ships, it will need to be complemented substantially in order to both transport and protect the invasion force. Sixty additional ships are at the least what is required to conduct an offensive campaign."
Sulla had little idea of the true strength that the pirates could muster, but it would be in total a large enough fleet to give even the ancient Carthaginians pause. With the resources of the state at his disposal, he saw no need in leaving margin for error.
"And, I doubt it needs to be said, but the larger the better."
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Post by rhapture on Sept 28, 2021 12:42:41 GMT -5
Valerius listens to Sulla's instruction. Taking notes a couple times. More wine flows in. He scribbles in a large font "BIGGER"
"Now you have quite a few legions, Sulla," Valerius pipes up, "Are you going to want them all to be transported at the same time?" "That will eat up a lot more coin for transports. And supplies; I highly doubt these pirates have stores of grain and livestock hanging around their bases." He comments.
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Post by Gandalf on Sept 28, 2021 13:08:16 GMT -5
"Yes. I do not wish for my force to land piecemeal. We can pay whatever it will take. From my own funds, if necessary. Once we have a reliable base of operations on Crete then supplies can be brought over from our ports in Greece."
Sulla replied, gesticulating a bit more fervently now that he was a few cups deep.
"Most of their bases are on the island, and I have every reason to believe they have made allies of the local city states. I shall treat the entire island as a foe unless proven otherwise."
They had apparently moved from the hills of Cilicia to a more secure and profitable base of operations. They surely must have come to some arrangement with the Cretans, or else subjugated them by force.
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Post by rhapture on Sept 28, 2021 13:47:38 GMT -5
"I imagine they will have hidden bases all over the Mediterranean, how else could the so easily evade our ships any time they go out and plunder?" Quipped Valerius. He scribbled some more. TRANSPORTS "Yes, yes" He commented to himself. " I will have no issue with what ever you do with the Cretans. They have had far to much freedom for centuries, controlling the island will ensure our grain from Egypt can sail with confidence from East to West." He states, his hands motioning freely with the extra wine. "And Im sure they will be a good bit of plunder around, artworks, statues and such." He grinned. "By the way , Lucius, if you come across a good quality Bull Jumping work, would you mind putting it aside for me?" He asks with a glimmer in his eye.
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Post by Gandalf on Sept 28, 2021 17:19:24 GMT -5
"For good measure, I shall see the hills of Cilicia scoured clean. No trace of piracy shall remain on our seas."
Time in Cilicia would be time well spent, if the rumblings out of Asia turned into something concrete. Now that would be a rich campaign. Sulla laughed heartily at Valerius' remark.
"I shall endeavour to bring you choice pickings of whatever treasures the Greeks have tucked away. After taking such liberties myself, of course. We learned a long time ago that the conqueror takes what he will from the conquered."
Since then it had liberally been applied to those foolish enough to stand against Rome.
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Post by sforza on Oct 4, 2021 12:44:11 GMT -5
Gaius Appuleius Decianus comes to visit Flaccus
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Post by rhapture on Oct 4, 2021 18:31:02 GMT -5
Valerius is relaxing in the atrium drinking wine, and Decianus is invited to join him.
"Salve , Gauis Appuleius , welcome to my domus. Please sit and enjoy some refreshments." Lucius greets him graciously
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Post by sforza on Oct 5, 2021 11:00:39 GMT -5
"Salve Flaccus"
Decianus greeted the Quaestor once he entered the atrium. Soon enough slaves would pour them more wine in.
"I have recently returned to Rome only, i have heard disturbing news from the East to say"
Crassus had unilaterally broken the treaty with Pontus in violation of a law passed two years ago, resulting in a major war. Decianus had also heard about Flaccus' reactions in the senate from some allies.
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Post by rhapture on Oct 5, 2021 12:16:42 GMT -5
After hearing Decianus's news , Valerious leaned back and had more wine. "That is a lot of news to take in at once, Gauis." He finally replies. "do you have any proof that Crassus was the one who broke the treaty?" He asks
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Post by sforza on Oct 6, 2021 6:27:26 GMT -5
"I want to know the casus belli on why Crassus broke the treaty with the Pontic king"
Decianus replied, emptying his goblet of wine.
"From what i know is that the man did not even bother to give an explanation on why he broke the treaty while from what i know there was no transgression from the Pontic side."
Decianus said, he hated Crassus because of his opposition to his uncle years ago.
"Now the East is entirely destabilized and we hear about military defeat there"
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