Chris

Eppitacos smirked at her response. "There is some of the warrior still shining through," he commented and then said, "No, I did not mean that. It's refreshing to hear our words again. Good to see pride and spirit live on." He stole a forlorn glance at his maimed arm and then flicked his eyes back to her. "I only asked because even with a decade passed, the only Britons who speak to me are those who ask when I will lead an uprising in Rome against our oppressors... or far more often those still bitter from defeat." And if he was being honest, the bitterness went both ways, and had made it easier for him to kill his fellow Britons in the arena when the mob called for it. "When I see a kinsman, or kinswoman, staring at me across a room, I half expect they would try to kill me if they could." He paused and again looked her over, and then refocused his gaze squarely into her fierce blue eyes. "Would you?" @Atrice

MANIUS AEMILIUS SCAURUS PIUS 40 | 8 Jan 34 ad | Senator | Lawyer | Hetero | Original | Brett Tucker Personality Manius is a calm and calculating man. Because of what he has gone through in his life, he has learned the virtue of patience. He is neither quick to anger, nor irrational in thought. From his studies he is well-versed in the affairs of the world and is always eager to learn more. He never assumes that he knows more than others, especially in matters he has not seen or experienced for himself. He is a kind man, and places great importance on the bonds of family and friendship. He has a distaste for slavery, but understands its necessity in society; he is a kind master, and - as his mother before him - gives freedom to his slaves when it is deserved. Politically, he is quite unlike his father. He does not see a Republic, or a Senate-controlled government as the means to efficiently run such a vast empire. He is supportive of the current system, but can be critical of its operation. He sees the years of war and upheaval a decade ago, and the power plays preceding them as a direct result of a lack of proper succession. Understanding that Romans are sensitive about any sort of determined succession because of the monarchical connotations, and understanding that Romans wish to maintain their sense of 'choice', Manius has many ideas - some might call radical - on how to ensure the continued stability of the empire. Whether or not he wants to undertake such a task is still undecided. Though endlessly loyal to his family, and the memory of his father - hence his agnomen 'Pius' - Manius is not his father, and does not know if it is his place to create drama for his family where there is finally peace. Appearance Manius, like his father before him, has a fair complexion with blond hair and blue eyes. He appears many years younger than his age, thankful to a boyish face that he keeps well shaved and skin that he treats. Because of the difficulties he has gone through since his youth, he has paid extra careful attention to his health. He eats well and sparingly, exercises regularly, and spends a great deal more on doctors and physicians than on personal indulgences or vices. He wears the clothing common for men of his class, but because of the condition of his back and legs, is forced to wear special types of leather bracing that is all but invisible to anyone other than his slaves. When walking short distances he is visibly slow in his stride, but when he needs to walk quickly he is not ashamed to rely upon a cane to give him extra power and balance. Family Father: Marcus Aemilius Scaurus (deceased; 3-62 AD) Mother: Acilia Glabrionis (deceased) Siblings: - Marcus Aemilius Scaurus (older brother; d. 54) - Marcus Aemilius Scaurus Alexander aka 'Laelius' (younger adopted brother) Spouse: - Vespasia Pollia (former wife/first cousin. deceased; d. 68) Children: - Lucius Aemilius Scaurus Capitolinus (adopted step-son; b. 50) Extended Family: - Aemilia Scaura (aunt; b. 1 ad) - Gaius Vespasius Pollio (uncle; d. 68) - Pinaria Lucretia (sister-in-law; b. 50) - Aemilia Scaura (niece; b. 67) - Aemilia Laeliana (niece; b. 70) - Publius Aemilius Scaurus (nephew; b. 72) - Cornelii-Scipiones & Flavii-Alexandrae (Caesares) via his brother Scaurus Alexander - Acilii-Glabriones via his mother Other: - Andron (physician; b. 25) History Manius came into the world the younger son of a struggling yet ancient family. His father, Marcus Aemilius Scaurus (henceforth ‘Scaurus’) was the inheritor of a family name marred with a record of decisions taken against the Principate, and so his career was never guaranteed success. Even still, Manius was not raised with a want for much of anything. His youth was spent mostly with his mother and elder brother Marcus. He took quickly to his studies - whereas Marcus took more to brawn - and seemed set to become a great politician or lawyer. All of what his family had planned for him was quickly and violently altered when disaster struck. In the year 44, shortly after Manius had reached his tenth birthday, while traveling through the subura to reach Scaurus and Marcus - for an intended celebration of Marcus’ appointment to the junior judges - Manius and his mother Acilia found themselves caught in the midst of calamity. A fire sprang up within a baker’s shop on the street level of one of the apartment buildings; the flames quickly caught the grain and breads and took to tinder. A calm, dry breeze blew embers to hay and adjoining buildings, and the blaze grew out of control. The Vigiles, the city fire-watch, were quick to respond and as protocol demanded, began to demolish buildings not yet touched by the flames, so as to contain them. The chaos in the streets knocked Manius and his mother from their litter, and as they tried to navigate the streets with their servants, an insula crumbled onto them. Acilia grabbed her young boy and threw him to the ground, covering his body with her own. When the Vigiles pulled him from the rubble, Manius was covered in ash, soot, and the blood of his mother - though he was not conscious to know it. His father and brother Marcus were at hand when he was recovered, and he was immediately spirited away to their villa. Manius survived the misfortune, by virtue of his mother, but did not emerge from the destruction unscathed. For the better part of a year he remained in a coma, and when he awoke was slow in his speech- though his thinking was sharp as ever. His brother Marcus had given up on his appointment - that they had gone to celebrate - in order to watch over his sibling, and his was the first face Manius saw when he his eyes opened. Marcus could not remain at Manius’ side forever, though, and Scaurus saw to it that his own sister Aemilia, Manius’ aunt, looked after him. Slow in speech and unable to walk, Manius suffered from a terrible depression during the years leading to his adulthood. He attempted to take his own life twice, but after intervention by his brother Marcus, Manius felt a shift in his attitude. He turned his frustration and desperation into a determination to prove himself capable. He took to studies and writing, sharpening his mind. Aemilia and her husband Vespasius hired tutors to teach him to speak clearly again; and physicians who attempted to bring motion back to his legs. Having to forsake a typical career in politics for his handicap, Manius devoted himself to knowledge of Roman law and traditions. Further, he studied all he could of other nations and their peoples. His father, though often not present, spared no expense in seeing tutors brought in from all over the world. With little time to do anything but study, Manius applied himself to learning other tongues, ideals, and religions. He learned of trade and mercantile empires and for some manner of years debated on what course to take for himself. Through these years, Manius’ brother and father continued to secure the legacy of their family. It would be put into jeopardy, and father pitted against eldest son, when rebellion threatened to tear apart the empire in the late years of the decade 50. Having served on the Rhine frontier, Marcus was swept by the ideals and charismatic nature of commander Camillus Julius Fidelis and when the latter declared his intent to overthrow Caesar Darius, Marcus joined his cause. The senate called upon one of their most experienced leaders in Germania - Scaurus - to put an end to the rebellion. Manius’ father faced his brother Marcus down, and the legion refused to fight, to pit son against father. In desperation, Marcus took his life and whether by command of the Senate or out of his own loss, Scaurus remained in Germania for the next several years. Manius again entered into a dark period. For all the strength Marcus had shown in preventing Manius from taking his life, and for Marcus to then take his own - it was not fathomable. Added to that was the stress that Manius had become the heir to his father’s fortune and name… he, a cripple unable to produce sons of his own. Scaurus returned to Rome in 60, and quickly went to securing his legacy. He married again, adopting another Marcus and Manius felt as if his father had abandoned him. While he understood that he was not capable of producing an heir, he was still the man’s living, breathing son. What had been respect for both his father and brother slowly turned into frustration; again, Manius turned this into determination. He began to push himself physically, attempting to walk and move as he once had. Over time he had gained slight movement in his toes and hips - though it had taken him over 15 years to get even that much. Within the span of another year, Manius would again see the world he knew turned over. Scaurus became embroiled in a world of cutthroat politics… but through this Scaurus came to rely upon his learned son. While Scaurus had been a commander for the whole of his life, he was not so eloquently expressive as others. Manius found himself relied upon to help his father draft speeches for the senate and to go over plans for war. As Scaurus traveled to and from within the empire, he increasingly put more and more responsibility for the familial assets onto Manius’ shoulders. Scaurus Alexander, Manius’ newfound brother, may have followed the man as his protege in war, but it was to Manius that the future of the family assets were entrusted. Through this time, as Manius had lived in the home of his aunt Aemilia, he came to know his cousin Vespasia. She had been married, with her husband, Lucius Afranius Capitolinus, killed in service in Honorius’ Dacian war. After his death, she sold his assets and returned to her home. Manius came to appreciate her honesty and strength, and the positivism of her young son Lucius. Though several years his elder, Manius found her a good companion, as she did him. Their relationship developed as one might between a brother and sister, but each saw a need met in the other. As civil war broke out, and Scaurus took a side, he had been informed of the connection between Manius and Vespasia, and gave his blessing on a marriage between them. Through the marriage, Manius adopted Vespasia’s son Lucius, and secured a direct blood legacy to the Aemilii-Scauri. Having decided to flee Rome with the rise of Clemens, Manius and his family (Vespasia, Lucius) retreated to the summer home of his aunt Aemilia and uncle Vespasius on Cyprus. There he remained for the duration of the war - his father Scaurus only a short trip over water in Antioch. However, with his father’s defeat at the hands of his brother-in-law Quintus Alexander, and Scaurus’ subsequent suicide, Manius again found himself in an unknown situation. Quintus was not a ruthless man, but to ensure his safety, saw a detachment of his men stationed on Cyprus. Effectively under guard, Manius and his family remained on the island for the duration of the war. During this time Manius was introduced to a philosopher and healer by the name of Apollonius. This man had something of a following in the east for his works, and it was Aemilia whom had enticed him to visit her broken nephew. Apollonius spoke of great things and miraculous visions. He instructed Manius on how to heal his wounds, and gave promise that in time, he would again walk. With the end of the war and Quintus’ rise to Caesar an official edict was issued pardoning all those whom had been exiled by any Caesar preceding Quintus Caesar, and welcoming even those whom had fought against him back to Rome. Manius struggled with what he wanted to do. In his father's death, Manius had been named the heir to his estates and so a part of him felt it necessary to return to Rome in memory of Scaurus the Elder... but for his part, Manius did not agree with everything his father stood for politically. After a lot of consideration, Manius decided to stay put. He remained on Cyprus for the next five years and devoted the majority of his time to studying the teachings of Apollonius. In time he could stand on his two feet without the need of supports. Eventually he could feel movement in his ankles, his knees. With the added support of his son Lucius and wife Vespasia, Manius at last began to walk again... albeit slowly, not unlike a toddler. As strength came back to him, so did his confidence, and in the waning months of 67, all was set for the family to return to Rome... only, the gods had other plans. Vespasia - ever a stalwart support - fell ill and struggled with her illness for months until she finally passed in the first days of 68. Her father, Pollio, passed shortly after of a similar sickness and despite the grief the remnants of the family decided to leave Cyprus for good. Aemilia, Manius' aunt, sold the villa and its possessions and together with Manius and Lucius the three of them returned to Rome. For the past six years, Manius has been rebuilding his career. He remains active in the senate, speaking when it is necessary, but careful to not too closely align himself with men of 'republican' ideals and loyalties. Lucius, now a young adult himself, has been away from Rome serving on the German frontier for the past three years. Aemilia, entering her 73rd year of life, is as strong and motherly as ever. CHRIS | US-ET | PM/DISCORD

All names are linked to character bios. In order of most recent>oldest. LUCIUS JUNIUS SILANUS 865 AVC (76 ad) May / Show Them What We're Worth / Coming Soon After over a year filled with little more than training drills, civil projects, and patrol duty, Lucius and the Briton auxiliaries under his command finally see some meaningful action on the eastern frontier... 864 AVC (75 ad) January / To The East! (Solo) / Backstory Newly arrived in Syria, Lucius begins one of the most difficult challenges of his career: Learning to call the Briton auxiliaries under his command brothers, and trusting in them to protect, and dutifully serve him in battle. Despite his reservations, he quickly finds common ground with an older centurion named Titus Dubius, a man who served under his father in Britannia 863 AVC (74 ad) April / No Spring Skips its Turn (Caecina Tusca) / In-Progress Recently returned to Rome after a six-month mission to Britannia, and without a home of his own to return to, Lucius again finds himself at the villa of his mother-in-law, Flavia Juliana... where he notices Caecina Tusca. October / A Promised Visit (Claudia Corinthia) / Ended Five months through yet another 6 month campaign in Britannia, Lucius returns to Rome on special request and is informed of his reassignment to the eastern frontier where he will serve in Syria at the head of a auxiliary cavalry wing composed of mostly Romano-Britons. He decides to leave Rome early and pay a visit to Claudia Corinthia in Greece, more than a year after first meeting her at the Imperial Banquet. 862 AVC (73 ad) January / Newly Acquainted (Claudia Corinthia) / Finished During the party celebrating Caesar's announcements, Lucius meets and has quite an extended conversation with Claudia Corinthia. Before parting ways, he promises to meet with her again. April / A New Frontier (Solo) / Backstory Lucius travels along with the deputation sent from Rome to engage in diplomatic talks with the eastern kingdoms in an attempt to asses the potential strength and threat from the "Graeci". July / Dearest Cousin (Solo) / Backstory After three months in the east tending to relations with Rome's client states, travels that took him from the eastern frontier to Alexandria and back, Lucius returns to Rome to find that his cousin Vitellia (daughter to his aunt Junia Calvina) has wrestled ownership of his home by declaring the land upon which it was built lawfully hers by will of her late mother. Lucius is forced to return to Juliana to garner support for the legal battle ahead. July / A Brother's Forgiveness (Marcus Silanus) / Finished Distraught from the loss of the legal battle against his cousin Vitellia, Lucius retreats to his safe-haven, the villa of Tuscus and his mother-in-law Flavia Juliana. While he contemplates his next step and battles with the rage building inside of him, he has to face his brother to explain exactly what is happening to their home and their family. July / From Behind These Bars (Lucius Longinus) / Finished Having lost the legal battle against his cousin Vitellia, Lucius suddenly finds himself without a home or wealth. Heavily indebted to Flavia Juliana, he decides to destroy his home in a final act of vengeance. He is subsequently arrested and put into the dungeons of Rome to await yet another trial that will decide his fate. Fate, however, intervenes when Lucius' old commander and friend Longinus pays him a visit. September / Once More to Britannia (Solo) / Backstory With the legal battle against his cousin Vitellia firmly settled, and no home to live in, Lucius is called upon to serve as a tribune in one of the British legions given orders to launch exploratory expeditions into Hibernia. He is gone for the next year. ________________________________________________________________________________ EPPITACOS 865 AVC (76 ad) February / Red Metal (Solo) / Coming Soon [[Epp's experience in Spain]] October / To Rome (Solo) / Backstory His adventure in Hispania completed, Eppitacos returns to Rome only to find Burrus near death. 864 AVC (75 ad) January / Pliable (Solo) / Backstory By way of his patron Calpurnia and her brother Calpurnius, Eppitacos settles into his first common job. He is hired on as an assistant to one Titus Alfidius Burrus, a blacksmith known for his wares that appease both the lower and upper classes of Rome. Eppitacos' immediate roll is as a courier. By way of Epp's fame as a champion gladiator, Burrus increases his rates, and gives a sizeable chunk to Eppitacos. May / Necessary Adjustments (Solo) / Backstory Burrus, well into his 50s, suffers a heat stroke and has no option but to rest. He instead decides to start teaching the finer points of his craft to Eppitacos. Though Epp continues to run deliveries, he begins learning more and more about the art of metalworking. Attuned to weaponry from his lifetime of fighting, he is a natural at crafting weapons. June / Come Play With Us, Eppy / Ended On a delivery for his new employer, Eppitacos haves an encounter with a slave named Aculia, who seems very suspicious of him and his activities October / Forged (Solo) / Backstory Despite months of relative health, Burrus is again forced to rest. Now capable of completing most of the shop's orders without much oversight, Epp ensures that business continues as usual. That is until Titus Alfidius Flavus - Burrus' son - shows up. Previously unaware of Burrus' family situation, Epp learns that his employer comes from a large family of tradesmen and merchants. While Burrus found his fortune in Rome, his brothers continued to oversee mines in Hispania, and even Britannia. Flavus reports that Burrus' eldest brother Gnaeus has died, and wants his father's support in claiming his trade company in Hispania. Burrus agrees, but asks Eppitacos to go in his stead on account of his health. Epp agrees. November / Tarraconensis (Solo) / Backstory A week after meeting Flavus, Eppitacos begins the journey with him to Hispania. With time of the essence, Flavus insists on returning as he came: by boat. Another eight days sees them arrived in the coastal city of Tarraco, the Roman capital of Hispania Tarraconensis. 863 AVC (74 ad) March / Not Enough (Solo) / Finished During a night out to celebrate recent successes in the arena, Eppitacos is ambushed and seriously wounded. He wakes up days after the attack to learn that his sword arm has been amputated, and he is being sold. The last words from Albinus lead him to believe that none other than Ysolde was behind the ambush. April / Consider Yourself an Investment (Cynane) / Finished Not long after the attack, Eppitacos is one of several slaves up for sale at a private, invite-only slave auction hosted by the imperial family for Rome's top-most circle of elites. As the bidding war rages on, he runs into an old acquaintance from Britannia. In the end, he is purchased by Calpurnia Praetextata. December / Another New Beginning (Solo) / Backstory Having adjusted to his place as a caretaker of the temple and quarters of the Vestals, Eppitacos is surprised by his master Calpurnia during the Saturnalia when she presents him with his freedom and is given the Roman name Tiberius Calpurnius, in honor of his patron (and her father). Though Calpurnia assures him he can remain living on the grounds of the temple as long as he wants, he decides to find work in the city and start again... again. December / Remember, Remember (Horatia Justina) / In-Progress Shortly after receiving his freedom, Eppitacos takes a journey south to explore more of Italy and enjoy his freedom. Almost returned to Rome, he encounters a woman in a wooded area off the main roadway back to the city... PRE-74 AD 813 AVD (60 ad) Another World, Another Time (Cynane) / In-Progress During a banquet to celebrate his betrothal to Ysolda, the young princess of the powerful Brigantes, Eppitacos meets a young Cinna, cousin to his bride-to-be ________________________________________________________________________________ INACTIVE / DROPPED / DECEASED CHARACTERS

Freedom was a word that Eppitacos had contemplated often after his betrayal, capture, and the subsequent trip to Rome. He had come to the conclusion then that he had never truly been 'free'. From youth he had carried the stigma of being born the unwanted bastard of a failed warlord and a Roman slave. After he broke free from the life chosen for him - to be a druid - and instead followed in his father's footsteps to 'save Britannia', he really only shackled himself again. It was merely the manner of servitude that had changed... or such had been his thinking when the depression of defeat weighed so heavily upon him. He wasn't sure anymore. He smirked when she asked about his arm. "I was attacked," he said. "Outside of the arena. Lost my arm, but kept my life." He noticed the quick and pointed breaths she took, and wondered if she was bothered by nerves or something else. Eppitacos wasn't sure what had happened to Cinnia's family. He remembered her father and brother because of their relationship to the royal family. He remembered their eagerness to fight, but he had heard little of who had lived and died after his capture. He wondered, then, if she had come to him to blame him for the loss of their freedom. As he had experienced more times than he could count, most Britons in captivity blamed him for the Roman victory. They could not unleash their anger on their masters, but they could on another slave. "Why have you come to speak with me?" He decided to be forward with her.

She came in, and after exchanging glances with the other guards, where else was there to go but to him? He kept his eyes on her, never one to be embarrassed or uncomfortable with maintaining eye contact. He knew her face, that was even more clear as she stood right in front of him. She spoke in their tongue, with Brigantean accent to her words. "Greetings," he said in turn and then paused, perhaps uncomfortably long, and looked over her face to see if her name would come to him. Her eyes were her most striking feature; fierce, blue, and sharp. Then he remembered where he had seen her. "It has indeed, Cinnia. Your father is Owen, of the Brigantes. Your brother Herne... " He paused again, considering the difference in her freedom and his. He scanned his eyes up and down her body, taking in that she was armed and armored. "You are free?" @Atrice

Over the years Quintus had become better at being around children. For a long time he had ignored them until they were of an age to be able to do something - or such had been his thinking in the past. It wasn't until he observed his son Titus - and his brother, until he passed - and how inquisitive they were, how quickly they learned and mimicked, that he understood the importance of showering love and attention upon adolescents. Yet, once the children grew into young adults, Quintus largely reverted into his more spartan outlook; not that he was unapproachable, or impossible to speak with, but more that he made sure to keep a distance. He would dole out affection and approval as it was necessary, but never give it for the sake of giving it. Young women were an entirely different beast to tackle. A soft smile crossed his face as Claudia spoke to her wish to live up to Lucilla's standards. He thought to himself that Lucilla was the only person ever able to live up to her standards. Even still, it was an admirable goal for his sister's daughter. "As well as I could hope," he said in response to his niece's concern. "I believe the youth and vigor of Drusilla and Drusus keep me young," he added with another smile. "And you? I must admit I am not entirely attuned to the issues of a young woman such as yourself, but I trust you are healthy and satisfied with things in general?" He didn't honestly expect that Claudia would tell him anything otherwise, but it was worth the effort to ask. @Gothic

Lucius chuckled lightly. "Yes, fortunate indeed." Fortune was a funny word. It was fortuna who led Decimus Silanus' slave Scaevo to betray him, which then led to Lucius' own decision to kill the slave. Though misfortune for Decimus, that event had set in motion a series of events that ultimately built Lucius into the man that he was, and gave him the opportunities he had. Who knew what might have happened had Decimus survived and been a player in the power struggles that came shortly after his death? Even still, from a certain light it was fortunate that he was again in Rome. Britannia was in his past, and Lucius had no plans to return as a magistrate in charge of civilizing the Britons. "I would love to visit the villa," he said, picking up the invitation, however real or superfluous it might have been. "Tell me where and when to go and I'll see you there," he added with a grin. He paused for a drink and then turned the conversation back around to focus on her. "Tell me Corinthia, are you still unmarried?" He presumed as much with her being unaccompanied at such a function. @Gothic

After the guests had had their chance to inspect Eppitacus, their attention was again drawn to the room's entrance as more slaves were led in. These were men, women, and children of varying skills and importance; some were simple house servants, cooks, tutors, some suited toward physical labor, and some suited for pleasure. Eppitacos kept his head turned toward them, listening as the head slave spoke up about each slave in turn, naming their attributes, how they had come into the possession of the Caesar, and why they were unneeded. Eppitacos didn't realize that Caesar was gifted slaves by so many of his clients, though as he thought about it, he guessed it made sense. Those who wanted to gain favor would gift Caesar - or his family - slaves of talent. It was a lucrative business for him to turn around and sell the gifts, to be sure. Eppitacos wondered if the senators in attendance knew. Still standing in the same spot, he pulled his eyes away from the slaves on auction and scanned across the room to take in the sight of the various nobles. He didn't recognize any of them. And then, he saw a face that looked familiar. He blinked to open his eyes wider and saw a woman who was unmistakably Briton, despite the Roman attempts to overdo the 'barbarianism' in her dress. "Do I know her?" He found himself pondering; he wasn't sure if her face was one familiar to him, or if the simple fact that they were two Britons in the midst of Romans made him feel some sort of kindred connection. He kept his gaze on her, waiting for her to catch him looking. Just then, a servant of the imperial household rushed to the front of the seated guests. "Senators and Ladies, that is all for today's goods. We'll remove the slaves from the room and begin the bidding." The various guards in the room began to escort the slaves into an adjacent waiting room. Eppitacos was first, followed by eight others. The waiting room was silent when they entered, until the guards entered and began chatting amongst themselves, speculating and taking bets as to the prices each of the slaves would fetch. Eppitacos kept his eyes on the entrance to the waiting room, curious to see if the Briton woman would accompany the other guards, or remain in the triclinium... @Atrice

April 74 Weeks had passed since the fateful night where the fates intervened to change the course of Eppitacos' life. Albinus had made good on his word that Eppitacus would remain safe and fully recover, and for his part Albinus took a vacation with his wife to Naples to get away from the commotion of what had happened. As soon as he had recovered, Eppitacus was taken from the ludus and shackled in the lower levels of the slave housing within the palace. He was held there for a matter of days - presumably as Caesar contemplated what to do with him - and then was brought out, washed, shaved and trimmed, perfumed, and dressed only with a tight-fitting wrap around his waist. He was to be sold. An elderly slave woman came to tell him as much. Without saying a word or questioning a command, Eppitacos was guided through a labyrinth of tunnels, hallways and stairways until at last he was standing in the palace proper. "Wait," he was commanded. He stopped and waited. The elderly slave nodded to a guard who stood by the doorway. Eppitacos could hear commotion beyond the walls fall silent. Then Caesar's voice. "Friends, I hope you have enjoyed the dinner. And now, we are to the main event of the night and the reason you are all here. I have in my possession a number of slaves with various skills above and beyond what a normal man or woman might possess. There are times, however, when I must take note of my investment and consider it returned. Most recently this has occurred with a gladiator you all know." Quintus turned to the doorway and the old woman waved her hands at Eppitacos to enter. As he walked into the room, Eppitacos make initial eye-contact with Caesar and followed his lead as to where he should stand. Expecting a platform, he was surprised when Caesar walked up to him and wrapped an arm around the back of his shoulders before he continued his speech. "Eppitacus ...well, ninety-five percent of him." Laughter filled the pause and then Caesar continued. "This man is known by all of you as a great warrior, and that he is. Or was. I'm not sure now. But he is more than a fighter. A Briton, yes. But a Barbarian he is not. He is smart and cunning. He defeated several of Rome's greatest generals with an army the tenth of the size, and with a tenth of the professional training. He has been in Rome now for these last years, and is nearly a Roman. He speaks Latin, speaks the Briton languages, and still has his wits about him. "His life is one that I spared, and I will not have it taken in the arena. But, with feelings as they are toward Britannia among the people at the moment, I cannot give the man his freedom," Caesar added, explaining political reasoning behind selling him. "You few were chosen guests because you are the prime among Rome's elite, and by taking this man into your household, you are a patriot beyond others. Now, bid away." Caesar let go of Eppitacus and the old lady slid up behind him. "This way," she said, and moved him to the far side of the room. "Wait." She said again. So he waited and watched as the Romans talked and debated and slowly but surely they came over to inspect him, interview him, ask about his arm, ask to be shown his stump, touch his stump, and more. He did not object outwardly, but a small, burning part of Eppitacos could not stand the light in which he was being examined. Who were these Romans to look at him in such a way? @Atrice

Over a decade had passed since Quintus first assumed the title of 'Caesar' and at last earned his spot at the top of the Roman world. From youth he had been an ambitious man - always seeking to maintain superiority over his brothers, and always seeking a way to get out from the shadow of his father. For most of his life he was known as 'Quintus, the son of Cnaeus' or (at times even harder to bear) 'Quintus, brother of the Augusta'. As time continued on and his family secured more and more gravitas, Quintus had been able to put himself into more positions of power and respect until at last he turned the tables. No longer was he recognized for the grandeur of his deceased relatives, but now they were remembered by their connections to him. The Julians had all but killed one another over the decades of their family's rule. Quintus has resurrected their fortune by bringing their sole surviving daughter out of exile, and marrying her. Through his son Drusus, their blood survived. The Claudians, ancient and austere, had all but been eradicated much in the same way as the Julians they had so closely become tied to, but Quintus saved them, too. Allowing Tiberius to resume the name given to him at birth and continue the line; other Caesars might have killed the boy. A younger Quintus might have done the same. Instead, he allowed the sons and daughters of the families that paved the way for his to become a part of his family... but he always kept a close eye on them. Quintus understood that he was not immortal. He cared little for how he was to be remembered once he died, but instead considered the future of the empire once it came into the hands of his successors. Through his life, Quintus had put a great deal of energy and effort into maintaining the strength and loyalty of his family. As he saw it, the shortcoming of his predecessors was that their shortcomings as parents had manifested into shortcomings in children. He wanted to build a strong core around whoever the next Caesar might be, and he was no fool to think that women were without importance. With that thought, he had called for his niece Claudia. "Ave Claudia," he said as she introduced her arrival to the Aula Regia. "Indeed I did call for you," he continued. He had stood when she entered, but motioned for her to take a seat if she so desired. He returned to his. He observed her for a moment before talking further. "You certainly favor your mother," he said. "The image of her youth." @Gothic

"Greece is a part of the empire I have not yet managed to spend much time in," he said. Lucius knew that there was a connection with Corinthia's family and Greece - it was evident simply because of her name - but for all the rumors, he didn't know the truth of the matter, and so he left the point alone. "I've heard it is a beautiful, if not somewhat rough country. But, most things of any worth have rough spots to further accent the beauty." Lucius paused to take a drink. "Most of my time outside of Rome has been spent in Britannia." @Gothic

Time passed as fragments of visions and voices as Eppitacus the warrior flirted with the gods of death. When he at least awakened as his complete self in the world of the living, he was unsure of where he was. He attempted to move, only to discover he was strapped down into the bed. His movement had alerted the servant girl posted outside his room and she quickly rushed to his bedside. He recognized her as one of the servants who served Albinus, but couldn't recall her name. "Where am I?" He asked, finding his voice weaker than he expected, "and why am I restrained?" Nesta, as he then remembered her name, looked at him, glancing at his still-covered arm, and hesitated. "You are in the ludus," she said, when words at last made their way from her throat. "You were attacked and left for dead in the street. Dominus will be overjoyed to know you're awake." The sound of voices caught the attention of other servants, and within moments another woman had entered the room, this one new to Eppitacus. She carried water and offered a drink to the wounded gladiator. He nodded, but Nesta put up a hand to stop her. "Dominus said nothing to eat or drink until the medicus has seen him again," she said. The other servant scowled before setting the water down and leaving. Nesta leaned in close. "Do not drink or eat unless it comes from me." She left after that vague warning, and Eppitacos simply waited. After time that went uncounted, Albinus' voice at last rang through the halls of the domus. "Eppitacus," the lanista said, entering the room. "You're awake!?" Eppitacos nodded. "I am. Could you remove the straps?" Albinus nodded. "Yes, of course, of course." He motioned to the slaves that had followed in behind him, who proceeded to remove the straps and assist Eppitacos in sitting up in the bedding. Eppitacos immediately pulled the blankets away and lifted his right arm... or what was left of it. His arm had been amputated a few inches past his wrist, and was still wrapped. Eppitacos knew what the wound meant, but before he could say a thing or even think another thought, Albinus spoke up. "There is not a lot of time, Eppitacus," he said, and moved closer before talking in a lower voice. "But I believe my wife is behind the attack on you. I was only recently made aware of the history between you two. You should have spoken up sooner. You must understand, you cannot stay here. You are the property of the Caesars, and I cannot have them believe that I am incapable of running my own household - or letting my Briton wife attack their prized warrior." It was a loss for Albinus as well, as his financial winnings from Eppitacos' victories would lessen considerably. "The guard, Marianus, will receive the blame for the attack-" "Marianus is innocent," Eppitacos interrupted. "I left him drunk and asleep at a tavern. Ask the servants there." "It is too late. He was found and arrested as soon as word spread of what had happened. I cannot implicate my wife, no matter the evidence pointing at her. But, I must remove you from my home. Because of..." he looked at Eppitacos' arm, "your injury, you cannot fight. The Caesars will certainly want to sell you - most likely to a notable member of the upper nobility. As a prize, or perhaps a stud for a lonely housewife - who knows? Though we can hope for the latter for you, eh?" Albinus chuckled in a poor attempt to lighten the mood. "I am sorry, Eppitacus, that this has happened to you. I am sorry that so many changes must happen. I never thought I might say such things to a slave, but I've made my fortune off the blood-stained tip of your spear. I wish you luck in the years ahead. You will recover here, but as soon as your wound has healed you will be sold. This will be the last you see of me until that day." Albinus stood up, his face appearing as if he was saying farewell to a long-time friend, and then walked out of the room. "Oh, one more thing," he said in the doorway. "Listen to Nesta." And then he was gone. Eppitacos' days as a gladiator had come to an end.

"Sulis," he said, his eyes closed and heart reaching, "long has it been since we last spoke, though I know you have seen all and know all I have done over these many years." In his mind's eye he saw only darkness. Where before the darkness had given way to a haze and sometimes even visions as clear as day, now there was only the dark. "Perhaps your own voice has grown weary from the distance, or from the growing strength of the Romans and their gods... but are you really even different? Minerva. Sulis. Is there a difference?" Eppitacos paused to consider what he was saying. "Alas, who I am to question the gods." He carried on for some time, waiting to hear or feel a response... but nothing came. He kept his eyes closed and focused on clearing out all external sounds and distractions. And then an overwhelming sense of urgency hit him in the gut. A voice whispered into his ear "Move" and his heightened awareness moved Eppitacos' body down to the ground. He heard the swoosh of a weapon slicing through empty air above him, and opened his eyes to see feet immediately next to him. Without hesitation, he rolled away and sprang up erect only to have enough time to put his arms out and catch the downswing of a blade with the palms of his hands. The blade cut deep into his hands, which brought forth a grunt of pain from the Briton, and brought him to shuffle back from the onslaught in the darkness. A second assailant made himself known by connecting his club against Eppitacos' right knee, sending him to the ground. The warrior - without defense outside of his hands and arms - turned his attention to the new attacker, and was able to dodge a follow up attack by again dodging it. This brought his attention away from the initial attacker, however, who would have been successful in killing the gladiator had he not grunted so loudly before his swing so as to alert Eppitacos that he was coming. Eppitacos managed to bring up only his left forearm as a means of protecting his face. It was enough to stop the blade from splitting his skull, but not strong enough to withstand the force of the swing. The blade cut through his ulna, and cracked the radius leaving only a dangling mess for what had been his sword arm. Eppitacos roared in pain and frustration, and fell back, but the sword stuck with him, for it had become lodged in the mix of his bones and flesh. The attacker was stunned by this development, which gave Eppitacos enough time to lunge forward and grab the dagger on the attacker's belt, turn it around and plunge it deep into the man's lower stomach. The attacher let go of his gladius and fell onto the ground, writhing in pain. Eppitacos used all of his force to rip the stuck gladius from his own mangled arm and with the surge of adrenaline was able to parry the second attacker's swing, and then slice across his throat. Eppitacos fell to the ground in sync with the second attacker, weakened from the sudden loss of blood. He felt the struggle with the darkness of death begin to overtake him, but with all of his might pushed his body to move out of the street and toward the light of a nearby home... To be continued...

MARCH 74 Weeks earlier Eppitacus and three other fighters from the ludus had won a great bout for their lanista, securing him a very large sume of denarii. In his jubilation, Albunus gave his winningest fighters each a single percent of the winnings, along with the freedom to celebrate as they pleased so long as they remained within the confines of the city and within the eyesight of two guards each. Eppitacus traveled with only one guard, as usual, though Albinus had insisted he travel with another out of consideration for the wound he had received in the fight. Small cuts and bruises were to be expected, but in the last fight another Briton, Cogus didn't fall into formation when he was expected to and as a result a spear tip found its way into the soft tissue between Eppitacus' shoulder and chest. The wound wasn't deep or overly serious, but had been enough to weaken him. After the fight, Cogus was beaten and sold to a mining slaver and Eppitacus was given rest as was necessary for his full recovery. In total honesty, Eppitacus had grown tired of fighting. Since his youth, since his father's war, he had been fighting. Fighting for his own pride, for his people, for his homeland, and for the past ten plus years for Albinus' and status and the mob's entertainment. He remembered a lifetime before when the priests had told him that the ground does not sprout new life from the blood of the dead. He didn't listen then, but in time he came to realize exactly how disconnected from the gods he had become. He seldom prayed. When he did it was to the Roman gods, and always for show because of some ceremony or another where Albinus needed to show his clients or rivals how civilized the great king of Britons had become under his watch. Eppitacus played along... because it was easier. No longer was he the fierce Briton king who defied the odds to win - now he played former Caesars and great Roman generals, and killed his own countrymen... most likely men or sons of men whom had fought for him, and believed in his cause in years past. The night started with a visit to the brothels, and continued with Eppitacus and his guard Marianus visiting their preferred tavern. The tavern was a place owned by a legionary-brother of Marianus', and thus the old guard drank more than he could handle. Eppitacus left him to enjoy his bliss and decided to return on his own. As he walked through Rome, which at that hour was mostly asleep, his path wound through the Subura and he found himself unable to resist the call to visit the British sector of the slums. With the end of the war in Britannia - at least temporarily - Rome had become flooded with Britons. Both those who sided with the Romans and decided to try their luck in the city, and those who were enslaved and sold... though the latter far outnumbered the former. Of the slaves, those who found their way to freedom took up residence in the Subura. Where one settled, another came and soon enough a community flourished. Eppitacus had made no effort to visit the region, not sure if he would be welcomed or booed. British opinions on him had been split when he was still fighting for Britannia, and he doubted they had changed. Even still, this night - perhaps with the persuasion of alcohol still running through him - he strolled through Little Britannia and found himself standing in front of a statue of a goddess named Britannia and at her side smaller representations of other Roman deities. His eyes fell on the image of Minerva, though the name carved into her base was Sulis - the all-seeing. Suddenly overcome with memories, Eppitacus fell to a knee before the shrine and invoked the gods he had for so long ignored. To be continued...

SERVIUS CALPURNIUS EPPITACUS 33 | 14 JUN 41 CE | Freedman | Apprentice Blacksmith | Hetero | Original | Henry Cavill Personality Eppitacus is a man who has survived serious falls twice now in his life; not falls in the physical sense, but in status, profile, importance, notoriety, importance, wealth... all of the above. From warrior-king of the Britons where he led his people in their fight against Roman invasion, to a gladiator with so much success and acclaim in the arena that he arguably lived a more lavish life in Rome as a slave than any king of Britannia ever had... and now, a simple commoner. In the ten years that passed from Eppitacus' capture to the peak of his stardom, he had struggled with the idea of who he was, whether he was more Briton, or more Roman. In youth he had been tormented and banished because his father, the warlord Caratacos, had taken a Roman slave to bed and then disowned the son born of the relation. He had fought with all of his might and guile to prove to his people that he was Briton, and in the end they betrayed him. That was the thinking that got him through the first few years of slavery, and little by little he became more Roman. When Ysolde appeared in Rome, the wife of his master and a Roman noble, a flames of revenge sparked within him,, though once again she beat him to the punch and in a strategic move that surely was meant to kill him, he instead escaped alive, though he lost his sword arm and thus everything it had brought him. Everything that he had been was in that arm; a warrior. Rage burned inside of him, a fire that surely would have swallowed him whole were it not for Calpurnia who showed him that he was more than a fighter. His second owner, she employed him on the grounds of the Vestals, and often spoke with him. Now, Eppitacus has found a sort of peace. He has accepted what happened to him, and believes he has rediscovered his faith in the gods - be they Roman or Briton. Though always calm and one to listen before speaking, he now attempts to focus his mind on the tasks ahead of him each day, and harbors hopes to one day live in the countryside where he can farm and raise a family. Appearance Though to Roman standards Eppitacos is quite tall, he is average-sized for his own people. His frame is muscular and trim from years of hard living and warfare. He wears his hair short and face shaved in the Roman style.. His body is marked with scars from battle; small lines or nicks. The most noticeable of them is a vertical scar that crosses over his left brow and partly down his cheek. If he is seen without a cloak, you can also notice that the front half of his right arm has been amputated. He has a wide, white smile, and more than any other time, his youth shows when he laughs. Family Father: Caratacos (deceased) Mother: Serwya "Servia" (deceased) Siblings: None Spouse: None Children: None Extended Family: None Other: - Spurius Cassius Albinus (first master) & Flavia Isolda (his wife; also Epp's former fiance) - Calpurnia Praetextata (second master and patron) - Name TBD (current employer) History CHILDHOOD [41-55] The birth of the child who would come to be known as Eppitacos came on the morning of a regular day. The sun was hidden behind thick gray clouds in the middle of summer; the screams of his mother preceded his own. His father was Caratacos, a warlord and noble within the Briton tribe of the Catuvellauni. His mother was Serwya, and she was not the wife of Caratacos, but rather a prostitute. She had come from Amorica (Brittany) in Gaul and was the daughter of a Gallic slave and the slave's Roman master. Her journey to Britannia came as the result of a sale, that saw her and her mother living with a Roman merchant situated in the makeshift merchant town of Briga (a trade hub for Romans prior to their invasion) for the first fourteen years of her life. The death of Serwya's mother led to her sale to the leader of Caratacos' own clan, who received her and a handful of other women to be used as courtesans in a trade with the Roman merchant. Caratacos' interaction with Serwya was not one of love, but of lust. He used her and found shortly that she was pregnant. With his slave ruined, Caratacos' clan-leader demanded that she was bought, so that he might not lose his investment. Caratacos did as honor demanded, and in the process gave Serwya her freedom. Nine months later she gave birth to a son, though she died in the delivery. There was a belief that mothers who died in birth passed on pieces of their soul into their children. Serwya's being, which had been contained in the body of a powerless slave for the whole of its existence, saw opportunity in the birth of a nobleman's son. Thus, as the son came into life, the soul of the mother passed into him. It was upon such a revelation that Caratacos decided his son's future. It was a priest, one of the Druwides, who told Caratacos that his son had inherited the mother's spirit; that he would be almost Roman in his demeanor, and could pose a threat to Caratacos' legacy. When Caratacos asked how he might rid his son of such a taint, the priest suggested that the son be offered to the gods, and be raised in their mists - that the son become a druid himself. Caratacos saw this as the best option, and thus did not give the child a name, but instead gave him to the gods. The priests called him Diolain, meaning 'bastard'. In time the name came to take on a different meaning. Those boys with whom Diolain trained and studied did not know his origins. As he showed an affinity for communicating with the gods, and as the gods showed him favor, rumors spread that his name was a result of his godly parentage; he was the hidden offspring of the gods themselves. His course of study was to take the young Diolain away from all civilization. For the next eighteen years he was to live with nature; he slept in caves, ate fish fresh from streams and rivers, came to know the sound of the wind against tall grass, came to learn the meaning of a bird's flight, and portents of the future from the lesions on an animal's guts. In time he learned the philosophy of his religion, that a soul never died, but only moved from body to body. Yet, he was told, that his body was filled with two souls, and that the differences and imbalance between them would lead to their mutual destruction if he did not suppress one and support the other. From a young age, Diolain was a headstrong but confident young man. He was eager to explore on his own, to learn more of the world at a quicker pace than his leaders wanted to teach. Time and time again he found himself in situations of conflict; battles between tribes or clans, caught in the midst of a hunt, threatened by wild beasts or inclement weather. Time and time again he found that prayer to the gods brought him invulnerability to such dangers. -- TEENAGE TO EARLY ADULT [55-61] His world, and life, changed just after his thirteenth birthday for it was then that Caratacos united the southern tribes into a loose coalition and traveled to the heart of Britannia to consult the Druwides. There, in the depths of the deepest and most sacred of caves, Caratacos called on the Druwides to commune with the gods and grant him the title of Great King. After much deliberation amongst themselves, the Fathers called upon the gods and for the course of a week remained in constant meditation. In that time Diolain, who was still an apprentice despite his aptitude, spoke with the lord Caratacos. He explained that he had a gift to see glimpses of a man's future if there was a bond between them. Caratacos, ever a religious man, consented. In the vision that followed, Diolain understood exactly who Caratacos was - his father. It was Diolain, then, who disrupted the meditation and prayer of the Fathers, not to question why knowledge had been withheld from him, but instead to report his vision of Caratacos at the head of a great army that would stand to defend their sacred isle from foreign invasion. Aware of the strength of their young apprentice's visions, the Fathers broke their prayer and delivered the title that Caratacos sought. Weeks later the Great King attacked a Roman trading town and massacred its citizens; months passed and then the Romans came in force. Diolain immediately found a place amongst the army of Caratacos, serving as a warrior-shaman in the ranks of scouting and raiding parties. The war did not last long; within six months the confederation had been defeated, with several of the tribes conquered, and others offering tribute in exchange for peace. Caratacos was killed. In the aftermath of the war, Diolain journeyed to the mystical and sacred island of Hibernia to continue the last years of his apprenticeship. Yet, news reached him that the Romans had begun slaughtering all druids, as they had done nearly half a century before in Gaul. Diolain returned to his enclave only to find it in ruins and his brothers and teachers killed. At the age of 17, with the only home and only family he had ever known destroyed, Diolain left his enclave and embarked on a quest to halt the aggressive Roman expansion. He joined with raiders from the western shores, mostly Silurians, and served as a battle-priest. He conversed with the trees and streams, rocks and winds, and led small bands on raids against Roman settlements and caravans. Within two years, Diolain had attracted a following of other nationalistic young Britons. In 60 AD news came that Cogdobunos, the Roman-installed chief of the Catuvellauni had fallen sick. Cogdobunos was the brother of Caratacos, who betrayed the cause of his people and accepted half of their traditional lands as his kingdom, which was subservient to the Roman governor. Diolain saw an opportunity. He decided to officially withdraw himself from his search for truth and changed his name. He adopted the name Eppitacos which was a combination of the names of his father and grandfather, and let rumor spread about who he was and with what purpose he had revealed himself. In time he went to his uncle's lands where he supplicated himself. The supplication lasted only long enough for Eppitacos, the charismatic, religious young son of Caratacos to win a majority of the nobles to his side. Cogdobunos raised a complaint with Proconsul Silanus, who insisted that Eppitacos and Cogdobunos travel to his capital to explain their situations. Eppitacos refused, and instead lead a coup against his uncle. He killed the man in single-combat and was shortly proclaimed King of the Catuvellauni. Silanus moved his legions into formation shortly afterward, and a second war began. To shore up his power among the remainder of the Briton tribes, Eppitacos entered into a marriage arrangement with the young princess of the Brigantes - arguably the strongest tribe in Britannia - and was named war leader of the kingdom. In marriage his wife, Ysulda, would become queen, and he would pass the combined lands of the Catuvellauni and Brigantes on to his children. Though the Romans proved to be formidable opponents, Eppitacos managed to exact a string of important victories - including a victory over Proconsul Silanus wherein the governor was killed in battle. His victory and growing popularity did not sit well with the kings and nobility of Britannia's other tribes, and soon Eppitacos found himself fighting his own people politically as much as he fought the Romans in battle. -- ADULTHOOD [61-74] Eppitacus' war against the Romans continued for the better part of the years 61-63 until the new Caesar arrived in force with fresh legions and improved, patient, tactics. Eppitacus' realized that his war against Rome was impossible to win in the traditional way; the Romans were no simple tribe to be conquered and absorbed. He came to the decision that the only course of action that would save his people and their way of life was to avoid complete defeat and submit to the Romans with an agreement that would see Britannia as a "kingdom" beneath Rome's thumb - to pay taxes to her governor, levy troops for her armies, and allow her mines in Britannia's lands. When Quintus Caesar arrived in Britannia, Eppitacus treated with him and reached such an agreement... but it was not to be. Upon his return to the lands of the Brigantes, he was attacked by troops loyal to Ysulda, his betrothed. Ysulda, whom had grown into a fierce young woman, was unsatisfied with her position as "queen-to-be", and with the support of her uncle gradually spread the idea through the nobility that the Brigantes should be the sole power of the tribes; that with the other tribes assimilated -- not allied -- they would be able to avoid costly disaster and defeat, such as had occurred with Eppitacus and Virico's expedition to the mainland. A small group of nobles and warriors loyal to Ysulda helped her overthrow her mother, and it was the same group who ambushed Eppitacus, killing his men and putting him in chains. Shortly afterward he was sold to the Romans as a captive. The war was brought to an end, and Ysulda was recognized as the Queen of the Brigantes. From there, Eppitacus was a prisoner to Caesar himself in the Roman city called "Colonia", which served as the capital of their province of Britannia. From his capture until Caesar returned to Rome, Eppitacus was kept as a prisoner. Though kept in a stockade with other prisoners, he was well-fed, allowed to bathe, and often met with Caesar to speak of Britannia. Eppitacus found it interesting that Caesar never asked about the British military, their tactics, manpower, or locations of defenses -- his interest was solely in the people he was fighting. He would later learn that Caesar's opinion was that in order to defeat his enemy, he needed to know how they thought as a culture, because the way they organized themselves wasn't too different from the German or Gallic tribes. In the year 66, Caesar returned to Rome, his campaign in Britannia considered complete and successful. Eppitacus was a part of the parade through the city -- his first view of it -- and at the end of it all was spared execution on account of his mother's Roman heritage. To appease the people, he was made a gladiator, under the watch of lanista Spurius Cassius Albinus. Because of his slim build, Albinus enlisted Eppitacus as a "velites" -- a quick spearman -- and trained him relentlessly. Though many expected him to face impossible odds and die as an enemy of Rome, it was Albinus' mission to make the most profits he could on the British warrior. For ten years, Albinus has been profiting, and Eppitacus is yet to lose a death match in the arena. In the past year, as the veterans of Britannia have returned home with their spoils of continued conflict, Eppitacus has found it increasingly difficult to be at peace with the demons of his past. To make matters more difficult, his lanista, Albinus, has recently married the very same woman whose betrayal led to Eppitacus' enslavement. Ysulda had been betrayed by her uncle and given save haven in Rome, along with honorary citizenship, becoming Flavia Isolda. Once her kingdom was conquered by Rome, she found a husband, and has now become the domina of her former betrothed. Time will tell whether or not Eppitacus can find his escape, or force one. Time came to prove that despite their one-time engagement, Eppitacos and Isolda could not survive together. The prize fighter of Albinus, and one of the most recongized and popular fighters in Rome, Eppitacos had come to enjoy his position of influence. It was understood that despite his status as a slave, he had some liberty to do what he wanted, say what he wanted, and refuse orders when he wanted. Gradually, though, Albinus lost his grip on Isolda, her ambitious nature too much for his progressing weariness of age. Week by week she took greater control of the domus. She gradually replaced the guards with veterans of campaigns in Britannia... men whom had fought against Eppitacos. Her uncanny ability to learn the market proved effective as she was able to flip almost all of Albinus' fighters for a profit for new slaves. Albinus was happy with the money, and quickly saw that Isolda's leadership could lead him to riches beyond simply being a lanista. She spoke to him of leaving the trade and establishing himself as a merchant. She had friends and allies in Britannia, after all, who could connect them into the slave trade, and the very lucrative metal industry. Albinus, though, wanted a son beyond everything else. So, he told Isolda she could do what she wanted if she gave him a son. What he didn't know was that all of Isolda's maneuvering was to rob Eppitacos of his allies. And then, eventually, she made her move and hired thugs to kill Eppitacos in the streets. He barely survived the attack, but lost his arm from the trauma it received. Albinus, suddely in his right mind, realized the monster he had been supported. Not wanting to see Eppitacos die in such a dishonorable fashion, he arranged for the fighter to be sold. As Eppitacos was technically Caesar's slave, he was transferred to live with the rest of the palace servants. All the riches he had enjoyed as a prized fighter of Albinus were nothing compared to the luxury of Caesar's household. Though he was set apart from the majority of the slaves who directly dealt with Caesar, the lower household laborers enjoyed speaking with him. And when he was healed, Caesar hosted a private auction party where Eppitacos was to be sold. Caesar understood the precarious position he was in. Britannia remained a hot spot of contention in the empire. Rome had been flooded with Briton slaves, freedmen, and traders and the slums had already sprouted a 'Little Britannia' block of mostly Briton-born inhabitants. Caesar knew, then, that he could not simply execute Eppitacos, a man whom he had already pardoned; a man whom had won great popularity in the arena, and whom the people at large enjoyed. Thus, it was better for his image to sell the useless fighter to the highest bidder and use the money as a donation to the people to repay the damage the wars in Britannia (all Eppitacos' fault, by the way) had done to them. In the end, Eppitacos was purchased by a proxy for none other than a vestal virgin: Calpurnia Praetextata. -- A SECOND LIFE [74-NOW] Sparknotes: Calpurnia puts him to work cleaning the grounds of the temple. He's not allowed to speak with her or any of the vestals unless spoken to first. He mostly uses the proxy - a woman - to speak to them. He goes through depression and trouble finding himself and his purpose. He desperately wants to find his beliefs and speak with the gods again, but worries that by being so close to Rome's gods that he will never hear his own gods again. Eventually, Calpurnia frees him. He takes her family name, and adds the name of his mother, and keeps his Briton name to become Servius Calpurnius Eppitacus. He decides to find work in the city and becomes a blacksmith apprentice. The blacksmith, Burrus, gladly welcomes Epp and promises to teach him the trade - and fashion him an arm of sorts that can hook over his shoulder and stump to give him some functionality. Epp starts out mostly doing deliveries. The delivery service by a famous gladiator such as Eppitacos proves to be a huge boost to Burrus' sales, and Epp enjoys some of the fruits of that added income. As of summer 75 he's only just started actually learning how to smith. CHRIS | US-EST | PM/DISCORD (aerochris)

It's crazy to think I've been writing and developing as a writer here for over a decade. Like... wow haha. Love AeRo, always have. Even through my crazy developments in life, it's been great to make friendships and grow as a writer and be able to get completely lost in my love for ancient Rome / history. Huge thanks to everyone who's ever been a part of the site, and especially those members who pushed me to improve my writing and RPing skills. My first character was in 2008, named Atticus and based off a mix of Atticus Finch from To Kill a Mockingbird and also Atticus the brand by the dudes in Blink-182 ha. He transformed into Renius Suetonius Metellus and I had some good fun with him. I've always been one to put my characters through struggle, and kill them off. I've honestly lost track of how many characters I've killed - but pretty much all of them! Here's to another 11 years! (When I'll be over 40 )

Hello hello. I'm Chris, co-admin with Gothy and long-time member of AeRo. Outside of the site I stay ridiculously busy being a dad (to a 1.5 year old), playing music in my band, managing other bands, and doing marketing for various companies. I love music, food, chocolate, basketball, and video games. I also love Roman history (go figure!), and have been the go-to "history guy" here at AeRo in the past. If you have any questions about random things, don't shy away from sending me a PM or message on discord and I'll be happy to help you out! Fun fact: My avatar is a real picture of my face imposed over a statue of Augustus via photoshop

Lucius Junius Silanus 26 | 27 Sep 51 CE | Senator | Tribunus Auxiliae | Hetero | Original | Aaron Jakubenko Personality Determined and unrelenting, Lucius Silanus is a young man who will stop at nothing to secure the legacy of his family. Always in the back of his mind are the stories of how his uncle and namesake Lucius was framed, his birth father Marcus poisoned, and his father (and uncle) Decimus betrayed. He is a man who honors his family and its history, but he also is careful to learn from the mistakes of his forefathers. He is almost completely void of outward emotion, refusing to speak openly or carelessly to anyone except for his sister Junia. He has not yet in his life had anything close to a romantic relationship; that is not to say that he doesn't enjoy women, but his enjoyment of them is purely instinctual and ruled by logic. He places professional relationships above anything personal, and sees his duty to those who have given him a chance as paramount. Though he is completely understanding of honor and its tenants, there is a sadistic and brutal side to the man - though it is something he will only show to his enemies. When faced with difficult decisions, he weights what is in the best for the many, regardless of the influence on the few. Killing non-combatants, burning towns, taking slaves or any other number of actions to teach a lesson to any of Rome's enemies are not actions he even pauses to contemplate the ethics of.The name of the Junii-Silani rests on his shoulders alone (until his younger brother Marcus comes of age) and he refuses to see the name trampled into the dust. He is hardened and matured beyond his years, and is absolutely ready to serve the empire to whatever end. Appearance Lucius Silanus stands average in height for a Roman, and is lean in build like his father Decimus before him. Unlike Decimus, however, he has inherited a fairer complexion both in the tone of his skin and the lighter blond-brown of his hair - though his hair does take a darker tone when it grows out, as he has been known to do. He wears the clothing expected of his class, and is not without pride in how he dresses himself during proper situations. He is not so austere and reserved as his ancestor Augustus is rumored to have been, but he is aware of current fashion trends and what points he needs to meet in order to fit in with the movements of the upper class. Family Father: Marcus Junius Silanus (deceased) Mother: Atia Valeria (deceased) Adoptive Father: Decimus Junius Silanus (deceased) Step-Mother: Flavia Juliana (b.-) Siblings: - Junia Silana (b. 44; natural older sister) - Marcus Junius Silanus (b. 56; adoptive younger brother) Spouse: None Children: None Extended Family: - Junia Lepida (b.-; paternal aunt) & the Cassii-Longini through her - Junia Calvina (deceased: paternal aunt) & the Vitellii through her - Publius Atius Rufinus (b.-; maternal uncle) & the Atii-Rufini through him Other: Friendships with Tiberius Claudius Sabucius and Titus Flavius Caesar Augustus. History CHILDHOOD [51-63] Over the centuries of Rome's great history, few families have survived so many political upheavals, wars, and adversity as the Junii-Silani. From the first of their name recorded - Marcus Junius Silanus in 210 BC, who fought with Scipio Africanus against Hannibal - to Lucius' own fathers, they are a family which has outlasted and carried on. Arguably the most detrimental decision in the history of the family was their integration into the distinguished family of the Divine Augustus. The simple fact that Lucius himself is a great-great-great-grandson to Augustus has been - in recent memory - enough to make him a danger to those who continue the legacy of the Caesars by borrowing the name. Lucius was born in the year 804 since the foundation of Rome (51 CE), the second child and only son to Marcus Junius Silanus and his wife Atia Valeria. The decade of his birth saw the end of Claudius' reign, the rise of the Quinquevirate and the eventual devastation of his family. In 54, just three years after his birth, Lucius' father was suddenly found dead. While the official explanation was that he had ruptured a vessel in his brain, his wife Atia insisted he had been poisoned. Marcus had been investigating clues to uncover the truth behind his own brother Lucius' suicide, and according to Atia, he had uncovered the evidence he needed... only a little too late. His death took a heavy toll on Atia and in a matter of time she became frail and weakened, not even able to take care of her children. It was at that point that Lucius and his elder sister Junia were sent to their aunt Junia Lepida and her husband Gaius Cassius Longinus where they were cared for and looked after until Atia's death in 58. Though the death of their mother hit Junia hard, Lucius felt less influenced simply because of his age and the fact that the two of them hadn't had time to make a strong connection. Instead, he felt frustration and fear over leaving his uncle Cassius and aunt Lepida. Their next destination was to yet another uncle's home, who would become a father to them. Decimus Silanus was the youngest of the Junii-Silani, and was without children of his own. It was decided, then, that he would adopt Lucius as his own son and Junia as his ward, and raise them as his own children. Seven years old at the time, Lucius made a quick bond with his youthful and energetic uncle-become-father and at last had the father-figure missing from the formative years of his life. Lucius and Junia continued to follow their father Decimus in his movements, as - despite the misfortune of his elder brothers - his career seemed to continue rising. After successfully putting down a large pirate threat in the Mare Nostrum, he was appointed Governor of the new province of Britannia and tasked with its administration. Lucius followed along and, coming into age for schooling, was tutored by Decimus himself, a Greek tutor brought along, and Decimus' personal slave - a Briton given the name Scaevo. Lucius enjoyed Britannia and the change of scenery. He loved to watch the legions, and enjoyed seeing people of a different life. He quickly attached himself to Scaevo, as well as Decimus' second-in-command Lucius Cassius Longinus (also the brother of his uncle Gaius Longinus). In 59, Decimus entered into an alliance to gain favor for the family with the marriage of Lucius' sister Junia to then-junior-Caesar, Decimus Caesar (also known by his nickname "Junus"). It was the first time in Lucius' life that he was apart from his sister Junia, and he coped with the loneliness by throwing himself into studies. He spent a great deal of time with his tutors studying the finer aspects of rhetoric and tactics, so much to the point that he began delving into the private library of his father Decimus, curious to learn how the man's education impacted his governance of the province. When reading didn't sate his thirst for knowledge, Lucius explored the growing city of Colonia and observed its inhabitants, and gradually began spending more and more time around the city's barracks, entertaining himself by watching the legionaries in their daily exercises. The next year an assassination attempt was made on the young Caesar Junus during his visit to Aegyptus - the first stop on his tour of the empire that would eventually see him arrive in Britannia. Lucius was overjoyed to be reunited with his sister Junia, even if only for a short while. During his visit, Junus officially awarded command of the Britannic legions to Decimus, effectively making him master of all of Roman Britannia. The command came with the task of conquering the island and making good the dream of Junus' brother and predecessor to reap the wealth of that land... but only after they had all returned from Rome. For the summer of 60, Lucius traveled with Decimus and the rest of his family to Rome to celebrate the great races that Junus himself had orchestrated. At nine years of age, Lucius had his first true visit to the heartland of his people. All of his life he had been whisked away to one city or another in one province or another, but at last he saw Rome... and in style. Junus spared no expense in treating his newly-acquired extended family, as - though it was over Lucius' head at the time - Junus saw quite a powerful ally in the successful Decimus Silanus. It was during this trip that Lucius first met his aunt Junia Calvina, and thus became his first experience with a true family. All of his joy was soon to be brutally ripped away from him. The very climax of his trip to Rome - the grand finale of the races - was to be the catalyst for the near destruction of his family. In a procession to travel to the grounds of the race track to meet his favorite racer, Lucius and his father were separated from Junus and Junia during a commotion with the mob. The commotion turned into the assassination of Caesar Junus, all of which Lucius witnessed firsthand. The days afterward remained a blur in his memory. Junia was changed, and so was he. In short order, the fate of the August family seemed to reveal itself cursed. The empress Lucilla had passed only a month earlier, and shortly after Decimus returned his family to Britannia news came to them of Honorius' death in battle and the rise of Manius Cyprianus as dictator in Rome. Lucius remained closer than he had ever been to Decimus... for a time. Decimus, however, knew that he needed to show his strength. As a close ally of the Caesars - whom had obviously been plotted against - he ran the risk of being a target. He quickly mobilized the Britannic legions and pushed them into a war that was somewhat ill-prepared. The war against the Britons was not as successful as hoped, as Decimus found fierce and strategic resistance in his opponent, Eppitacos, the leader of the Briton armies. As the intensity of the war picked up, Lucius seldom saw his uncle and instead began to spend the majority of his time with his step-mother, Flavia Juliana. Juliana had become pregnant with Decimus' own child, whom everyone hoped would be a boy, and Lucius felt it to be his duty to look after her and protect the family while Decimus was away. He took quickly to patrolling their home, seeing to it that the slaves were doing as they should, and that the midwives were paying attention to Juliana at all times. He relished in his small position of command, and thought himself quite good at it. For the better part of the year 61, Decimus was away on his campaigns. He had yet to win a secure victory, but was far from a major defeat. News had come from Rome of the end of Cyprianus' dictatorship, and Lucius wondered if Decimus wouldn't attempt to quickly wrap up the war in order to return to Rome himself. Whatever Decimus' plans were, they would never be known. In the battle he intended to bring an end to the war, he was betrayed by his own secretary Scaevo and killed. The battle was salvaged by Lucius Longinus, and Scaevo returned to Colonia for interrogation. When the news came to Lucius, he didn't know how to feel... so he felt nothing. He found the effects of his father, took them, and in doing so found the traitor Scaevo and ended his life. From that moment, the boy that was Lucius Silanus disappeared. TEENAGE TO EARLY ADULTHOOD [63-68] After Decimus' death, there was no reason for the family to remain in Britannia. There was a general fear among the Roman population that the Britons would overwhelm them and massacre all of them, and so with a great many other families of note (and more of nothing), Lucius traveled with Juliana and Junia to return to Rome. Lucius Longinus escorted them, as he was called back to Rome to give an official report of what had happened, and to request for more troops to fight against the Britons. Lucius ended up living on the estate of his aunt Calvina, and Junia joined them. Neither child was overly outgoing or ambitious for several years following their return. The Lucius whom had loved watching the races and simply observing the world around him was gone. As the boy became an adolescent and then a pre-teen, he brooded and skulked. Yet, Lucius was living in Rome in the middle of a very volatile time, and with the outbreak of the civil war in 63, his life again was thrown into chaos. Though Calvina was his guardian in the eyes of the law, Lucius remained very close to Juliana, whom he saw as more of a mother figure. His closeness to her (and Decimus' ties to her) marked them as enemies once the vile Clemens came into his brief stint as Caesar. Juliana, though pregnant, acted quick enough to flee the city with Lucius and Junia.. their destination was Africa, where her father Jullus was safely situated. Calvina, however, refused to go. She had been in exile for much of her life, and refused to leave the beloved city she had only just returned to. It was the last time Lucius ever saw her; he hadn't known her long at all. Once in Africa, Lucius was whisked away with Juliana to the gubernatorial estate of her father, Jullus Flavius Alexander. As the civil war exploded across the empire, Jullus remained faithful to his brother Quintus; that fact, coupled with that fact that Africa was so disjointed from the main course of the war kept Lucius in safety through what was to follow. During the months he spent in the province, he became ever closer to Juliana, whom had suffered a miscarriage during the trek across the Mare Nostrum, and thereby spent a good deal of time around her father, Jullus. Ever without a father, Lucius needed a man to look up to, and Jullus was a fine candidate. Though there was no shared blood between them, the bond between Juliana and Lucius was obvious, and apparently enough for Jullus to watch over the young and developing boy. By the end of 63, the civil war had ended with Quintus Alexander declared the new Caesar. After things in Rome settled down, Juliana and her cohort returned to the city. Lucius, as had become natural for him, remained with her as a part of her household. Through this connection, Lucius became ever more intertwined into the daily structure and happenings of the imperial family. Juliana was the niece of the emperor, and as such was permitted access to come and go from the wings of the palace as she pleased. Lucius, too, often went with her. Though several years older than Quintus Caesar's son Titus, and his ward Tiberius, Lucius and his younger brother Marcus quickly befriended them. As their senior, he became the unofficial leader of their small group. The newfound role, and friendships, was a great boost to his self-confidence and helped to shape him into the young man he would grow into in later years. Quintus Caesar, too, saw promise in having the scion of a leading house in the halls of his home. Lucius was treated as Juliana's own son and given access to the finest of tutors available. He took to his studies with great enthusiasm, and especially delved into the studies of tactics and logistics. His passive studies of the art of war and politics continued through the next several years until he was at last deemed old enough to begin more hands on learning. ADULTHOOD [68-NOW] In 68, at the age of 17, Lucius shaved the hair from his face and ceremoniously became a man. He inherited the great wealth of his family, though he and Marcus remained within Juliana's household. Pining for his first taste of duty, he appealed to Juliana to appeal to Caesar to secure him a position in Britannia. The favor was quickly granted, and Lucius saw himself to Colonia to serve as Tribunus Laticlavius under Legatus Legionis Lucius Longinus, whom Quintus Caesar put in place after his return to Rome. Though Eppitacos, the man whom had defeated Decimus thanks to betrayal, was no longer the enemy of Rome in Britannia, the war against the tribes continued. In fact, just as Lucius arrived in the province the Britons suffered a terrible blow to their unity in the betrayal of their queen Ysulda. Ysulda retreated to Colonia to seek haven. She was taken in by Longinus and immediately sent to Rome as a protected and important ally of Rome. Meanwhile, Longinus used her place as a wronged ally of Rome as a means to war. He had the cassus belli needed to complete the last phase of Caesar's plan to conquer southern Britannia. Despite the loss of their southerly allies, the Brigantes remained a very strong and self-sufficient tribal kingdom. They maintained a neutrality with the more barbarian tribes to the north, and with the Hibernian tribes across the straight and thus had only to focus on defending their own lands. The campaign, therefore, was not a quick one. For the next three years the Roman Britannic legions pushed against the Brigantes, finally breaking them at the climactic siege of the capital of Brigantia, referred to as Calx by the Romans. Throughout the years of campaigning, Lucius proved himself more than adept at leading soldiers. Despite his age, he had - from his formative years - a strong knowledge of the land, the people, and their customs. It was knowledge he used to his advantage when leading scouting and advanced parties of the legions. Several of the men within the legions knew his name and had fought beneath Decimus and all likened him to their commander, whom they had adored for his fair and just treatment of the legions and the conquered. Lucius was quick to adopt the persona of his deceased father and greatly endeared himself to the legions of Britannia. He remained fierce in battle and fair in the doling of rewards and spoils once the kingdom of the Brigantes had been toppled. Longinus praised him for his hard work and quick thinking on the battlefield and wrote back to Caesar of his approval. With Britannia soundly conquered at the close of the year 71, Lucius was recalled to Rome. He arrived in the spring of 72 and for the remainder of the year became embroiled in a legal dispute over the ancestral lands of his family. The former land belonging to his family had been burned in Clemens' riots, and then claimed by the state. With the deeds and documents all destroyed, Lucius had to trade favors with several of Rome's leading senators and families in order to eventually win the rights to the land. Once he had done so, he hired the finest architect he could afford and set about building a new version of the old home - which was completed halfway through the year. By the time it was finished, Lucius had already departed Rome again, this time as a member of an official diplomatic party sent by Caesar to meet with the eastern kingdoms of Armenia, Parthia, and the 'Graeci'. Strong winter winds closed the return path for the party, forcing Lucius and others to remain the "guests" of their Greek hosts - where he still remains until the spring thaws allow travel across the mountains and back into Roman territory. CHRIS | US EST | PM / DISCORD

Q. FLAVIUS CAESAR ALEXANDER AUGUSTUS 63 | 5 May 11 CE | Imperial | Emperor | Hetero | Canon | Timothy Dalton Personality Quintus is a hardhearted and efficient man with a keen mind for strategy and politics. He is at all times a realist and sees little point in thinking of what "could be" or "should be". He considers wishing for better things to be a waste of time, and looks down upon all who entertain such 'hopeful' or idealist thoughts. Those who take hold of the reigns of their own lives and do what they can to influence their own futures are those whom he wants to associate himself with. He does not believe that any man should be given what his father or forefathers before him earned; in his mind, inheriting what one hasn't earned prevents a man from understanding the worth of what he has, or what he is.Having spent more than an average man's amount of time in the military, serving from the ground up, Quintus has an appreciation for common soldiers and is keen to support men from lower classes. Even though his family was granted Patrician status, he considers himself more a man of the lower orders than of the traditional and established families. His time in the military and serving in administrative roles has taught him patience and duty. His ideas on personal ambition and his time spent in the military greatly influence how he interacts with others. He is never a man to sell himself short, but likewise never looks favorably upon another until he is given reason to do so. To put it simply; Quintus is a difficult man to impress, but once you have earned his favor, it remains.For most of his life, Quintus considered love to be a trivial, philosophical thing - something to be discussed and sang about because it didn't truly belong to anyone. In older age, his opinion has changed somewhat. Though the fact that his own father was distant, and his own mother demanding still factors heavily into how he treats his own family, and what he expects of them, he would not say he holds no affection for them. Now as Caesar, he holds his children very dear, not only for the sake of his name, but also for the fact that they are the future of the empire. He is not soft, and still believes that his sons have to earn their names - but he has made an effort to spend more time with them, teaching and guiding. Likewise, he has placed more and more trust and time into his brothers - especially Jullus and Octavius - and has developed closer bonds with them than they ever shared in years prior.Even Quintus' views on women have changed drastically. His pleasure in enjoying women of exotic locales has waned, as his focus has turned mostly on his own family and his new young wife. He sees Drusilla as everything a woman should be - shrewd, intelligent, both quiet and outspoken when necessary, and a very supportive and encouraging mother. More and more he considers that a woman can be his strength in ways men cannot. Appearance Quintus is slim and fit despite his age. Being a man of the military he has always cut a fine figure. Despite his position, he dresses quite modestly, and avoids overly colorful or fancy designs. Like Augustus, he is austere and traditional in his dress. He is always clean-shaven, his hair always neatly trimmed. His grayed hair still shows specs of black peppered throughout, and the line has begun to recede, but he meets it with his head held high. Family Father: Cnaeus Flavius Alexander Germanicus (deceased) Mother: Cornelia Annthea (deceased) Siblings: - Rufus Flavius Alexander (deceased)- Flavia Lucilla Augusta (deceased)- Jullus Flavius Alexander (b. 24)- Decimus Flavius Alexander (deceased)- Octavius Flavius Alexander (b. 33)- "Laelius", adopted as Marcus Aemilius Scaurus Alexander (b. 39) Spouse: Julia Drusilla Augusta (b. 39) - 1st Wife: Valeria Marcella (died in birth) - 2nd Wife: Imperiosa Acuelonis (div. 57) - 3rd Wife: Rutilia Cypriana (div. 62) Children: - Unnamed Daughter (stillborn) - Publius Flavius Alexander Belanus (deceased) - Cnaeus Flavius Caesar Alexander Gemellus (deceased) - Titus Flavius Caesar Alexander [Geminus] (b. 57)- Flavia [Rutiliana] Caesaris (b. 61)- Drusus Flavius Caesar Alexander (b. 67)- Tiberius Claudius Sabucius (nephew & ward; son of Lucilla) Illegitimate: - Ausonia Belanina (b. 41) - Eutropia (b. 54) Extended Family: - Claudii-Nerones [Caesares] through his late sister's marriage - Cornelii-Scipiones through his mother - Julii-Caesares through his wife - Aemilii-Scauri through his brother Laelius/Scaurus Alexander Other: - Consort: Ausonia (deceased; mother to Belanina & Publius Belanus) - Consort: Patroclea (b. 41; mother to Eutropia) History CHILDHOOD [11-24] On the fifth day of the fifth month, a child came into the world as the second son of Cnaeus Flavius Alexander and Cornelia Annthea. Because of the auspicious nature of his birthday, he was given the name 'Quintus' and marked as the secondary inheritor. His elder sibling, a brother who was their father's namesake, was only two at the time of his birth. Yet, within a year the young Cnaeus had died from a common cold, leaving Quintus the eldest and the principal inheritor. The family he was born into, the Flavii-Alexandrae, were a relatively new family in Rome's politics; like so many others, their rise coincided with the rise of Augustus. Quintus' great-grandfather, Gaius Flavius Alexander, was the first of the family to sit in the Senate. His grandfather, another Gaius, had been known for his oratory - his father was known for his military ability. Despite the 'new blood' within his father's side, Quintus' mother was of one of the most distinguished and celebrated houses in all of Rome's history - the Cornelii-Scipiones. Though their fortunes had fallen with the fall of the Republic, their name remained respected and honored. Because of his father's ever-busy military career, the majority of Quintus' youth was spent in the care of his mother, and his maternal grandfather, the scion of the Scipiones, Marcus Cornelius Scipio the Elder. Marcus the Elder was a harsh taskmaster whom had decided that Quintus would present an image of his Scipio blood, so that future generations of Flavians might benefit from their heritage. Though Quintus often spoke in detest for his grandfather Marcus in his youth, he has come to be the same man in many ways. TEENAGE - EARLY ADULTHOOD [25-30] When Quintus at last came of age to enter into some form of public service, he was enlisted into a cadet school for the sons of the nobility. He left Rome and lived in Mediolanum where he trained with other young nobles in the arts of war. Once his training had finished he returned to Rome only briefly before beginning his service in the legions. Around this time Quintus' father's own career had begun to skyrocket. His many victories in Germania had earned him a reputation for being a fierce warrior and a staunch supporter of the Principate. Many expected that because of the favor being shown upon his family, Quintus' own career would be a faster version of his father's; it was not to be. In one of their few meetings over the course of his life, Cnaeus denied his son entry into the legions as an officer, instead stating that if he wanted a military career, he had to earn a position at the top. Filled with a mix of hatred for his father and a desire to prove himself, Quintus enlisted as a miles - a common foot-soldier at the age of fifteen. For the next five years he served common duty with the 8th Twin Legion in Pannonia. He learned how to shoulder gear, how to stake a camp, how to kill a man, how to carry a wounded brother, and how to give orders. Despite his youth, he learned that leadership came natural to him. In his fourth and fifth years in the legion he found his spot in line steadily increasing. New recruits rallied to him, the son of a noble who fought in the dirt and the grime with them. He found that he enjoyed their acclaim, their praise - most of all he enjoyed the sense of power and control. When his first five years in the legion were finished, Quintus returned to Rome to embark on the next stage of his career. ADULTHOOD [30-63] From the age of 20, Quintus re-enlisted into his uncle Titus' legion in Asia. He served as an officer and found the glimpses of power and command he had seen as a common soldier amplified. For the next twenty-five years Quintus' sole drive would be to make his name large enough to escape the shadow of his father's. His exemplary service in the field and the haughty, 'Cornelian' way in which he held himself quickly earned him a large number of both allies and enemies. Nevertheless, his family's fortune's continued to rise. In due time his father became associates with Drusus Claudius Sabucius, who in time rose to the seat of emperor. Their friendship in turn led to Claudius' marriage to Quintus' own sister, Lucilla. In a single marriage, Claudius had gained himself access to one of the empire's finest generals - in Cnaeus - and his sons, of whom Quintus was the most distinguished. Quintus served the empire faithfully for the next several decades, leading legions or serving administrative roles when and where required. In 46 AD, after a nearly continuous term of service that spanned two decades, at last Quintus took time to himself. He had built his name into one that was recognized separate of his ageing father, and separate of his glorified sister, but he understood that he could not succeed in being only a military man. For all his father's accomplishments, the man had never seen much success in politics. Quintus, with his Cornelian upbringing, was determined to show strength and aptitude in an arena his father had yet to breach. This began with a marriage to the daughter of another prominent senator, Cnaeus Valerius Messalla, who was quite often a rival to Quintus' own father. The marriage brought Quintus into Messalla's camp, which ardently supported Claudius in the growing tension that was brewing between the emperor and Camilius. Valeria's death in childbirth in 49 was a temporary setback to Quintus' ambitions, but rather than grieve him, it simply pushed him forward. Soon enough he had established his own strength in Rome's politics, and became the head of an imperial party that looked to Lucilla and the strength of the Flavians. It became increasingly obvious that Claudius was unfit to be the supreme commander of the empire. Quintus saw opportunity in having his sister remain empress, and seeing his nephews rise to Claudius' seat. Though he had never gotten along overly well with any of his siblings, Quintus began plotting with Lucilla to see her son Marcus Darius put into power. Unknown to him, others had hatched plots of their own. His own cousin, Lucius Scipio, had been in league with Camilius; one supported the return of the Senate, while the other supported himself, but with both seeing Marcus Darius as an obstacle to their goals, their powers aligned. With the death of Claudius, chaos broke out across the empire with rebellions in Greece and Egypt, and even riots in Rome itself. Quintus' moment had come, but again his father proved an obstacle. The old man, long retired from service, entertained ideas of becoming Caesar in Darius' place. Lucilla approached her brother with her concerns, and together they ensured that their father entered a sleep from which he would never wake. The shadow of his father at last gone, Quintus moved quickly. With support from his followers in the senate, he was awarded the command of the legions and fleets in Illyria and Pannonia in order to deal with the Greek rebellion. This gave him access to the legions nearest to Rome. However, his bid for power did not go uncontested. Camilius had his legions, Manius Claudius had his supporters, Aetius had his legions, and there were those who supported Lucilla and the boy Marcus Darius. A compromise was agreed upon, wherein power was split between five camps. Quintus accepted the compromise, sure that it would not last. He focused his energies on Epirus and the rebellion, which he crushed within two years, and then bade his time in Athens, waiting to see what might become of Camilius. In this period of time, Quintus' allies in Rome attempted to win him honors from the Senate. He found he was blocked by none other than his own cousin, Lucius Scipio. Lucius had started a war for himself in Dacia and persuaded the Senate to name him 'Dacicus'. From afar Quintus began a campaign to besmear Lucius' name, and it was then that Quintus discovered the man's alliance with Camilius. He forwarded the information to his sister, Lucilla, and Rome was turned upside down. With his career ruined, and with the Senate believing he had betrayed them, Lucius committed suicide within the very walls of the Curia. Lucilla took the opportunity to have Marcus Darius proclaim his position as sole "Caesar" and abolish the regencies. All was done with Quintus' silent support. He would much prefer to have a sister and nephew on the throne, than an enemy. Quintus was recalled to Rome as an adviser to Darius, replacing Camilius. This move was the final straw for Camilius - whom had often considered himself Cnaeus' protege; the man declared himself Caesar and waged open rebellion in Gaul. It was Quintus who was given imperium to defeat the traitor. For the first time in his life, Quintus Alexander marched into Gaul and took command of the legions that had served under his own father for so long. The legions overwhelmingly rallied to Quintus, and he made short work of Camilius' "rebellion". The two met in battle near Alesia, and Camilius was soundly defeated. He fled into obscurity for a year before being driven out and executed by Quintus himself. For his service, Quintus was made provisional governor of all of Gaul, to reinstate stability and repair damages done by war. Quintus' term in Gaul ended with the coming of 60 AD, and with it he returned peacefully to Rome. In the intervening period, much had changed. His second wife, Imperiosa, had given birth to twin boys and then showed infidelity which led to a divorce. The twins were taken in by Quintus' mother, Annthea. Further opportunities presented themselves with Darius' own sickness and death. When news reached Quintus of his nephew's passing, it came with news from Rome that in the same night his brother-in-law Honorius and younger nephew Decimus Junus had been proclaimed joint Caesars by the Praetorians and the Senate. Not wanting to raise his legions against his own family, Quintus gave his support to the new rulers of Rome and remained an active member of the Senate. 60 AD saw him married again, this time to the sister of an up-and-coming senator whom had served under him in the Greek conflict, Manius Cyprianus. Quintus never expected the near fall of his family at the end of that year. The assassinations of both Honorius and Junus, combined with the death of Lucilla at the end of 60 left Quintus suddenly without the net of allies he had become to accustomed to. He was in Rome, away from his legions, and without legal power. He was trapped, and despite all the progress he had made, was forced to play by another's rules. He quietly supported the rise of Manius Cyprianus, his brother-in-law, and sought alternative ways that he might return to the head of legions - they were his only fail-safe. He would not accept Cyprianus as Caesar; with the deaths of all other capable members of his family, Quintus saw himself as the only remaining alternative. He simply would have to play his cards right and remain patient. His alliance with Cyprianus saw Quintus' second term as consul in 61, where he served with another long-time warrior, Marcus Scaurus. Two months into his term, opportunity knocked. Trouble had been brewing in the east with Parthia, and considering Quintus' own past service under his uncle Titus in that region, he was the natural choice to serve as a diplomat there. He was sent as an official diplomat and deftly maneuvered himself into a position of more autonomous power as the central structure of Rome was reconfigured beneath the shadows of two giants, Scaurus and Cyprianus. Married as he was to Cyprianus' sister, Quintus wasted no time in neutralizing himself in the battle brewing between the two sides - he arranged the marriage of his widowed mother to Scaurus, accepting the adoption of his younger brother into the Aemilii-Scauri. All the while, allies in Rome continued to support him as their champion in the event of a what was considered an unavoidable civil war. Then, Scaurus and Cyprianus surprised everyone by coming to a settlement which seemingly ended the threat of war - and also ruptured the Scauran party. Scaurus "retired" to Syria and Cyprianus was soon under investigation on charges of corruption, though whispers spoke that he and several others had been behind the overthrow of the Caesars. It was at this point that Quintus divorced Cypriana, and after dealing with the threat of the Aorsi, more or less cut himself off from Rome. In due time a coup led by the Praetorian Prefect Clemens took over Rome and civil war erupted across the empire. Quintus saw the opportunity he had been waiting for, and took it. In short work he defeated his father-in-law Scaurus in Syria (whom had risen at the front of an army dedicated to restoring the republic), the generals allied to the pretender Cotta, and then the very armies of Clemens himself before he victoriously took Rome and was named Caesar by the Senate and People. THE PAST DECADE [63-NOW] Immediately after taking control of the empire, Quintus settled the affairs in Rome by taking a very militaristic approach to the chaos that had ruled. At the close of the year, the "military occupation" of Rome was ended, and Quintus allowed normal functioning government to return - he was named consul alongside his brother Octavius, whom had served him well through all his campaigning. With considerable powers invested in Octavius, Quintus took action to strengthen the northern frontier of the empire by marching north into Gaul, routing the German incursions that had broken the lines in the fallout of civil war, and beating them back into Germania. He took a tour of each legionary fort along the Rhine, reorganizing and replenishing each by granting citizenship to entire towns and communities in northern Gaul, and creating new citizen-cohorts from their numbers. After his first year in power saw to the protection of the Rhine Frontier, Quintus spent the next two years settling the incredibly messy and altogether undesirable situation in Britannia. From the start, Quintus had never been a fan of his nephew's plan to invade Britannia, and so as Caesar his initial goal was to reorganize the lands that Rome already claimed a stable hold over - as he had done in Germania. In much the same way, he traveled through the forts giving spirit and fresh recruits to the legions and new orders to their commanders. Midway through the year, Quintus was approached by none other than the leader of the British resistance, Eppitacos, himself. The two discussed Eppitacos' vision for Britannia, and in time the two came to terms in which Eppitacos would serve as a client king of Britannia. However, motions within the Briton ranks prevented it from ever happening. Those who betrayed Eppitacos presented him as a prisoner. Quintus, seeing it as an opportunity for momentary peace and a means to bolster his image back in Rome, accepted the offer along with a sizable payment for the offences of the Britons. After another year spent on Britannia to ensure its stability, Quintus Caesar at last returned to Rome as the heroic conqueror whom had put an end to the civil war, stabilized the Rhine Frontier, and brought an end to the endless warfare in Britannia that had killed so many of Rome's young sons. He at last enjoyed his Triumph through the streets of the Eternal City, and at last Rome was one again. His first acts upon returning were to spare Eppitacus execution, and instead made him a gladiator to fight for the entertainment of the Roman people, after causing them so much grief. His second act was to put a silent end to the clamoring of young upstart senator known as Tacitus whom had attempted to breathe life into the remnants of Scaurus' old republican-leaning party. Understanding that with war out of the way, the people would be curious as to the next imperial marriage, Quintus wasted no time in considering the ideal woman for his next wife. She could be no simple woman, and he had to take care in choosing which family he allied himself with. As the fates had it, a woman literally born for the position came forward. While he had been in Germania and Britannia, Quintus had approved a universal forgiveness of all Romans exiled by his predecessors. One among their number had been none other than Julia Drusilla, the young daughter of the murdered emperor Caligula. Though he was apprehensive about meeting the daughter of Caligula, Drusilla proved herself to be everything Quintus desired in a wife. Their marriage moved forward quickly, and because of her youth she was quick with child. Drusus Flavius Caesar Alexander was born to him by the end of the year. In the same span of time, Annthea at last passed from the world; Quintus pushed through a motion to deify her and she became known (postumously) as Cornelia Pia Augusti Mater. The last half of his decade of peace has seen Quintus Caesar faced with the final annexation of Britannia, and several natural disasters across the empire. He has remained steadfast in his dedication to the preservation of the empire and support of the people, for which he remains beloved. It is now a new era in the Eternal City, wherein Quintus must now contend not only with the barbarians beyond the borders, but also with his sons, their mothers, and the growing imperial family. He is determined that his dynasty will long outlive the Julio-Claudians, and will do almost anything to ensure its continued stability into the future. CHRIS | US EST | PM / DISCORD

MARCH 73 ADThough the year had technically started months prior, Quintus always considered March and the coming of spring to be the true start to the year's activities. Anything before then was simply time to prepare... which he had done a lot of. From speaking with his brother Octavius in person, to his brother Jullus - on the Rhine frontier - via couriers, a great plan of expansion was underway. It would be some time until it all came to fruition, but Quintus was growing ever more restless. His whole life he had been the sort of man to be on the move, travelling somewhere to take care of a problem and exert his dominance.In his years he had met several men who claimed that their wives had dampened their restless spirits; Quintus had been able to claim just the opposite. Previous wives had only served to keep him away from home longer... but Drusilla was different. Young and beautiful she certainly was, but there was an almost inexplicable trait to her calming demeanor and wise mind that Quintus found absolutely fascinating. It went beyond lust or love or any sort of word that he could find to describe it - and it was a trait that had flowed into the blood of their young son Drusus.The boy was at times equal parts fool and savant - as all boys tended to be - but there were moments where he said something truly mystical or surprising that simply stopped Quintus in his tracks. Never an overly religious man in his personal life, the only explanation he had for it was that the blood of Augustus running through them both truly did have divine qualities."Tata," Drusus emerged from the bushes of the garden, covered in dirt and small cuts from the sharper-leaved flora. "Tata, look!"Quintus leaned up from his chair, where he had been enjoying the warmth of the sun (for the first time in too long). His eyes narrowed in on whatever creature the boy was holding between his arms.Sparing his father the trouble, Drusus shouted: "It's a kitten! There's a whole litter of them!" His voice was beyond excited. "Where's Mamma? I need to tell her." And the boy scurried away, the kitten squirming vigorously in his arms.For his part, Quintus stood to investigate this new family of felines that had invaded the imperial garden...Julia Drusilla @Anna

Eppitacus watched from a safe distance as the Caledonian adjusted to the difference in the Roman weapons. Britons were accustomed to a different sort of sword from the Roman gladius, and a smaller sort of shield from their scutum. In their match, Eppitacus would retain the advantage so long as he kept his distance, but as soon as the northerner closed the gap, he'd be forced to give up his footing. He wondered how long it would take his kinsman to realize the advantage of his armaments. Apparently not long at all. Eppitacus slid back on the toes of his feet as Aeneas advanced quickly toward him, and with a quick thrust threw the tip of his spear against the front of his partner's shield. It was a blow purposefully aimed at the shield to test the strength of the defender's arm, and the speed of his reflexes. Aeneas

Eppitacus nodded as the northerner pointed to himself and marked himself as a Caledonian. He had suspected as much, based on his features and his speech, and had his suspicions confirmed with the simple gesture. He wondered if the Romans had pushed so far north... or if this Aonghus' story of captivity had a different spark. He figured he would learn eventually, once there was a trust built between them. A smirk spread across the Briton's mouth as his new acquaintance spoke to his growing vocabulary. "Sure," he added, "I can help... if you're worth the time." Eppitacus wasn't about to ruin his daily routine for a newcomer who couldn't hold his own. "Show me how well you can fight," he said, and walked to grab a nearby polearm he could use. "Attack when you're ready," Eppitacus goaded, spinning the pole about until he fell naturally and gracefully into a balanced stance. Before an attack came, Eppitacus glanced to Branwen and shouted for her to join in if she felt so inclined. Their own little Britannia in the making. Aeneas

Eppitacus grinned at the newcomer's thick northern accent. It had been some time since he heard a man with speech so unaltered by the Roman tongue. "Aonghus," He said more under his breath than to the man. He knew that in this world Aonghus would need to go by the name the Romans put on him. Eppitacus had been one of the few to maintain his name - though he was more often than not simply called 'Epp' by those who had come to know him well. "Catuvellauni, actually," he said, after Aeneas commented on his dialect. "But I spent a good amount of time with the Brigantes." He paused, and sized the man up. Based on the way he was built he was sure to make a good fighter - at least for what the Romans would want from him. Eppitacus was sure there was a story to his capture, and a part of him wondered whether or not the northern tribes had started their own war with the Romans... but such questions would wait. "You'll do good to learn the Romanach language as soon as you can. They'll respect you more for it."

Eppitacus was lounging on a bench enjoying a very fresh apple when the new arrivals came into the ludus. The fingernail of his right index finger picked and pried between his teeth searching for the fleeting piece of apple that refused to come out, and all the while watched. Various groups of other fighters were sparring, some of them terribly; all of them attempting to appear both invested in training and uninterested in the new arrivals even as they stole glances. Too far away to hear the exchange between the doctore and the new slave over the clang of swords, spears, and shields, Eppitacus initially had no guess as to the origins of the man. It wasn't until he saw Branwen shift her attention from her dummy and to the new arrival that he suspected the man was of their own lineage. Suddenly interested, Eppitacus took to his feet, still chomping away at his apple, and walked over to see how he might introduce himself. "Doctore," he said. "Eppitacus," Doctore turned to look upon him. "Maybe you can help with this one? From your island." "Sure," he said between chomps of his apple. "Our language alright for now, doc?" The Doctore nodded and then walked away to resume his usual rounds of inspection. He looked over the newcomer, glanced to Branwen, and then back to the newcomer. He switched to his native dialect. "What's your name?"