Liv

Hi Sara! My background is in science/healthcare, but Ancient Rome is a part-time interest of mine. What series on Netflix do you recommend? I kinda wanna start watching Black Mirror, but at the same time I'm afraid it'll make me a bit paranoid...

Agree with everything you said! Clio would definitely keep a watchful eye over Annia's belongings and try to scare away potential thieves. Would you like to start a thread or should I?

Can't believe it took me so long to post here! Right, so I can see opportunities for interaction between Clio and Alexius if he were to visit the ludus of her household or eventually become one of its gladiators. Her domina is quite protective of her and Clio isn't much for small talk, may even come across as stuck-up. She'd be a hard nut to crack, but Alexius is welcome to try! Helenus would also be easy to come across with. Clio could accompany her mistress to the baths or go alone, and although she is not personally a part of the Roman underworld, her household seems to deal in unsavoury affairs in addition to the more public front of the ludus. At the moment I don't have any concrete ideas for threads, but am all ears to your sugegstions

How extraordinary for the master to ask for her. The request came unexpectedly and left Clio with a mild feeling of uneasiness, like so many butterflies fluttering in her stomach. He had never been unkind nor untoward in their dealings, although how much of that was solely due to the domina's requests was unknown to Clio. Annia Comna was a good mistress, far better than a slave like her deserved, and one that did not appreciate anybody else putting their hands on what she viewed as her sole property - Clio. Not even her husband. For that and more, Clio was ever grateful. Whatever the reason, it would not do to test the master's patience. He awaited her in his office, the messenger slave had stated, and so her destination was clear. There was purpose in Clio's stride, a mission; yet she hoped the slight inflection of her brow did not betray the apprehension she felt on the inside. Letting her footsteps herald her arrival, Clio stepped into the room, sneaking a furtive look at her master before casting her eyes downward and uttering a quiet "Domine" in manner of greeting. Parchments. Plenty of them. They were often related to business, as Clio had come to understand. And money, consequently. Were the household finances not as they should be? A world of possibilities, some more unpleasant than others began to take form in Clio's mind, but she did her best not to let it show as the master scrutinised her from his seat. Was it necessary to gain liquidity by selling some property? Or even worse, could there be suspicions of theft? Her fingers twitched in her joined hands. Clio straightened her back at the master's inquiry, much as a soldier before his general. "I have, Domine," she agreed with a nod. Her dark brown eyes were still trained on the stone floor. "The domina has been in good physical health. She sleeps well and eats normally. She is often preoccupied with the future, and continues to visit the temple regularly so that the gods might favour her with a son." It was a sore spot for these Romans, the lack of a male heir. A girl was only useful for marriage, whereas a boy could take over the business, achieve glory and elevate his family's station. The Canici Phisceri were good parents to their daughter, but the poor girl had been doomed to be a placeholder from her very birth. She stole a glance at her master. Had her answer been satisfactory? Hard to try and read his expression when a cup of wine was obscuring its lower half.

Stepping into the Iseum always felt like leaving behind the mortal world and entering a new realm. The imposing columns, the air thick with incense and smoke, the regal-looking statue of the mother goddess. White-clad priestesses in flowing garments chanted their worship, some in more or less fluent Greek, some in the language of old, while devout Romans and foreigners alike offered their prayers. Outside the temple grounds, busy city life carried on as usual, but the vivacious chatter of merchants, customers, bath-goers and passersby became a murmur in the background when one passed under the arch. Clio kneeled a respectful distance from the marble Isis and bowed her head in prayer. She didn't dare raise her voice above a whisper; it didn't feel right in such a holy place when she was but a simple slave. Her devotion to the goddess was long-standing, but a product of habit and local costume from her early years rather than a deliberate choice. Egyptian lore and deities had become a part of the Hellenistic way of life many, many generations ago, even before Alexander's time, and they were worshiped in equal circumstances. She prayed for good health for all in the household, and the continued success of her masters' business. That the Great Isis might give her mistress the son she so longed for. That Clio herself might continue to serve well and be treated well in return. That that rotten son of a merchant might suffer with leper and pus until all flee from him, and his limbs and his member turn putrid and fall off, and that maggots and flies might devour him alive. (Isis the Merciful may forgive the sins of men, but Clio does not, for she is only human, not a goddess.) Now that she was done with prayer, Clio had no excuse to linger and delay her return to the ludus. She stood up and began to make her way out of the temple, dropping a lonely as into a bowl a bald novice was holding as she walked past. It was all she could spare, but it was willingly given, so the goddess and her priestesses should be pleased. She had barely taken two steps outside the precincts of the temple when another person bumped into her, making them both stumble. "My apologies!" Clio said quickly, gaze immediately diverted towards the ground. Being a slave meant the blame was hers by default, even if in this particular situation it was not so. "Please forgive me, I was distracted and did not watch my step."

Hello! I only have Clio to offer at the moment, but as the personal slave to Annia, I'd wager she and Titus see a great deal of each other. As long as Titus acts reasonably towards her and Annia, Clio has no reason to complain.

In Clio's app I mentioned her siblings. She is the oldest of four, and the two youngest are twins. Their parents were from Numidia (Africa) and Syria, so please keep that in mind when choosing face claims for the siblings - genetics are a fickle thing, but none of them should be pale as snow, with golden hair and sky-blue eyes. They were all born in Bithynia in their master's farm and would have worked there until being sold/freed or escaping. Adrastos, 22 The second child. He last saw Clio when he was 10, when she was sold to a new master. As his name means 'not inclined to run away', I think it'd be a blast if he'd gone and done just that. I picture him as personable and creative, but very headstrong. FC suggestion: Avan Jogia, Eka Darville Myron, 19 The younger brother and twin to Zenais. He was only 7 when Clio disappeared from his life, so who knows if he even remembers her. In my imagination he was a sickly child; whether or not that left sequels will be up to you. FC suggestion: Jacob Artist Zenais, 19 The little sister and twin to Myron. How much she remembers of life with Clio was still in it is up to you. In my mind she's ambitious and driven, but one of those people that can't stand to be alone. FC suggestion: Vashtie Kola, Zendaya Coleman Now, for the wretched young master who sold Clio off to an auctioneer after having gambled away his father's textile business. Philippos, 25-35 A Macedonian who is good with horses. Has no idea his father's death was Clio's doing. They were romantically involved at the time and had been for a while, since before coming to Rome from Dyrrachium. It was genuine from both sides, but maybe he lost interest when his gambling woes started mounting. Whether he's remorseful for having sold off Clio is up to you. it's also up to you what he plans to do with his life: go back to Macedonia and start anew; try to win back his lost earnings and rebuild the business; stay in Rome and give in to his vices, buy Clio back from her new mistress... Endless possibilities! FC suggestion: Tom Hobbs

Hi all! Below is a little info about my characters: Clio was previously the body slave of the wife of a ludus client, but was recently sold to Septima Minor after a fortuitous encounter. She's calculating and somewhat reserved, but reliable and loyal too. Never forgets a slight, though, which can be a source of problems. Ludus-associated people: Clio used to live at one and enjoyed watching the gladiators train, so even though she doesn't belong to that household anymore, she can still 'talk shop' with those interested. Other slaves: easy to come across when out and about, or those in the same household. Vendors: Clio likes checking out the merchants' wares when she is allowed to do so, and may even buy something provided she has the funds. Learned persons: despite having little to no formal education, Clio is thirsty for knowledge - and is working on acquiring some now that she lives in a household of scholars! Mythology and history are her favourite topics, but she could easily find herself interested in other themes such as literature, science and mathematics. Greeks: having been in Rome for a couple of years has made Clio miss speaking her mother language, despite her decent command of Latin. When it comes to love, she got burnt badly by a former owner years ago, and as a result is still quite sceptical towards men. Ladies might fare better. Titus is from a Senatorial family, the Sulpicii-Rufi. He's always been into bellic affairs and opted for a military career early in his public life. Served under Quintus Alexander in Gaul and Britannia and went to Cappadocia to aid and acclaim him as Caesar. He was posted to Britannia and then Dacia in recent years, but is now back in Rome and pondering his next move. Army people: if your character has some connection to the legions, that's already a positive for Titus. If they served in Britannia, Gaul, Dacia or Cappadocia, all the better as they might know (of) each other! High society: senatorial and imperial families are more tightly enmeshed in one another than wool socks, and manners dictate they behave more or less civilly towards their fellows. Titus may have spent half his life in service, but he's no brute. Lots of relatives to say hello to, I'm sure! High society wannabes: in the army the strength of one's character says more than their background, so Titus is fairly non-discriminatory in his dealings with equites and plebeians, as long as they don't take him for a fool. He's happily married to Valeria Flacca and entertains no thoughts of straying or divorcing her. They've got three kids together, the oldest of which is a girl entering her teen years - which brings its own set of worries. Safinia is an aloof plebeian from Lusitania who was orphaned at a young age and has been living in Rome ever since. She used to be somewhat of a seamstress but started working as a cook's assistant for the White stables in 74 CE. She doesn't care for inter-factions intrigue and mostly tries to do her own thing. The 75 CE earthquake rendered her homeless and gave her a number of injuries, chief among them a bad leg. She also has a kleptomania habit, especially small objects, so approach at your own risk. White faction associates: her coworkers and the people she sees every day and is more likely to interact with. Lower-class folks: those who would frequent the same places as her like baths and taverns. Anyone in Rome: in such a big city she's bound to come across all sorts of interesting people! No longer looking for plots for Safinia as I'll be axing her soon! Livia is a senatorial matron currently very miserably married to an abusive and controlling husband from a prominent family, Secundus Quinctilius Varus. Meek and passive, she no longer takes the initiative on socialising unless it's family or people she knows well and are above suspicion. Her pastimes (can't really call them hobbies) include spinning, sewing and needlework, yelling at slaves and having a secret affair with her nephew-in-law. As of now she has no children (lost two in the past from her happy but short first marriage) and is doing her best to keep it that way given the volatile and oftentimes violent state of her household. High society including family: pretty much the only ones she's allowed to see and visit, and not always without the taint of marital paranoia. Merchants, especially textiles and accessories: poor girl doesn't have a lot of entertainment available, and she has to stick to what is acceptable for a lady of her rank. Unsavoury characters: if you have a baddie character who knows a thing or two about poisons or would kill for coin but be discreet and keep their mouth shut, Livia will eventually need to get in touch with them. Artemon is my dimwit who wants to be rich but falls for every single pyramid scheme, and not just because he hails from Egypt. He's a passable sailor but now works shuffling wares back and forth between warehouses, and has unwittingly become involved in shady stuff. A rather recent arrival to Rome, he lives with his twin brother Iophon in a crowded insula and is a friendly yet extremely gullible lad. Neighbours and their acquaintances: self-explanatory. They don't have to like him, but they should be prepared for Artemon's attempts at befriending them. Unscrupulous people: feel free to take advantage of him. He'll fall for their tricks. Egyptians: kindred spirits in the big city, and they can make offerings to Sobek together. Anyone involved in the Dacian weed business: hello work buddies! If you have any ideas I've overlooked here, I'm all ears! Reply below, PM me or hmu on Discord Liv#5452

CLIO. 24 | Mid-June 50 CE | Slave | Body slave | Bisexual | Wanted | Freida Pinto Personality. Soft-spoken and pleasant, as is becoming of her status as a body slave. She weighs her words and chooses her posture carefully, spontaneity long abandoned in favour of good slave behavior. Clio does not smile that much anymore, barring when in the presence of her domina – she must always appear content when with Annia Comna. Previous circumstances have made her guarded and pessimistic, which is often mistaken for haughtiness, but it suits Clio just as well, for she does not want to give her trust too easily to those who might break it. She tries, however, to be kind to all she meets, and feigns interest in their doings and families for the sake of peacekeeping and a good reputation. Clio isn’t the type to engage in gossip, although she is not above a starting a rumour or two if the target would cause inconvenience for her domina or household. She neither forgives nor forgets those who have wronged her, and often comes up with many revenge plots – some more feasible than others – against those who wronged her whilst trying on the newest fabrics and bangles for her domina’s pleasure. Revenge requires patience, and Clio has it in spades behind her placid exterior. Reasonably intelligent and just curious enough, Clio might make a splendid messenger if her domina were so inclined. When not engaged in some task, she enjoys hearing or reading about the gods and heroes of old, watching the gladiators train at the ludus and perusing the goldsmiths’ stalls when allowed to go outside. Appearance Of average height at 158 cm, Clio is a slender woman of dark complexion whose clothes are richer than many plebeians’, thanks to her domina’s penchant for displays of wealth. Her long, nearly black hair frames her prominent cheekbones, and her brown eyes are brought out by black eyeliner in the Egyptian style which her domina seems to find so pleasing on her, enhancing Clio’s exotic look. Her skin has a golden brown tone owing to her parentage, and provides a measure of protection against the unforgiving Roman sun when she is out and about. Family Father: Masinissa, slave Mother: Shirat, slave Siblings: Adrastos (brother, 22), Myron (brother, 19), Zenais (sister, 19) Spouse: N/A Children: N/A Extended family: N/A Other: Owned by Annia Comna History [Childhood: 50 – 66 CE] Like so many other slaves, Clio was verna, a slave born into their master’s house. The child of an enslaved mother is also a slave, and Clio’s first owner – a greedy little Bithynian Greek with elephant ears and mousy brown hair – took advantage of this to enlarge his household. Her parents, a Numidian and a Syrian, both fruit pickers in their master’s estate, provided their lord with four healthy new slaves in total, Clio being the oldest of them. As soon as she was able to follow instructions, Clio was put to work: fetching water for the slaves at the plantations, feeding the chickens and collecting their eggs, stirring huge pots in the kitchens, and all other sorts of domestic errands. It was a reasonably easy life, as far as slaves are concerned. She was taught the rudiments of reading and writing in Greek by her little mistress, her master’s daughter of the same age, and the two often played in the big house, sometimes joined by one or more of Clio’s siblings, or other slave children. She grew older, taller, and prettier. And one day, not long after her 12th birthday, her master sent for her, and he might as well have had gold coins for eyes: Clio was to be sold to Origenes, an ageing Macedonian merchant with a taste for exotic young things. Two days later, she was on her way to her new master, alternating between tearing up at the thought of her family and throwing up her guts at each mighty wave that rocked the infernal boat she was travelling on. Life in Macedonia was as expected. During the day, she kept the hearths in the kitchens fired up; at night, she was to quench the fire in her master’s loins. Sometimes she had to do it on her own, and sometimes the Macedonian would be more entertained by commanding a few of his slaves to fornicate. Not that Clio had a choice in the matter, but she found it a deal more pleasant when her partner for the night was also a female: softer skin, gentler caresses, lower stamina and not feeling like she was a nail to be hammered into nonstop. The domina, much younger than her husband, decided to make Clio her personal slave – so she would learn all the tricks and rituals of feminine beauty and grace, and hopefully stay tempting enough to keep Origenes’ interest in bed and away from the mistress’s own. [Adolescence: 66 – 69 CE] Four years went by in this manner. Clio had found her place in the household and made her peace with it, and would have been perfectly content to let the days roll by as they had. But then Origenes departed on a business trip to Rome – and thank the gods he did not require Clio’s company, the domina made too much of a fuss for him to even consider it -, and came back months later with a surprise in tow. Philippos, the oldest son by the master’s first wife, whose name Clio had only heard a handful of times during her time in Macedonia, mentioned every once in a while when one of Origenes’ suppliers came by and they mentioned selling their wares in Rome. Philippos, who had piercing eyes and strong arms and was back from a long stay in the city of the Caesars, having laid the foundations to a filial of Origenes’ premium flax fibre business. He took Clio’s breath away. Luckily for her, it was mutual. Just stolen moments at first, when their paths met inside the house. They soon grew bolder, and a careless tryst in the kitchens was all it took for the domina to find out about the affair. It did not please her, for who knew what might happen if Origenes were to find out? Clio would have tasted the whip for the first time that night were it not for the questions the welts on her bronze skin would provoke. So they agreed to put an end to it, to pretend as if they were nothing more than master and slave, so as not to invite the ire of the patriarch. It helped that father and son spent quite some time back and forth between Dyrrachium and Rome. Two more years passed in this manner, and a plan began to take form in Clio’s head. [Adulthood: 69 – 72 CE] It was quite simple, really. It happened two months into Origenes and Philippos’ latest homecoming. All Clio had to do was poison the wine she served her master, dazed as he still was in post-coital bliss. How lucky of him, to die in his own bed. After making sure neither Origenes’ heart was pumping nor his lungs labouring, Clio climbed on top of him once more and screamed for her life. What a shame! Old men dying of heart attacks during sex was uncommon, but not unheard of. And poor Clio, what a ghastly situation! Philippos had no idea, of course. Neither did the domina, It must remain so, a secret Clio would take to the underworld when her time came. She did not want the family to be dishonoured and cursed; they had been kind to her, and the domina had taught her so much. The household mourned, and Clio, keeping up her pretense, joined them. Before long, daily life resumed and Philippos assumed the responsibilities of head of the family. Their encounters resumed, this time with the domina turning a blind eye to it. When the business next took Philippos to Rome, Clio accompanied him – this time, to no protest from the domina. Clio was in awe of this great metropolis: filthy, noisy, confusing, enormous, wondrous. People from all corners of the empire congregated here, and along with them their habits, their culture, their languages. Latin felt rough and foreign on Clio’s tongue, but she thought it wise to learn it to the best of her ability; if the business venture went well, she might (she hoped to) stay in Rome longer than she’d initially thought. Her days were spent keeping house, her nights keeping Philippos company. It was endearing how he always slept with an arm under his pillow, even if the other arm circled her waist. Clio enjoyed watching him as he slept, and allowed herself to daydream of dangerous things – of freedom, a flammeum, a little child with her eyes and Philippos’ nose taking their first careful steps… Did she dare bring it up to him? She might, when the time was right. The time was never right lately. Philippos seemed to be in bad health; he had lost weight and slept fitfully, when he did sleep. He had been coming home later and later, claiming meetings with stubborn patrons and partners. He was on edge, picking fights with her, with the other slaves, with his employees. Clio wondered if he had been cursed, and which divinity would be best to resolve the situation. She no longer dared to daydream. When he finally summoned the courage to tell her, it was a shock. Gambling. Gambling! The whole business squandered away, mindboggling sums owed to creditors, not even enough money left to buy passage back to Dyrrachium. The sleepless nights and unhappy-looking visitors made perfect sense now. And as the ultimate insult, Clio was to be sold on a Roman auction block so Philippos could use the profit to at least return home and escape the mounting debt. A week later, when he handed her off to the slave trader in exchange for dirty coin, the purple bruises in her arms and torso were nearly gone; he had not taken kindly to being spit on after coming clean. Clio was past caring, anyway. She hoped someone would buy her quickly – the sooner she was able to go back into the routine of a personal slave, the better. And she would definitely not make the same mistake twice. Fortuna smiled down on her. An exotic, competent body slave fluent in Greek and with a reasonable command of Latin was an appropriate companion for up-and-coming Roman matrons of respectable background, and Clio found herself the newly-acquired property of Annia Comna. [The present: 72 – 74 CE] Life is simple and easy. All Clio has to do is to keep her domina happy, and that is no particularly complicated task. Be obedient, good-natured, discreet and loyal, attend to domina’s every need, and allow Annia to use her as a doll to dress up and decorate with fine jewellery. Clio feels valued and appreciated, and for a slave, that’s the best lot in life possible. Thoughts of freedom are for foolish girls, and Clio is no longer one. She will stick faithfully by her domina’s side, and give Annia no reason to ever get rid of her. Liv | GMT+1 | PM/DM (Liv#5452) @Gothic

Nice to meet you all! I'm Liv, a Scandinavian denizen in her late twenties. I haven't roleplayed in ages and when I did it was a different genre, so hopefully I'll manage to keep up with you wonderful people! Hobbies include eating, travelling and wrestling with my cat. I usually stick to 1-3 characters and am not the fastest typist out there, sorry about that. Looking forward to playing with you!