How the Pavo Family Changed the World (Rome AAR)

[MarcusAureliusAntoninus]

Nvmerivs Longvs Pavo Gallicvs
Death of a King

Dearest Mother,

I write to inform you that I indeed still live. It has been nearly a year since
we have had a reliable route for the any mail other than General Pavonis
messages to the Senate or to the other Legions. We have been in and out
of hostile territory for months, even wintering in Gallic lands. Now, we rest
once more, awaiting the return of General Nvmerivs Longvs Pavo Gallicvs,
who was summoned by the Senate.

I have recieved all of the letters you and Honoria have sent me. I am sorry
that I have not been able to return word sooner and that I have worried you
both. Your letters confirm what I have heard about Consul Asina and
LegioVIII. I always knew that Iberia didn't stand a chance against the might
of Rome. It is unfortunate that Consul Asina died of illness before he could
finish off the barbarians.

And to hear that in the East, the effeminate Greeks continue to fall to the
might of the Roman Legions. The new Victor has crushed Syrian resistance
and freed Phoenicia and Judaea? And Blasio, old Blasio had crushed the
Pontic kings of Sinope? Places that I've only heard of like places of myth,
now send tribute and slaves to Rome. I fear that the Rome I left will be
completely changed by the time I return, if I return.

I am troubled to hear that farms are being purchased by the governors and
patricians. I hope this war will end soon, so I may come home and deal with
the issues of the farm. Do not fear though, the land is rightly ours, it has
been for generations and will remain so. Do not let them convince you of
anything or steal what is ours, simply because there is no man in the house.

Today I write from our camp, north of the village of Lemonum. We fought
long and hard to get here. After we left Gergovia, leaving it in the hands of
LegioV and General Manivs Placidvs Pavo, we headed to Burdigala. "Mad
Cotta" had died the previous year and the town was now managed by his
sone and the Gallic allies the Cotta family had made. Eager to prove their
loyalty and worth, the allied Gauls marched north from Burdigala. I heard
humor that General Gallicvs objected to this, but the young Cotta, being of
higher standing, insisted.

The few Gauls that returned told tale of an Arverni army of unexperience, but
desperate farmer conscripts. LegioVII immediately marched north into Arverni
lands. We fought several battles, never against more than a couple hundred
untrained Gauls. We lost very few men. One day Centurian Tiberivs Alleivs
told us to ready ourselves for battle. King Praesutagos oi Lugos of the
Arverni had marched an army to confront us.

And so, on a flat plain, skirted by trees, the king of the Arverni faced Roman
martial prowess. General Gallicvs ordered the legion to line up in three lines,
rather than maniples in order to counter the enemy cavalry. As the enemy
approached, I saw the same frightend untrained men line up in front of us.
As they approached, we threw our pila and saw great numbers of the
unarmored men fall dead where they stood. Then they charged, but to no
avail. They hit our line, which did not move, and the fight ensued. After a
short battle, the enemy began to break and flee. In a desparate attempt to
rally his men, King Praesutagos oi Lugos charged his own cavalry into the
middle of our line. Seeing a chance for glory in killing a king, our formation
broke and soon the king's cavalry were surrounded by Hastati and Pricepes.
I saw from a short distance back, the king fall from his injured horse and hit
the ground. The crowd of men surrounding him stabbed at the body until
they were content that he would never move again.

A month later we came to the village of Lemonum. As soon as we had rams,
we broke down the gate and charged the city. The only soldiers there to
face us were some of those who had escaped the previous battle and the
King's son, surrounded by his bodyguard. They simply waited on the small hill
in the center of town. We encircled the hill and on General Pavo's order, all
infantry charged from all sides. With this, the last King of the Arverni died
and Rome achieved victory.

It is rumored that General Pavo Gallicvs confiscated the bodies of both Kings,
but that is probably just rumor to discredit a great man.

A while after taking the village, a message arrived from the Senate, calling
General Pavo Gallicvs home, and so he left. After a while, General Manivs
Placidvs Pavo arrived (his brother, Gallicvs' cousin Galerivs Pitvanivs Pavo,
being put in charge of LegioV and Gergovia) with replacements to be
combined with LegioVII and bring us back to full strength. It is funny, I have
only been out here three years and now I feel like the old man amoungst
these new recruits. General Manivs Placidvs Pavo is much more of "proper"
Roman, compared to General Pavo Gallicvs, but doesn't seem as intelligent.

Caivs has taken to gambling with the new men and has finally found someone
he can beat. Titvs is constantly reading all that he can get his hand on from
officers and traders, though it is hard to get good Roman writings up here.
Gneo and Vibivs had both been practicing and drilling, but that is what we
are all doing most of the time anyways, while waiting. And so we continue to
wait and see our fate and the fate of our great leader.

Your Son,
Servivs Placidvs, 2nd Cohort, Hastati, Seventh Legion


(Roman Gaul, after the defeat of the Arverni at Lemonum)

OOC: I wish I had some screenshots of that campaign. I at least have a couple pictures of Aedvi-Roman conflict.

[Warmaster Horus]

Nice update, as always! I like the various "backstories", if I may call them that. The last paragraph, for example, and the first four.

[MarcusAureliusAntoninus]

I felt like I had too many and too long side stories. I had actually edited some of it out and cut many short. I like writing the fiction part, though. I am glad they aren't seen as unnessicary by readers.

I'm trying to remember at which point Pavo Gallicvs changed legions, to know at what point Servivs Placidvs' part of the story will end. I think LegioVII was his main army and vanguard in Gaul until he retired to become Consul in Roma.

[alatar]

The fictional parts are great, it adds more detail, which makes it more interesting

[MarcusAureliusAntoninus]

Nvmerivs Longvs Pavo Gallicvs
Honorable Barbarians

Dearest Mother,

I start this letter, knowing that all our back mail will soon be arriving here in
Lugonesis. Even so, I know that our chance to recieve and deliver mail may
be short. Even though spring is just arriving, General Gallicvs has plans to
move north to assist our new allies and split the Aedui from any of their allies
north of Italia. It has been so long since I have written you, but at least I
am fortunate to be able to write at all.

Five long years have passed since General Nvmerivs Longvs Pavo Gallicvs
returned from the Senate to command us once more. He returned a member
of the Equestrian Order and as a Senator. A celebration was held in our fort
in honor of Senator Gallicvs. But a few days later he gave us the
news that all of Rome now knows: the Senate had declared the Aedui
Confederacy an enemy of Rome.

All representatives of Rome, demanding Aedui surrender, never returned. And
so, we marched north of our fort at Lemonum and crossed a river, I was later
told it was called the Liger. Just north of our crossing, we met an Aedui
army, willing to face us in open field. These men were different from
anything we had faced before. These men were not farmers ackwardly
holding spears. These men were armored drilled soldiers. I suddenly realized
why LegioIII was so depleted after the Battle of Oltis, where General Pavo
had defeated the last trained men of the Arverni.

Now, the battle is a haze amongst the many battle fought since. But it was
the first time I realized that victory was far off. The battle was hard fought,
General Gallicvs even had to call in the Triarii. In the end we won, with less
casualties than I had expected, but one casualty I didn't expect. As I
returned to the battle field after chasing the routers, I saw Vibivs knelling
over a fallen Roman. As I slowly and anxiously walked up, I saw that it was
Gneo.

The next few days were hard for the remaining four of us, but Vibivs took it
the hardest. He had seen Gneo attacked but was unable to get to him.
While the rest of us broke formation and saw only the man in front of us,
Vibivs held Gneo as he breathed his last breath. Once again, war had
changed us. Even Caivs remained silent and morned the death of his friend.

After the battle, we marched west. And one day we came over a hill and
saw a sight that could lift any spirit, even that of Vibivs. Streching out for
what could only be an eternity, was a great sea. The color was so dark and
the water so cold. And the sea churned at all times with Neptune's fury.

As we marched along this great sea, we came apon the sea side villages of
the Veneti. The people in this area were less frightened of us. Perhapse it
was because they thought we were not threat or maybe it was because
General Pavo Gallicvs had ordered no unothorized looting. But still, there
were some who stood and watched us march by. Along this shore they built
ships: ships for fishing, ships for trade, ships for transport, and even ships for
war. Their ships were akward and ugly, but I must say, they have my
respect. Anything that can travel that sea without disaster must have some
value.

At the unwalled inland city of Darioritum, LegioVII met with armed resistance
but took the city with relatively little effort. Here General Gallicvs had us set
ourselves up. While the Germanic scouts patrolled the countryside, we
guarded the city. But as soon as the Fifth Legion and our replacements for
our losses showed up, we headed east. Among the new men was a man
named Avlvs, who was disliked by Centurian Tiberivs Alleivs. Dispite this or
maybe because of this, Caivs befriended the man and he joined our section.

As we headed east, small armies were defeated and small hostile villages
were burned to the ground. It wasn't until we reached the Aedui city of
Cenabum that we had real opposition, though. As we seiged the city, an
Aedui army attacked us and the town's garrison joined with them in battle
against us. The battle was relatively an easy one with few losses, but again,
an unwanted loss. Our new friend Avlvs, whom we had known for only a few
months lay dead in that field in Gaul. And once again, Vibivs withdrew into
his internal darkness.

Once again LegioV and fresh men arrived and we marched forward. This time
we went south. General Pavo Gallicvs had a plan to defeat or enlist the free
tribes in the region and then head east to ensure that both sides of the
mountain passes leading into Italia were in Roman hands.

After a small battle in the middle of Gaul, a representative of the Gallic city of
Avaricum came to meet with General Gallicvs. They say that General Gallicvs
greeted the man in their own barbaric language and held the meeting in their
language as well. Where most Romans would rightfully dismissed the
messenger, our General showed the men curtosy in their own custom. And in
the end, even though some of the men we had just killed came from
Avaricum, General Gallicvs pardoned the town. And the next day, we
peacefully entered the town. There was no looting. There were no slaves
collected. And so we moved east, leaving only Gauls to defend the town,
with their word that they would stay loyal to Rome.

As soon as we were back in Aedui territory we encountered another Gallic
army. As so we fought them in the deep of winter in what has been dubed
the Battle of Lugudunum. The battle was harder than many. The Gauls had
the high ground and were attacking down on us. The bulk of their army
attacked our middle, while madmen, wearing nothing at all, even in the snow,
tried to flank us on the left. When the enemy general attacked our center,
his nerve gave out and he fled. Soon, the bulk of his army was following
him. But the naked madmen stood their ground and the princepes that were
fighting them were lossing ground. So, with the enemies ahead of us fleeing,
Centurian Alleivs lead us to assist our comrades.

It was then that they got Titvs. He did not perish, but a Gallic blade glanced
off his sword. He lost the length of most of his fingers on his right hand.
Soon, even madmen knew the battle was lost and they too fled. Vibivs and I
helped Titvs to the legion surgeon who wrapped his hand. After a few days,
when it was apparent that the wound would not turn foul, Titvs was released
from care and eventually released from duty.

When the supply train came up, Titvs and the other wounded were sent with
them. Titvs was going to be going home, to his home and his family. But he
was not quite whole anymore, and he was definetly not the man who had left
his home, nearly nine years prior. Though he seemed untroubled. He said
that reading and studying was what he enjoyed doing, and he didn't need
both hands to enjoy that. It was sad to see him go, but I was also happy
knowing that he would live in peace from now on. Titvs was the one who
had held our group together, with his combination of both logic and
understanding. Now there is only Vibivs in his darkness, Caivs in his anger,
and I with my uncertainty.

And so, here we are, beseiging the Aedui city of Viennos in the territoy of
Lugonesis. As we watch this city, we have seen many Germanian
represenatives visit General Pavo Gallicvs. As you probably know, Rome has
made an alliance with the tribes of Germanics that border the north of Aedui
territory. I have heard rumor that General Gallicvs wanted this alliance and
was key in making it. Even as Rome fights them in the south, the Aedui
invade Germania and slaughter the Germanians. General wants to move north
to assist our new allies as proof of good faith. If battle has taught me one
thing it is, we must first deal with the enemy in front of us before we look to
the next.

The city of Viennos can't hold out much longer and the small garrison will be
forced to surrender or starve to death. General Pavo Gallicvs has promised
that the supply routes will be secured, even before Viennos falls, and we will
soon be able to recieve mail from home.

Your Son,
Servivs Placidvs, 2nd Cohort, Hastati, Seventh Legion


(Servivs Placidvs fighting in the Battle of Lugudunum)

[MarcusAureliusAntoninus]

Nvmerivs Longvs Pavo Gallicvs
The Homefront


(Great Temple in Mediolanivm)

My Brother,

I write you you from the steps of the temple in Mediolanivm. I wonder what
the life of a priestess would be like. Would you be disgraced if your sister
was forced into the life of a priestess? As you know, for a long time it had
been assumed I would marry Spvrivs, but he is gone now. He was only the
son of a herder, but he was a good man. He and all his family has moved
away to Africa. At least they could afford that, at the cost of their herd.
We were farmers in Etruria, they herders, but now they are poor in Africa and
we are homeless in Gaul.

Our home is gone, stolen. I cannot believe that people can do such things.
First, they ask you to go off to war, then they steal your home while you
aren't there to defend it.

They bought out all of the debt collectors in all of Etruria, then began
collecting on the debt. Nearly everyone had some kind of loan, but they had
an understanding that it would be paid back after harvest. And what
couldn't be paid would be overlooked until it could be. It was just the way
things worked. Then these men, working with the government, bought out
all of those with money to loan and collected on the debts. When debts
couldn't be paided, they took homes and farms and villas as payment.


For those who could pay or those, like us, who did not take loans and
suffered what came at us, the began to harass. At first they just lingered
around the road, but soon workers began to run off and quit, scared. Then,
last year, the field caught fire 'mysteriously' and we lost much of the first
planting. Then, near the end of spring, I came back to the house and found
mother sitting quietly with a blank look on her face. "We have to go to your
uncle's," is all she said. I don't know what had happened, but she sold the
farm. She hasn't quite been the same sense that day, several seasons ago.

We took what little money we got from the farm and moved to Mediolanivm,
to work in uncle's shop. Mother, Gaivs, and I work as hard as we can to help
uncle, but we cannot stay here. Where do we go, then? We have no home,
no land, and there is little hope for our future.

We can't even find other work in the cities, even if uncle were unable to help
us. All across Italia, people are being left homeless and moving into the
cities. But there is no work in the cities and people are left jobless,
moneyless, homeless, and worst of all, hopeless. Governor Pavo is trying to
help people who come to Mediolanivm, but I think he fears doing too much
and attracting all of Italia's homeless and destitute. I don't know what is
happening, but it is certainly ironic that you, off fighting the enemies of the
Senate, lose your home to the Senate, and no longer even qualify to join the
legions.

I hope this letter reaches you before you march again. Though, it may be
best if you don't get this letter and learn of the fate of your family.

Stay well,
Your sister,
Honoria Placidvs


(The streets of Mediolanivm)

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