Play@YSDC

The assassins left the Forum, ignoring Germanicus.

The light faded, and it soon became clear that the sun had gone dark. Titus did not need to be an augur to know that it was a bad sign. Even the sun was in mourning for Caesar's death. A comet streaked across the sky, symbolism of Caesar's fall that he could not miss. Lightning struck nearby, though there was not a drop of rain. The statues of gods in the Forum appeared to weep. The signs could not be more clear.

Claudius led Caelia and Titus around to the rear of the Theatre of Pompey and into the maintenance entrance. As they made their way through the building, two slaves came out of hiding and tagged along with them, one of them lighting a candle with a flint to provide light. It did not take them long to find Caesar's body; the drips of blood on the ground showed them the way. Caesar lay in a side chamber, his body covered in stab wounds from which blood had spilled. It did not take an expert to know he was dead. Titus counted the wounds and saw that Caesar had been stabbed 23 times, which he knew to be an ill-omened number. There were so many bad omens that he could not tell anything specific. It was as though he was trying to make out visual details when the light was blazing.

OOC,[b]Caelia[/b], if you wish to examine the body, please roll Medicine.

Germanicus watches on angrily as the men disappear and turns to look at the gaping entrance of the Theatre of Pompey. He does not want to go in, reluctant to see confirmed what he already knows is true.
Forced in by the weight of the ominous portents, he strides in, his head held high and his heart steeled, or so he hopes, for what he is about to see.

Caelia Alba kneels down over the body of the great man, tears rolling down her cheeks, falling and mixing with the blood in his wounds. She sits for a moment and then, hearing the rasping breath of the hunchback behind her, she too takes a deep breath and tries to look clinically at Caesar. She opens his eyelids, checks his mouth and tongue and examines the wounds.

Medicine,(65%) roll: 58

Germanicus found the others just as Caelia finished examining Caesar's body.

"We should make a litter to carry him," one of the two slaves said to the other. "We can use one of the benches." The two of them set to work.

Caelia Alba,[b]Caelia[/b] could see that most of the stab wounds had done only superficial or minor damage. Only one of the wounds, which had struck him in the chest and punctured his aorta, had been lethal. [b]Caesar[/b] had died from loss of blood.

Caelia sits back on her heels, her bright yellow toga now flecked with red. "Senator Germanicus, Titus, look; this is the single stab wound that killed him - straight into the heart. All these others are superficial, almost half hearted. He died from blood loss. I can't tell what sort of dagger killed him, whether it was the dagger or not. Did you see Scaevola amongst the fleeing senators?" She only now realises it has gone dark outside. "What's happened to the sun?" She says in alarm.

Germanicus's gaze is fixed on the bloodied corpse of friend.

"I can not recall, Caelia Alba, just like the fading light of Sol, my gaze is shrouded the death of a friend and the Republic."



"We should bear his body outside and present it at the Temple of Venus Genetrix."

The slaves finished creating their makeshift litter, and they respectfully placed Caesar's body upon it. Claudius helped them to bear it without being asked. As they walked outside and made their way to the Temple of Venus, Caesar's arm slipped over the edge of the litter and dangled down.

Germanicus stops the litter bearers and takes Caesar's hand, he pauses for a moment, almost as if to assert that the body is indeed losing its warmth and then places Caesar's hand on his unbeating heart.

"Carry on!"

Titus ponders what the falling of Caesar's arm might portend.

Claudius is extremely nervous as he carries Caesar's litter with the other slaves. "This day is not going to end well" he thinks.

The entourage continued across the Forum to the Temple of Venus Genetrix. As they walked, Caesar's arm once again slipped off of his chest and dangled over the side of the improvised litter. Titus knew it had to be a bad sign, but only one among many. When they entered the temple, a woman of astounding beauty dressed in the garb of a priestess of Venus met them. She look crestfallen when she saw the body of Caesar. "Alas, the rumors were true!" she said, tears in her eyes. "Woe unto us all!"

As she walks beside the litter, Caelia searches the sky. "Where is the sun? I'm sure it is only morning. Has Scaevola's prediction come true already and this is the end of days? Thoth and the Sphinx will now rule the world?" She is brought out of her reverie by the woman's voice. "Is this his mistress?" she wonders and then notes the lady's garb. "Yes it has happened. And we did not prevent it. she says simply and sadly.

OOC,Everyone is moving to the thread linked below.

Nightmarr