Play@YSDC

Scaevola's Villa- southwest of Rome, Italia
Mid-morning- March 15, 44 BC

Marcus was close enough to the sealed gates to hear the sound of a metal bar slamming home. Titus was now about halfway between the hill and the gates. The two cavalrymen along the side of the estate's outer wall had closed half the distance to the corner.

Even to those behind the rise, it was apparent that something had gone horribly wrong. "Quick, follow me!" said Nefertiri, leading her guards (and anyone else who wished to accompany her) up to the top of the hill.

Lupus pounds towards the main gate as fast as he can. He watches the walls as he races past, wondering if there is anywhere s horse could assist (he is cav).

"What? What?" Artemis had continued forward and suddenly realized that Lupus was talking to him. He turned to see the man running back to the front of the villa. Artemis paused shaking his head and looking forward to where they were going. He turned and started to follow behind Lupus. As he rounded the corner, he saw Lupus still ahead. He saw movement out of the side of his eye and realized that a group was assembling on top of the rise outside the villa.

"Eyes left! Eyes left!" Artemis shouted out at Lupus. He changed his path towards the Queen's guard taking to the top f the hill.

Titus follows the soldiers, ready to warn them of any attacks from their rear.

Other Language Egyptian 05%,[dice]0[/dice]

"Damn it, I was so close!" Marcus said as he held tightly the handle of the dagger in its holster. He then heard Nefertiri's voice and went straight to her, running as fast as he could.

"I heard that Scaveola isn't here at the moment and will be back at noon." Marcus then pondered for a while, still driven by the adrenaline rush and his powerlessness in these events. "Most of everything else was in Egyptian and I couldn't quite understand though, they must be planning some sort of sacrifice or punishment signature of a cult for Caelia, I heard some kind of name, it sounded something like Akana, we must make way quick!"

OOC,I'm so sorry for being absent for a while,real life happened but I'm back if it is okay.

Decius and Artemis rounded the corner and saw that the estate's front gates were now sealed, with no sign of the guards or of Caelia Alba. It occurred to Decius that he could possibly stand on his horse's back as an aid to climbing over the wall if he chose to do so, but otherwise it seemed of little use out here.

Nefertiri and her guards came down the other side of the hill and met Marcus and Titus some distance from the gates.

OOC,That's okay, welcome back! The information in your post that you relayed to [b]Nefertiri[/b] actually came from the spoiler button at the top of page 4, which was one of the ones in Egyptian, so you should edit it. You may only read [b]Caelia[/b] and the guard's spoiler buttons on page 3. However, I will allow that you heard the name [b]Akana[/b], you just don't know the context. Everyone may roll Tactics. If it is not on your character sheet or one of your occupational skills, the base skill is 01%. If it is an occupational skill, the base skill is 25%, though you'll likely have it higher.

Decius remains at the main gate, looking to see if there are any small apertures that allow him to see in (or fire an arrow through). He holds his bow nocked and ready to loose at any guard. And he utters vile oaths in Gallic.

OOC,(Trans. from archaic Gallic) Curse these Cthulhu-infested dice rolls!!

OOC,Sorry. I missed the first Caelia Spoiler and read up to one below, I just edited the text, it should be fine.

OOC,[dice]0[/dice] I messed up with the first spoiler dice roll, but it was 95 and my Tactics is 01% lol, it was worth a shot.

[dice]1[/dice]

Decius saw that there were no gaps wide enough to shoot an arrow through, let alone to have a look. The gates were flush with the wall on either side and with each other.

Germanicus surveyed the situation with the practical eye of the general he was. "Nothing short of a battering ram will breach those gates," he said, "and we haven't one. However, if at least some of us can climb over the wall and overcome any defenders there, they can open the gate from the inside and let the rest of us in. Our cavalrymen are skilled enough that they should be able to stand on their horses' backs to reach the top of the wall."

"Truly, a plan worthy of Caesar himself," said Spurius.

"If it is, it is only because I have seen him do something similar."

When Marcus made his report to Nefertiri, she wheeled her horse around. "Then Scaevola must already be in Rome, and he has been there for some time!" she exclaims. "Otherwise we would have passed him on the road. We must return to Rome at once to protect Caesar before it is too late!" Her Egyptian guards also turned their horses around to head back to Rome.

OOC,[b]Germanicus[/b]'s Tactics roll (40% skill) outside the villa: [dice]0[/dice] [b]Spurius[/b]'s Tactics roll (40% skill) outside the villa: [dice]1[/dice] Anyone wishing to try to climb over the wall may make a Climb roll. If you have Ride skill of 50% or higher (our three cavalrymen), you may stand on the back of your horse to help you climb, thus doubling your effective Climb skill

Decius is happy with the plan of standing on his horse to climb the wall, partly because he respects Senator Germanicus but mostly because he feels happiest on horseback, however briefly.

"The general has the right of it, and we must keep moving."

Decius quickly positions his horse and makes a try for the top of the wall.

OOC,[b]Decius'[/b] [i]Climb[/i] skill when doubled is 80% and he rolls... [dice]0[/dice]

Artemis followed along and positioned his horse in such a manner as to all him to scale over the wall.

OOC:   His Climb is 60 [dice]0[/dice]

Titus, no man of arms, can only ask Mars for his favor in the battle sure to come.

Marcus was faced with a tough decision, his duty was with Nefertiri and the queen, but he saw as Caelia was taken inside just in front of his eyes.

"What about Caelia? I'm at your service, but she's surely in danger, however, I won't let this event cloud my judgement, if Rome is the next stop, I shall not look behind and continue with the mission." Marcus said with a troubled look, but there was nothing he could do, he couldn't abandon his duty for someone else, and his loyalty lied with Nefertiri, if she decided to head back to Rome right away, he'd just get on a horse and leave everything that happened behind.

Claudius is eager to prove his worth to Germanicus.

"Master, please allow me to climb the wall. I will show what I can do with my dagger".

"Caesar is more important!" insisted Nefertiri. "Caelia knew the risks. We can return and rescue her later. I will waste no more time!" She galloped off back towards Rome with her guards, Marcus following with them.

Germanicus was torn. While he was worried about Caelia, he owed his loyalty first and foremost to Caesar. "No, Claudius, we must return to Rome and save Caesar! The cavalrymen are perfectly capable of rescuing Caelia" With that, he spurred his horse after the departing Egyptians. His slave had no choice but to follow.

OOC,[b]Germanicus[/b], [b]Claudius[/b], and [b]Marcus[/b] are moving to the thread linked below:

Fate

OOC,Everyone else is moving to the thread linked below:

The Rescue