IC-Ep 1-The Stage Is Set(Germanicus/Claudius/Lupus/Aricus)

[Mr. Handy]

On the stage, Creon told the people that he had just heard that Oedipus had accused him of plotting with Teiresias to remove him from the throne. The leader of the chorus told him that Oedipus had probably done so out of anger rather than rational judgment. Shortly thereafter, Oedipus returned from the palace to confront his brother-in-law. Creon tried to reason with him, but the king would have none of it. Oedipus began to question him about Teiresias, and he learned that the seer had skill in prophecy even many years ago, when Laius had been murdered, but that he had never mentioned Oedipus back then while Creon was with him. Creon had found nothing in his investigation into Laius's death, and Oedipus asked why the seer had not named Oedipus at the time. Creon said he did not know, and that when he doesn't know something, he holds his tongue. Oedipus accused him once more of conspiring with Teiresias, at which Creon began to interrogate him.

[Grognardsw]

"Aye, I was slave to the sword. Fate and skill did conspire to bring many victories. After a time I won my freedom," Aricus answers Lupus. "Now I work for the ludus."

[DrPeterson]

Germanicus smiled away the remark and continued to follow the play. His eyes wandered to the men he'd just hired and he almost let out a sigh of relief.
Oh what a joy it would be to ride with Caesar and the Legions again. Things would be lot simpler on campaign. At least the enemy had the decency of showing himself in a proper war, not like these scheming senators grown fat on the wealth and stability of Rome without ever raising the sword to uphold her glory..

[Mr. Handy]

Creon got Oedipus to confirm that he was married to Creon's sister, that the two of them ruled equally, and that Creon was equal to them both, though Oedipus said that that was what made Creon's friendship deceitful. At this, Creon denied it and said that anyone would prefer to live in peace sharing power equally rather than in fear, and that he had no wish to be king. If he were king, he would have to do many things he did not want, whereas in the current situation he gets the power without having to worry. He told Oedipus that if he wanted proof of Creon's intention, he should go to Delphi and consult the Oracle, then ask Teiresias exactly what was said. Then, if he discovered that Creon was plotting with Teiresias, he could put Creon to death. Creon advised Oedipus to take the time to determine the truth rather than rushing to judgment.

"A wise man, Creon," said Scaevola. "Indeed, what man in his right mind would want to be a king?"

The leader of the townspeople also praied Creon's wisdom; however, Oedipus insisted that he had to move quickly if someone conspired against him, for if he waited the plotter would prevail. Creon asked if Oedipus wanted to exile him, but Oedipus said he wanted him dead. Creon said that Oedipus had become unbalanced, but the king retorted that he was sane enough to defend his interests. The two argued until the palace doors swung open and the chorus leader said that Jocasta was approaching, and that she should be able to help resolve the situation.

[Grognardsw]

"Aye, I was slave to the sword. Fate and skill did conspire to bring many victories. After a time I won my freedom," Aricus answers Lupus. "Now I work for the ludus."

"And what is your story?" asks Aricus of Lupus in return.

[andyw666]

"No small deed, winning your freedom as a gladiator, few enough succeed."

"My own story is far less dramatic I'm afraid. Free son of Gaul, joined the auxiliary cav, spent lots of time as a messenger or exploratore. Seen campaigns. Finally earnt my citizenship. Mostly with scars."

"Which makes me think, I bet General Germanicus had some fine wine."

[DrPeterson]

"I'm sure many men, who thought their minds were right, have without cause and often out of jealousy or backwardness, affixed such ambitions on greater men than they, Scaevola. But at least on this we can agree, that there is no greater form of governance than the Republic and no truer champions than those that defend her from the depredations and loathsome whispers of those who would bring her to her knees."

[Mr. Handy]

"Yes, we are both in complete agreement there," said Scaevola.

The palace doors opened once more, and from them emerged the woman at the center of it all. Jocasta was bedecked regally, as befit a queen, in a fancy dress of ancient Greek style and plenty of jewelry that looked real enough from a distance but was no doubt merely stage finery. She looked to be in her early forties, though still attractive. She immediately berated Oedipus and Creon for arguing when their city was beset by a deadly plague, and she told them to return to their homes. At that, Creon told his sister that Oedipus intended to either exile or put him to death, and Oedipus accused Creon of treason. Creon insisted upon his innocence, swearing an oath that he should die accursed if he is guilty, and Jocasta begged her husband to trust him, and the leader of the people also begged the king to listen to her. They pled with Oedipus to not accuse Creon on the basis of a mere story that could be false, but to let him go in peace on account of his oath. Oedipus argued that to do so would mean his own death or exile, but he finally relented, and Creon departed.

[Grognardsw]

"Which makes me think, I bet General Germanicus had some fine wine."

"We shall see tonight," replies Aricus.

[Mr. Handy]

The leader of the townsfolk asked Queen Jocasta to take her husband back inside the palace, which she said she'd do as soon as she learned what had happened. She soon got the story out of him and Oedipus, and he revealed that Creon claimed that he had murdered Laius, saying that the prophet Teiresias had conspired with him to make the accusation rather than it coming from Creon himself. Jocasta tried to comfort him, telling him that no human being had skill in prophecy, for Laius had once received an oracle from someone who assisted Apollo stating that Laius would be killed by a child of his with Jocasta, but that he had in fact been killed by foreign robbers at a crossroads where three roads met. They had only had one child, and Laius had ordered that his ankles be bound and that he be abandoned on a mountain rock where nobody ever went, out of fear of the prophecy which had apparently failed to come true. Oedipus began to look increasingly disturbed.

"Here it comes," said Scaevola.

[DrPeterson]

Germanicus tried to not be too annoyed by Scaevola, but he was starting to fail miserably. A smile crossed his lips as he thought of the especially tormenting layer of the Underworld reserved for child molesters and people who talked at the theatre.

[Mr. Handy]

When Jocasta asked Oedipus what was wrong, he asked her about the place where three roads met. She told him that the crossroads was in Phocis. One of the roads came from Delphi and the other from Daulia. When he asked when Laius had been killed, she told him it was shortly before Oedipus became king in Thebes. Oedipus looked heavenward and pleaded with Zeus to tell him what he had done and what his plans were for Oedipus. Jocasta asked him what was troubling him, but he told her not to ask him anything yet and kept pressing her for information. At his request, she described Laius, and at that his countenance fell. He proclaimed that he may have put himself under a terrible curse unknowningly. She began to tremble and asked him what he meant, at which he asked her one more thing before he revealed it: had Laius had an escort? She told him that there were five men with him, including a herald, and that he rode in a carriage. That seemed to confirm something for Oedipus, and he cried out, then asked her who had told her. She said it was a slave, the only survivor of Laius's retinue who had escaped. Oedipus asked if he were still there, but she told him that once Oedipus had become king, the slave had begged to be sent to the fields, and she had done so. Oedipus asked her to bring him back, which she said she could do, but she asked him why he wanted it. He told her he was afraid he had said too much, and that was why he wanted the slave before him. Jocasta said she would bring him, but that she deserved to know why he was so distressed.

[Grognardsw]

Aricus watches the play, occasionally glancing around at the crowds for any recognizable faces.

[Mr. Handy]

Oedipus finally told Jocasta of his past, telling her that his father was Polybus of Corinth and his mother was a Dorian named Merope. Once at dinner a drunken man had accused Oedipus of not really being his father's son. When he eventually asked his parents, they were angry at the man, which eased Oedipus somewhat, but it still bothered him, as the rumors had spread. To resolve the issue, he went to Delphi to consult the Pythia without telling his parents. Apollo did not answer his question, but he had told him horrible things: that Oedipus was destined to defile his mother, to bring forth a human family unbearable to look at, and to slay his father. Terrified, he fled Corinth in an effort to avoid his fate. In his many travels, he came to the place where three roads met where Laius had been killed. Then he met a carriage preceded by a herald just as Jocasta had described. The carriage driver tried to force him out of the way, and then the old man helped him. Oedipus fought back against the driver, at which the old man struck him in the head with a whip. Furious, Oedipus hit him back with his staff, knocking him off of the carriage and onto the road. Then he killed them all. Oedipus berated himself, lamenting that he could never again return to his home in Corinth for fear of killing his father Polybus and marrying his mother Merope as the oracle had said. He begged the gods not to let him see that day.

Spoiler:

Aricus, you may roll Republic to see who in the audience you might recognize.

[Grognardsw]

Spoiler:

Republic 25 - [1d100] = 40

Not many apparently.

[andyw666]

Prompted by Aricus' scrutiny of the audience, Lupus also cranes his neck and has a good look for the rich and/or famous.

Spoiler:

Republic skill of50%

andyw666 rolled 1d100:
64

[andyw666]

"I try looking for important people in the audience, but I'm afraid I just keep getting distracted by beautiful women instead. Some scout I am." Lupus sighs.

Lupus gives Aricus a quick glance, and asks (what he imagines is) one of the most standard questions across Rome and its holdings. "And what far flung land did you hail from originally, Aricus? I was from Tungria in Gaul myself."

[Mr. Handy]

Aricus and Lupus of course recognized Julius Caesar, who had the best seat in the theater. There were various Senators seated in the same section, but the only one they knew of by sight was Germanicus. whom they had just seen in the Forum earlier. His deformed slave Claudius was never far from his side, but they did not look at him longer than necessary. As Lupus had said, there were plenty of beautiful women in the audience, and even the plain ones were a preferable sight.

The leader of the Theban crowd begged the king not to give up hope, but to await the servant and see what he had to say. Oedipus told Jocasta that if the servant's tale matched her own, he would be relieved, for that would mean that a band of men had slain Laius and not Oedipus himself. However, if he said that one man had done it all, he would know he was guilty. Jocasta assured him that the man could not change his story now, having already said that several robbers had killed the former king, but that even if he did, the prophecy would still have failed. After all, how could Laius's dead son have killed him when he had perished long since? Oedipus agreed with her, but said that he still wanted to speak to the peasant. Then the two of them went back inside the palace.

"Nobody ever notices a slave unless he is needed," Scaevola mused, turning to look down at the hunchback. "Am I not right, Claudius?"

[Supercape]

"Truly, it is so" mumbled Claudius, head bowed as far as he could manage.

And often, not even then... he added to himself. It was to a slaves advantage to not be seen, not be heard. And if Cladius could profess to one thing, it was that his beatings had forced on him a certain expertise in that.

[Mr. Handy]

"Ah, but you did not think to wonder how I noticed you," said Scaevola. "It is because you are needed now." He held out his empty goblet. "More wine."

The chorus lamented the disrespect shown by man towards the oracles of Apollo and his defiance of the will of the gods. Then Jocasta, escorted by a servant, returned from the palace and went to the altar of Apollo with an offering, praying that he would cleanse them of the corruption that was the cause of their curse. As she placed her offerings on the altar, an old messenger approached, seeking the home of Oedipus, or better still the man himself. The chorus leader pointed out the palace and told him that Oedipus was inside, and that Jocasta was the mother of his children. The messenger went up to her, saying that he had good news for her house and for her husband.