A player informed me last night of a desire to perform an action before the Shepherd vote takes place. I’m holding us up to see if they wish to go ahead with this or have changed their mind.
Apologies for the delay, this is one of the few cases where we have to break the normal flow of things to allow for running the game on the forum.
No apology is necessary, it’s the only way to handle the Forum game and makes perfect sense. I was only asking if the decision on the action had been made, or if it was still being considered.
Calpurnicus was unhappy to be nominated as governor of Gallia Cisalpina. Certainly it would be a signal honour to receive such a position, but it would wreak havoc on his social life! Why, he’d not be able to even visit his friends in Rome more than once a year, and who could say what foolish ideas the senate would vote for in his absence? Furthermore, the Gauls were said to be quite upset with the Romans’ attempts to civilise them so he’d be forced to go everywhere with a large bodyguard. All said, not something he would be pleased to endure for three years.
So he lobbied both his friends and his acquaintances to vote against the appointment. But in the end it was forced through by his greatest rival in the senate, a man who had received quite undeserved military honour and then shown his true colours when tried and convicted of using his position for petty personal gain. Pah! How appropriate that the accursed Fabius should be so covered in warts: his face reflects his twisted and misshapen character.
Calpurnicus’ rage grew hot as he thought further on the unfairness of the whole matter. Was Fabius sending him to Gaul just to spite him or did the Optimates have plans to undermine his influence and drive away his friends while he was so far from Rome? That seemed all the more likely the more he considered it. In the end there was no choice really. He may be bound for Gaul but at least he could stop Fabius’ incessant plotting once and for all first.
Sadly, Calpurnicus’ delusions covered his own ability at assassination as well. The seemingly simple task of sticking a knife into Fabius Maximus was easily foiled after he approached the Assidui benches wild-eyed and almost frothing with rage. He was struck down where he stood and did not live to see the sun rise again, let alone the mountains of Gaul.
Assassination
Calpurnicus attempts to assassinate Fabius Maximus. No assassin cards are played.
The roll is 2.
Calpurnicus is caught and killed. The Calpurnicus card moves to the inactive senators in the curia; the tax farmer concession moves to the forum.
The proposal to make Calpurnicus governor of Gallia Cisalpina fails due to his death.
Aurelius must immediately face a special major prosecution.
For the prosecution:
The censor, Terentius, presides.
There is no prosecutor, advocate or trial phase.
The verdict will be determined solely by:
Senate votes
Aurelius’ influence (now 3)
A popular appeal modified by minus Fabius popularity (0).
Aurelius, Calpurnicus’ faction leader found himself arraigned in the senate before his peers, with questions led by the censor, Terentius. Could they really believe he had anything to do with that fool Calpurnicus’ paranoid and incompetent attempt to kill Fabius Maximus? Or would they use this as an opportunity to dispose of a rival?
A minor point of order: the popular appeal occurs immediately before the Assidui votes are cast, so Valerius can decide how much to spend after seeing the result.
The popular appeal roll (2d6) is 4 and the popularity modifier is 0, so that gives 12 votes in favour of the prosecution.
So by my count we have in favour:
Shepherds: 19 votes
Optimates: 11 votes
Popular appeal: 12 votes
Against:
Aurelius’ influence: 3 votes
Assidui: 10 votes
Populares: 12 votes
Which is 42-25 in favour of the prosecution. As that’s too much to swing with money, I’m going to assume that Valerius will hold onto his coins.
Aurelius is found guilty and executed.
Due to Fabius’ neutral popularity, there is no pressure from the people for investigation of potential complicity among the rest of the Assidui, so the matter rests there.
@Knightsaber: control of the senate returns to Aemilius, who must still fill the vacant governorships.