August Roman

Once, the name August Roman made the criminal underworld quake with fear. One of the most brilliant criminal minds in the world, Roman plotted and executed flawless crimes, ruling a “shadow empire” like the emperors of old he admired. All that stood in his way were costumed clowns like The Centurion, and Roman wanted nothing more than to prove his intellect and cunning were a match for any freak of nature, superpowers or no. Although Centurion often thwarted Roman’s schemes, he never truly captured the criminal mastermind, and Roman always managed to go free.
Roman’s mistake was in backing Freedom City mayor Franklin Moore. Although it gave the crime-lord almost unfettered influence in Freedom City, it also created a trail leading back to him. When Moore’s corrupt administration fell apart, Roman was forced to abandon much of what he’d built and become a true fugitive from justice. What’s more, the Terminus Invasion denied him what he had always wanted: the opportunity for revenge on the Centurion.
After the death of his old foe, Roman found himself without purpose for a time. Then he reconnected with his daughter, Saturnalia, and she inspired him to create a new enterprise, something to leave to her when his time was done; thus the Circuit Maximus was born. Still, time took its toll. Roman was old and sick, and even his wealth and influence couldn’t change that.
Now the self-proclaimed “Emperor of Crime” lies in a coma in a hospital bed, cared for by hired staff and watched after by his daughter. Saturnalia has considered some of her father’s more outlandish schemes and fail-safe plans to avoid death, but she is still torn between her fondness for him—and the value of keeping him alive—and her desire to hold on to the power she has gained since becoming his heir. If she can find a way to draw upon August Roman’s considerable experience and influence while keeping him under her thumb, she’ll most certainly take it.

Physical Description

Body Features

August Roman is a tall, thin, distinguished gentleman with silvery hair receding from a high forehead. He has a Roman nose and sharp features, including penetrating grey eyes.

Apparel & Accessories

He always dresses well and usually carried a silver-tipped walking stick concealing a few useful devices.

Mental characteristics

Personal history

Golden Age

From the beginning of his career, Roman’s brilliant mind plotted and executed flawless crimes, ruling a “shadow empire” in much the same way as the emperors of old he admired. All that stood in his way were costumed clowns like Centurion. Roman wanted nothing more than to prove his intellect and cunning were a match for any freak of nature, superpowers or no. Although Centurion often thwarted Roman’s schemes, he never truly captured the criminal mastermind, and August always managed to go free.
The closest Roman ever came to seeing the inside of a prison cell came in 1943, when the FBI was quite ready to disregard the legal niceties and lock him up in the name of national security. With the invasion of Italy imminent, Roman offered to use his knowledge and influence in his native country to help pave the way for the Allied landings. The government accepted the deal and declined to prosecute him for the duration of the war, after which Roman appeared to go straight.
In truth, the deal simply forced Roman to pursue crime outside his usual channels, leading him to cast his lot with the Crime League. It turned out to be a match made in Hell, as the combination of Roman’s genius and the League’s superhuman abilities led to millions in ill-gotten gains at a time when America could least afford the losses. Like Centurion before, the Liberty League found it could defeat some of Roman’s plans but could never pin anything on the man himself, especially in light of his deal with the U.S. government.

Silver Age

A criminal mastermind in the 1940s, August Roman fulfilled his ambition to become “Emperor of Crime” in Freedom City by the 1950s and ‘60s, running most organize crime in the city and surrounding area. His ambitions expanded toward building a worldwide criminal “shadow empire” the likes of which had never been seen.
Roman’s greatest foe remained the Centurion, whom he considers nothing more than a “muscle-bound meddler.” The criminal genius seeks to prove the superiority of his brilliant and inventive tactical mind against the Centurion’s powers, and he has come close to finishing the famed hero on a number of occasions. Roman’s greatest asset is his skill in distancing himself from his criminal connections. The Centurion has never been able to pin the kind of crimes on his foe that led to Roman’s conviction back in the ‘40s or his eventual government pardon. His vast wealth and genius allows him to develop a variety of weapons and schemes to further his goals,

Iron Age

For years, the most powerful criminal syndicate in Freedom City was Augustus Roman’s Circus Maximus. The so-called “Caesar of Crime” moved lesser crime-bosses like pieces on a chessboard and matched wits with the Centurion himself. Roman’s masterstroke, however, was when he chose to back Franklin Moore’s mayoral bid. He was finally able to confound his old foe the Centurion and other costumed heroes with the one thing they couldn’t oppose: the law. Or at least, so he thought.
Initially, Roman was quite right. The Moore Act drove the lawabiding heroes out of Freedom City or forced them into retirement. Even the Centurion operated in the city only to help deal with natural disasters and similar emergencies. Patrolling to reduce crime was out of the question. Like a victorious Caesar, Roman created a new empire for himself, becoming the unquestioned king of Freedom’s underworld. At least part of Roman’s success is inspired by his desire to secure the future of his young daughter, Saturnalia.
Of course, Roman’s luck ran out when Moore’s administration is exposed as thoroughly corrupt and his fingerprints are all over the payoffs. His syndicate collapses, and his former lieutenant Raphael Oliverti takes power in the Freedom underworld, while Roman was forced to look for greener pastures.

Social

Contacts & Relations

Circuit Maximus

The Circuit Maximus is an illegal superhuman fight circuit: underground gladiatorial games, featuring super-powered fighters, for the amusement and betting pleasure of a jaded and wealthy audience. Its bouts are fought in a secret area, away from the eyes of the authorities, and the Circuit recruits fighters from among the criminal element as well as those looking for wealth or fame.

Family Ties

Saturnalia Roman

Saturnalia Roman is as cold and cruel as she is beautiful. She’s always been able to wrap any man around her little finger to get what she wants—including her father—and she has come to enjoy a lifestyle of wealth and influence. The Circuit Maximus was her idea, at least partially because she enjoys watching powerful brutes fight it out for her amusement.
Saturnalia is a strikingly beautiful woman with long, lustrous black hair, perfect olive skin, and dark, smoldering eyes. She always dresses to impress in the latest fashions, and makes sure to keep a few “toys” on hand for defense—and amusement, if she becomes bored.

Species

Human

Aligned Organization

The Mob (F.C.)

Other Affiliations

• The Crime League (G.A.)