Session 33 - Letters to Rome

General Summary

From the letters of Tertia Verecundia
First letter, addressed to Ostia:

Dear Mother,
I am coming home! Ostia is our next destination, and Roma after that. We are deciding whether to retain possession of the Excursion and thus stay here for a few weeks to learn from the elven Collegium Navitarum, or whether to sell the ship and book travel on another boat. It largely depends on the availability of a berth, as at least one of our group has urgent business in Ostia.
I am hoping that the small apartment you set aside for wealthy travelers, business partners, or family visits will be available for myself and my four companions (plus one semi-civilized black hunting cat that I think the children will adore). If not, then I beg at least one night in the family apartments before we look for public accommodations. It is not a matter of cost, but merely that we won’t be in town especially long, and I wish to see all of you as much as I can.
I will be returning to you a minor hero. We aided the elven city of Turris by locating the position of some stolen temple votive offerings, and then guided the local century of soldiers to the temple of Kuo-toa (fish people, if you haven’t read my letter to father). The soldiers did much bloody work, but we faced the wily and dangerous Priest Prince. And I suspect that we are why the chests containing the stolen votive offerings were actually found. Roman soldiers are fairly experienced prying out gems and locating hidden treasure rooms, but these soldiers were locals without many opportunities to practice such rapacity. Bandua especially excels at finding everything in your temple/house/warehouse you would not want someone to find! Old dwarven soldiers are a class unto their own in that regard. (Fear not, he won’t touch anything in the house. So long as we feed him well.)
So as fortune seekers and adventurers go, be assured that your adult daughter has not fallen in with any but the most honored. The family has no reason to be ashamed.
In fact, if grandfather has any lingering issues that a granddaughter of his should be engaging in such banditry, tell him that we were allowed to return the votive offerings to the Temple of Diana ourselves, in full honors before the priests and priestesses.
In service to Roma,
Tertia

Scribbled on a separate piece of paper in Tertia’s pack:

No obvious way to access the temple privately, but Hassan has a magical ability to teleport himself short distances to a place he has seen, so our visit inside the temple to return the offerings served a useful purpose.
(That kind of magic is what I am working to master, but my first successful attempts across our inn room require that I see where I am going. Perhaps I can try sending Haruspex to one of the other inn rooms and then teleport to a place I can see through eyes?)
Instantaneous entry, then a spell of silence cast by Kleeck (very useful, divine only?), and they were able to gain entry to the secret chamber with almost absurd ease. When you combine diverse magics, the results can be very gratifying

Second letter, addressed to the Ulpian Library in Rome:

Mettia,
I hope this missive finds you prospering and doing what you love best. I was thrilled to learn about your promotion at the Ulpian Library.
I will be visiting Roma soon, and I bring some fascinating scrolls. They were obtained from an ancient hidden temple up the coast from Turris, hidden under the nose of the empire for hundreds (maybe thousands) of years. This temple was occupied by a population of a little-known people called the Kuo-Toa (they are bipedal purple fish-folk…smell like a fish market on a hot day). They worshipped a turtle-god known as Oceanus. I recently learned the magicks to understand any written language, and in respect for our long friendship, I would be delighted to provide you with a translated copy.
Please, however, let the appropriate folk know that the originals might be available for sale. And I would be very curious to know whether you’d ever come across a reference to Oceanus – I have not.
In service to Roma,
Tertia Verecundia

When read by Mettia, the following message also magically appears:

I have a puzzle for you. The following writings, in Latin, were found in three different secret chambers within the Roman Empire, signed by a “T.L.P.”. More may be uncovered. Have you ever encountered other writings that reference the names or concepts therein?
When I get to Rome, I will share with you the temples where these were retrieved in exchange for any information you can unearth! I can trust you to understand how critical discretion is. If anyone should interfere with our pursuit of more of these inscriptions, how will you and I learn more pieces to this puzzle?
VI
And so, Jupiter gathered the gods about him, and instructed them each to create a new race, as the Titans had done thousands of years before. But whereas the Reptile-gods had created races of cold-blooded beings, now the younger gods created races whose blood ran warm. So it was that the elves and dwarves, gnomes and halflings, centaurs and goliaths, came to stride upon the earth. And at the last, the final contribution came from the greatest of all the gods and goddesses, who breathed life into the very first humans. And Jupiter saw these things, and was pleased, for the gods now had warm-blooded beings to worship them.
IX
Romulus and Remus grew in strength and skill, eventually becoming great heroes among their people, to match Aeneas, who by then had died in battle. The two rose among the Hill Folk, eventually uniting several large tribes under their leadership. Deciding that the area known as the Seven Hills would be their home, they waged a final war against the orcs and goblins living there. And they were aided by the gods, for Remus and his men worshipped their god, and Romulus and his men worshipped their goddess. Together, the powers of these gods enabled their victory.
XVI
This was why, in his final days, the prayers of King Maagog fell on deaf ears. For as he begged the Reptile-gods for aid, they were fighting a losing war against the younger gods. Desperate for their own defense, the Titans could spare no power for their worshippers. And so, when the Romans conquered Haurach, the Old Ones were finally defeated, slain one and all by their former subjects. And as he died, Maagog bellowed to the high heavens, cursing the men who drove their swords through his heart, and vowing to seek revenge against Rome.

Rewards Granted

3,900 Experience Points.

Missions/Quests Completed

• Major Milestone - Obtain the votive lockbox
• Major Milestone - Return the Votive Offerings to the Temple
• Campaign Milestone - find the 3rd Stela and 3rd Inscription

Character(s) interacted with

Pontifica Lashana Aurelia Caphaxath

Report Date

05 Jun 2021

Primary Location

Myrkyr Isles

Secondary Location

Turris