The Republic Reborn

[Magnus Pym]

[ooc=Summer, 5th Turn]
- Acquire lands in the Roma Campagna big enough to grow -flax-. Spend no more than 1 Wealth for the purchase. If there is a possibility that I can acquire land freely and without problems, use that method. My character would also prefer it if the emplacement was favorable for future expansion, if it's not already big enough.
- Hold my annual party

[spoiler=De Vinti's Summer Festivities]
Late in the summer, my senator will hold a party to which all senatores consilliarii, a few senators, popular Roman artists and other friends would be invited. There would be a dinner, followed by music and dancing with wine, bread and cheese.

Just before sunset, reveal my gallery. It comprises of several masterpieces; the painted portrait of Consul Roberto Basile on his senatores consilliarii chair, helped by my imagination rather than posing; the bust of Consul Fortis Calafatus in white marble, with lines and shades of emerald-green; and a 4-feet tall statue of a woman in thin and revealing clothes dancing sensually, made in quality white marble (seemingly depicts woman dancing baladi).

Each of the pieces, except the woman statue, would be taken into the Curia Julia to be shown at the Senate room entrance. Would anyone care for the woman statue, which I don't doubt, I would sell to the highest bidder, not considering offers under [1 Wealth]. Of course, artwork by other artists that are invited to my party would also be shown, though less spectacularly.

The general atmosphere would be a relaxed one, occasionally enticing debauchery.

NOTE: My wife from Tripoli, Sofia, could also have some of her family members and/or friends come, whether they are based in Europe or Africa.[/spoiler]

[spoiler=Flax]
- Buy 1 Wealth worth of Flax seeds in Naples (Again, send the same agent who went to Naples for me before.)
- Convince the agricultural expert who witnessed the process of Flax cultivation in Naples to work the new Flax fields in the Roma Campagna

[ic=Letter to [agricultural expert I sent to Naples during spring to witness the Flax processes]
Signore [Name],
I would very much appreciate it if you would help me on one of my newly acquired lands in the Roma Campagna. See, this –flax- has piqued my interest. I wish to grow the product here, but my position as Senator keeps me busy in Rome. I feel that Rome can benefit much from this trade, and also that you are one of the very few I can trust with the management of the lands assigned to the cultivation of this –flax-. Should you need workers, I would find them for you.

Rest assured that your efforts will be compensated, should you accept my proposition.

Sincerely,
Senator Hugo de Vinti[/ic]

- Have an agent look for men that could work the Flax fields. Inspire them with speeches and small gifts. The speeches would state how vital it is that we start expanding on the economical front, and hint at the enrichment opportunities that the –flax- industry offers to entice positive reaction from the people.
[spoiler=Covertly]Another agent could also disperse flyers around the city, directing interested workers to my estate, at which point an assistant would answer them, also informing them that the first seeding will happen soon.[/spoiler]

I'm also still waiting for the return of the agent I sent to Venice.[/ooc]


[ooc=Intelligence gathering]
Perhaps this may give you a few ideas as to what information my agents in Pisa and Bologna could give me.

- Pisa – Strongly Defended City: How, with what and how many?
- Pisa – Weaknesses: What are they?
- Pisa – Hostile Neighbors: Are there any way for Rome to exploit psychological weaknesses to foment a war between Pisa and, let's say, Florence?
- Pisa – Reach: What and with whom do they trade? What is their reach, how far do they travel and what are their sea routes?
- Bologna – There wasn't much in the first read, I'll wait for the second for any questions. Of course information about its defense, education (what do they teach?) and trade opportunities would be good. How others view Rome is also something my senator likes to know.
[/ooc]

[Polycarp]

This is a pleasant reminder that tomorrow is currently the last day to get in orders.  As we only have one set of orders posted so far, my suspicion is that some people may need extra time.  Let me know what's up and how much time you need and I'll adjust the due date accordingly.

Also, do remember that next season is election season!  It's never too early to campaign!

[Nomadic]

[ooc]
- Seeing the need to expand my ventures I will spend [1 wealth] to invest into the local wool trade.
- Some of this will be spent hiring armed men who will help me clear out and lay claim to the most appropriate tract of land I can find near Rome. This will be limited to land owned by the clergy who have been kicked out of Rome by the recent power shifts. I will find the largest piece I can appropriate for grazing sheep on. I will approach any peasant families on the land and pick from amongst them those most competent and capable to help oversee the raising and shearing of my sheep. They will be told that if they work for me they can keep their homes on my land and if they do good work I will supplement them with some coin income. If they cheat me though they will find themselves looking for a home elsewhere. As for any other peasants they will simply be driven off the land by my armed men.
- The remainder of the money spent will be spent on purchasing sheep, feed, and any other equipment required for raising and shearing the sheep. I will find a close family member or friend competent enough to oversee the work and loyal enough to oversee it honestly for me.
[/ooc]

[TheMeanestGuest]

[ic=Speech before the Lesser Council]

Senators!

The campaign is in the able hands of Consul Calafatus, and I do not say that we should interfere. What word that has reached us speaks only of the triumph of the Romans, so why then should we desist in our efforts when presented with such a paltry sum? We must show all of Latium that we are not to be trifled with, and we must show the Reatini the value of our Alliance. Control of the Via Salaria and its castles is vital to secure our position, and to ensure the safe passage of goods and arms between us and our ally.

Our defenses are near insurmountable, and the Faliscans would not dare engage us. The security of Rome is as ever my primary priority, and even now I am ensuring that our walls are strong, so that we might resist any attack sent against us! We cannot doubt the bravery of our brother Romans in the field, and I am sure that when the Consul achieves victory, the resulting peace will be all the better for our City.

[/ic]

[LD]

[ooc]
-Buy 1 wealth worth of food, to be delivered in Autumn or early Winter either directly from Naples or through a Pisan merchant who docks at Naples and store in a granary... how long will the food keep for? If the food would only keep for 1 season, cancel this order- if the food could keep for up to two years, then that's good.
-Determine where the most blacksmiths are currently located on the Italian peninsula and what sort of commissions they are getting and why they likely are staying in the locations where they have been.
- Do I hear back from the people I sent to Africa on Trade?
- Draft a letter to the Frangipani, asking for their interests in trade and introducing myself and encouraging them to speak to the Consuls of Rome since they are also Children of Rome; inquiring also to what they want from Rome, because we all can benefit and grow rich from Unity.[/ooc]

[Elemental_Elf]

[Ooc=Orders]Spend no more 1 wealth to fix up as many of my new properties as possible, focusing on areas that would receive the most traffic. These establishments should be ship shape and nice but not fancy.  Take the best property that is both near some of the famous sites in Rome and in a safer/wealthier neighborhood and spend a bit more money on it (in comparison to the rest) to make it above average. If the reconstruction is completed this turn, send some men throughout the Italian Peninsula, informing the masses (as well as the influential merchants) that the De Rosa Inns and Taverns are open and ready to accept patronage!

[Polycarp]

I am beginning the update for this turn.  I will accept new orders or changes to existing orders for the next 6 hours or so as long as you notify me with a post or PM.  I will not accept new orders or changes after that point unless you clear it with me by PM.  I hope to post the update sometime tomorrow, but it is a big one, so we will see!

[Llum]

[ooc=Orders for Summer of 1153]
-Continue with the military campaign/siege from the previous season. Focus on siege weapons trying to throw our stockpiles of flaming pitch (if possible)
-Keep a vanguard of Outriders and scouts on the lookout for enemy reinforcements
-Scour the land around the castle
-If the current siege is won, raze the castle to the ground and loot as much as possible.
-If the siege is won and the advanced continued, keep an good scout for ambushes.
-After the summer, return to Rome. If in siege at the end of the summer, raze and scour anything within 10 leagues of the defenders then leave.
-Get writ of property for each captured castle, town or any land. These are to be held under guard by Calafatus's men and will be distributed the following season.
-Reassure any lords of conquered castles that if they are willing to be subject to Roman rule that things will go their way, but any defiance will be punished dearly.
-Find out if Pierlioni has any allies in the conquered areas.
-Leave Nerulae and other captured castles under the rule of men loyal to Consul Calafatus ( with the exception of Capofarfa which is to be razed). They can come to Rome and retrieve their writ of property in Rome in the Autumn.
-Fund any costs of the war from my own wealth.
[/ooc]

[Polycarp]

Anno Domini MCLIII
Summer has passed into Autumn…
In autumn, laborers take to the farmlands to plow the fields and sow the winter wheat, while in the hills grapes and olives must be picked and pressed.  This is a busy time in Rome, for much work needs to be done between the withering summer and the onset of winter.  The wealthy return to the city from their country estates this season, and the Church prepares for the celebration of All Saints’ Day.  On the water, merchants hurry to complete their routes before the winter storms make the sea treacherous, and citizens watch the Tiber warily, for floods come most often in autumn

Our Consuls: None (Elections pending)
Our Pope: Anastasius IV
Our Rage: Simmering

News from Abroad

Uroš II Primislav, Prince of Serbia, has been overthrown by his brother Desa.  Desa is believed to have staged his rebellion in response to the submission of Uroš to the Emperor of the Greeks Manuel Komnenos last year, and is supported by the pro-Hungarian faction of the Serbian court.  Desa has renounced Greek vassalage.

Bernard of Clairvaux, one of the great clergymen of our time, has died.  Bernard founded the abbey of Clairvaux, greatly expanded the Cistercian monastic order, and helped conceive of the rules of the Knights Templar.  His influence in the Christian church was so great that he exchanged frequent letters with many Popes over his lifetime, and was instrumental in the preaching of the Second Crusade.

News of Latium

Romans, we have a new Pope!  On the 8th of July at Anagni, Pope Eugene III passed away.  Four days later the College of Cardinals elected their own Dean, Cardinal Corrado Demetri della Suburra, an 80 year old native of Rome, to the Papal chair.  He has taken the name Anastasius IV.

Signore Niccolo Capocci, Lord of Monte Ritondo and Castrum Nomentum, has captured Castrum Poteranum and expelled its Papal garrison without bloodshed.  He now controls a considerable swath of territory between the Tiber and Castrum Montecellorum (a Frangipani fief), situated directly on the strategic northern approaches to Rome.

News of Rome

Hugo de Vinti has thrown another one of his fabulous parties in August, inviting a number of distinguished Senators and all the senatores consiliarii who cared to attend.  A painting of Consul Basile, a bust of Consul Calafatus, and a full statue of a less than fully clothed woman were exhibited, along with other artistic works.

Wild talk has seized the city - it is said that Patrician Pierleone has charged Consul Calafatus with famosis libellis, a very serious offense!  How will the court decide?  Already brawls have been reported between the old consulari and patrizi...

Work continues on shoring up the worst parts of the Aurelian walls, funded by Consul Basile and the Communal treasury.  Initial repairs are expected to be complete by next season.

Expeditions

[spoiler=The Sabine Campaign, Part 2]The Battle of Mons Elcinus

Commune of Rome (Consul Fortis Calafatus) – 4,350 men
100 Urban Cavalry
100 Senatorial Guard [Urban Militia]
100 Mercenary Footmen [Feudal Levy]
1420 Urban Militia
2620 Rural Levy

Abbey of Farfa (Signore Donnino di Catino) – 4,550 men
200 Italian Knights
2,200 Feudal Levy
750 Zafones
1,500 Rural Levy

Castrum Capofarfa fell to the Romans on June 18th.  The defenders had resisted doggedly for two weeks, but once the Romans breached the outer walls they retreated into the citadel and surrendered five days later for lack of supplies.  As it turned out, the castle had only been held by 80 men, only half of whom remained by the citadel’s fall.  The Romans had little time to celebrate, however, for on the 20th a messenger arrived for Consul Calafatus from Castrum Nerulae.

Nerulae had been captured and lightly garrisoned earlier in the expedition.  It was held by only 150 Romans, who were responsible for a somewhat larger number of captives whom had surrendered the castle to Calafatus in May.  The messenger had been sent by the eques who had been left in command.  He reported to the Consul that they were besieged by a force of somewhere near five thousand men, led by Signore Donnino di Catino, a nobleman loyal to the abbey.  Di Catino had conveyed the Farfan peace proposal to the eques and demanded the surrender of the castle; the eques offered to surrender in two weeks if help was not forthcoming.  It was not a concession to cowardice, but realism – even after releasing most of his captives so he would have fewer mouths to feed (and a smaller chance of betrayal), the garrison hardly had enough food to survive for two weeks.

Some suspected the siege was meant simply to draw the Romans into the lowlands for a fight; if this was the intention, it was successful.  Consul Calafatus departed from Capofarfa two days later, on the 22nd, enough time to reassemble the army and exact tribute from the nearby town of Torricella.  Castrum Capofarfa itself had not been razed, but enough of the structure had been torn down to render it useless for the near future.  The Roman army was in good spirits, but supplies were very low – the wooded hills of Sabina provided very little forage for four and a half thousand men, far less than the fertile plans of Farfa.  Furthermore, the weather was beginning to get hot; the only consolation there was that it would be equally tiring to the Farfans.

The Battle of Nerola took place on the 24th of June.  The Romans were encamped that morning in the valley of Farfa, just over three miles from Castrum Nerulae.  The Consul had hoped to screen his advance from the Farfans behind hills, but in the early light of dawn the Roman sentries spied horsemen on the hills to the west.  Believing these to be advance scouts, the Consul quickly advanced westward with the bulk of his forces, eager to claim the high ground of Monte degli Elci before the Farfans could.

The horsemen were indeed Farfan scouts, but the Consul need not have worried about being beaten.  While the Romans had lost the element of surprise, the Farfan army (being prepared for a siege) was quite spread out and could only watch as the Romans rounded the corner of the ancient Roman highway.

The armies now stared at each other across a mile-wide valley full of trampled vineyards, ravaged fields, and sparse woodland, signs of the previous Roman passage in spring.  At its lowest point, the valley was four hundred feet below the positions of each army.  The Romans and Sabines jeered at each other from across the divide, and the garrison of Castrum Nerulae raised a makeshift red-and-gold flag, the banner of the city, signaling to the Consul that they had not yet fallen.

[spoiler=Pictures!]
The modern-day Via Salaria on the side of Mons Elcinus, looking northwards from Nerola.


A view of modern-day Nerola and the valley below from the Via Salaria, looking southward from the site of the battle..
[/spoiler]

The question now was who would cross the valley first.  Each army stood between the other and retreat.  Neither had the supplies to simply wait, though neither knew this of the other side.  Calafatus was resolved to remain on the defensive, and eventually his enemy indulged him.  An hour or so before noon, the Sabines, led by around two hundred knights, descended from Nerola and began crossing the valley.

Calafatus placed his battle-line on the slope just below the road, composed of the Roman militia and a hundred mercenary infantry, mostly Frankish.  In usual fashion, his horsemen took his right flank and the allied zafones his right, while the peasants with and without bows massed behind the line.  He had hoped to construct engines to fire on the enemy, but there had been little time, and the hillside was devoid of any timber appropriate to their construction.

The Sabine knights were at the fore of their force, formed up in a long line.  The last hundred and fifty yards to the Roman line was at a 20% grade, which the robust coursers trotted up as the Roman peasantry began to shower arrows down on the Sabines.  Calafatus ordered his men to shoot at the horses of the knights, unarmored as they were, but the single line of knights proved too difficult for the contadini to hit with a barrage.  Only the last volley, just before the knights spurred their mounts into a charge, was able to take a few of them down.

With a cry of “Silvestro!” amid the thunder of hooves and clattering mail, the Sabine knights lowered their lances and sped towards the Roman militia.  This was a situation of a whole different magnitude than what the Romans had faced before, and the line wavered in the face of the charge even as Calafatus shouted for his men to hold.  When the knights struck home, part of the line was already retreating.

The left wing of the militia gave way and crumbled; the right wing, however, bolstered by the Consul’s personal guard and the milites pro commune, stood fast.  In the middle of the Roman left the Sabine knights smashed all the way through the fleeing militiamen.  The levies, seeing knights break through towards them, broke and ran.  The zafones on the left flank joined them; the mercenaries held, though they lost formation and clumped together as many of the knights wheeled right and rode at them with drawn swords.

On the Roman right, the Sabine horses simply stopped, unwilling to charge into rows of eight-foot spears.  There was a brief pause as the two sides stared at each other uncomfortably – then the militia rushed forward, the equites charged out on the right, and many of the knights were scattered or unhorsed.

Despite the resistance of the right flank, the Roman army was collapsing.  The Sabine footmen, now close at hand, could see fleeing Romans covering the hillside, and shouted and whistled as they marched forward.  The mercenaries still made an isolated stand on the Roman left, perhaps only because they had nowhere to run.

In the melee, the Sabine chivalry had lost sight of their leader, Signore di Catino, who had led their charge.  When the knights on the Roman left turned from the mercenaries to regroup, they were greeted with the sight of di Catino’s riderless horse cantering away from the Roman right, and the Consul’s armored guard wheeling left to face them.  Someone called out “Donnino è morto!”  Dismayed, the Sabine knights retreated.  They had left a massive hole in the Roman line, but the Sabine levies that were just now attacking the Romans were not in a tactical frame of mind.  Seeing the nobility flee on the right flank and vanish on the left, without any commander to lead them, the Sabines panicked and were completely routed.  The equites, still fresh, chased the Sabines with gusto, but there was only so much a hundred horsemen could do to ride down several thousand Sabines dispersing into the countryside.

The Romans had, by luck or divine favor, won a battle they were minutes away from losing thanks to the timely disappearance of the Farfan leader.  Di Catino’s body was soon found.  He had been unhorsed at some point on the Roman right.  The rumor was that he had raised his sword in a gesture to his men when a militiaman drove his spear under the lord’s armpit and into his chest, killing him almost immediately.

The Romans proceeded to Castrum Nerulae with their wounded, of whom there were many.  It was still only June, but the prospects for continuing the campaign seemed poor.  Many of the levies who had fled after the initial charge had not returned, melting away into the countryside instead.  The zafones, too, had not regrouped in any number, and half the mercenaries were dead or wounded.  The Consul decided to retire to Rome, though not for another week, during which time the equites, remaining mercenaries, and a few hundred infantry raided eastwards and looted the farms and villages around Scandriglia.  After leaving a small volunteer garrison at Castrum Nerulae, the Consul returned to Rome with his army, arriving on July 10th.

The curious final act of the campaign played out without the Romans’ knowledge.  Apparently, when news spread of the Roman victory, Signore Niccolo Capocci of Monte Ritondo rode to the nearby papal stronghold of Castrum Poteranum with a small force.  Word has it that he told the garrison that the Romans were coming south to aid him in besieging them; when the Romans were sighted marching southward on the Via Salaria, the garrison panicked and surrendered the castle to Signore Capocci without a fight.

Heralds have conferred and agreed to name the recent battle Mons Elcinus, the Latin name of Monte degli Elci, “Mountain of Oaks,” where the battle was fought.

The costs of this campaign were 2 Wealth, paid for by Consul Fortis Calafatus.  The spoils of this campaign amount to 3 Wealth, and the town of Torricella has paid 1 Wealth in tribute.  These funds are currently in the hands of Fortis Calafatus.

Roman casualties:
5 Urban Cavalry
10 Senatorial Guard [Urban Militia]
40 Mercenary Footmen [Feudal Levy]
180 Urban Militia

Many of the rural levies are still unaccounted for, but we estimate around 100-200 casualties among them.  Their contract fulfilled, the remaining mercenaries have disbanded.

Farfan casualties:
30 Italian Knights
Around 200 assorted infantry

We have captured 35 Italian Knights, and await offers for their ransom.

Signore Donnino di Catino has been killed in battle.  His body, as well as the other bodies of gentlemen killed at Mons Elcinus, have been returned to their families for proper Christian burials.

We have occupied Castrum Nerulae and garrisoned it with 200 men, but these are only temporary levies.

The following unit has been encountered for the first time and will be added to the Unit Library: Italian Knights.

Consul Calafatus gains 1 Popularity and 2 Wealth.[/spoiler]
Finances

The interior Consul has provided the Senate with a report on the status of the treasury.

Treasury: 1 Wealth

• Defense Fund: 0 Wealth

Income

• Tribute, Tre Fontane: 1 Wealth/year (Paid in Autumn)
• Duty, Patrician Pierleoni: 1 Wealth/year (Paid in Spring)

Expenditures

• Jus Politia Upkeep: 1 Wealth/year (Paid in Winter)

Senatorial Inquests

Senators that requested information or launched endeavors have the results of their efforts listed here.  This information is private, but you may certainly choose to share it with the Senate.

[spoiler=Roberto Basile]Walls
Your work on shoring up the Aurelian Walls continues.  Consul Calafatus’ early return has provided you with more manpower, but the Roman summer is not an ideal time for manual labor.  You estimate that the repairs you paid for will be complete by the end of autumn.

Bologna
Though the “Four Doctors,” the principal legal scholars at Bologna, are not interested in venturing abroad, you have managed to attract a small number of their students to assist in the establishment of Roman justice, at least temporarily.  In the long term, distinguished legal scholars may have to be paid as regular servants of the state.

Dinner
Signore Colonna entertained you and Patrician Pierleone in early June at his fabulous palazzo.  He offered a toast to “peace in Rome” and expressed his hope that the Senate and the Pierleoni clan would remain reconciled.  The conversation ranged over various topics, but Colonna’s main thrust seemed to be words of cautious against acts that “might be seen as” Roman aggression.  He argued that while the Emperor could not possibly settle every little infraction committed by nobles and cities and clergy against one another, he would surely crush the worst of them as examples to others.  It was, he maintained, a poor idea to make oneself a nuisance before the Emperor’s arrival, lest he decide that Rome is ideal not only for his coronation but as a warning to other land-hungry communes throughout Italy.

You learned a number of tidbits from this meeting.  First, the Patrician walks with a noticeable limp; you are not sure how his overall health fares, but he is clearly not fully recovered.  Colonna added that the Pope was gravely ill, which was confirmed when his death was reported in the following month.  Following the Pope’s death, Colonna departed from the city in something of a hurry.  Finally, Pierleone revealed that he had been in contact with the Lord of Formello, whose family has been friends of the Pierleoni clan for generations.  He wished, the Patrician said, to maintain his neutrality above all, fearing that moving to either side would open his lands to pillage and ruination.  He seemed certain that the Faliscans were capable and willing to attack the Roman contado if peace could not me maintained, and that the Romans baited the League at their own peril.

Escape!
Fortunate news – a number of your good men sent with the ill-fated Pisan trading mission have returned to you!  They inform you that their ship was attacked by Saracen pirates off the southern coast of Sardinia.  They were taken as slaves to the pirates’ base in the Kerkennah Islands, and earlier this year they were freed when the Sicilian admiral Philip of Mahdia captured the islands earlier this year.  Your investment is lost, unfortunately, but at least the majority of your servants have come back to you, and that is something to be thankful for.

You have spent 1 Wealth this season.[/spoiler]

[spoiler=Hugo de Vinti]Flax
Flax requires fertile clay soil to produce well, and the best available is on the banks of the middle Tiber, north of Rome.  The land you preferred, on the east bank of the Tiber near the territory of Signore di Capocci, is cultivated but owned by the church of Santa Maria in Via Lata in Rome, under the control of the Cardinal-Deacon Gerard de Namur.  As the Cardinal was obviously not in residence, your funds were sufficient to bribe the local overseers and friendly Roman clergy into acknowledging your “lease” over the land.

Finding workers turned out not to be a problem.  The lands already had workers, and as your illegal yet de facto tenants, the peasants have taken your “advice” to switch their crops very seriously.  You have been aided by the activities of Senator Sismondii, who has apparently been expelling peasant families from their land a few miles away to the southeast in order to replace them with sheep herders.  Some of these families, now desperate for homes and work, have made their way to your “estate” to have a go at this fairly unfamiliar crop.  You didn’t need any flyers, which is good, because they’re rather useless – you have yet to encounter a farm worker who could read.

Party
Your fête went quite well despite the oppressive August heat.  In most years, the wealthy would have left Rome for the summer, but in these days of conflict even those who can afford to don’t really have anywhere to go.

Your magnificent statue was purchased by a senator, but there is a limited market for such goods among the Senatorial class; few can afford to spend [1 Wealth] on a statue.  The richest men of Rome are among the equites, many of whom are nobles, but they are used to somewhat grander affairs.  While you are no doubt a skilled thrower of parties, it occurs to you that an improved place to throw them – a true palazzo worthy of your superb taste – might further increase your influence among the Roman elite.

Pisa
Pisa’s walls are brand new, constructed in this century and considered to be among the longest modern walls in Italy.  Like Rome, they rely on an urban militia for their defense; the full strength of this militia is unknown but it is probably comparable to Rome’s.  The Pisan militia has adopted the crossbow into general use and a small portion of their militia is dedicated to that weapon.

No structural weakness in Pisa’s defenses is evident; if it has a weakness, it is that the city is constantly struggling with jealous neighbors, chiefly Lucca and Florence.  Unlike Genoa, which is protected by geography and enjoys the support of its neighbors, Pisa must continuously ward off enemies on both land and sea and is seldom left in peace.  If a real war were to break out between Pisa and Rome, at least one of Pisa’s rivals might see it as an opportunity.

Pisa’s naval reach is extensive.  They have merchant quarters in Constantinople, Egypt, and Acre.  They have a nearly complete monopoly over trade with southern France, but compete with Genoa for access to Spain, Africa, Sicily, and Sardinia.  They trade in practically everything, acting as a middleman between many different Mediterranean lands.

Bologna
The Studio is not a “university” as we would understand it in the 21st century.  Its purpose is not to grant degrees or provide a general education, but to serve as an institute for the study of ancient texts, specifically recently discovered texts relating to Roman civil and canon law.  Sustained by church money and an Imperial grant, the Studio is home to the “Four Doctors,” the most distinguished of the glossators, and their students (who are learned scholars and lawyers in their own right).

Bologna is a rapidly growing city that only recently expanded its walls to accommodate new population.  They are not a massive trade hub, but they do a brisk business from their textile industry, where woolens and linen goods are manufactured.  Some of their trade is done with Venice, which exports Bolognese textiles to the East, but most is regional trade with the cities of Romagna and the march of Verona.

Like Pisa, Bologna is defended by an organized urban militia, but it has also come to control a considerable number of the noblemen in its contado and could probably rely on them to provide knights in war.  They do not seem to have adopted the crossbow for their militia like the Pisans have.

Marshes
The knowledge of the Venetians on draining marshes is very limited; they have raised artificial land from the lagoon on piles, but this is simply to build on, not to farm.  Your agent did, discover, the one source of knowledge they did have on the subject, and copied this page from a fragment of the De Re Rustica, an ancient Roman text on agriculture by Lucius Columella that only exists in pieces.

[spoiler=On the Soil]If [the soil] is damp, the superfluous moisture must first be drained with ditches. Of these we are familiar with two kinds — blind and open. In tracts of hard-packed and chalky soil they are left open; but where the ground is of looser texture some are made open and some of them, too, are covered over, though in such a way as to connect with the mouths of the open ditches.  But it will be best to make open drains wider at the top, and sloping and narrowing together at the bottom, like inverted roof-tiles; for those whose sides are perpendicular are quickly eroded by water and are filled in by the slipping of the earth above.

The covered ones, on the other hand, are to be blinded by sinking trenches to a depth of three feet, and then, after they have received a filling half way up of small stones or clean
gravel, leveling them off by throwing over them the dirt that was dug out. Or, if stones and gravel are not available, a sort of cable of entwined brushwood will be fashioned of such a thickness as the bottom of the narrow trench may receive when it is fitted, so to speak, and pressed down close. This will then be stretched along the bottom, to be covered over with earth after cypress or pine foliage — or, failing this, other boughs — has been trampled down over it; there being, both at the beginning and at the outlet of the
ditch, two stones set up, merely by way of supports, with one stone laid on top of them in the fashion of little bridges, that this sort of structure may hold the banks in place and prevent the stoppage of water at inlet and outlet.[/spoiler]

You spent 2 Wealth this season, and gained 1 Wealth.[/spoiler]

[spoiler=Arrigus Sismondii]Sheep Quest
It is a distasteful business, running peasants off their land – that’s why you pay people to do it for you.  Your small gang of thugs has been hard at work this summer, though their work is complicated by the legal entanglements of the Roman contado.  Most lands are church-owned, but some are leased by local nobles of uncertain allegiance or administered by a Roman basilica whose priests object to any interference with their lands.  The status of many areas is simply uncertain.  Your efforts have been focused north of the Aniene river, around the Monte Sacro, whose ecclesiastical landlords seem to have flown the coop.

To make a long story short, your effort has been a modest success – the Monte Sacro area was not heavily populated anyway, and the families that did live there could not contest your “appropriation.”  You have purchased flocks, some from Tre Fontane Abbey (whose monks keep a number of sheep), and have begun tending them there.  This is a start to your enterprise and may yield some yearly profit, but it will take more land, more demand, and more weavers to fulfill it before your venture will take off.  Acquiring more land in the region may require more aggressive seizures or buying off other interested (or legally entitled) parties.

Reports
Rieti: The city of Rieti is involved only in very local trade.  It is a minor producer of wool and olives, but does not export much and is self-sustaining enough to require few imports save wine.  The mountains around are rich in timber.

Subiaco: The abbey of Subiaco and its surrounding villages produce mostly wheat and wine; wine, being crucial to Christian rites, is an important crop for nearly every territorial monastery.  The population of the region is small and it is not otherwise a significant market.

Avezzano: This city on Lake Fucino has been in decline since its protectors, the Counts of Marsi, were destroyed by the Normans in the 11th century.  The lake (the largest lake on the Italian peninsula) is filled with abundant fish and the soil in the valley around is famously fertile, but the lake is cursed with the familiar specter of malaria.  Avezzano is still a major producer of wheat and rye, and much smaller amounts of hemp, fruit, and saffron are grown there as well.  They import cloth from the Latin cities and wine from Subiaco.

Portus: Nobody lives here; it is a ruin from ancient times, like Ostia.  There is marble here, but its chief export is malaria.

Sora: A small but prosperous city on the Sicilian border.  Wheat, grapes, olives, fruit, and cattle are produced here.  They import mostly metal and salt, though not in large quantities.

Fondi: This city is mostly known for having excellent soil for citrus.  Lemons, citrons, and bitter oranges are grown and exported throughout central and southern italy, mostly for medicinal use.  They import wheat from their neighbors and cloth from Gaeta.

Nettuno: Nettuno is a small fortified settlement, comparable to Gregoriopolis.  The residents are largely subsistence farmers and fishermen.

Naples: The city of Naples is the largest and most important in southern Italy (not counting Sicily).  It is a trade port used by Sicilians, Pisans, and Genoese; its main export is linen cloth, processed from large flax fields further inland.  Naples imports wine, oil, salt, and metals.

Your agents sent to Genoa and Venice have not yet returned.

You have spent 1 Wealth this season.[/spoiler]

[spoiler=Vittorio Manzinni]Food
Grain, particularly hard grain like durum wheat (recently introduced to Sicily by the Muslims and used for making pasta), can last for many years if it is properly stored in a cool, dry environment.  Naples is the closest and cheapest source, and you have placed your order.

Blacksmiths
Italy’s most significant source of iron is the Alps, though some is extracted in Tuscany and Sardinia as well.  Blacksmiths, however, congregate where the most demand is, which usually means large cities with a great demand for tools and weapons.  Palermo, Milan, Venice, and Naples are chief among these, though everyone knows the best weaponsmiths are among the Christians and Muslims of Spain.

Egypt
Your representatives returned in July from the exotic land of Egypt, where the Fatimid Caliph Al-Zafir rules.  Though the Caliphate holds, they have been challenged on two sides by the continuing war with the Kingdom of Jerusalem in the east, and the destruction of their Bedouin allies in the west by the Almohads.  The important Fatimid frontier fortress of Ascalon has been under siege by a Crusader army since January of this year, and nobody knows which way the siege will go.

Egypt’s largest import from Europe is silver, though they also import iron and a great many woolens from Flanders carried on Venetian and Genoese ships.  In all other goods they seem abundantly supplied.  While they have horses, they are not available for trade in large quantities, and they have only a handful of elephants who reside in the Caliph’s menagerie.  While the merchants of Egypt had no doubt as to the fine marbles of Rome, the Caliph’s government is in something of a cash crunch, and the treasury is far too strained already on military matters to entertain any grand building projects.

Spears
The etching of the spears you requested has been completed.

You have spent 1 Wealth this season.[/spoiler]

[spoiler=Domenico DeRosa]Judicial Event!
What luck, Senator – you have been randomly selected to be the judge of the most controversial and politically toxic legal case yet!  The details of this event will be posted subsequent to the update.

Construction
Though your establishments are hardly palatial, you have successfully raised or renovated several hostels and other hospitality establishments.  Visitors to Rome are not particularly common outside of spring and the nobility flees the city in summer, so they have seen little use and may continue to do so until next year.  Hopefully some word will begin to spread in the autumn, and hopefully your establishments will be comfortable enough to attract the big spenders when the next Holy Week comes around.

You have spent 1 Wealth this season.[/spoiler]

[spoiler=Fortis Calafatus]Campaign
Most Romans hold your campaign to be a success, though they were hardly as excited about attacking Farfan castles as much as they were about destroying hated Tivoli.  Technically, the objective of the campaign – Rocca Sinibalda – was not reached, but Farfa has certainly been damaged by your rampage through their farmlands and the dispersal of the army they hastily gathered to confront you.  Still, while the Battle of Mons Elcinus was a victory, Roman losses were heavier than those of the Sabines and you saw firsthand how devastating a knightly charge could be - despite marching a mile in the summer heat and charging up a 20 degree grade into set infantry, the Sabine knights nearly ended battle with a single stroke.  Clearly the militia could use some additional courage.

Your private force performed well enough during the battle – better than expected, anyway – and while they are still fairly inexperienced troops, the plunder from Mons Elcinus allowed you to finally complete their armament.  They are, if not the most elite, certainly the most well-armored of the Roman infantry.

You have gained 4 Wealth and spent 2 Wealth in the past two seasons (not including your usual 1 Wealth summer bonus).  You have gained 1 Popularity.[/spoiler]

[spoiler=Bernardo Simone di Fontane]Salt
Your enterprise in the marshes has taken a rather unexpected turn for the better; with the Consul’s troops returning earlier than expected, coupled with a number of peasant families searching for work after being driven out of farmland in the north being cleared for sheep-raising, the number of folk willing to stoop and work the salt flats has gone abruptly up.  August brought malaria to your impromptu camp, however, and by the end of summer the enterprise was largely abandoned once more.  Still, two good months of work has yielded you a windfall in salt this year.

Farmland
The harvest this year was sub-par, but serviceable.  You have gained [3 Wealth] in kind from your rented lands, largely in grain.

You gained 4 Wealth this season.[/spoiler]

[Polycarp]

[ooc=Event: Schools of Thought]The actions of various senators have resulted in a number of Bolognese legal scholars moving, at least temporarily, to Rome.  They have brought with them the knowledge of their teachers, the illustrious Four Doctors of Bologna, but their opinions as well, and already it is clear that they are not all of the same mind.  Two "camps" of jurisprudence exist, and it falls to the Senate to determine whose view will be supreme.

• The Bulgari, followers of the doctor Bulgarus, see the law as operating according to its face value.  The narrowest interpretation, or ius strictum, must be applied to maintain consistency and prevent the debasing of ancient and hallowed legal precedents.  The view of the Bulgari is favored by the equites and many of the Senators, who believe it will maintain civic order and secure the powers of the ruling elite.
• The Gosiani, followers of the doctor Martinus Gosia, are proponents of the legal principle of aequitas, or "equity," which allows for a more expansive interpretation of the law and gives greater weight to local and traditional codes of justice so principles of Roman law can be extended to modern situations.  The view of the Gosiani is favored by the popolo grasso, who believe it will protect civic liberty and prevent the consolidation of power among the equites.

By the end of the season, the senatores consiliarii should decide (by vote, if necessary) which legal theory should be used to carry out the work of the Curia Senatus.  The effects of this decision may have subtle, but far-reaching effects on Roman society.[/ooc]

[ooc=Event: A Demand for Justice!] Senator DeRosa, a judge does not choose his cases, and because of your frequent volunteering as a judge you have landed one that might conservatively be described as "politically awkward."  It falls to you to hear the complaint of the citizen and Patrician Giordano Pierleone against the citizen and Consul Fortis Calafatus which alleges famosis libellis – that is, seditious libel.  According to the Justinian Code and most other known forms of classical jurisprudence, famosis libellis is a capital crime.

The written complain of the claimant follows.  As judge, you may ask whatever questions of the claimant and accused that you wish, and they are compelled by law and tradition to answer your inquiries and respond in person to your summons.

You may consult with a legal advisor (me!) at any time (by PM).  It would be wise to withhold a final judgment until you have consulted with him.

[ic=To Senator Domenico DeRosa]Honored Senator,

As a citizen of Rome I am protected by its law, and as a Patrician of Rome, granted this honor by the Senate and confirmed by the same body this year, I am entitled to the protection the law affords to the reputations of men who serve it in a notable and official capacity.  Our ancestors well knew that if the good name of a public figure was permitted to be viciously and baselessly slandered by any man with ill-will towards him, the governance of the Republic would be impossible.  The trust of the citizens in their officials must be preserved, and the destroyers of that trust must be punished.

I allege that Signore Fortis Calafatus, recently Consul, did falsely and slanderously accuse me of attempted murder upon him, despite the obvious facts of the matter and the incredible nature of his story, and refused to retract this accusation despite being given ample opportunity to do so.  The injury to my person demands justice that only the law can provide.  I accuse Signore Fortis Calafatus of famosis libellis and submit my case to the Curia Senatus, in which I have absolute trust, so that the order of the Commune may be preserved.

Giordano Pierleone, Citizen and Patrician of Rome, Magistrate of Trastevere[/ic][/ooc]

[Polycarp]

Consular Election of 1153

Senators, it is time to decide who will lead our glorious city in the coming year!

[ooc=Election Rules]
All PCs are eligible for Consular status, though a character who wins an election may choose not to accept the position if he so desires.  All PCs are eligible to cast a ballot, though casting a ballot is not mandatory.

Each character has a number of votes equal to his Influence score.  When you cast a ballot, you must choose how these votes are allotted.  You may spend all your votes on one candidate or split votes between candidates however you wish.  A ballot should be in a red OOC box like this one, and be in this format:

[ooc=Election of 1153]Your Senator's Name

4 votes to Senator X
2 votes to Senator Y[/ooc]

The ballot is not secret.  Who voted for whom is in-character information known by all.  The whole Senate, all 100 members, takes part in this vote; our game simulates this using Influence, meaning that when you "cast a ballot" it actually represents your character and his friends and/or family actively cajoling and convincing NPC senators to vote your way.  This is a tedious process of pandering speeches, cloying flattery, empty promises, and boring dinner parties, and is by definition not a private matter.

Bribery, specifically the expenditure of Wealth to buy votes, is permitted.  Bribery will alter the final count of votes, depending on how much Wealth was spent.  One point of Wealth "steals" one vote from a candidate of your choice and gives it to another candidate of your choice.  It may be obvious that people were bribed if the final result doesn't match who players actually voted for, but there will be no direct indication of who bribed them.

If the bribery is discovered, there will be a scandal resulting in a loss of Influence.  The chances of a bribe becoming a scandal are 10% for each point of Wealth spent.  Note that a scandal does not mean the bribe was unsuccessful – it is still possible to win an election by bribery despite a scandal, but the loss of Influence may make it difficult to hold on to power.

If you choose to bribe, it should ONLY be done by sending me a PM indicating how much you are spending and who the bribed Senators are supposed to vote for.  If you post a bribe in this thread, it will not be accepted, and I will laugh at you.  Bribes are non-refundable!

The two players with the most votes (after Bribery) are elected Consuls.  The Consul who receives the most votes has the privilege of deciding which Consul, external or internal, he wishes to be.  Ties will be resolved in favor of who has the most Influence or, failing that, a coin flip.[/ooc]

[Llum]

[ooc=Votes for Consular Elections of 1153]
4 Votes Consul Calafatus
1 Vote Consul Basile
[/ooc]

[Nomadic]

[ooc=Votes for Consul]
3 Votes Calafatus
2 Vote Basile
[/ooc]

[Elemental_Elf]

OOC - Oy Vey!

[ic=To the Curia Senatus and Giordano Pierleone]The court is now in order. I, Domenico DeRosa, Senator and most humble Judge of the Eternal City shall now hear your case. You, Signore Giordano Pierleone, accuse the Consul of Rome - one Signore Fortis Calafatus - of famosis libellis. This is a most heinous and vile crime, one which no Roman should beget nor stand idly by as another is slandered. However, it should be known that the law has strict guidelines concerning what does and does not constitute famosis libellis. I wish, at this time, to make it known to ALL citizens, nay the entirety of Rome itself, that I will act in a dignified and impartial manner. I shall be like King Solomon of Israel, and hear both sides plead their case. When all is said and done I shall render a verdict, which will be final. ALL Romans, from the lowliest beggar to the highest Consul, shall both heed and abide by that verdict.  I do not relish the thought of trying the Consul or Rome, nor do I wish to see a man slandered and have no recourse. I shall now hear this case. I ask that those who listen and watch the proceedings to maintain an open mind and realize that every issue has two sides. Both sides' stories are often correct, from a certain point of view. However, my fellow citizens, the truth is almost always located some where between the two stories. [/ic]

[Magnus Pym]

[ooc=Votes for Consular Elections of 1153]

3 Votes to Fortis Calafatus
2 Votes to Roberto Basile[/ooc]