Results 1 to 13 of 13

Thread: Magnum Romans - For CODA

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Aug 1999
    Location
    Waynesburg, PA
    Posts
    1,361

    Arrow Magnum Romans - For CODA

    taking my lead from my Icon imspired version here they are, though very much in a beta form, please if i did something wrong as outline in the narrators guide bring be up on it as I don't have the book yet.

    MAGNUM ROMANS
    Personality: Magnum Romans range from cosmopolitan to stoic in their personalities but all share what are considered the same basic virtues to duty and obedience to ones family, patron and state, honor, courage and fortitude. While not all Romans live up to these standards they at least pretend they do.

    Physical Description: Romans as while as the other peoples of Magnum cultures resemble humans in all ways except for any East Asian influences in genetic make up.

    Homeworld: originally a planet simply listed as M-113 in Starfleet databases it soon was given the name of Magnum Roma after it started to become a part of the greater galactic community in the 2280’s. Since then three well noted colonies have been founded on other worlds these include Achaia, Gaul and Aegyptus a forth, Hispania was founded just before the start of the Dominion War.

    Culture: Starfleet Social Scientist now consider Magnum Roma the final and best shown efforts of the preservers to still continue in as near an original state of being as when first developed. Not only was the Roman culture of the 1st century BC and AD reproduced but in deed the entire Mediterranean world (as while as portions of northern Europe) was transplanted allowing hundreds of smaller distinct cultures to thrive as well under Roman rule.

    The Roman Culture which exists is a somewhat 1st/23rd century hybrid which emerged from the darken era of the empire into that of the New Republic in this century. The new government founded in 2308 is a full republic ruled by two elected Counsels and a senate based on social class and wealth. It had original sought membership in the Federation but upon further understanding the New Republic felt too much would have to be sacrificed for full membership and choose instead to become a staunch ally of the Federation as evident by its heavy participation in the Dominion War and its citizens are granted many privileges including the right to serve in Starfleet.

    In part it is a culture still reliant heavy upon patronage and an economic system based on Slavery (though Slavery no longer exists in its true form.) It is also built upon a three tier and rigid class structure with the patrician class on top, a middle or Equestrian class and a common or plebian class, both slaves and foreigners have little supportive place in the Magnum Social Class structure. Women have a secondary if honored and revered place in all aspects of the society. The small but growing population of alien life on Magnum Roma has created a new class which is falling some where between the Patrician and Equestrian class in the social order.

    The other lesser or Minor cultures which exist on Magnum Roma and its colonies have varied laws and customs related to there equally old and venerated status. Prior to the development of Warp power in the 2370’s the various ethnic pressures were building and threatening to explode the empire apart but the policy of establishment of colonies based on the old provinces and their local peoples has lesson this a bit but some continue to build on world, such as for instance the Palestine situation dealing with the zealots.

    We could not end this brief summery of magnum Roman Culture with out mentioning the games. The traditional games of Horseracing and Gladiators still go on (however with out the cold impersonality of the TV versions of the last century) and Car racing continues to captivate the populace still. A new sport based on fast moving antigravity vehicles has started to gain some popularity on colony worlds.

    Language: Magnum Latin, though other ancient language exist such as Greek, German and Gaulish.

    Favored Profession: this depends upon what class the Roman belongs too. A Patrician will favor Diplomat with Starship Officer (Security and Engineering elite professions) coming in a close second, a patrician however would never be a Merchant as that is considered beneath his class. An Equestrian would favor a profession such as Soldier or Merchant (though this would prevent them moving upwards in society) all other class would have no favored or unfavored profession.

    Species Adjustments: +1Vitality, 1+ to Presence, -2 Intellect, Magnum Romans posse’s excellent health, endurance and force of personality, but, while not being dumb, lack the intellect for originality in their thinking.

    Species Abilities
    Patronage: All Romans (mostly Patricians and Equestrians) exist in a world where they owe something to someone (their Patron) and someone (their clients) owes something to them. When acting like a client there may come a time when you need assistance from your patron simply treat this event as if you had the Contact edge, note an individual may have several patrons and none of them are obliged to help you. However there might come a time when they ask you to assist them, you are now obligated without any right to refuse to assist them when asked to do so. When acting in the Patron role you can ask your client for assistance like you with your patron, they can not refuse. However you must help them with what ever assistance they ask for if able or willing to provide it. Treat this like the ally edge.

    Superstitious: Romans like Omens, good or bad, it makes them feel comfortable with there gods. Romans can make a sacrifice to the gods (usually a bird) to get a feel for the fate of some important event about to occur, or a journey or project about to be undertaken. Priest (can be holodeck created) are required to open the entrails of the sacrifice to read the omens (roll 1d6 1-3 are bade omens and 4-6 are good omens) if they are bad the player will suffer a -2 penalty to all skill tests for that game session (adventure/episode) or conversely a + 2 to all skills test if the omens are good. The player can attempt to appease the Gods after bad omens in two ways by making another sacrifice at a -1 penalty for the new omen roll or performing some priest directed ritual to counter them thus removing the -2 penalty (Narrators are strongly encouraged to be creative, for instances Starfleet Captain Appius Maelius Varro just before entering the battle for Chin’ taka Prime ran naked through the corridors of his ship, the USS Hotspur five times, at the direction of his Holodeck priest, after receiving bad omens.)

    Classical Education: All patricians and most Equestrians receive a classical education which places importance on just not the main Species Skills but also on an Additional language (usually Magnum Greek, though Federation Standard is becoming popular) and Persuade (Rhetoric) and Physical Science skills. The player can choose from these additional skills when assigning levels for his Species Skills.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Aug 1999
    Location
    Waynesburg, PA
    Posts
    1,361
    In case anybody was wondering the Superstitious penalty is based on the old saying that if you believe something bad is going to happen then it probably will.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Jan 2002
    Location
    Soviet Canuckistan
    Posts
    3,804
    Neat stuff Eric, but I think they are called Magna Romans, not Magnum Romans.

    Still great work

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Feb 2001
    Location
    Brockville, Ontario, Canada
    Posts
    4,394
    Always a favourite. See the second saying in my sig.

    I have been toying with the idea of a USS Centurion showing up in my new on line game...Crewed entirely by M. Romans.

    SPQR

  5. #5
    I've always loved the Magna romans. I played an old-fashioned Magna Roman doctor in my old FASA trek game. He had a habit of not trusting modern equipment and using *gasp* physical exams. It was always fun playing him off of the other more tradional starfleet command crew.

    I guess why I loved the Magna romans so much was that they mixed two of my interests (history and sci fi) .

    By the way, two sfi-fi with Romans books that those interested might want to pick up. The first is a series The Lost Legion by Henry Turtledove. Numerous books in that series but i foeget the titles right now. The second book is called Ranks of Bronze by david drake. Those into military sci-fi should know Drake's name and obviously turtledove is the current king of alternative military history books. There are also a slew of books of historical fiction set in Imperial or Republican Rome.

    As far as general books about the romans themselves I would suggest anything by Michael Grant who is by far one of the most readible classicists writing today. well IMHO that is.

    ave imperator! salutat et moritori
    (sorry if my spelling is off thats from memory and I never took latin)

    Monty

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Apr 2000
    Location
    Albertson, NY, USA
    Posts
    1,467
    Originally posted by AslanC
    Neat stuff Eric, but I think they are called Magna Romans, not Magnum Romans.

    Still great work

    Jeez Now I got an image of Roman Centurians Carrying .44 Magnums.

    Karg

  7. #7
    Join Date
    May 2002
    Location
    Miles below the Earth's crust.
    Posts
    281
    Originally posted by Karg



    Jeez Now I got an image of Roman Centurians Carrying .44 Magnums.

    Karg
    Starring Clintious Maxuimus Eastwoodiquious as Dirtious Harrious

    "Go-est ahead..maketh my diem..."



    If you really want to see Romans in action (I know how X-rated that sounds...) rent/buy/steal "I, Claudius". I'd say its good clean fun for the whole family, but thats a complete and utter lie.

    -Darth Sarcastic
    Darth Sarcastic

    "Shall I goto 'Red Alert' sir? It does mean changing the lightbulb." - Kryten, Red Dwarf

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Jan 2000
    Location
    Kettering,UK
    Posts
    925
    Originally posted by Darth Sarcastic


    Starring Clintious Maxuimus Eastwoodiquious as Dirtious Harrious

    "Go-est ahead..maketh my diem..."



    -Darth Sarcastic
    ROTFLMAO

    When I saw the thread title, I was thinking of Tom Selick as Maximus P.I.
    Greg

    "The dreams in which I'm dying are the best I've ever had."
    Madworld, Donnie Darko.

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Oct 2000
    Location
    East Sussex, UK
    Posts
    871
    Originally posted by Darth Sarcastic
    Starring Clintious Maxuimus Eastwoodiquious as Dirtious Harrious

    "Go-est ahead..maketh my diem..."
    Fabricati Diem, Punc?

    Don't forget his occasional rival, Kurtus Russellianus, with his trademark Ingrammus Mac X: "The name's Ophidius..."



    Seriously, I like this stuff. Definitely Magna Romans in name I think, but I love the development of the society following the changes wrought during Kirk's visit.

    It would be interesting to speculate how they fit in with the Federation - they can't join as abolition of slavery is pretty much a requirement. And that would seem to rule out Starfleet membership for most citizens, although exchange programmes might exist. A small local navy? Low technology but strong in martial spirit.

    One question, if they only developed warp drive in the 2370's, how come they have four colonies? Are they all in the same system, or is somone helping them?
    Jon

    "There are worlds out there where the sky is burning, where the sea is asleep and the rivers dream; people made of smoke and cities made of song.
    Somewhere there's danger, somewhere there's injustice, and somewhere else the tea is getting cold. Come on, Ace, we've got work to do."
    THE DOCTOR, "Survival" (Doctor Who)

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Feb 2001
    Location
    Brockville, Ontario, Canada
    Posts
    4,394
    When you look at how "slavery" was described on MR it really isn't slavery. The servants are paid (probably lower then citizens,) they and their families are taken care of in old age, plus a few benefits. So, an argument could be raised that they are simply the "minimum" wage workers on the Planet.

    Also, with the idea of a New Republic being formed, perhaps slavery was abolished as a pretext to asking for Federation admittance.

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Aug 1999
    Location
    Waynesburg, PA
    Posts
    1,361
    On Warp Development, The Roman warp drive is actually a reversed engineered version from Merek's crashed ship its development was already well under way by the time the Enterprise showed up (The Romans were always good at this kinda stuff). As I assumed M113 was in a fairly developed region of space already there were not to many empty worlds laying around. Further the new tech would take a long time for people to get use to it, so there might not be to many experts about. Besides if the traditional Roman hated seas and oceans there not exactly the type of civilization to go out into deep space like gang busters.

    On Slavery, I was thinking of slavery as showed in the original episode, but the cavalier atitude toward the slave girl and Kirks acceptence of the offer seem to say a lot. Even though Slaves have certain rights the right to say No seems to be missing. even if freeded the slaves would probably still remian second class citizens. However I see that the desire to keep the games going was more instrumental in turning down joining the Federation more than anything else

  12. #12
    Wanted to resurrect this thread.
    Its me Eric R.

  13. #13
    Join Date
    Aug 1999
    Location
    Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
    Posts
    3,490
    On the subject of slavery, one must look at the Roman institution of slavery and ignore what one has learned of slavery as practiced in the United (and Confederate) States. In Rome, slaves had legal rights - not as many and different ones from freedmen and citizens, but they had some rights. A slave of a high-ranking citizen often had more power than many citizens - within limits, of course. Slaves were often considered valuable property and were often cared for in their old age. On the other hand, all was not exactly roses for them. Some slaves, like those in the mines, would have longed for a life like most US slaves led.

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •