Arts of Dark and Light: Book 01 - A Throne of Bones
Page 91
“I think so. We must be close.”
Theuderic looked around the empty field, which was bordered by budding trees to the east and a gentle, tree-covered hill to the south. As far as he could tell, they were approaching the location the dwarf had showed him three months ago. Indeed, the Lady Shadowsong’s hawk had landed on that very hill. He recognized a large rock about fifty paces away that might serve as a marker, but unfortunately, Lodi hadn’t told him exactly where the entrance was.
He pulled on his horse’s reins and called to the Marechal. “Monseigneur, I believe we’re here.” He very much hoped he had gotten it right. Otherwise he was going to look a dreadful fool before his four fellow mages, to say nothing of the two royal councilors. Then the ground began rumbling, as if the earth was quaking, and the horses flattened their ears and began to step nervously about.
He grinned at du Moulin. “Have I ever failed you, Monseigneur Chancelier?”
“Not yet, Magicien.”
There was a dull roar and the front side of the hill abruptly collapsed, causing the horses to shy. A large cloud of dust and debris billowed out toward them like a dirty brown cloud. It dissipated before it reached them and revealed a brick arch over a packed dirt ramp, from which two heavily armored dwarves were marching out. They were followed by ten more dwarves, then another ten, who spread out on either side of the hill and the opening that gaped like an open wound. Then a pair of taller figures strode out into the light, and they held their hands over their eyes to shield them from the brightness of the spring morning sun. They both wore tribune’s helms.
Theuderic dismounted, followed by the two royal councilors, and the three of them walked toward the two Amorrans. Both young men were as white as slugs and their faces were thin and drawn, as if they had not eaten well for months. Which, Theuderic considered, was very probably the case. But they were smiling as triumphantly as if they had won a great battle.
“Chancelier, Lord Marechal, it gives me great pleasure to introduce to you the Tribunes Clericus and Trebonius, both formerly of Amorr.” Behind the two young officers, armored men were spilling out of the hill like ants when an anthill is disturbed. “And with them, the four thousand armed fighting men of Legio XVII!”
Valerius Clericus greeted him with the forearm grasp of the soldier rather than with a bow or the handclasp of civilized men. The gesture secretly flattered Theuderic.
“I never thought I’d be so happy to see a sorcerer’s face,” the tribune told him, still squinting against the sun.
“It is a handsome one, isn’t it?” Theuderic said, stroking his neatly-trimmed beard with his free hand. “Trebonius, I trust you enjoyed your stroll?”
“Next time, you walk and I’ll take the bird,” the young Amorran said with a scowl. But he grinned as he clasped Theuderic’s arm.
Then the lord marechal stepped forward and looked from one tribune to the other. He was old enough to be their grandfather. “Welcome to the Kingdom of Savondir, my lords. We have food and wine for your men, though you will have to provide your own accommodations. I am impressed. Never in all my years have I heard of an army marching six hundred miles below the ground.”
Or in such good order, Theuderic thought, as the Amorrans continued to come up out of the earth and fall into formations worthy of any parade ground, despite their filthy appearance.
Their discipline didn’t appear to escape the marechal’s attention. “I have heard that the legionaries of Amorr are unmatched in all Selenoth when it comes to killing, though I regret to say I have never had the privilege to witness them demonstrate their excellence in the art of war.”
Valerius Clericus bowed respectfully to the old general. “If you’ll give us a few days to recover and point us in the right direction, my Lord Marechal, I should be glad to arrange a demonstration. I am given to understand you may have a few orcs that require killing in the near future.”
“I fear that is indeed the case,” du Moulin said. “Here in Savondir, we appear to have rather a lot of killing that needs doing.” He coughed delicately.
“As it happens, not all of it necessarily involves orcs.”
closing time
APPENDIX
As is surely obvious throughout the text, the Amorran names are based on historical Roman ones, which can be more than a little confusing. This is because aristocratic Roman names during the Republic customarily consisted of three or more parts, the tria nomina of praenomen, nomen, and cognomen. Additional cognomen, or agnomen, were sometimes added as well. There were a severely limited number of praenomen used, which is why they were usually abbreviated in writing as follows:
A.
Aulus
N.
Numerius
App.
Appius
P.
Publius
C.
Caius
P’.
Postumus
D.
Decimus
Q.
Quintus
G.
Gaius
S.
Spurius
Gn.
Gnaius
Ser.
Servius
L.
Lucius
Sex.
Sextus
M.
Marcus or Marcius
T.
Titus
M’.
Manius
V.
Vitius
Mam.
Mamercus
Vo.
Vopsicus
Number-based names such as Primus and Secundus were indicated by a number, I. for Primus, II. for Secundus and so forth. As time went by, the system became more lax; in A Throne of Bones, the traditional naming conventions are mostly preserved by the patrician class while the names of the plebians, the allies, and the provincials tend to indicate the decreasing influence of the convention the further one goes from the city of Amorr.
As confusing as the Amorran names may be, they could have been considerably worse. For example, M. Livius Drusus, the tribune of the plebs upon whom the figure of A. Severus Patronus is very loosely based, and whose assassination set off what is known as the Social War of 91 BC, was the son of M. Livius Drusus and the father of M. Livius Drusus Claudianus. Claudianus was adopted from the Claudius family; had M. Livius Drusus the younger a son by birth, it is quite possible that he, too, would have been named M. Livius Drusus. Throughout the book, considerable liberties were taken with assigning different, (and in some cases, unlikely), praenomen to various nomen and cognomen in order to reduce the problem of sons, fathers, and grandfathers all having exactly the same three names.
THE ECCLESIASTICAL HIERARCHY
HIS SANCTIFIED HOLINESS CHARITY IV, the 44th Sanctiff of Amorr, formerly Quintus Flavius Ahenobarbus
the Sacred College of Celestines:
HIS EMINENCE GIOVANNUS FALCONIUS VALENS
HIS EMINENCE GENNARUS VESTINAE
HIS EMINENCE BACCIUS ANTONIUS
HIS EMINENCE PAULUS MASELLA
HIS EMINENCE ILDEBRANDO ORTOGNAN
HIS EMINENCE MAM. SEVERUS FURIUS
HIS EMINENCE GN. ATTILIUS BULBUS
HIS EMINENCE T. FALCONIUS TIGRADAE
HIS EMINENCE SEX. AEMILIANUS DAMASUS
HIS EMINENCE CARVILIUS NOCTUA
HIS EMINENCE APP. GENNARUS VESTINAE
HIS EMINENCE PETRUS CLEMENTUS, a celestine of the cathedra of Mons Celsius
HIS EMINENCE PRAXIDUS DOMENICUS, a celestine of the cathedra of Sainte Marcellus
the Episcopate:
HIS EXCELLENCY LARIS SEBASTIUS, a bishop and candidate for an archbishopric
HIS EXCELLENCY NIVELET, a Savondese archbishop
HIS EXCELLENCY VINCENOT, a Savondese archbishop
the Curian Guard and the Military Orders:
NONUS SULPICIUS DEODATUS, captain of the third century
ARNAUDUS, Grand Master of the Order of St. Michael
THE LEGIONS
LEGIO XV
II, a Valerian House legion
M. SATURNIUS, Legate
the senior officers:
A. CRESCENTIUS, Tribune Laticlavius
SEX. CASTORIUS SPINA, Praefectus
G. VALERIUS FORTEX, Tribune
L. VOLUSENUS, Tribune
G. MARCIUS Tribune
G.TREBONIUS, Tribune
M. VALERIUS CLERICUS, Tribune
GN. JUNIUS HONORATUS, primus pilus, first centurion of the first cohort
T. FALCONIUS, pilus prior, first centurion of the second cohort
V. SINTAS TERTIUS, pilus prior, first centurion of the third cohort
the junior officers:
SENARIUS ARVANDUS, decurion of the first squadron, first knights
APP. JULIANUS, decurion of the first squadron, second knights
Q. GAVRUS, second decurion of the fourth squadron
BARBATUS, a decurion
T. CASSABUS, optio, senior ballisterius
CLAUDIUS DIDIUS, first centurion of the eighth cohort
HOSIDOS, a centurion
NEBRIDIUS, a centurion
MARINUS, a centurion
LUCILIUS, a centurion
the knights:
L. DARDANUS, reguntur, second knights
CLAUDIUS HORTENSIS, a knight of the fifth decuria of the second knights
L. ORISSIS, a knight of the fifth decuria of the second knights
LEPORIUS, a knight of the fifth decuria of the second knights
SER. COMMIUS, a draconarius
L. DARDANUS, reguntur, Second Knights
N. AEMELIUS PETRUS, a knight
Q. PLACIDUS ULPIUS, a knight of the eight squadron of the first knights
ARCADIUS, a decurion
the legionaries:
LABECULUS, a scout
FABERUS, scout
SEDARIUS, a medicus
GN. SEXTIUS BAIULUS, a legionary
CORANDER, a Baleran slinger
QUINCE DE SORRENGIS, a legionary
SEBELON, a legionary
NARBONIO, a legionary of the first cohort
FATHER GENNADIUS, priest of the legion
JERON, a stable slave
DECCUS, a stable slave
LEGIO VII, a Valerian House legion
T. DIDIUS SCATO, Legate
the officers and legionaries:
GN. LUCRETIUS SICULUS, a tribune
LIBERIUS MURILLO, an optio
MUSIUS BAUTO, a centurion
SEX. PHOBUS, an optio
LEPORIUS, a legionary
MANLIUS, a legionary
FUSCUS, an optio ballisterius
CLODIUS SECUNDUS, a ballisterius
LEGIO XV, a Valerian House legion
L. GERONTIUS, Legate
the officers and legionaries:
TARRISINUS OPILIAN, a tribune
CUNCTOR, a tribune
NOBILIANUS, a decurion
CARUS, a decurion
PACCIUS VINTIUS, a legionary
ORFITUS, a legionary
SEX. PHOBUS, an optio
LEPORIUS, a legionary
PARTHENDER, an auxilary slinger
ORODES, an auxilary slinger
LEGIO III, a Severan House legion, also known as Fulgetra
M. FALCONIUS BUTEO, Legate
the senior officers:
APP. MALLICUS, Tribune Laticlavius
A. SEVERUS AULAN, Tribune
legionaries and auxilaries:
KING TAKSONI, the rebel king of the Cynothii
VESTREMER, a Cynothii auxilary captai
P. TERENTIUS, a knight and draconarius
RUFUS, a knight
LUCARUS, a decurion
THE PATRICIANS
HOUSE VALERIUS
M. VALERIUS MAGNUS, Senator, Ex-Consul (4x)
his family:
JULIA, his wife,
G. VALERIUS FORTEX, a tribune of Legio XVII
SEX. VALERIUS, his son
his household:
GALERUS, the majordomus
CLODIPOR, a messenger slave
DOMPOR, a slavescholar
LAZAPOR, a slavescholar
D. AULAPOR, a slave
SEX. VALERIUS CORVUS, Senator, Stragister Militum, Dux Duco Bello, Consul Suffectus Aquilae
his family:
ROMILIA, his wife
SER. VALERIUS CORVINUS, his son
VALERINA, his daughter
VALERILLA, his daughter
G. DECIUS MUS, her husband, curule aedile
GAIUS DECIUS, her son
DECIA, her daughter
M. VALERIUS CLERICUS, his son, a tribune of Legio XVII
FATHER AURELIUS, his tutor
his household:
NICENUS, the majordomus
CAIUS VECELLOUS, the captain of fascitors
HOUSE SEVERUS
A. SEVERUS PATRONUS, Princeps Senatus, Senator and auctare
his family:
DECIA, his wife
T. SEVERUS REGULUS, his son
VOLSILLA, his wife
A. SEVERUS AULAN, his son, a tribune of Legio III Fulgetra
M. SEVERUS TERTIUS, his son
SEVERA, his daughter
SEVERILLA, his daughter
his household:
DELMATIPOR, the majordomus of House Severus
HIMCRIUS, a guard
APIDAMUS, a guard
MARSUPOR, Marcius’s body slave
VERAPORA, Severa’s body slave
OPTA JUL, Severa’s body slave
EUDISS, a slave from Illyris Baara
DOMITIUS, a guard
POMPONIA, a lady-in-waiting, daughter of Pomponius Mathus
T. SEVERUS LUCULLUS, Senator
T. SEVERUS SEPTIMUS, his son
A. SEVERUS SERENUS, his son
M. SEVERUS GALLUS, his son
APP. SEVERUS PULLUS, Senator, urban praetor, provincial governor
APP. SEVERUS PULLUS, his father, ex-consul
S. SEVERUS STRUCTUS, Senator, propraetor
OTHER PATRICIANS
the generals:
L. ANDRONICUS CAUDINUS, Consul Aquilae, Legate of Legio XIV, killed in Cynothicum
L. GERONTIUS, Legate of Legio XV
II. FALCONIUS BUTEO, Legate of Legio III Fulgetra
Q. MARTELLUS DURUS, Legate of the Legio Civitas
L. FAVRONIUS, Legate of the Legio Provincia
the senators:
T. MANLIUS TORQUATUS, the Consul Civitas
M. FULVIUS PAETINAS, the Consul Provincae
M. CARVILIUS MAXIMUS, an ex-consul and clausore
L. POMPILIUS FERRATUS, a senator, author of Lex Ferrata Aucta
Q. FALCONIUS METIUS, Head of House Falconius and auctare
Q. FALCONIUS RULLIANUS, senator and consular candidate
M. ANDRONICUS AQUILA, Head of House Andronicus, ex-consul, and clausore
M ANDRONICUS DECLAMA, senator and consular candidate
V. CRESCENTIUS RUFINUS, an ex-consul and auctare
L. POMPILIUS FERRATUS, a senator, author of Lex Ferrata Aucta
P. LICINIUS DIVES, wealthy senator
P. DECIUS MUS, ex-consul Provincae, father-in-law to Valerilla
G. CASSIANUS LONGINUS, Head of House Cassianus, ex-consul, and clausore
LUCRETIUS CAECILIUS, Head of House Lucretius, ex-consul, and clausore
L. GAERUS TILLIUS, military commander of House Gaerus and clausore
GAERUS ALBINUS, his father, Head of House Gaerus
A. LAELIUS FLAMININUS, senator and clausore
APP. APPULEIUS PANSA, senator and consular candidate
Q. CURIUS, a senator and clausore
other patricians:
Q. FALCONIUS, a friend of M. Severus
G. MAECENAS, a patrician
CAERA, a daughter of House Caerus
FALCONILLA, a daughter of House Falconius
FALCONATERA, daughter of G. Falconius Aterus, friend of Severa. Also TERA
Q. FABRICIUS, son of G. Fabricius, ex-consul
/> Q. SABENUS, neighbor to S. Valerius Corvus
N. VOLSUS, a candidate for quastor
LUCRETIUS PONTICUS, a friend of Corvinus
RUBELIUS DRUSUS, a friend of Corvinus
GN. PALFURIUS, a candidate for aedile
GAERUS BALBUS, a candidate for aedile
APP. CASSIANUS CANINA, candidate for tribune
SEX. GAERUS FRONTINUS, a deceased author of military history
THE COMMON PEOPLE
the plebians of Amorr:
SILICUS CLUSIUS, a gladiator of the Blues, a dimachaerus
CALADAS THE THRAEX, a gladiator of the Reds
SER BORGULUS THE BUNNYSLAYER, a gladiator of the Greens, a dwarf
SER SNOTSHAFTER RABBITSBANE, a gladiator of the Greens, a goblin
GN. RABIRIUS, a poet
MONTANUS, a gladiator of the Reds, a retarius
M. LADRUS, Weaponsmaster of the Blues
LAEVIUS, a poet, author of the Amorriad
OPIMIUS, an equestrian and friend of Corvinus
PAETINUS ALVUS, a city guard commander
HOSTUS HERMINIUS TUBERTUS, a candidate for tribune
the people of the Provinces and Allied Cities:
CLAUTUS, a merchant of Medonis
IDEMETA VENFICA, the witch woman of Seijiss
BERROGA, a messenger to Legio III
OPELIUS MACRINUS, a representative of the prince of Oscium