Plot - Mothers of Cenabum
Eight months have passed since that terrible night in the Glade of Chains, when the Custodes fell into a German ambush, betrayed by someone from within the army. After the final report to Maera Diodora, Magister of the cursus auguralis, they were given time to rest and pursue their own efforts. In the meantime, the investigation launched by Aetius Marcellus Pertinax's expidition is proceeding without them.
Ten days ago, just before the Ides of August of 1232 AUC, the Custodes had been summoneed with utmost urgency to Lugdunum, the capitol of Gallia. From there, they were sent northward toward Urbs Aurelianum, a fortified city not far from the prosperous city of Lutetia. When they reach Urbs Aurelianorum, after displaying their diplomas to obtain the collaboration of the local curia, the Custodes are brought before Maera Diodora.
The Magister hasn't changed much since their last meeting: black curly hair with splashes of grey, full lips, defined features. Lying on the floor of the cellar, she seems to be sleeping with her eyes closed and a composed posture. Her inhuman pallor is the only clue indicating to the Custodes that they are standing before a corpse. Althought the libitinarii had carefully prepared her body - washing and binding it with a bandage that frames the face and keeps the mouth closed, in which a coin is placed to pay Charon for the ferry - only the blessing of Venus Libitina had been able to preserve the beauty of hte woman's body intact, even two weeks after her death.
In the cellar lit by a single dim lamp, the Custodes think back to the concise information they were given by Marcus Nepos , the old Magister of the cursus Auguralis stationed at Lugdunum, to prepare them for this mission:
In recent months, three members of the Cohors Arcana have died at Urbs Aurelianorum. They had commenced an investigation following your report on the mission in Germania Magna; the aim was to confirm that a tolerated cult had been the vehicle used to disseminate rivalry and sedition in Germania. But what we found is much more disturbing. Rather than one single cult, the investigations led us to identify an entire underworld of cults, sects, and movements, each independent from the others. Ideas are circulating among their members, which by preying on local religons, emotions, and struggles, are fueling a widespread separatist sentiment. What we suspect is that these seditious ideas are being diffused not only in Germania, but also in bordering regions in the north-east of Gallia. The first two Custodes killed in Urbs Aurelianorum, Licinius Modron and Tallwch, son of Sulis, had arrived in the city as part of this investigation; a few months later they died in mysterious circumstances, before they were even able to send a single report. The Magister Mana Diodora, who suspected there were obscure forces at play, insisted on seeing for herself what had happened; two weeks later, she too was killed. Your mission is to go to Urbs Aurelianorum to investigate the death of Maena Diodora and the two Custodes before her.
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