Free RomanQuest by Herbie Brennan Page B

please.”
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    If you’ve got a ticket to the Palatine Games at the Circus Flaminius, you can go inside at 55 . If not, your only choice is to return to 25 and select another destination.
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    Please select an option from the previous page.

88
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    â€œToday,” announces the Greek pedagogue to a chorus of groans from his pupils, “you will be learning numbers.”
    Nobody groans louder than yourself.
    â€œUnlike the cultures of the Middle East, which use really stupid squiggly numbers like these -” The Greek walks to the blackboard and draws the numerals 2, 3, 5 and 8. The class erupts in hoots of laughter. “Unlike these cultures,” the Greek repeats, “we use solid, sensible respectable Roman numerals!”
    Cheers from the class.
    â€œIf you were an uncivilised Arab,” the Greek smiles, “you would have to learn no less than ten number symbols. But as a Roman, you only have to learn seven! Isn’t that a vast improvement?”
    Chorus of ‘Yes, sirs’ from the swots.
    â€œThe Roman number symbols you have to learn are I, V, X, L,C, D, and M and the good news is you know them already because they’re letters of the alphabet and we did writing yesterday. But -” Here the Greek looks pointedly at his class. “-when they’re used as numbers they mean something different to what they mean as letters. This is what they mean ...” He turns and writes on the blackboard:
    I = ONE
    V = FIVE
    X = TEN
    L = FIFTY
    C = ONE HUNDRED
    D = FIVE HUNDRED
    M = ONE THOUSAND
    â€œNow,” says the Greek turning back to the class, “here’s the secret of writing Roman numerals. If you place a numeral of the same or lesser value after another numeral, it adds to the value. Like this.” Back at the blackboard he writes:
    I plus I is written as II and equals TWO
    V plus I is written as VI and equals SIX
    D plus C plus L is written as DCL and equals SIX HUNDRED AND FIFTY
    â€œYou see,” he explains, “D equals five hundred, C equals one hundred. Add them together and you get six hundred. L equals fifty. Add that to six hundred and you get six hundred and fifty. DCL - see?” He turns back to the board. “Now, a symbol placed before one of greater value subtracts its value like this:”
    V minus I is written as IV and equals FOUR
    C minus X is written as XC and equals NINETY
    M minus I is written as IM and equals NINE HUNDRED AND NINETY NINE
    He turns back. “Now you know all about numbers. Class dismissed.”
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    Bit sudden, but you expect he’s tired. Still, the little bit you’ve learned about Roman numerals might come in handy for reading copyright dates at the end of TV programmes. For the moment, return to your map at CL and select another destination.
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    Please select an option from the previous page.

90
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    â€œLet’s make a deal,” you tell the grinning spearman desperately.
    â€œVolo pactum facere,” the simultaneous translator booms through your mouth unnervingly.
    â€œSuppose you just let me walk out of here without any trouble and I assure you I shall make no complaint to the authorities, or hold your threatening behaviour against you in any way.”
    â€œFors fortis!” snarls the spearman.
    â€œFat chance,” translates the decoder in your ear.
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    And before you can ‘Woe is me!’ (O me miserum!) he hurls himself upon you, thus usurping any possibility of your getting in the first blow. The man has 30 Life Points and his spear does +3 damage to your unprotected hide. If during the fight he scores 9 or better, he will elect to use the net instead of the spear. This causes no damage at all, whatever the dice may show but will immobilise you completely for the next three combat rounds so you can’t even lift the dice while he pounds away at you. If, as seems likely, this encounter kills you your bleeding body will be dragged from the arena and