#RQG Ancient Rome Sidequest

[varyathevillain]

Ancient Rome Sidequest Mapping

here's a post of something interesting I've found ages back, and posted on (X)Twitter, concerning the Ancient Rome Sidequest. needed to save this because I am nuking/closing my accounts there.

this is following Sasha and Grizzop's path step by step, and how, back then, the GM mastery made my jaw drop.

when describing the room (or more like a hall) in RQG126, it's mentioned being lit by braziers, and that Zop and Sasha fall down onto a mosaic floor, the same one which is broken in present time. the closest imagined restoration of the Ancient Rome including intricate mosaic? Domus Transitoria. It was Nero's first palace, which, according to Seutonius, spanned all the way from the Palatine to the Esquiline, and according to historians had floor and wall mosaics, and in these times mosaics were restricted to only being on walls and floors. when the palace was replaced by Domus Aurea, mosaics were instead placed onto the vaulted ceilings, changing the art of future and partially influencing future mosaic art. there is also a 'gardened avenue' towards temples, which fits the path Sasha and Grizzop take. not to mention that Templo di Apollo lies *very close* to Domus Transitoria (the previous statements are backed up by following articles, in Italian, because I couldn't find English ones that didn't butcher the things I wanted to show)

romanoimpero.com/2020/05/domus-transitoria-di-nerone.html https://romanoimpero.com/2010/09/tempio

they get into a temple district (temple of Diana and then down the Palatium towards Aventinus, with actual real life temples somewhat applicable to the ones we hear about in the podcast), and that's how they figure out that there are still corresponding gods in Rome. the distance between the temples described? that they 'don’t have any sort of distance between them, next to each other on the streets', unlike the modern ones; which makes sense as Palatine Hill is very... compact in the building placement, even in ancient times.

there isn't much left from the actual temples except from preserved ruins by Italian archelogists, but there are skilful, artful depictions of how temples could've looked like in ancient times, for example temples of Apollo and Cybele in Palatine:

then we get to see the untouched Servian wall, which is then magicked by whoever is in charge (I don't think we get to know if that's just the Mars people, or several sources, or something else) to protect the city.

(Servian wall is in black here)

Servian wall is the first defence of the city of Rome, constructed around it in the early 4th century BCE. later on it would be succeeded by superior Aurelian walls; but by that moment in history (late 3rd century AD) in RQG that city did NOT exist as a bastion anymore. then, after they visit the temples of 'Pluto' (meet Cicero) and Mars, all three of them through the districts with human population, which corresponds to the parts close to Forum Romanum, also where, coincidentally, real life Cicero resided for some time!

and then, Cicero takes Grizzop and Sasha down into the sewers, which makes perfect sense because that district is where the Cloaca Maxima goes through!! there are several historical suggestions about how the system was formed, from an open air canal into underground sewers. BUT! that isn't what is interesting to us! what is interesting is that the passage partially connects the temples, which makes sense, because in this case temples are also in need of water system for the non-godly treatment of their residents and patients.

and then the three of them move towards the underground part/inner workings of temple of Jupiter, which, in fact, completely corresponds with position of the temple of Jupiter Stator!

depicted here in yellow, information of it referenced per this article

per "Rambles in Rome", the temple of Jupiter Stator, vowed by Romulus when his army was fleeing before the Sabines, if Jupiter would stay their flight; hence the name. "Romulus built a temple to Jupiter near the Porta Mugonia" (Dionysius, ii. 30). It was restored by Scipio, A.U.C. 459 (Livy, x. 37). It was in this temple that Cicero made his first oration against Catiline (Plutarch). Cicero says that here the goods of Pompey were offered for sale.

Rambles in Rome, as referenced

and the temple of Jupiter Stator like a light walk away from where the Colosseum would stand. only there is no Colosseum. there is the domed hall in which the big Mars vs Jupiter battle happens, the other part of which they can't even see, being underground and so far away. then, as dragons escape and Sasha and Ciciero are free to go, they trace their steps back out the Cloaca Maxima until they reach dead end and have to reach outside to gatehouse near Pons Subilicus (the temporary bridge dated ~1AD), just outside Forum Boarium

and that's why when they get out of the sewers they can 1) see the destruction of the walls 2) see the destruction of the palace in which Grizzop and Sasha were dropped 3) be only steps away from going away from inner city, while also technically being on Rome territory.

they have also, in my opinion, crossed Tiber afterwards and started going Northwest, because after some time it's mentioned that people flocking to necropolis, which, at that point, were on Trans Tiberim/more North and closer to Vatican/Campus Vaticanus, ergo, on the other side of Tiber.

"The Vaticanum, or Campus Vaticanus was originally a level area between the Vaticanus Mons and the Tiber. During the Republican era, it was an unwholesome site frequented by the destitute. Caligula and Nero used the area for chariot exercises, and renewal was encouraged by the building of the Circus of Nero, also known as the Circus Vaticanus or simply the Vaticanum. The location of tombs near the Circus Vaticanus is mentioned in a few late sources."

I am not in any way shape or form the One and True source on this, and will gladly take critique from people more versed in the topic than I am; this was made originally for my personal use, and then I figured out hey, this is really interesting! and also I wanted to save this for everyone else who used this for their musings/fics.

[5-turtleducks-in-a-trenchcoat]

Everytime I listen to the Ancient Rome Sidequest it destroys me emotionally. But who knows, maybe somewhere there's a world where nothing terrible happens and it's just Sasha and Grizzop having fun adventures in ancient Rome.

[eleanor-is-fine]

RQG Ancient Rome Sidequest - Part 4

Sasha hits.

Grizzop hits, but the attacks of opportunity kill him. Impale him. Kill him dead.

Ben.

Whew.

“The last thing that Sasha sees…”

Sasha comes to. Tied up. [one hp]

[just-an-enby-lemon]

I think the central theme of the LOLOMG is trying to be good even if not always actually doing it. Is also in a lot of ways about redemption.

Everysingle member of the team is flawed and they failed for some reason and everysingle one has a wish to be good, to help people.

From the most obvious case of Hamid that literally says he is trying to redeem himself. That knows he was bad and was bad because he was scared and had had friends but also because his priviledged made it easy, made so he didn't had to question things, that he never had to take responsability until he went too far. That is soo despreatedly trying to do the right thing even if he sometimes does the wrong one, that tries his best to be kind and caring and to not fall into old bad habits, that doesn't even recognize all of them at firstm.

To Sasha that was always good but never had the chance to be. That did messed up stuff because that's all she's been told all her life, she was raised to be a thief and almost all the adults in her life failed her. That even after scaping Barret somewhat, now an adult and her own person, still doesn't know how tk be annything else. But also who is in her own way kind and conforting and tries to help, that cares specially to the small voices, to the people like her who had no chance. And she still falls to old habits because change isn't easy and she doesn't always even want to, be she tries her best anyway.

To Zolf who is just trying to understand what being good even is in the middle of his grief. He was a navvy man than a pirate and a cleric than a mercenary. And he tried to suport the right people and do the right thing and serve justice but deep down he still didn't knew what his path into being someone he saw as good was, until he had to leave and try to find it somewhere else.

To Bertie who sucks and never wanted to be better, who likes being a piece of shit actually but has no choice but to try for a redemption anyway. Who never even understands his mistakes that keeps refusing to change until it kills him.

To Grizzop who thinks he has it all figured out. Who thinks he knows what is good and what is bad and who is good and who is bad and that the path to being a good person is to set clear lines and kill the right people. That has being a cop as his literal religion and the one thing that gives his life meaning and is not sure how, doesn't want to, but has to start to deal with the fact his lines are not really true and people, and life, is complicated.

To Azu who is good actually and has no need for redemption but also has other people from her temple acting as if she does, as if she isn't really good and she doesn't really notice them but they still give her another reason to try and prove herself. To go in a journey. To try to help even more people and became the Hugh Pristess of Afrodite.

[franzis-frantic-thoughts]

Lydia Nicholas / Sasha Racket should’ve gotten to stab Caesar.

[itslookingback]

relistening to rqg and i can feel ancient rome sidequest looming on my shoulder. I'M NOT READY

[ashes-in-a-jar]

Shit Grizzop....

[shy-magpie]

RQG AR4

One thing about walking into the fandom 15 minutes late with Starbucks, is that I know this is the last episode of the side quest. Even if I hadn't spoiled myself, there is no way they wouldn't have at least a hint of how they were getting home last episode if they were going to act on it in this one. Which is as much as fair warning for my emotional butt as it is a spoiler. Just for tonight "it means we get Zolf back" isn't enough consolation. Especially because I am pretty sure taking that spear for our stabby girl is what signed his death certificate. Grizzop, may Artemis welcome you to her hunting party, you were a Good Paladin. (my spoilers better have been right, because Sasha living in a place her crime family doesn't exist; with locks like toys, is as close to Heaven as I see her finding. If they tried to make her play harp for eternity, she'd brain someone with it) If he has to go, killing a bunch of objectively evil cultists is how he'd want to go. Sasha is great at acrobatics. I love how Alex gives us Watsonian explanations for the rolls, but reminding her she lost her Ice Dagger was unnecessary. Why are the dice mean to Sasha? Ben don't! Even if I didn't know, that would scare me. Also has he healed himself lately? Ow Ben? Alex? Why is Sasha/Lydia the only one who is reacting right? I know death scenes are fun to play but honestly, Ben, cheer is not the mood I was expecting Oh that ripping sound Thank you Lydia/Sasha (both for the reaction and not breaking the mics/my heart*) Ben! I thought his Elias laugh was evil Maths Gremlin!Ben The last thing that Sasha sees... Alex tried to kill us along with Sasha. During that "Sasha isn't religious" debate an entire fic about Grizzop smuggling her in to Artemis's heaven like contraband unfurled in my mind, and I don't have the skill to write it. Gee Ben if you cared about her having a friendly paladin around maybe don't knowingly bring on every attack of opportunity Poor Sasha has been knocked out often Alex :"good" ; that was so not good even before you started describing the whole "tied up & bleeding" thing. Is that pity perception? Are they going to try to feed her to the dragons? Glad someone feels like laughing... Alex will not give her those hit points back So Cicero is alive No one is giving any sympathy to your NPCaptain Red armor? No you are not following up Grizzop's death and Sasha's capture with trying to make me care about a Martian. Ben, I can see where this is your actual job to wring out as much pain about Grizzop's death as possible so I will try to quit snapping at you in text. The real reason to play into the evil GM trope is to keep you and Alex from working together to break our hearts. Grizzop was left where he fell. I am far too easily appeased, I wish seeing a dragon didn't improve my mood this quickly Do we know which one? Does he eat a Martian? Ah, it doesn't - oh Alex is giving us a gift! Fried Martian! Small Dragon? Brass? Apophis? It is! Alex went 3rd person, weirdly humanizing Break Lydia refers to Ben as "Hanging around like a bad smell" Alex "I mean, eventually if you leave him there long enough, yeah" I hope they do attack Rome, only Romans would treat the dragons that badly and not expect them to raze the city Sasha- I love you and your daggers; that is exactly what she would do once she had enough. Snackrifice?! Alex, I am not ready to laugh Diplomacy check? On Sasha? Especially under the circumstances? Sasha? Did you insult the dice? Offend a God? Grizzop would want her to loot his corpse! Sasha would do it either way but for the record, he serves a very practical Goddess. Oh Sasha, hope hurts (even if you call it curiosity) She turns him over to close his eyes and gives him a hug. Alex gives us a moment of stillness. Ah Ben rolls for the heal since its Grizzop's last gift to Sasha Tough love from Sasha, she forces a healing potion down Cicero and carries him to safety He would monologue Don't you dare blame "The Goblin"! Thank you Sasha! Good for his health that he isn't monologuing anymore Yeah any trace sympathy I had for the Romans died when they tried to sacrifice Sasha to the dragons (who they mistreated) after killing Grizzop. Lets get out of the city. Poor Sasha keeps checking now that they're out of the city but can't help anyone Is this Sasha's epilogue? Children in an idyllic farm? Oh it is a soft epilogue my love. Trust Alex & Co to break my heart and heal it in the same episode Oh Grizzop wakes up feeling great in the forest, this has to be the lands of Artemis. This is a good eternity (seriously Alex's world building is lovely). "right, so this is what's next" Lydia made the same noise as my heart. Bwah, She is taking care of all the kids that might have ended up like her in the bad way, and helping them end up like her in the good way. She is even doing this legally and has moral codes in her contracts. Re:out takes: Thank you Lydia! She is trying to explain to everything I tried to type to Ben. *I joke about Ben, but knowing he, Lydia, and Alex are doing well enough to joke with each other is why I can relax enough to be this openly emotional. I've had to drop out of fandoms in the past because I found out the actors weren't being treated right because somebody thought getting a reaction was more important than the risk to a real person. They've talked in the Q&As & various social media about trusting each other and talking things through out of character. Not only does this help prevent harm to them, I strongly believe its why they handle heavy topics in a way that doesn't leave me having to brace. Characters die, parents aren't always great, but stuff gets telegraphed/foreshadowed instead of being a sucker punch, I don't think they've ever done anything for pure shock value, and they honestly care about how it will impact the listener.

[moofbat]

here’s the first of my pieces i did for @rqgzine ! i did three pieces based on AR (+ a few doodles i’ll post too) and basically just did psychic damage to myself for a few months :,)

[ID: A digital drawing of Sasha Rackett and Grizzop Drik Acht Amsterdam on a natural stone ledge in a cave. Sasha is a white human woman with ear-length straight black hair with a white streak in it and a pink burn scar up one side of her face and neck. She’s kneeling, covered in blood and dirt, wearing a black studded leather jacket. She cries as she holds Grizzop’s body, nuzzling her face close to his. Grizzop is a goblin with green-grey skin and large ears, wearing dirty plate armour with engravings of a bow and arrow and the cycles of the moon on the shoulder plate. He’s seen from behind, in Sasha’s arms, his body limp. They are in the bottom centre of the canvas, seen from the chest up, and backlit from the fire in the pit below them. Behind them a large, rugged stone column is lit by the flames from below, and daylight from above. There are pieces of stone falling into the pit, and a large chain hanging off the ledge they are on, glinting orange from the flames. end ID]

[bag-chips]

! MAJOR SPOILERS FOR RQG ANCIENT ROME SIDEQUEST AND RQG 207 !

something something Lydia character parallels something something their own actions/failings led to the death of a friend

Sorry for the inactivity I’ve been working on an animatic that’s nearly done! : )

[thetasteofsunshineonyourtongue]

ID: Two pictures of the same acrylic painting, one on grass illuminated by the setting sun, the other sitting in dead pine needles and black and gray ashes. The painting is of ancient Rome on fire from the perspective of the middle of a road. The ground is cobblestone and aqueducts run on each side of it, with darkened entrances under each arch. A dark figure is standing in the middle of the road, holding a knife in each hand and looking at the destruction in front of them. The sky is overcast, with swirling clouds surrounding Nero’s palace, with a straight beam of lightning hitting the top of it, with small arcs around it. A gold dragon is being hit by an arc of lightning in midair, her mouth open andeyes angry. A black dragon is looking up from the ground to see this, while a blue dragon is still spitting orange fire on the city. End ID.

Do As The Romans Do And Die

[rachthechaosbi]

no, no i’m fine, why do you ask?

i’m definitely not thinking about sasha cradling grizzops body in rome with rubble crashing down around them as the dragons take off and things start to burn with as the world caves in playing in the background

[5-turtleducks-in-a-trenchcoat]

Still crying about the fact that Sasha got to live a long and happy life after never thinking she'd actually get that.

[eleanor-is-fine]

RQG Ancient Rome Sidequest

Returning to my RQG relisten after a month or so. Did I pause on purpose, knowing what was up next? Yes, yes I did.

No matter how blue I felt in the run up to xmas, I consoled myself with the thought that at least I wasn’t in Rome with Sasha and Grizzop.

It is time now to listen to it. I’ve only listened once, live-blogging with friends online. Hold my hand lads, here we go.

[shanisaur]

what’s fun about listening to the rome sidequest is that, as a bio major, i have literally NO context for the historical figures they’re referencing. i haven’t learned about rome since i was like,,,, 12? cicero is a name i have heard before but other than that i’ve got no clue lmao

[franzis-frantic-thoughts]

Polls for the other seasons will be linked in the reblog.