Petronax
Kaeso Sextius Petronax (originally Petronir Pellimsson)Who am I? Who is my family? What is my past?
I am Kaeso Sextius Petronax, formerly a Fabri or Engineer for the Tarsh Auxillia Legio. I am originally of the Toleblin clan of Tarsh, but my accursed father made himself and his children thralls through his profligate life and my eldest brother still wears the yoke. Now I am without family, clan or contubernium (squad). I have cast off my unforgiving homeland like an old cloak but I still venerate my forebears for their wisdom and honour. I have become a citizen of the Empire through my military service, 20 years in the legion fighting in every corner of the south lands.
What is my homeland? Who are my people? What other lands do I know? Who are their peoples?
I have no homeland now, but I miss the Auxillia terribly as all my old friends have marched off and once again I am without family. I have marched far and wide behind my unitÂ’s holy standard, from my home in Tarsh right down through Sartar and on to Karse. Also, right across the plains and one hellish trip to Corflu. The people of Sartar are just like the hill men of my old home Tarsh, but will never be reconciled with a northern Empire controlling them, and the people of the plains are hard and alien but can be strangely friendly if met on their own terms.
What work do I do? How do I spend my time?
Now, I loll around Pavis and put off going to my plot of earth in the south, but formerly I was a respected Fabri and Optio of the Provincial Auxillia. Hundreds of all-duties legionaries called 'munifexi' would toil to my instructions creating marvellous enterprises. Sieges, bridges, dams, civic works are all within my compass, but no more.
What do I value? Who do I serve? What do I hope for?
For a long time I valued little beyond living a long time and drinking myself silly, but now a bleak and hard retirement looms before me and I feel utterly alone. I am yet to serve anyone, here the spirits are unfamiliar and I tread cautiously in fear of offending them. Perhaps I should enlist as a mercenary? I hope for friends and good cheer to lift my gloom more than anything.
What things are good? What things are evil? Who are my friends? Who are my
enemies?
Comradeship is good and is what keeps a man living; good company and stout friends give a man strength to face life. Solitude and an outcast's lot are evil, but many other things are too. Chaos is evil, no matter what the officers say. It was chaos beasts that ate Vergilis alive at Moonbroth before we could get to him, and it is chaos that makes the Southerners loathe the Northerners so. Chaos can kill the spirits and make the shadow world desolate and without family.
Who are my gods? How do I serve them?
I venerate Daka Fal as the separator of this world and the next, but mainly I see the spirit folk as those deserving respect. All my ancestors (bar my lousy father), the spirits of wyld or wold, the little people who watch the forge or clean the barracks whilst 'Miles' is asleep, these are the people I obey the wishes of. I leave them the customary offerings and I honour the words of wisdom and caution that the shamen whisper. Still, it is a fool who needlessly angers a god, because although they are often aloof to prayers they are ever vigilant of any slighting, so I obey the constraints of whatever peoples I am among.