Choose Your Own Adventure (CYO)

Rules are simple: Read the passage and make a decision

where you will go. If you make a good decision, good things will happen. If you make a bad decision, you may die.

Simple!

You are the child of a powerful leader in a small city in northern Italy around 450 BCE. Your father died from old age and you have just taken command after the banquet for your father! (Of course, you enjoyed the slave fight after the funeral, too!)

 One day, an emissary comes to your throne,

demanding tribute to Rome, to allow your city to continue its existence.

 Do you pay or Refuse to pay? 

You’ve paid the Roman emissary off, and he leaves with a large grin on his face. He assures you that the Roman Legions will go around your territory and if you ever need help to just contact them.

Though you have protected your city from the power of Rome, the upper-class lords of your city now think you a weakling, unworthy of leading the powerful armies of your city. They have started to openly defy you and are spreading word of a possible overthrow

Do you confront the nobles?ConfrontNah…ignore those dopes.

The confrontation with the nobles, while brave, did not go well. The lords have gathered their forces around the edge of the city and are threatening to attack unless you give them your throne. The Emissary from Rome tells you that Rome has forces that will help you if you want them.

Do you accept Roman help?Romanis Para Bellum!Nah…I can take ‘em!

Civil War has broken out, and with the help of the Romans, you are successful! You’ve knocked the Noble Lords back in their place and are complete ruler of your city, again! However, there are now Legionaires within your city, watching over your every move. Your gold has been taken from the treasury and is making its way to Rome.

You are the ruler of your city, but you have lost your city. You are now a pawn in the Roman Republic.

You decide not to confront the nobles. They rally their soldiers and take the city walls. They easily defeat your personal guard and capture you. After a few days in a dark, smelly prison, they cut your head off.

You don’t pay the Romans their tribute. Very brave. The next day a Roman company appears on the horizon. The emissary from Rome appears, again, telling you that if you do not pay Rome its tribute, your city will be destroyed.

Do you rally your troops and fight, or pay the tribute?

FIGHT!PAY!

You don’t fight, deciding that the Romans were right, you should have paid them tribute. The emissary decides it’s not enough and that your people deserve to be conquered. The company comes into the city and quickly overpowers your guard, capturing you and incorporating your army into their own.

You survive for a while in prison until the Romans decide you should be made an example of. Your head comes off your body quickly and somewhat painlessly.

You decide not to take the Roman’s help. Instead, they side with the lords of the city. Rome and the army easily crush your personal guard and take you prisoner. Within days, you find several of the lords who fought against you also thrown in prison. Rome has taken over the city, and is now beheading all the lords of the city. Finally, after days of anguish, the Romans take your head, too.

You rally your soldiers and fight bravely, chasing off the heavily-armored, but poorly trained Roman soldiers!

However, a few weeks later, a newer, bigger, better-trained army appears on the horizon. Your forces are slightly out-numbered. The emissary shows up again, this time offering you a truce. If you agree to pay a tribute from year to year, they will not destroy the city.

Fight or pay?FIGHT! FIGHT! FIGHT!Eh…we’re tired.

You Fight bravely, rallying your soldiers many times before finally breaking the Roman lines and achieving victory on the battlefield today. You had great losses, however, depleting your military and causing great damage to your crops for the upcoming winter. Three months later, an entire Roman Legion appears on the horizon to the south and west, circling around the city. Your small army is still recovering, but willing to fight if their brave leader will let them. A deeply respectful emissary appears, offering concessions and a tribute to you if you would bow to the Senate and People of the Roman republic. Do you accept?

FIGHT! FIGHT! FIGHT!

Eh, we’re good. 

You accept, and as a Roman City, you send senators to Rome to represent your city. Your city has unprecedented wealth, and you die of old age. A rarity, these days.

You fight, and your soldiers are brave. The Romans, now battle-hardened, overwhelm your forces, route your men and slaughter them to every person. You are captured as you try to flee, and watch as the Legion burns your city to the ground, salting the earth as they spit on the dead bodies. You are turned into a slave to a rich Roman Citizen and spend painful years in service before dying of influenza years later.