It's been weeks since the Legio encampment and I
still haven't written it up. At least I got the stelae shared out with my... what's the Latin term, sorors?
I arrived late to the opening of the camp on Friday, August 17th. The Baron had been wandering around the Caledon Library, so when my sorors called me to join them, I had to rush him off so I could get changed into my uniform. The camp was so busy when I got there! New Amazons, Parisii, and some of the Legio regulars whom I hadn't met, including Francus, whose work the encampment largely was. One of the apparent locals amused me - she danced, and danced... one of my sisters even snapped at her to stop, but all she did was get dressed more appropriately for the camp (never pausing in the meantime).
I stayed up as late as I could, then lay down in one of the tents to sleep. When I got up, it was very very quiet, and largely remained that way for what seemed to me to be the majority of the weekends. I found out that part of the reason was that the gods had become displeased with this world, and had suffered afflictions upon it, causing the mere mortals to be unable to move about freely and suchlike. I didn't even see any Parisii anywhere within reach of my smaller map. It was a little lonely while I was the only one there. I couldn't even bring Prokris out to play (I didn't dare bring Oualos, he's too naughty with his determined wandering off) because of the permissions on the site.
Later that day, as the sun was setting, adelphe Spaciva called me to come stomp grapes with her. I was reluctant to abandon the camp, but it had been too quiet for me, so I followed her beacon and found myself stomping grapes in a large vat with a man and a sister wearing identification of a goddess. She was, however, not one of the goddesses I recognise on sight. I finally met one of the Getae - their druid, who was wearing Roman robes and title, stomped grapes in the next vat over. We stomped for a while, then hurried off uphill to a ceremony to Hæsphestus, but they called him 'Vulcan'. The volcano which looms over the practice fields loomed even closer this time, and rumbled and spat fireballs at us. After the ritual, there was feasting and dancing, but I went back to the camp for a while.
Oh, I meant to get this written down sooner - I'm forgetting things, like exactly when the ritual to
Artemis Diana took place exactly; and the Roman trivia game afterwards (I had some answers correct, but was too slow - only got credit for two). The winner was a Proconsul and generously shared his prize with everybody present. Appropriate to the occasion, I donated it to the goddess and her priesthood, even if they call her by a funny name.
And when everybody suddenly showed up at the camp, started playing with our horses, and ended up not only giving Francus his own steed but making a parade through the streets of Paris to the Arc d'Triomphe and back. All Amazons, except for Francus!
Sunday, I'm sure about - Francus and some of the others put out a call for everyone possible to show up, and we skirmished. Amazons and the lone Getae warrior versus the mixed bag of regulars, classiari and equites. I found I cannot fight adequately, which made me frustrated, sad and annoyed altogether. I'm just not fast enough, I can't see my opponents' attacks. I finally sheathed my sword and went off to look at the ranch which provided warhorses my sisters ride, as my handsome riding horse Hecate seems quite insubstantial compared to these muscular beasts of theirs. There's something to be said of a horse bred for a task, and as a benefit, the Baron can use the horse as
his saddle horse - he's a very large man, they will match in scale.
(Baron Klaus eventually picked out a Percheron, all dapple-grey and huge; it will be like riding that Trojan Horse in the histories. He's a stallion, and doesn't have a name yet.)
The camp had emptied out while I was gone; not long after that, Francus closed the camp and took down his part of the furnishings. He hardly left his new horse's back, incidentally, since he first mounted. I sat around on either Hecate or my pegasus as well as he worked. Finally, the land was bare and we left for Roma, where we wandered around the market talking to our comrades and friends. It was a relief to get out of that armour, I can tell you, having been in it almost continuously for three days! I didn't even bother putting sandals back on - my feet are tough, and the market area is well-paved. I met a pair of children, incredibly energetic, who were related to the Queen of the Getae somehow. I came up to her talking to Francus, but she had to leave before I could really talk to her. The children ran around and around; they said their father was a god, but didn't say who; the girl admired my Bracelets of Submission. They started begging for wine, but Francus was quite stern with them. They also suggested I should go to the Baths with him! Strange ideas they came up with.
Finally I left for a well-deserved rest. It was quite an event. :)
The images of the encampment (and grape-stomping) are here.![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
