Marius yawned as woke up for the day, a light breeze brushing past the elegant curtains to help cool the room on a hot summer’s morning. Still, despite the beautiful morning, Marius had never been an early riser. As the son of the Provincial Governor of Germania Inferior, one the newer northern territories of the glorious Roman Empire, he had very few responsibilities beyond receiving an education to take a place in the Senate and eventually being assigned to rule a province of his own.
True, governorship was not a hereditary position, but it was inconceivable that it would fall into the hands of anyone but the children of senators and governors, and besides, the empire was expanding rapidly. He was born in 862 ab urde condita, and in the sixteen years he had been alive the empire had grown smoothly. Even the current province was fairly new, just having been part of the empire for a little more than forty years.
Marius woke up everyday thinking of thoughts of glory and the grand rule of Rome, it was his duty, after all, to help provide the Emotional Atmosphere his subjects would need to fully integrate with the empire as a whole. In truth, he found it a pain, but he had been taught to control his feelings and never let them control him. It was simply barbaric to let Emotional Pollution be expressed.
Much like pants, Marius frowned as he dressed in his toga. What was with these northern barbarians and pants? And to think they always questioned his toga! Well, they were simply commoners and slaves after all.
Speaking of, his families servants brought breakfast for him, slathered in his favorite food, honey. Happiness was the key to a good leader after all, but something was wrong…
Marius frowned as his father walked in, “Father, do you feel that?”
Human emotions are real things, and they leave an impact on the world. As emotions build up in places they would flow and mix along routes that people travelled. Some strong willed individuals could even draw power from this flow and use it to produce all sorts of wonders, but even without bringing the Ethosi into it, the power could have great effect on populations as a whole.
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Most people were oblivious to this, but with education and practice anyone could sense the Emotional Atmosphere, and it was the duty of the governors to make sure that atmosphere was a good one, for the good of the Empire.
“Yes, I do.” His father laughed, projecting mirth into the room. His father was not an Ethosi, but his will and control over his emotions made him capable of incredible charisma. The very air would change around him and Marius always had to fight to keep himself from feeling envy. “Adaline, I do not know how you can hate honey so much, but I am impressed by it.”
A servant bowed, “My apologies Lord Governor, I simply do not like sweet things.” She said.
Marius coughed and began laughing as well, “Adaline, not liking them is one thing, I almost thought someone wanted to kill me for a second!”
At this Adaline’s eyes widened and she began to try and assure Marius and his Father that she had meant no such thing. She was a slave after all, and while there were laws in the Empire to protect her, in reality this far from Rome Marius’s father’s words were law.
Fortunately for her and everyone else, the entire family was good natured and the whole thing was laughed off without becoming anything more.
“And now that my lazy son is finally awake, I can finally tell him that I will be traveling to Rome soon.” Marius perked up hearing this, could it be…? “You will have to manage the affairs of the province in my absence.”
Marius could not contain his joy! He had been waiting for a chance to prove himself since he was twelve years old! He was composed as he acknowledged his Father’s request, but his Father was simply smiling, being able to feel the emotions rolling off his son.
“Now listen carefully, I have a lot to tell you before I go.”