Author's Note: Arms of Caesar is my first ever continuing story. It will adhere to both Fallout and the Ancient Roman history, geared towards the dark, gritty side of the Fallout Universe rather than the more dark comical Fallout Universe. Expect an update at least once a week, if not faster. I've been waiting a long time to do this. It will tell the story of Plutarch, a citizen of Caesar's Empire from his birth all the way to his death.

The Arms of Caesar

In Year 2277, the yet to be reformed Caesar's Legion and the profligate forces of the New California Republic met at the Great Dam. Bear and Bull locked horns. At the battle, the decisive victory of the New California Republic was imminent after the Burned Man lead his troops directly into an ambush at Boulder City. Despite the mighty power of the Legion, they lost the first battle. Caesar covered the Burned Man in pitch, blessed him with divine fire, and cast the Burned Man out of his kingdom.

For four years, the Legion stayed on the other side of the Great Colorado River, watching and waiting. A few Legionaries and slaves would tell a tale that one man, as great or even greater than as Legatus Lanius, bearing no flag, would appear to decide the fate of the Second Battle. And in Year 2281, that man, dubbed Cato, proved to be the true Messenger of Mars.

He brought a message of peace to many of the ignorant tribes across the Wasteland and brought a message of war to all who opposed the will of Caesar. And in 2287, He was named Legatus Cato after the death of the Monster of the East(Legatus Lanius). Legatus Cato was more than a General, he was the man who reformed Caesar's Legion and became Caesar's true second.

The story of the scribes ends here. But history is written day after day. Time stops for no man.
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This looks extremely interesting, and it is a Legion FF. I await the first chapter

Sounds like it will be a great story. Can't wait to read the first chapter.

Even in Fallout, bears do NOT have horns, making this line unintentionally funny. Unless you mean the bears male "horn", which unfortunately makes this line even more hilarious.

Great contribution. Really, excellent.

Anyway, I'll be reading the first chapter.

... :facepalm: Ever hear of an expression?

Well, of course... The problem is that in this case the expression fits one of the animals used, but not the other... If the poster would like a professional opinion, I would advise any client I was editing for to rewrite this line.

@ Josh, thanks for the good words. This is my first Legion story that isn't a "one-shot" kind of thing.
@ The Ghost of Frankenstein, Even in the interview before New Vegas release date, the guys at Obsidian says "Looking to lock horns with the NCR". It was mostly because of that line that I used it. And it sort of fits with this primitive scholarly thing going on.

This is going to be the ONLY chapter where any hint of fantastical happenings will exist.

Chapter One, The Oracle

The quiet night of the Legion controlled Mojave Wasteland was to be admired. Only at a quiet night could such a serene and peaceful exist in such a war torn wasteland. Tamed Cazadors fluttered about and the sound of tamed Geckos moving about, hunting for their prey was a symphony compared to the usual sounds of battle. And to the eyes of the old Legion Decanus, Augustus Cerinn, it was a welcome sight after 12 grueling years of battle.

Augustus was leading a party of three men and one woman, his wife, to Goodsprings. All three men were Legion Recruits, merely teenagers, the oldest of the group being a mere 17 years old. As they headed down the cracked Pre-War road, yet to be converted into a stone path by Caesar's workers, Augustus heard a crack of gunfire.

Raiders. All of them were even more savage now than before Caesar took over. Wearing nothing but loin cloth, hastily sewn together from the clothing of their victims, the hoard of savage raiders yelled a shrill battle cry as they advanced with nothing but axes and pipe rifles.

All three Legion Recruits, eager to fight, drew their guns and their swords. Augustus simply watched in horror as the hoard of raiders, numbering to be at least 30, attacked the three recruits. But despite the years of training the recruits had, they were killed swiftly without a single scream.

And next was Augustus himself. He started to pull out his own gun before he felt a sharp pain in his leg and fell down to one knee. When he looked down, the bare leg was flowing with blood. Augustus turned to his wife.

"Run! Go to Freeside and speak to my Centurion. He will help you and the child," Augustus said as another bullet met his back as he lost consciousness. Augustus' wife ran immediately, following her husband's orders.
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Augustus awoke on a craggy mountainside near a small shack. His rifle laid next to him, cleaned and even modified with a scope. He saw an old man, wearing nothing but tattered fabrics, playing with two dice that had no numbers but rather various symbols.

"Si...sir? Are you a legionary?" Augustus asked, his voice crackling from a numb feeling in his throat. The old man turned around.

"You are Augustus Cerinn, Legionary Decanus of Caesar's Empire. In your life, there will be three lives that will affect your own life forever. First is a tribe. You were sought to be killed but were not. Second is a Child. Because of the child, when you die, your legacy will live forever. Third is a Chip. What you sought to remove will come back and become your child's ambition."

Augustus looked at the old man in confusion. "W...what?" He stuttered.

The old man grabbed three pieces of paper and drew three images before tossing it to Augustus. The first was a crude picture of a rifle, the same type of rifle the raiders had used. The second was a picture of a small baby wearing the crown of Caesar. The third was the picture of a poker chip with the words "Lucky 38" written on it.

Augustus turned to look back at the man but he was already many yards away, walking down the mountain path. He shook his head and then looked towards the other side of the mountain. On the horizon was Freeside, about a day's walk away. Augustus picked up his rifle and the three pictures as he started to head towards Freeside.

Interesting. I liked it.

Very ominous. Was Agustus talking to the Orcle of Delphi? Or at least Cesar's Legion's version of the Orcle of Delphi?

Either way, please continue, I look forward to what happens next.

You have officially grasped my attention, and this story is one I will be reading most definitely. :thumbsup:

I'm guessing Plutarch is Augustus' son? Great fan-fic, intruging and oure awesome! I like it very much!

Keep up the job Zerker.

@ Schmuty Buncis, well you'll find out in this chapter. But it's pretty obvious.
@ kdn003, I wasn't going for the Oracle of Delphi despite it being a Caesar's Legion story. I was actually going for something more of a Mountain Sage like in those Chinese or Korean legends.

Although I promised a darker story, this is Plutarch as a child so it's pretty light and fun for the duration of his childhood.
Chapter Two, Re-Enactment

Ten years after Augustus escaped, only with the three parchments of paper from the Oracle/Sage, Allison Cerinn, Augustus' wife, gave birth to Plutarch "Pluto" Cerinn. Augustus saw him as a blessing and while other Legion fathers trained their sons to one day be Centurion, Frumentarri, or even Praetorian Guards, Augustus trained Plutarch to become whatever he desired.

But also, ten years had changed both Caesar's Empire and the Mojave greatly. Caesar finally gained total control with Legatus Cato's help. He turned out to be a very benevolent man who cared greatly for his citizens(not slaves) so long as they were breaking no rules and followed his principles correctly. He even made women equal to men with the exception of they couldn't fight in the Legion and that they couldn't use Latin names for their daughters.

The Mojave on the other hand had also greatly improved. Despite their strict reliance on more natural methods of life, Rome was still bright, if not brighter, as it was before Caesar took control. All towns grew much larger and because of that, Caesar had to give up his stance on staying in a primitive age. Freeside, which used to be a gang ridden land, became the second most populated town, only defeated by Rome.
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"Alright, Pluto's group will be Caesar's Empire while Cato's group will be the profligates!" Danic declared.

It was the monthly, "Second Battle of Hoover Dam Re-Enactment" that took place in Freeside. At first it was just a bunch of kids but as each month went by, it became tradition for children. And it started to become less of a re-enactment and more of a show of whose parents trained their kids better as many times, the NCR or "profligates" won the battle. Many parents cared less about who won but cared more about how their child performed in the battle.

All children between ages of 10-16 participated, meaning almost a thousand kids would meet up in the massive Freeside main street All of them were armed with a choice of a dull wooden sword and one Airsoft gun, along with the armour from either NCR or Caesar's Legion's side made out of wood, paper, or cotton by their parents or bought at a store.

Plutarch was Legatus, even though it was his first year in the re-enactments. He had gone through drills by his parents that dealt with military strategy however and everybody in Freeside knew it so the older kids relinquished their position as Legate and rather went for Praetorian Commander or Frumentarri Commander, or simply just Centurion.
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"Ugh...I have to be the NCR AGAIN," Evelyn, Plutarch's next door neighbor's daughter and best friend, whined. Plutarch snickered and put his hand on her shoulder.

"Don't feel bad. It's not like you're the one who has to fight 16 year old kids whose father's a Centurion. You just have to deliver BBs, use bandages, and use binoculars," Plutarch said in a kind of sympathetic and also a little mocking tone, "After all, you're gonna lose anyways."

Evelyn gave a "hmph" and then sighed, looking at the town clock. It was nearing 11:00, the time when the respective teams had to go to the other side of the main street. She then turned to the main street itself. Usually, it was filled with people but now, it was filled with "barricades" which consisted of wood sticks, some old signs, and metal pieces strung together with very easy to break wire.

She turned to Plutarch. "Hey Pluto, we should get going to each army. Cato's gonna kill me if I show up late again. He's such an ass," She said, "Want to go to that new diner that opened up for kids of Legionaries after the Battle?"

Plutarch nodded and started to head to the right of the main street and Evelyn to the left. For an hour, both teams prepared, setting up traps along their side of the main street and setting up groups. Then, the town clock hit 12:00 with its bell ringing through the main street. That was the cue.

Immediately, one of the NCR group's barricades exploded as planned. The beginning was the same for every time they did this so there was no surprise. Soon, the battle started with kids carrying Airsoft Rifles, pistols, wooden swords, foam spears, and a slew of other "safe" weapons.

Plutarch, just as Legate Lanius had in the real Second Battle, just waited at his "camp" on the other side of the main street with his special giant wooden sword..

At first, the NCR group of kids started to advance through the main street. But Plutarch's trap was sprung the moment they passed the "checkpoint" in the middle. A group of Caesar's Legion kids sprang from their hiding place in the alleyways and fired at the NCR kids, disabling them(a term for being shot in the chest. If you're shot in the chest, you're out of the game and have to lie down on the floor or leave the main street).

The rest of the NCR kids simply surrendered after losing their main force in the trap, much like a reverse of the First Battle. And just like in the real Second Battle, Cato, who was playing General Oliver, was "shot".
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After the re-enactment, everybody who was bleeding went to their parents and the rest all grouped up, the Caesar's Legion group giving each other high fives with the NCR group sulking. Then they went their separate ways, leaving Plutarch, Evelyn, Cato, and Mira at the main street.

"Alright, good game guys," Mira said smiling, clinging onto Cato's arm. Although they were only a year older than Plutarch, they were already liking the opposite six.

Cato on the other hand, grumbled, "Easy for you to say. You didn't get shot in the face. Oh and Pluto, you're a [censored] for telling your soldier to do that."

Plutarch gave a smirk before he heard, "Plutarch, time for you to go home."

He turned around to see Augustus, his father, gesturing for Plutarch to follow him back home. Plutarch nodded as the other kids immediately gave a respectful "Ave" to Augustus, who had been promoted to Centurion a couple years ago.

"Sorry Evelyn. We'll go to the diner some other time. I'll see you guys later," Plutarch called as he followed his father home.

I loved it. :clap:

Barely made it eh? Well I was busy the first half of the week and sick the second half so this is the only time I got a chance to write. There will be another time speed up.

Chapter 3, Losing Father

It's been 16 years since Plutarch was born, six years since the Re-Enactment and the subsequent Second NCR - Caesar's Empire War. Augustus, being a Centurion, took Allison and Plutarch from Freeside to the border between Arizona and California, a hotspot for NCR engagement and the most bloody area of the entire campaign.
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July 23rd, 2303

This is going to be my last entry for a while. I haven't seen anything other than explosions from the damned profligate fortification. Although Caesar's Empire is powerful, after 22 or so years of licking their wounds from the Second Battle, I think they'd be a formidable foe. And NCR has something that our Empire doesn't. Advanced Weaponry. But father says that that will be their downfall.

It makes sense. During the Second Battle, the Legion had more than a 2:1 ratio on melee weapons to guns. Yet they still won. They may have been armed like tribals but we had the mind of Caesar, the sheer strength of Legate Lanius, and the tactical ingenuity of the Courier, or Cato as they call him now.

Plutarch put his quill back to its holding cup and looked at his entry, waited for the ink to dry, and shut it. It was inconvenient to him but despite the technology reform that Caesar enforced, pencils were still pretty rare and only used by top military officials.

Before Plutarch could get ready to leave his shack, Allison, Plutarch's mother, rushed in, her black hair in a frizzled state. "Pluto, we need to go, NOW"

"What? What's going on mother?" Plutarch asked. Allison had a grim face and sighed.

"Your father's group was...wiped out," Allison said, her voice choking at the last two words, "The NCR has broken through. Our camp is lost. We need to run, all the way up to Rome. So pack your bags."

Plutarch nodded and started packing as quickly as possible, only taking the bare essentials. Soon, they would be beset by the New California Republic. Although they'd be much nicer than if an NCR citizen was captured by a Legionary, they'd still be executed by firing squad along with the rest of the people in camp.

And it was done. Plutarch and his mother was done packing and left the camp. The rocky, barren, wasteland of Arizona was unfamiliar...and despite the high sun, the land was cold and merciless. All they knew was they had to go north. With nothing but the clothes on their backs, the two left, followed by a couple lucky families who found out before the NCR besieged their town.

At sunset, they finally stopped. All that was left of the camp was a few flickering flames in the distance that melded well with the yellow, red, and orange of the setting sun. And despite the dire situation the families were in, they couldn't help but watch the sunset, casting an ominous and radiant glow throughout the barren red landscape.
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Ten days after the NCR attacked and destroyed the camp, many people in the families that followed Plutarch have died. Either from attacks by giant 10 feet long rattlesnakes or even larger Deathclaws, which were rare and only one ever appeared, but tore three people apart before anybody could get a clean shot at the creature's eye.

Morale was low, even worse, the six remaining people were depressed, three of them even contemplating suicide. According to a map one of the deceased people brought, they were close however to a city and even closer to Rome.

Plutarch and Allison were trying to keep spirits high by retelling the triumphant story of the Legion's victory in Searchlight or the story of the Legionary who got stuck in the intake tunnels for over an hour before Cato got close enough to the intake tunnel to release him. And on the tenth day, all of them were killed except for Plutarch and his mother, simply by sheer luck. And on the 11th day, a breakthrough happened.
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Allison cooked another meal for her son. All that she could cook were snakes, geckos, and the occasional mole rat if they were lucky, using the occasional cactus to use as water. Before, the son of a Legionary and a soon to be Legion soldier was among them so hunting was very easy. But after the incident with the double suicide and the rattlesnake attack, only her and her son was left.

Plutarch sat alone, a few feet from the fire, looking out at the rising sun over the same red rock land they had seen for over ten days. Soon though, a familiar fanfare was heard. The fanfare of the Legion.

Both Plutarch and his mother's heads shot up as a group of Legionary soldiers, about seven or eight soldiers, headed their way. And when they arrived, one with a Centurion's helmet towering above both Plutarch and Allison, looked at them. "Are you the only survivors of the Red Rock Fort?"

Plutarch nodded, too tired to speak. The Legionary nodded. "Alright. The profligates are moving up so we must move up too. Let's move."

So the two kept moving, closer and closer to Rome. And on the night of the 11th day, a small sparkle of Caesar's Palace(The Lucky 38) was seen. They were close, nearing the border of Arizona and Nevada.

:clap: I am liking this so far. Looking forward to some more

I could bore you to death about minor grammatical errors, but I've realized most people don't even care. So I won't.

I will say ,however, that this is a great example of a Caesar's Legion fanfic. I especially like Chapter Two, you did a great job showing childhood, you actually made them seem like children. And before I knew it, I had read the whole thing, just wonderful.

I thought you could have added a little more detail here and there in chapter three, but whatever, still great.

I came here a Caesar Legion hater, now I'm not so sure. Thanks for challenging my perspectives.

You hate Caesars Legion! Understandable just please don't say your an NCR fan!

Hey man, that's my home sate ya dissing, and I've got to represent ya know.

But no.

I'm with House.

Oh thank the Maker! Mr. House is awesome, my second favorite "faction" in New Vegas.

Chapter 4, The Last Cerinn

As Caesar's Palace shined brightly, like a gem in the vast desert of the Mojave, Plutarch and the convoy of legionaries headed towards Rome, following nothing but the bright lights of Rome. Plutarch finally breathed a sigh of relief. 11 days trekking through sand, rock, and the blood of both NCR and Legion soldiers was depressing and extremely difficult.

I guess it payed off...11 days of pain and now, we're back in Rome. But...father is captured or dead... Plutarch thought as depression and fear washed away the previous feeling of relief. Without a father anymore, Plutarch gained tremendous fame but also lost fame amongst the Legionaries. Although the regular civilians would hail his father as a hero, the Legionaries would scoff at both Plutarch and his father.

Soon the rocks and dust gave way to something familiar, a road. It was simply a dusty sand road a bit cleaner than the rest of the wastes but it was still a road and the roads were always patrolled by Legionaries. It seemed that everybody felt relieved that they finally found a road. It meant that Rome was much closer and by the light in the distance, it seemed just a day's walk away.
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The night of the 12th day, Caesar's Palace seemed even brighter than the time when they first saw it the night before. It was to be expected since they were so close to the palace.

Plutarch sat and watched the murky sky give way to a bright constellation of stars, twinkling through the night, blending perfectly with the bright lights of the city before them. Despite the death and war that plagued the entire Earth for 200 years, it was still a speck. A speck in a vast cosmos of stars and other planets.

As everybody started to fall asleep, a sound was heard. A voice that cracked the silence of the desert night. "FOR COURIER JAMES!!!" They shouted and shot their rifles, about five shots were fired before something happened. Two Legionaries died and the rest pursued the sound, leaving Plutarch and his mother alone in the camp.

As Plutarch turned around to ask his mother what happened, his face fell and he turned a pale white. His mother was gripping her stomach and a thin trickle of blood ran down her clenched hand. She tried to speak but no words came out. And they were so close too. As to mock Plutarch, the shining light of Caesar's Palace hit his eyes as Plutarch laid his mother down and put pressure on the wound.

She smiled weakly and met eyes with Plutarch. "Pluto...you're just like your father. Smart, tactical, and caring to the people that matter most. You're the mark of a true Legionary."

Plutarch couldn't speak but hid his tears. All men were trained to hide their emotions and never broadcast it to anybody, even their family. Instead, he kept putting pressure on the wound, acting like he was ignoring her. But his mother talked again after a short coughing fit.

"You may be the last Cerinn in the Mojave. Don't kid yourself, I won't make it. Your father might be alive but don't count on it. So what will you do Pluto? Your father's gone and I'm gone. Will you starve? Will you get eaten by Cazadors?"

But before she could continue, Plutarch shook his head and choked out a response. "No! I'll gather berries or hunt Geckos. I'll fight off Cazador with fire and avoid their nests."

Plutarch's mother smiled as brightly as she could. "Good. Survive, you have to survive. Go...go to Rome. Join the Legion and become the next Legatus. Write down the grievances of your father...and destroy the NCR. Personally crucify the General. Avenge your father."

That broke it. Plutarch softly cried. Too many emotions. Losing his father and having a chance to reflect on it for the first time in an environment where his own mother told him to avenge his father gave him a strange feeling. It felt like something was stolen from him and never being able to get it back.

And that was it. His mother slowly closed her eyes. Moonlight finally broke and her body was plainly visible amongst the road. Plutarch started digging under the moonlight and made a burial place for his mother. And in the shadow of moonlight, leaving the tomb after making sure it was secluded enough so that only he knew about the whereabouts, Plutarch headed for Rome.

He was the last Cerinn. And with nothing left, he would join the Legion. Legionaries wouldn't accept just anybody, especially since Plutarch belongs to a Legionary who failed his mission. But he would join. He had to join.

New Chapter up. New chapter coming in the 28th