ACT I
It was a windy night on the 18th of July 64 AD when catastrophe struck the Grand Imperial City of Rome. Fanned by a persistent summer breeze flames erupted in the Merchant district, quickly engulfing the entire city in a smoldering inferno. Panic and confusion consumed the masses as they ran from quarter to quarter in a futile attempt to escape the blaze, some even testified that the skies opened up and the fires of Hades rained down upon the condemned. Emperor Nero returned from his Palace at Antium upon news that the fire was approaching the Mansion he had build to link the Maecenan Gardens to the Palatine. Soon the Holy Palatine it's self feel victim to the firestorm along with seventy percent of the city. Many of those who returned to try to quell the blaze were turned away by Legions of the Emperor's men, some even claimed to have seen soldiers tossing torches into the hellhole to feed flames because Nero, in his madness, wanted the city to be reborn in stone and marble barring his name. On the seventh day the flames finally subsided and the veil of smoke lifted revealing a scene of utter destitute. In the following months the repercussions of Nero's alleged actions came full circle. The people of Rome wanted a scapegoat and Nero gave them the Christians. Like sheep to the slaughter they were tortured and executed, on one such occasion Nero illuminated his gardens with the light of burning Christians on the pretext that they had started the fire, however this epic injustice came at a price. Some boasted the god of the Christians cursed Nero producing a mutiny that turned his own army against him and in the end he took his own life. To Nero's credit Rome was rebuilt in stone and marble and through the chaos of civil war and corruption following Nero's demise came in a new age of Peace and Justice for the Roman Populous…
Forty-two years later in the rugged Mountains of Arcadia there atop a treacherous hill, untouched by the troubles of the world around it, sat the Mystical Shrine of Solon. Battered by the unforgiving passage of time the Shine it's self, lied in decay. Waiting in front of the Shrine before a flaming pyre was Andreas of Sparta. He was a prodigious man of heroic stature and physical strength, the last descendant of a long line of Spartan Warriors. He was no more than twenty with a tanned completion, robust features and proudly wore a straggly brown beard the unauthorized insignia of the rugged persona. So prideful was Andreas that he felt no humiliate in drifting the valleys of Arcadia bare-chested, boasting his triumph over the human body in a mostly futile attempt to magnetize the opposing sex to his disposition. To the dismay of Andreas' teacher and mentor, Photios of Solon, for all that Andreas had accomplished physically inversely he lacked mentally.
Slowly Photios walked down the steep stairs in front of the shrine to acknowledge Andreas. Photios was a decrepit old man who hunched over as he leisurely made his way from one place to another. From the time when Andreas was but a small child he had always compared Photios appearance to that of some ancient uprooted tree withering from a deficiency of water. Photios mangled white bearded hung down to his stomach occasionally tangling with his wooden staff in which he utterly relied on for support. Approaching the pyre the sound of dragging feet alerted Andreas to Photios presence.
"Photios!" Exclaimed Andreas as he quickly stood up besides the blazing pyre.
"My lad," Photios groaned as he spoke, "you have returned from a parlous undertaking. Do you come baring accomplishment or disappointment?"
"My liege!" Andreas spoke very pompously, "You dispatched me to match wits with the wicked Goat Demon Leonard that plagues the lands of the Peloponnesian…"
"How did you fair?"
"…the vile beast was no match for me. I even return barring his pelt!" Swiftly Andreas wiped the pelt off the ground and through the air, wrapping it around his body. Photios starred at Andreas' prize in sheer disbelief.
"Andreas! That's not the pelt of the Goat Demon Leonard! Those are the robes of the Goat Skin Tanner Leonidas!" Photios rubbed his forehead trying not to imagine what series of disastrous events lead to Andreas' possession of those robes.
"You don't say…" Andreas pondered. "Well now that I reflect on it… I may have indulged a little too much in my "pre-victory" celebrations in Mantinea before I battled Leonard."
"Leonidas!" Photios asserted. "What do you mean pre-victory celebrations?"
"You know… a celebration of swig and dance on the excuse that I would return the champion! Between you and me I may have swigged a little too much… which, of course, would account for the obvious confusion." Andreas smiled trying to make light of the situation to distract from his absolute failure to accomplish a clear-cut task.
"Ugh. I do pray that you did not kill him for both our sakes."
"No, no, no. I cannot recall being clear-headed enough to even kill a mule. I'm positive Leonidas is battered but fine." Photios sighed shaking his head in frustration.
"Come Andreas, join me inside and do extinguish your pelt for it has come a blaze." Andreas was shocked to discover the tip his robe had fell upon the fiery pyre and caught asunder. Andreas jumped around wildly stomping the furry robe in to submission. As the two walked into the Shrine Photios began wonder if it was really wise take Andreas under his wing; he could have just as easily picked up one of those a scholarly children from Asia Minor, one that pays attention, studies hard and values brains over brawns. Grudgingly Photios sat down upon a seat of stone signaling Andreas to rest before him.
"Master," Andreas complained, "I have been going about these pointless task for months now! When are you going to teach me the ways of the Magi?"
"Ah, well now… come closer my son and I shall reveal to you a secret passed down from the wise elders of the Ancient Temple of Poseidon" Anxiously Andreas hurried to his side. Photios leaned over as if to whisper words of revelation into his ear but instead pummeled Andreas' head with his staff. "Haste makes waste! You'll do as your told and continue to do as your told after your told precisely!" Photios continued to beat at Andreas' skull until he fell to the floor in agony.
"Owwwwwww!" Andreas screamed. "What the hell was that for?" Photios leaned back against his chair and sighed.
"Andreas, Andreas, I am not going to dwell in this world forever, though I have lived a hundred lives longer than normal men I can feel my time on this earth fading."
"Master, don't speak of such things!"
"Andreas listen to me! Despite what others may think I have the utmost confidence in you're abilities, you simply must shear through this fog of zealousness that clouds you're judgments. That is why I am sending you on one final task."
"Final task?"
"Yes. The task for which I ask you to undertake will be more parlous than anything I have asked of you before with potential repercussions that could echo across all lands under a blue sky." Andreas sank into place upon hearing of such a morbid expedition. "Listen well: In the Imperial City of Rome there dwells a sinister Serpent that terrorizes the masses and corrupts the earth. It is your task to find this beast and slay it!"
"Slay a Serpent? How can you expect this of me master?"
"You must perform this task Andreas for it is the only way you can truly grasp the ways of the Magi. I have taught you everything I know about wave bending, long life and the power of nature but you still lack the humility and restraint that goes along with being a responsible Mage. This quest shall put to the test everything I have taught you. Return a victor or you won't live to return at all." Photios stood up began walking in the direction of his study. Andreas still sat in shock as Photios motioned for his company.
"Master how do you expect me to go about…"
"Slaying the serpent? Lift this cover stone in the floor and all shall be answered." Andreas quickly lifted the large slab and pushed it aside. Suddenly Andreas' demeanor transformed from that of despair to that of amazement at the sight of what he found under the cover. The object had a long metallic body and was similar in shape to a crucifix but distinctly different at the tips, which were rounded with elaborate spheres on them. The main shaft was about seven feet long and engraved with various runes and symbols. Where the four vertices meet creating an "X" a singular green orb glowed brightly as if it's power emanated though all sections of the object.
"It's a staff!"
"It's your staff."
"My staff?" Andreas was overwhelmed with happiness as he reached to pick up the staff. "Whoa! It's heavy!"
"Yes, nearly ninety pounds. With this you will be able to manipulate the world around you and most importantly slay the Serpent of Rome."
"I know I can do it master."
"I know you can too but beware young one for the serpent has silently slithered its way into the city, burning it out of the nest will be a tremendous undertaking. The lives of many hang in the balance, take that into consideration if you are tempted to stray from your path."