Paradox Rome

Have you ever wondered, what if history had foreknowledge? Journey back to CE37, to Rome just before Gaius Caesar Germanicus arrives... or as we know him, Caligula. Rome's fate is in your hands.

As you sit on a log next to the paved road, looking out over the rolling hills of Italy and eating a protein bar from my pack, you smile a bit at how out of place you must look to anyone seeing you. Your tunic could pass for period correct from a distance, but the sneakers wouldn't, definitely not the holster strapped to your thigh, or the nanofiber body armor that covers your torso. But at least the armor and holster are hidden under the tunic. The backpack containing your spare ammo and your now extremely futuristic gadgets, well, less so.

"Okay, so, now to decide how I want to play this" I mutter to myself, taking another bite of the protein bar. "Breaking into inTech was the hard part, hijacking their prototype time machine was the risky part, and this is the easy part. I have a gun, no one else does, and I've plenty of spare ammo and the ability to make more."

You scan the Via Appia as you think about your options. You decided to come here and now because in just a moment, Caligula will pass by on his way to Rome, where he will become its third emperor. But you haven't yet decided what to do. You could kill him, you have a fully loaded 9mm Sig with four spare mags, enough to massacre a small army of Roman soldiers, and you're an expert marksman. Or you could use the chaos he'll soon unleash to further your goals.

You soon see a group of five riders, and you easily spot your target among them. He's a man of 25 years, by far the youngest in the group, but he doesn't look like much. He's tall, but his arms and legs are thin, his skin is pale, and his face lacks the rugged features of most Romans. The other four are praetorian guard. Do you kill him now, or let him pass? Which choice will further your objective?