On the surface, things appear to be another normal day in the nation of Alera from the perspective of the average person.  Perhaps there is a little more activity going on in the politics of noble houses and the Senate, but that was hardly uncommon.  Those who were immersed in such affairs, however, knew just how turbulent the times truly were.  Gaius Sextus, First Lord of Alera, had lost his son and heir in a sudden battle with the barbarians to the east nearly a decade ago.  His wife, overwhelmed by grief upon that news took ill and passed away not too long after.  Though he has since taken on a new wife, the union was entirely a political affair and no new heir has yet been conceived despite the years they have been wed.  Such a thing may not even be possible now that he is well within his late sixties and the High Lords of the land see the opportunity to claim the throne for themselves.  Nobody dares to take matters to the battlefield, knowing that any overt attempts to gain the crown would only brand them as a traitor causing the legions of not only Alera Imperia, but most if not all of the legions belonging to the other High Lords to descend upon them.<br/><br/>It is for this reason that the war is fought in the dark alleys, underground tunnels, and wherever else agents happen to cross one another in their attempts to give their patron political advantage.  All this in an attempt to discredit the competency of the current First Lord and other High Lords in an attempt to prove their own worth to rule the land by currying favor with the Senate.  Though, that knowledge is simply the ‘why’ behind what drives you and your group of agents who serve Gaius.  What truly matters to you is the ‘how’.  How to disrupt the attempts of those who wish to turn against your lord by either destroying his power base or, if fortunate enough, burying a dagger in his back in both a literal and figurative sense.  Your missions range broadly from the elaborate balls of the upper crust of society where politics and alliances can make or break individuals, down to the impossibly intricate and vast labyrinth of tunnels beneath the city known as the Deeps where steel and destructive magic do the talking.<br/><br/>The ability to do your job effectively relies heavily upon the ability to maintain your anonymity.  So what better place to remain largely out of the public eye while still having access to the unrelenting tide of rumors that float around the city than a thermae that serves as the covert headquarters to your team?  The establishment is a practical hub of information that is easily coaxed out of individuals whose words are unguarded when surrounded by an abundance of alcohol and enticing company.  It is there that Daemus, owner of the bathhouse dubbed Bakkheia, leader and advisor to your covert team, and unassuming master spy in service to Gaius resides.  It is from him that you receive your missives while he stalks the gossip-filled halls of his establishment for reliable tips that warrant investigating.<br/><br/><br/>4 Players<br/>Pathfinder (anything in the SRD aside from psionics and 3rd party stuff)<br/>Setting: Ancient Roman-esque society<br/>Any core race.<br/>Starting Level: 6<br/>Hit Points: Max first die, roll for the following 5 levels  (reroll 1s)<br/>Starting Wealth: 16,000gp<br/>25 Point Buy<br/>2 Traits from different categories