How to Play

Legio Aeterna is a text RPG set in the Roman Empire, 4 CE. Augustus reigns, the legions hold the frontiers, and your journey is about to begin.

Living Game Master

A dedicated narrator responds to everything you do, and the story adapts to your choices.

Total Freedom

Type any action you can imagine, or tap suggested choices. The world responds to creativity.

The Fateful Die

Risky actions require dice rolls. Your character's stats add bonuses to tip the odds.

Permadeath

Death is permanent, and Rome is dangerous, so weigh every risk.

The Game Screen

The main screen shows the narrator's text, scene images, and your available actions.

Header Bar

Your name, level, and vital stats. Tap the menu for full character options.

Location & Time

Current location and time of day. Time passes as you act.

Scene Area

The narrative describes your surroundings, the people around you, and what happens when you act.

Input Footer

Type actions or tap suggestions. Quick buttons for Trade, Arena, Property.

Your Character

Choose your background: legionary, gladiator, merchant, druid, philosopher, and more. Each has unique starting stats, skills, and story hooks.

Vital Stats

HealthTake damage; if it reaches zero, your character dies for good.

EnergyUsed for strenuous actions. Regenerates with rest.

DenariiRoman currency. Earn through work, quests, or trade.

Six Core Stats

Stats affect your dice roll bonuses and determine what you're good at:

VIRMelee combat, lifting, breaking

CELAgility, stealth, ranged attacks

FORHealth, endurance, resistance

INGKnowledge, crafting, medicine

PRUPerception, survival, divine

RHEPersuasion, deception, leadership

Skills & Careers

Earn XP from actions and quests, then spend skill points to unlock powerful abilities. Six skill trees, from combat techniques to social manipulation.

Martial

Agility

Endurance

Scholarship

Wisdom

Rhetoric

Skill Tree Details▾

Martial (VIR)Combat training, heavy blows, shield work, cleave, furor, wrestling, intimidation

Agility (CEL)Silent step, quick hands, infiltration, assassination, acrobatics, dual wield

Endurance (FOR)Toughness, iron gut, tireless, poison resistance, sea legs, forced march

Scholarship (ING)Literacy, medicine, engineering, surgery, herbalism, forgery, legal knowledge

Wisdom (PRU)Awareness, survival, animal handling, tracking, augury, divine favor

Rhetoric (RHE)Presence, persuasion, deception, silver tongue, performance, oratory, seduction

Career Paths▾

Your background determines your starting career. Advance through ranks by meeting requirements:

Roman Military: Tiro to Miles to Centurio to Primus Pilus
Gladiator: Novicius to Veteranus to Primus Palus to Rudiarius (freedom)
Merchant: Peddler to Wholesaler to Magnate to Trade Prince
Architect: Apprentice to Architectus to Master Builder to Imperial Architect
Priesthood: Initiate to Priest to Senior Priest to High Priest
Scholar: Student to Scholar to Master to Famous Philosopher
Tribal Warrior: Warrior to Champion to War Leader to Legendary Hero
Sailor: Deckhand to Helmsman to Trierarch (Captain)

Combat

When violence erupts, the game enters turn-based combat. You have 15 seconds to choose your action each turn. Roll the twenty-sided die + your stat modifier versus the difficulty to hit.

Attack

Defend

Flee

Skills

Remember: Death is permanent. Know when to fight and when to flee.

The Arena

In cities with arenas, fight as a gladiator for glory, coin, and your freedom. Work your way up through five tiers of increasingly deadly opponents.

Combat Stances

AggressiveMore damage, less defense

DefensiveBetter defense, less damage

ShowboatPlease the crowd, risky

Dirty TrickUnderhanded, crowd hates it

FinisherKilling blow when opponent is weakened

Crowd Favor affects your rewards. High favor means better pay, and the crowd may spare you if you lose. You can also wager coin on your own fights.

Dice, Coins & Ludus

The Fateful Die

Risky actions trigger a twenty-sided die roll. Your stats and skills add modifiers that tip the odds in your favor. A natural 20 is a critical triumph; a natural 1, a spectacular failure. Choose wisely which risks to take.

Fortuna's Coins

Fortuna's Coins let you reroll a failed dice check, turning disaster into triumph. Earned weekly as a gift from the goddess of luck.

Ludus Latrunculorum

Challenge the inhabitants of the Roman Empire to Latrunculorum, the ancient Roman board game. Wager denarii in taverns and test your strategic mind.

The World

The Roman Empire in 4 CE spans from the mists of Britannia to the deserts of Aegyptus. Travel by road or sea, discover new cities, and encounter the diverse peoples of the ancient world.

Regions to Explore

ItaliaHeart of the Empire

HispaniaSilver and warriors

GalliaCeltic traditions

GermaniaWild frontier

BritanniaMisty isle

GraeciaAncient glory

AegyptusLand of pharaohs

SyriaGateway East

JudaeaTroubled province

AfricaWhere Carthage fell

IllyricumAdriatic coast

Asia MinorWealthy Anatolia

Land travel via Roman roads

Sea voyages (storms, pirates)

World Events

Dynamic events reshape the world around you: grain shortages, plagues, festivals, military campaigns, and political upheavals.

Historical World Map

The in-game map reflects the actual Roman Empire as it existed in 4 CE, with historically accurate cities, provinces, and frontiers. Your position is tracked as you travel, and you can plan routes across the known world.

Economy & Factions

Trade & Property

Buy low in one region, sell high in another
Own tabernas, workshops, farms, villas
Properties generate passive income
Build monuments with the Architect skill

Reputation & Factions

Factions across the empire track your standing
Reputation affects prices, access, and missions
Help one faction, their enemies may dislike you
Senate, Legion, Merchants, Mystery Cults, Tribes...

The Side Menu

Tap the menu button to access all your character information and game systems:

Your Villa

While travelling, you may find an abandoned villa by the roadside. Claim it, invest in repairs across five tiers, and turn a crumbling ruin into a profitable estate that earns passive income.

Tactical Battle

Command troops on a hex grid in large-scale engagements. Choose to fight for Rome or against it, use terrain and flanking to your advantage, and earn victories that advance your military career. Rank high enough and you can lead the battle yourself.

Olympics & Hippodrome

Compete in 9 Olympic events from sprint races to pankration. Race chariots at the hippodrome with 5 strategies and a stamina system. Bet on outcomes, earn gold medals, and chase championship titles across different cities.

Sea Voyages

Book passage between ports across the Mediterranean. Multi-day voyages bring daily events: storms, pirates, conversations with fellow travelers. Each route has its own cost and danger level. Some destinations can only be reached by sea.

Construction

Build aqueducts, temples, and monuments for the empire. Choose your approach: careful, standard, or ambitious. Overcome construction challenges with skill checks, handle setbacks, and advance the Architect career path from apprentice to imperial architect.

Faction Warfare

Political conflicts erupt between factions across the empire. Choose a side, complete missions, and shape the outcome. Betray your allies if you want, but treachery carries a steep reputation cost. Up to three conflicts can run at once.

Tips for New Players

Keep a Coin HandyA Fortuna's Coin can undo a bad roll, save one for when it counts.

Check Your JournalActive quests give you direction.

Reputation MattersFactions remember your actions.

Be CreativeType anything, the narrator will respond.

Rest to RecoverEnergy and health regenerate with rest.

Know When to FleeNot every fight is winnable.

Achievements

Achievements track your deeds, from first blood to conquering the arena, mastering skills, and exploring every corner of the empire.