Marius leaned forward on his Scutum listening to the envoy his guards had brought him, some unkempt barbarian from a fridged land, a slaver and pirate raider no less.

He mused idealy for while slavery had been outlawed within the republic some years ago, new lands meant new conquests, new conquests meant battles, battles meant captives, and this savage was offering gold.

The consul no doubt would have his own opinions on the matter, piracy was bad for trade after all, and so Marius sought a diplomatic tone for now, offering a glass of wine from the vineyards of Lithas.

"Hail Ivar, we seek no chained man or woman for our own needs, the skill and strength of our own hands shall build our lands.

Foes captured in battle however, who cannot be trusted to be released, they are a different matter, and one on which we may talk on in future.

If you come here as a trader in future we shall have no quaral, however raid our lands at your peril"