newromesweirdest

[newromesweirdest]

An update on Non Duco, Ducor: I know it's been a little while, but I'm still writing!! In true fan fiction author fashion, I'm dealing with some weird health problems at the moment, so I haven't been able to write. I'm going to have some tests done soon, so hopefully we can get to the bottom of it so that I can start writing again. I have so many ideas for this story, and I can't wait to share them!

[newromesweirdest]

you know what you know what. octavian only wanted to be known, to be respected, to be looked up to. he wanted to lead and to rule. he only wanted to play by the rules he grew up shackled to. you know what.

[newromesweirdest]

Woo! It's finally live! The first chapter of the long awaited Octavian fic. Content is below the cut! Tag List (DM me to be removed): @starsupontharss @irlkatiegardner @shattered-glasswork @octaviantheloser @afdg10 @augustuscaesarsalad @hya-lina @pjo-hoo-toa-freakazoid @praetorialreject @littlestarbeam @gillagully @eggpeepee @sphinx-musings @blagam0nie @pomnenka-kyticka @zazzander @captains-parrot @ilikepjo24 @m-for-now @alias-beta-cecilia @jg-ggw @f0xgl0v3 @reuben-7991 @summerfandoms @accionbox5050 @axo-lotl-of-work @shroomie-23 @etheravenlivrenvari @zieken08 @w3ndytheraccoon @maagisa @sabrinisnotokay @irlkatiegardner @i-dont-exist-people @cinnamonheartsvibes @flower-zs @ilikethins-0 @murderspugerter-ver2 @emperor-xerneas @panislumens @actuallyspeechless @atomboyishgirl @i-am-traveling-the-multifandom @ceruleandinosaur @dubiouslygaia @forthetaintedgay @jzciuxux @cuppa-noodle @bigpp6999 @imaliveboys @doctor-rat @octavianno1defender

Octavian leaned against the altar in the temple of Jupiter, tired after another day of constant prophecies. For weeks now, he had been bombarded by images and messages regarding the Sibylline Books, which was an endeavor that Reyna and the Senate would never approve of. He had asked so many times, and yet each time she denied him. 

For better or for worse, Reyna had turned nearly the entire Senate against him, with the exception of a few loyal followers who remained. Reyna had accused even them of having been bought by Octavian, but the truth of it was that they were truly friends.

Or at least, that’s what Octavian liked to think. He couldn’t actually be sure, considering the fact that he had never truly had a real friendship, at least not the type that comes with no strings attached and no expectations of favors to repay. But regardless, his allies were loyal and that was the most he could ask of them.

Michael Kahale stood a few feet away, leaning against one of the marble pillars that supported the roof of the temple. “Almost done, boss?” he asked, sounding more like a mobster than a teenager. Octavian threw his toga into a heap onto the altar, setting his knife nearby. “Yeah,” he sighed, running a hand through greasy hair. “Is the Senate meeting still on for tonight?”

Michael nodded. “Yup, and it looks like Miss Perfect is back to her old tricks.” Octavian’s eyes shot in Michael’s direction. “Don’t talk about her like that. She’s the Praetor” And she used to be my friend.

“Oh right,” Michael scoffed. “Miss Perfect Praetor.” He chuckled, kicking aimlessly at the floor. “Well, she won’t be Praetor for much longer, not once she’s up for re-election.”

Octavian narrowed his eyes, wondering what Michael was up to this time. “You think the Fourth and Fifth won’t vote for her? They’re like her lap dogs, and she has support from the city.” “Yeah, so? We could influence the others.” Michael suggested. “Well, I’m not blackmailing anyone.” Michael shrugged. “I never said blackmail them. But we could do that. It’s not a bad idea.” Octavian shook his head. “You’re a horrible influence, you know that? And I know that’s what you were thinking anyways, about blackmailing them.”

Michael’s expression hardened. “And why do you think I’d want to blackmail them?”

“Because you would. Because you’re like that.” Octavian shrugged, heading towards the door of the temple. Michael pushed himself off of the column, scampering after Octavian. “Yeah, well….this is New Rome. We have to fight dirty if we want to win.” Octavian rolled his eyes. “This isn’t the Empire anymore, Mike.” “I know. That’s why we need to win. It’s either us, or her. You know that. And you know what Reyna would do with absolute power.” Octavian raised an eyebrow. “Yeah, she’d make my life worse. As if it can get worse.” He said sarcastically, kicking a loose clump of dirt on the path as he went. Michael sighed, fishing for a response. “Well, you know she could do it. I’m just saying it as a friend.” He paused for a moment, thinking. “Do you seriously think it’s just not going to get better? The situation in the Senate? In Camp?” Octavian shrugged. “The auspices haven’t said otherwise.” Michael hummed. “Ah, so the teddy bears don’t like you either?”

“Shut up.” Octavian groaned, but he bit back a smile as he did. Real friends or not, at least his allies were willing to see him as a person and not just an augur.

[newromesweirdest]

non duco, ducor - a Heroes of Olympus fanfic

It's time! After over a year (oops) I'm finally getting this up! I have tagged everyone who showed interest in the original post, so if you're no longer interested, just send me a message and I will happily take you off the tag list! This post will serve as a table of contents for the whole series. Click on each link to access the chapters. I will be cross posting this on A03 in the future, so I will add those links here once I get to that. All content for this story is below the cut! Tag List: @starsupontharss @irlkatiegardner @shattered-glasswork @octaviantheloser @afdg10 @augustuscaesarsalad @hya-lina @pjo-hoo-toa-freakazoid @praetorialreject @littlestarbeam @gillagully @eggpeepee @sphinx-musings @blagam0nie @pomnenka-kyticka @zazzander @captains-parrot @ilikepjo24 @m-for-now @alias-beta-cecilia @jg-ggw @f0xgl0v3 @reuben-7991 @summerfandoms @accionbox5050 @axo-lotl-of-work @shroomie-23 @etheravenlivrenvari @zieken08 @w3ndytheraccoon @maagisa @sabrinisnotokay @irlkatiegardner @i-dont-exist-people @cinnamonheartsvibes @flower-zs @ilikethins-0 @murderspugerter-ver2 @emperor-xerneas @panislumens @actuallyspeechless @atomboyishgirl @i-am-traveling-the-multifandom @ceruleandinosaur @dubiouslygaia @forthetaintedgay @jzciuxux @cuppa-noodle @bigpp6999 @imaliveboys @doctor-rat @octavianno1defender

[Latin Translation references: Capitulum = Chapter

Non Duco, Ducor = I do not lead, I am led}

Capitulum I - At The Altar of Jupiter

[newromesweirdest]

So I made an Octavian edit for myself, but I thought the world might like to see it too. The purple coloring is a little heavy handed in the symbolism department, but I don't care. My face claim for Octavian is @radyagrinya (you can find him on instagram/pinterest/tiktok). Fan art credit goes to @kanicrow and @lubble-underscore !! I could not find the artists for the other artwork, so if anyone recognizes them, please let me know so I can add it here!

P.S. Sorry I disappeared for so long! Since I've been gone, I graduated college, worked through an insane internship, learned how to sew a quilt, and met a long-distance friend irl. Life has been crazy! I promise that my Octavian fic is still on the way!

[newromesweirdest]

i will never get over people laughing at octavian's death personally,,, he was SHOT INTO THE AIR!!! thats so painful. all the burns and the impact, plus being flung from a cannon and probably slamming into gaia (literal earth goddess) plus festus (gigantic metal dragon, i bet that HURT) and leo (pretty sure leo was burning)

he was a kid and he was annoying to some people and he was usually antagonized but he didnt deserve to die OR go out in that way. the gods are a thousand times worse than octavian, and apollo told him that he'd be a savior of new rome, but people still justify them. not to mind there are much worse people in the PJO universe (gabe, LUKE)

octavian ily they could never make me hate you EVER. idc what you say he could have been redeemed. did he do bad things? yes. but he was so deeply influenced and the day meeting with leo and the others, in which i remind you octavian literally was watching new rome get blown up (no wonder he was livid, his home was on FIRE).

like come on. octavian is a complex character and people aren't willing to admit that he could've been better and he was just a literal teenager in the sake of hating him because everyone else/pjo characters hate him.

he is such a tragic character imo because he grew up in new rome and all he wanted to do was protect it (and he was highly ambitious and aiming for praetor, i won't deny the fact that he was selfish but that is a quality that can be REDEEMED) and sure the way he went about it was messed up but most of his actions (except killing that one centurion) were justifiable

btw im not saying octavian's like an angel or anything im pretty sure i remember him "killing" a 5th cohort centurion once but then she was revived which . . . what was the point of that?? was it just to like make us hate him more?? huh??? and then was it even ever talked about again?? also yeah he blackmailed hazel thats not good also judging from the wikipedia it only said frank suspected octavian because.. he didn't have his spear?? what?? reminder that there is proof that a lot of pjo characters are unreliable narrators and for all we know octavian could've screwed up somehow and left his spear somewhere (just saying i'd do that too ngl)

also "I am the savior of Rome! I was promised!" i didnt know why but that quote DESTROYED me but now i know that it was because he genuinely believed he was doing the best for new rome and he'd finally have someone's praise and they'd praise him like they praised percy and reyna. pretty sure his mental state was not very good in that scene either and nico and will just let him shoot himself out of an onager on accident. also are we just going to gloss over the fact apollo told him that and encouraged him he was doing the right thing?? of COURSE octavian trusted apollo on that and believed it was the truth; apollo was his ancestor and someone he worshipped as an augur and trusted in for omens and prophecies and allat

yeah. octavian's an asshole. but he was a kid and he couldve been redeemed. then again i am a huge octavian apologist and im not saying you have to have the same opinions as i do also i will not be responding to any asks in my inbox im 2 tired to deal with that!! anyways dont go and insult people or me if you think the opposite thats fine !! i was just bored and found this in my drafts so whats the harm of posting it because im not going to get sent threats over this right,,, right??????

[newromesweirdest]

How are we all forgetting this?

Hate it when people forget that Octavian joined the legion when he was 11. Like, my man was literally younger than Percy when he joined a war camp seriously, cut him some slack, the legion is probably all he remembers about growing up. He's been there the longest next to Jason, who joined when he was 4. And everyone was somehow ignoring his experience? And mocking him? ???

[newromesweirdest]

he has an apartment in Oakland and he's so happy. I don't know what you people are talking about

"Octavian is dead!!" To YOU. To me he's alive and is living happily.

[newromesweirdest]

Octavian, my beloved <3

baby boy they could never make me hate you ❤️❤️

[newromesweirdest]

Some more sneak peeks of the Octavian fanfic! Also, please excuse any weird formatting on this one. I just switched to a new word processor and it's not liking my old files :/ Also, for some context regarding this piece: It's set sometime after Jason goes MIA, but far before Percy shows up. At this point. Reyna is reluctant to hand over any power to Octavian, so New Rome is dealing with a weird power vacuum in Jason's absence. Basically, pre-SoN but from Octavian's POV with some added flourishes from yours truly.

Content below the cut!

Octavian leaned against the altar in the temple of Jupiter, tired after another day of constant prophecies. For weeks now, he had been bombarded by images and messages regarding the Sibylline Books, which was an endeavor that Reyna and the Senate would never approve of. He had asked so many times, and yet each time she denied him. 

For better or for worse, Reyna had turned nearly the entire Senate against him, with the exception of a few loyal followers who remained. Reyna had accused even them of having been bought by Octavian, but the truth of it was that they were truly friends.

Or at least, that’s what Octavian liked to think. He couldn’t actually be sure, considering the fact that he had never truly had a real friendship, at least not the type that comes with no strings attached and no expectations of favors to repay. But regardless, his allies were loyal and that was the most he could ask of them.

Michael Kahale stood a few feet away, leaning against one of the marble pillars that supported the roof of the temple. “Almost done, boss?” he asked, sounding more like a mobster than a teenager. Octavian threw his toga into a heap onto the altar, setting his knife nearby. “Yeah,” he sighed, running a hand through greasy hair. “Is the Senate meeting still on for tonight?”

Michael nodded. “Yup, and it looks like Miss Perfect is back to her old tricks.” Octavian’s eyes shot in Michael’s direction. “Don’t talk about her like that. She’s the Praetor” And she used to be my friend.

“Oh right,” Michael scoffed. “Miss Perfect Praetor.” He chuckled, kicking aimlessly at the floor. “Well, she won’t be Praetor for much longer, not once she’s up for re-election.”

Octavian narrowed his eyes, wondering what Michael was up to this time. “You think the Fourth and Fifth won’t vote for her? They’re like her lap dogs, and she has support from the city.” “Yeah, so? We could influence the others.” Michael suggested. “Well, I’m not blackmailing anyone.” Michael shrugged. “I never said blackmail them. But we could do that. It’s not a bad idea.” Octavian shook his head. “You’re a horrible influence, you know that? And I know that’s what you were thinking anyways, about blackmailing them.”

Michael’s expression hardened. “And why do you think I’d want to blackmail them?”

“Because you would. Because you’re like that.” Octavian shrugged, heading towards the door of the temple. Michael pushed himself off of the column, scampering after Octavian. “Yeah, well….this is New Rome. We have to fight dirty if we want to win.” Octavian rolled his eyes. “This isn’t the Empire anymore, Mike.” “I know. That’s why we need to win. It’s either us, or her. You know that. And you know what Reyna would do with absolute power.” Octavian raised an eyebrow. “Oh yes, she’d make my life worse. As if it can get worse.” He said sarcastically, kicking a loose clump of dirt on the path as he went. Michael sighed, fishing for a response. “Well, you know she could do it. I’m just saying it as a friend.” He paused for a moment, thinking. “Do you seriously think it’s just not going to get better? The situation in the Senate? In Camp?” Octavian shrugged. “The auspices haven’t said otherwise.” Michael hummed. “Ah, so the teddy bears don’t like you either?” “Shut up.” Octavian groaned, but he bit back a smile as he did.

Real friends or not, at least his allies were willing to see him as a person and not just an augur.

[newromesweirdest]

So, I got bored at work and did a thing:

May I present Octavian's Camp Jupiter ID, plus the ID of an OC from my Octavian fanfic! My Octavian fancast is @radyagrinya on Instagram/Pinterest. And yes, I finally decided on a head canon surname for Octavian, and yes, he's a Julio-Claudian 🤷‍♀️. I've decided that he's connected to Caesar Augustus through his sister Octavia Minor (and before anyone comes at me saying that Octavia's only son died childless: I know. That's the point of fiction! We create stories!). Caecilius is technically a Roman family name (and therefore shouldn't really be used as a cognomen), but I like the sound of it, and also it's a reference to Lucius Caecilius Metellus, a Roman general during the First Punic War. If anyone is curious, I head canon that Octavian's "modern" surname is Bradford, but it isn't included on his ID because Octavian Claudius Caecilius Bradford is a mouthful and frankly I hate how pretentious it sounds and I don't want to stare at it when I look at these IDs. Also, Octavian's family 100% wants to hammer home the "good Roman family" imagine in New Rome, hence the fact that their English surname is just nonexistent on any Camp Jupiter/New Rome paperwork. Also, if anybody wants the link to the ID template I created, just let me know! (Please ignore the fact that Octavian looks yellow. The printer was almost out of ink :/)

[newromesweirdest]

Oh 100%

octavian OWNS brutus by the buttress and i’m taking no criticisms

[newromesweirdest]

Octavian fanfic update: I promise it's still on it's way! I got swamped with personal things this past week, but I still plan to get the full piece up ASAP! If you want to be tagged in the post once it's up, please let me know :)

[newromesweirdest]

my boy deserved a long hug and some hot cocoa

Octavian: *being the piggy in the middle between four (maybe even five or six) immortal deities all using him to achieve their goals*

Riordan: as you can see, he's clearly a bad egg and everything horrible that ever happens in the next however many books is all his fault

[newromesweirdest]

Octavian, my son, my boy, my beloved. You deserved so much better. Send tweet.

[newromesweirdest]

I thought that nobody would even see my Octavian fanfic, let alone like and reblog it, so thanks. I'm a little stunned rn, but also thank you! And more will be coming soon, ideally by next week at the latest <3

[newromesweirdest]

obsessed with this fruity little gesture all the roman statues make. They’re meant to look majestic but to me they just look bewildered