The man who entered the shop looked as though the road had been trying to kill him for years and had finally grown tired of the effort. His armor was light, travel-worn, and repaired in more places than it was original. Old scars crossed his hands and jaw, but when he spoke there was no hardness in his voice. Only weariness. And beneath it, something gentle. He set a circular game board on the counter. “Old?” the shopkeeper asked. The traveler smiled. “Older than some men I buried. Younger than others.” He rested a hand on the board. “I’ve carried that farther than I care to remember.” He spoke of long roads, cold camps, wet boots, poor food, and endless watches where nothing happened. “People remember battles,” he said. “They forget how much of a soldier’s life is spent waiting for one.” He tapped the board. “This helped with the waiting.” He called the game Rotus Maximus. Simple rules. Quick games. No drawn contests that could stretch on forever. He had played it with young men on their first campaign, trying not to show how frightened they were. He had played it with old soldiers who could fall asleep sitting upright and somehow wake the instant it was their turn. He played it with officers over maps while discussing roads, supplies, and battles not yet fought. Once, he even taught it to an enemy commander. The shopkeeper raised an eyebrow. “We were supposed to be discussing where we would meet the following morning.” “And?” “We played instead.” He paused. “By sunrise, neither of us could think of a good enough reason to start killing each other.” The shopkeeper looked again at the board. Cuts scarred its surface. There were burn marks, repairs, and countless scratches around the edge. Not damage. History. “You’re willing to part with it?” The traveler was quiet for the first time. “I think I’m finished with roads chosen by other men.” He wanted a small place somewhere quiet. A roof that did not need to be packed onto a wagon. A table that stayed in one room. Maybe a garden. Maybe children, if life was kinder to him than it had been so far. And he wanted to tell stories. Not about glory. About the frightened recruit who became brave. The stubborn general who hated losing. The cook who cheated whenever no one was looking. The enemy who became a friend for the length of a game. “I’ve spent my life collecting stories,” he said. “I suppose I should put some of them somewhere before I start forgetting the names.” The shopkeeper disappeared into the back. When he returned, he carried a bundle wrapped in cloth. Inside were pale sheets, dark ink, and instruments made for a careful hand. The traveler touched one of the pages. Something about it made him hesitate. The shopkeeper said nothing. After a moment, the traveler pushed Rotus Maximus across the counter. “I don’t think I’ll need this where I’m going.” The shopkeeper looked at the board. The traveler smiled. “It was for the waiting.” He gathered the writing things beneath his arm. “What comes next,” he said, “I’d rather remember.” Then he stepped back through the door and continued toward whatever quiet life he had finally chosen. The board stayed behind.

Overview Rotus Maximus is a two-player strategy game built around a simple ancient-style board with nine positions: eight around the outside and one in the center. Each player has three pieces. Players first place their pieces one at a time, then move them along the board’s connected paths. The goal is to be the first player to form a winning line of three pieces. Winning lines can run through the center of the board or across three connected outer positions. Because every game must produce a winner, Rotus Maximus is designed to stay quick, tactical, and easy to replay. Games are played locally on the watch, with both players taking turns on the same screen. How to Play Start the game from the title screen using the watch control or long press. Player I places one piece on any empty position. Player II places one piece. Continue alternating until both players have placed all three of their pieces. Once all six pieces are on the board, the movement phase begins. On your turn, tap one of your own pieces to select it. Tap an adjacent empty position to move that piece. Pieces may move along the outer ring or between an outer position and the center. Continue taking turns until one player forms a winning line of three. When a player wins, the winning pieces are highlighted briefly before the victory screen appears. After the victory screen, return to the title screen and begin a new game. Changing Boards and Pieces Rotus Maximus includes multiple board styles and token sets. Open the Appearance menu on your watch, then choose: Board Select the board style you want to use. Pieces Select the token set you want to use. Your selected board and pieces are saved, so the game will continue using them the next time you open Rotus Maximus. Available appearances include Roman-inspired boards, mosaic and marble styles, the Hadrian’s Wall-inspired board, and multiple token sets such as Red Legion vs Blue Guard, Eagle vs Wolf, Sun vs Moon, and Unicorn vs Lion.