Chicken — Roleplayer Guild

My sheet is far from complete, but I wanted to post some of what I have right now, just to show that I've been doing work on the sheet. More will come in time, and I hope to finish at least two more sections tonight.

The Free Legion
"Forward, lads! Glory waits for no man!"

Alias: Markam’s Men, The Tenth Legion, The Traitor Legion
Government Type: Military Junta

Effectively a military organization ruling over conquered territories without civilian oversight, the domain of the Free Legion is one where Legion officers have unrestricted power over those not part of the military. Soldiers vote for their Captains, who in turn vote for their Commanders, who in turn have the power to oust the General in theory; however, due to the impressive loyalty (and sometimes intense fear) the Commanders have for General Markam, it is unlikely that Markam will be removed from his position any time soon.

The General acts as an all-powerful autocrat in the Free Legion, and possesses the power to create new units and appoint new Commanders should there be need for such an immediate promotion. He is at once the leader and symbol of the Legion, the legend which brought the Legion from obscurity to fame, who led it in its attempt to topple the Imperium. His is the father of his men, and when need be, he is their executioner.

Despite the ability of common soldiers to vote, they don’t have any real decision making powers beyond electing their officers. With that said, soldiers are treated well in the Free Legion.

Aristocratic elements tend to find themselves stripped of power when the Free Legion occupies a new region. Likewise, the merchant class is expected to provide resources when dictated, though lower class merchants are typically left untouched. Powerful civilian figures are forced to kowtow to Legion officials, and propaganda and incentives are used to encourage citizens to enlist willingly while certain elements (especially criminal ones) are outright conscripted into military service.

Justice is conducted swiftly here, and rather than holding courts most judicial proceedings are conducted by a few quick words from a Captain or one of their appointed officials. There is no bureaucracy, no waiting for an answer, no appealing to higher powers: when a Legion officer passes judgment, it is acted upon immediately.

Essentially, the Free Legion’s territories are in a constant state of martial law, because there is no government over the Free Legion. Everything is conducted in the name of the General, the Legion, and in the name of the Legion’s rightful inheritance as the ‘true sons of the Empire.’

The majority of people in the Free Legion territories are human, though their backgrounds vary quite a bit. The soldiery has a large number of men of Imperial descent, but there’s also plenty of humans whose ancestry lies among the tribes that form the auxiliaries of the Justinian Imperium’s armies. Some of these tribes were originally from the region that now makes up the Broken Coast - the very region the Legion now occupies - and so have some shared, if distant, bloodlines with the natives.

The native humans themselves are an odd bunch. Like their neighbors to the north, they are Fenfolk, xenophobic sorts who have been conquered by the Legion. There are also townships of more Imperial-blooded folk along the coastline, people who were abandoned by the Imperium after the swamps began to grow and expand, but remain truer to the Imperial way than the Fenfolk.

A few men among both the natives and the Imperial exiles have elven or dwarven blood as well, further muddling matters. Of these folk, it’s most common for half-dwarves or dwarf-blooded men to serve in Markam’s Men. The treatment of those with demihuman blood is better in the Legion than elsewhere in the Empire.

There are also significant populations of gnolls and brayfolk that find themselves forced to declare allegiance to the Free Legion. The gnolls, fierce but honest hyena-like swamp dwellers, find themselves treated as auxiliary forces by the Legion, much like the barbarian tribes that followed the Legion in its exile. The brayfolk, goat-like men of various shapes and sizes, are most often employed as laborers. However, fiercer and more aggressive braymen are recruited to serve as warriors.

Interestingly, while the Imperium itself is highly discriminatory toward non-humans, the Free Legion has no qualms with promoting demihumans and monsters to the rank of Captain, though no inhuman Commanders have yet been elected or appointed. A few gnolls have already been given the rank of Captain.

The Free Legion occupies the southern portion of the Broken Coast and a good bit of swampland to its north. They sometimes call it the Felmark, an old Imperial name that means either "The Hell March" or "The Fallen March." Both descriptions are apt.

The Broken Coast is tamer than the Sour Fen to the north, though not by much. The shoreline is comfortable enough, though far from temperate in climate. Indeed, it would be more accurate to call it 'temperamental' in climate, for it swings from blistering hot in the day to skin-pricking cold at night. It is a windswept land, and rocky at that, not very well suited to farming. Still, folk on the coast have access to plenty of fresh fish, and there are hardy fruit-bearing shrubs that grow in the region, not to mention grapes.

The Broken Coast earned its name because of the steep cliffs overlooking the ocean and the jagged rocks that make it so difficult for ships to navigate its shores. There are a few good ports, each claimed already by settlements. The most prominent of these is the port city of Aillphen, sometimes jokingly referred to as "the city that stayed" because no other cities on the Broken Coast have lasted as long as this one. Initially an old Imperial fort located on a seaside cliff built to protect a fishing village, Aillphen is now a large and thriving city - and the only such city on the southern Broken Coast. The remaining coastal settlements are all merely large townships. Well-fortified though it may be, it was one of the first settlements to be conquered by the Free Legion, and now serves as Markam's seat of power.

Further inland the land begins to get marshier and the footing less sure. Though the Free Legion does not truly occupy the lands that are called the Sour Fen, some of their taint has seeped into the Broken Coast. The heat and the cold are more extreme; mosquitoes and marshflies are everywhere; and fierce swamp beasts can be found as one goes further inland. Disease is an omnipresent threat.

There are natural resources to be exploited. From the swamps come medicinal herbs, timber, and crawdads, not to mention bog iron. From the ocean comes fish and seaweed. From the hills come more deposits of ore, though the Free Legion has only just managed to finish constructing a few mines in the last couple years.

The Free Legion's beliefs make them apostates in the Imperium. They view Justinian not as an immortal demigod, but rather as a great hero of mankind. He is not a creator, but a paragon of the manly virtues, a bringer of unity in a time when humanity was in peril. For that, Justinian is revered and respected.

It is, of course, a belief that entirely underplays the importance of Justinian, but it's an understandable belief. Justinian has been absent from the Imperium's eyes for so long that some doubt his existence. Some believe he is nothing more than a fairy tale, a vision imposed on the Imperium by its clergy. That he was real once there is no doubt; but that he yet lives and breathes? If that were so, the Imperium would not be the mess that it is, so say the leaders of the Free Legion.

And just as the Free Legion sees Justinian as a man (if a powerful and god-like one), so too do they see the Imperium as merely a state. It is not sacrosanct to the Free Legionnaires. As General Markam once said, "Our lords have strayed far from Justinian's dream, and they have made this holy land his nightmare." Corruption, bureaucracy, petty in-fighting, and ignorance of the needs of the common people all are signs of a dying Imperium. If it is to be saved, so Markam says, the current system must be replaced by something made of sterner stuff. And as always, when the General says something, Markam's Men accept it as truth.

Honor and glory are seen in a peculiar light in the eyes of the banished Tenth Legion. It is not a chivalric breed of honor; no, instead honor is found in following through with one's duty, and glory is found in victory. The good of the Legion is put first, and Markam is the head, voice, and speartip of the Legion, so his will is the Legion's will. His men would never claim to worship him, but their practices regarding their General are almost cult-like. Some swear by him rather than Justinian, or invoke his name when saying what they fight for. "Markam protect us!" and "By the General's name!" are not uncommon oaths to be hard.

This isn't to say that Justinian doesn't receive some manner of prayer. Indeed, he does - as a hero of legend. So, too, do other soldiers of yore, and knights as well, and warrior heroes of the barbarian tribes. When gods are no longer gods, it is mythical men who take their place.

Ideologically, the Free Legion can best be described as believing in the rights of common men and of soldiers over the rights of the bourgeois and nobility. It makes sense: most of the Legion is made up of common folk and barbarians. They believe in swift, direct action, and have grown to disdain civilian administrators due to innumerable setbacks that have faced the Tenth Legion because of the slow, awkward and stingy system that makes up the Imperium's government. They are used to being left ill-equipped and underpaid because of Imperial penny-pinching, and they harbor no love for those they deem to be at fault.

This ideology is held in its most extreme forms. The Free Legion wants to depose the oligarchy of the Imperium entirely and force every man to fight for the military if he wishes to vote. Violence is the most expedient and straightforward method of getting things done, so says the Legion. Ergo, violence is the best means by which to impress the truth of their message upon those that disagree. The resulting strength of Legion-held territories will speak for itself, after all, and prove the validity of their dream.

Beat the drums and brandish spear,
Twice reborn, we rise again!
Stand you straight and banish fear,
Nothing can stop Markam’s Men!

Fire the guns and make it loud,
Twice reborn, we rise again!
Storm the gates and do him proud,
We are the Tenth, Markam’s Men!

~ Free Legion marching song

Banished from the Justinian Imperium for failing to overthrow the bureaucratic government, the Free Legion has carved a home for itself along the Broken Coast. Unfettered by the shackles of civilian rule or law, the Free Legion reigns over the Broken Coast with what they call the ‘Open Palm and Iron Fist’ style of governance: they offer aid in return for the allegiance of conquered peoples, but mercilessly subdue those who resist.

Ultimately a military organization forcing its authoritarian rule over an eclectic populace, the Free Legion has united the disparate peoples of the Broken Coast through force. It boasts former Imperial citizens, Fenfolk, demihumans, gnolls, and brayfolk alike; and its soldiery has adapted surprisingly well to the deadly mires it occupies. With a mixture of auxiliary forces, guerillas, seasoned pike-and-shot infantry, and native guides, the former Tenth Legion makes a formidable opponent to any challengers.

The Free Legion is led by General Eoghan “Ranseur” Markam, a man whose storied career has elevated him to nigh-mythical status among his men. That he’s been leading the Legion longer than most of his men have served puts him on an even higher pedestal: he serves as a father figure to most of his men, the hero that brought it from obscurity to almost taking over the Imperium. There’s a special breed of fanaticism the Ranseur’s men hold for him. In many ways, the Legion begins and ends with General Markam.

A boar’s head helmet favored by officers and elite fighters of the Free Legion.

The chief component of the Legion is its infantrymen, Legionnaires. They are trained in the style of the Imperium, though the soldiers of the Free Legion are better-drilled and have more experience. Though in the distant past the Legions depended on sword and shield, the Legions of the modern era fight with flintlock muskets and long pikes. The Free Legion has long fought with similar weaponry, using mixed units of pikemen and musketeers with deadly efficiency. However, since their banishment the Free Legion has been forced to supplement their flintlock weapons with matchlock weaponry and with crossbows as there are not enough expert gunsmiths capable of crafting flintlock weapons in the Broken Coast. They have also cut their pikes a meter shorter as the swampy terrain makes wielding long pikes especially cumbersome. Some units specialize in other, shorter polearms, especially ranseurs, halberds, and bec de corbins. Most Legionnaires carry sidearms that can serve both as weapons and as tools: hand axes, seaxes, machetes are all common, though some falchions and military picks can be found as well.

The Free Legion has also ceased dressing in traditional Legionnaire garb. Due to the swampy conditions and sometimes choking hot temperatures of the swamps, soldiers in the Free Legion typically go either sleeveless or with short sleeves on their tunics, and those without chest armor may wear no shirt at all. They cut their pants short as well, often just above the knees.

Raw recruits have less armor than their veteran fellows unless they provide it themselves. Some have no chest armor at all, though others may have padded cloth armor. A few wear crocodile-hide armor and similar pieces made from the dangerous swamp beasts of the region. Thighplates, greaves, gauntlets, helmets, and codpieces are all standard issue pieces of armor, and even the most raw recruit has them. More experienced soldiers tend to have brigandine, steel lamellar, or laminar armor. Officers and elite soldiers wear breastplates or short-cut coats-of-plates.

There is a cavalry component to the Legion, though it is small. Its members are lightly-armored and favor the use of the lance, cavalry mace, and the flintlock pistol. There is also a small but growing number of Brayfolk that tame crocodiles and use them similarly to wardogs. These Brayfolk "Beastmasters" have immeasurable value in the marshes.

The Legion has its fair share of siege weaponry. The most common siege weapon of choice is the mortar mostly because its smaller size makes it easier to transport in the big than larger, more cumbersome equipment. It also sees some use as a field weapon. Cannons are typically reserved for defensive purposes, mounted on the walls of the coastal cities. Beyond these weapons, the Legion is known to construct battering rams and war ladders as necessary.

Auxiliaries form the rest of the army. The majority are poorly-armored shield-bearing warriors, often equipped with javelins and either a spear or one-handed sword of some kind, from one of the Imperium's barbarian provinces. Similarly-equipped natives have joined their number.

Gnoll auxiliaries are becoming increasingly common. Gnolls themselves fight with wicker shields covered by animal hides (often crocodile) and use them as a parrying weapon while thrusting with shortspears. They bring a few throwing spears as well, and others wield bows or crossbows they have traded for from the Legion. They are larger than men, and they are considered valuable additions to Markam's forces.

Brayfolk serve as laborers and builders when they assist the Legion, prefering not to take part in the violence. Those that do take part are feared warriors: they are given great two-handed weapons and sturdy Legion armor, then trained intensely by the Legion's drillmasters. Though very few in number, these Brayfolk are among the finest of the Legion's shock troops. Some Brayfolk shamans and mystics serve as healers, using their swamp medicine and what little magic they have to help the Legion's wounded after battles.

The Tenth Legion came into being roughly six hundred years ago as the need for more soldiers in the Imperium became more pressing. The other legions of the day were occupied with with war to the south and the west, and so a new army was needed to police the provinces and to defend the Imperium from barbarian raiders. The Tenth Legion served in this role without much distinction, but without any real failures either, for the better part of twenty years.

As other legions began to return home from their wars, the Tenth was sent off north to conquer barbarian tribes. This the Legion did rather well, and the Tenth soon earned a reputation for its prowess in fighting the tribes of the north. It kept that reputation, too, until 212 years ago, when it came under the command of an inept general. This man, General Darian, led the Tenth Legion from relative fame to utter disappointment. They lost several key battles, battles that should have been won. Their training slacked. The Tenth became a laughing stock, and yet Darian kept his position because he continued to pay considerable bribes so he could continue commanding an army. The wealthy noble simply enjoyed playing war.

Eventually, Darian passed away, but the Tenth Legion still kept its tarnished reputation. It jokingly forgotten when Legions were listed, was given simple labor duties, and if sent to war was not afforded any tasks that would bring it glory. It was called the "Pauper's Legion," as no noble with any pride would consign himself to joining that army. No, only the destitute would be willing to fight in it.

Such was the state of affairs for the Tenth... until the day that Markam became its general. Born Eoghan Corradhar, Eoghan was the third son of the chief of the Finbar Tribe, one of the barbarian tribes that swore loyalty to the Imperium. As a son of the chief, he was expected to become a great war hero; but as the third son he had no hope of inheriting rule of the tribe himself. Nevertheless, he did manage to carve out a reputation for himself, and eventually became an officer of the Imperium, and later was appointed General of the Tenth Legion.

Markam was expected to fail as the Tenth's general, mostly because the Tenth Legion was considered such a joke. Markam, however, was able to transform it over the course of a year. He whipped his soldiers into shape, recruited auxiliaries from tribes friendly to his own, and drafted out stratagems that would take advantage of the strengths of the different components of his army. Before long, his army was at least up to par in skill with most other Legions.

This point was proved when a few of the westernmost provinces of the Imperium decided the time was ripe for rebellion. They declared independence from the Imperium, and five Legions - the Tenth included - were sent to fight them. The Tenth Legion performed with distinction under Markam's command, ending what could have been a protracted war in a mere year. The Tenth then captured raiders from the west before being ordered to deal with barbarians in the north yet again. They, too, were dealt with in short order. So the cycle was established: a new threat would crop up, and the Tenth would be among the Legions to attack the problem immediately, and they would crush it before it could grow any stronger.

Markam's popularity began to grow among the commoners of the empire, especially the barbarians. He was seen as a symbol of what a man of humble beginnings could accomplish (for that was how he was perceived, even though he was a chieftan's son). Markam certainly was more than happy to help out the poor when he could to foster this reputation, and his popularity began to earn him the ire of his peers. Powerful men began to wonder if he was a useful barbarian or if he was dangerous to the Imperium.

Perhaps Markam would never have been a danger to the Imperium if his army didn't face roadblocks at every corner. Despite their successes, there were huge difficulties the Tenth Legion faced, most of them caused by the bureaucratic and corrupt nature of the Imperium. Supply lines that should have been established were re-routed to support other armies; armor and weapons that should have been provided were never sent, but instead were sold to mercenaries; dukes that should have assisted in major conflicts instead kept their units in reserve, preferring not to risk losing more men than was necessary in case another lord chose to attack them. Markam saw more of his men die than he should have, and the few times he met defeat were at the hands of backwards Imperial law or due to lazy inept men whose political power was greater than his.

It's hard to say exactly when Markam made his decision to try and overthrow the Imperium and establish new law. Perhaps it was the Siege of Osteheim wherein his Legion almost starved to death because support arrived months later than they should. Perhaps he made it in the War of the Princes, a petty war between two powerful noble families that tore apart a fair chunk of the countryside and left many villages burning. It's also possible it was his reaction to the forced relocation of several "barbarian" tribes and their mistreatment at the hands of the Imperium. Whatever the case, Markam had enough, and he led his Legion in an attempt to take the capital of the Imperium.

It may seem peculiar, but had fate had a different mood Markam might have succeeded in his goals. Markam and his Tenth Legion were famous, and there weren't many who were eager to stand up to his army. His enemies retreated, which was a funny thing: they had superior numbers, and it was quite possible they could have won if they stayed and fought. It was not long before Markam's army was within the heartland itself.

Unfortunately for the Tenth, Markam's Men killed a powerful Duke in battle. His son replaced him, and the young man was brave, bold, and filled with vengeance. While a far less capable battle commander, the young man, Duke Casimir Ulfherzt...

(TO BE CONTINUED)
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