Drunken Conquistador

Warhammer 40k: The Eternal Fight for Freedom - Penal Legion RP (Looking for cannon fodder!)

Should have mine finished by tomorrow

Warhammer 40k: The Eternal Fight for Freedom - Penal Legion RP (Looking for cannon fodder!)

Tigranes liked to think he was getting used to the life in the penal colony. Because, when you looked at it in a certain way, it was almost like life back home. Before the war, that is. After all, he still woke up in the early hours of the morning and ate whatever was available before making his way to one of the mining sites to toil away for most of the day in cramped, dangerous tunnels and shafts. It was almost like home, if he squinted the right way.

Except it really wasn't. Because no matter how bad things got back in Hayk VII, at least he wasn't in the middle of thieves, heretics, rapists and murderers. At least back home the food wasn't this tasteless gruel. At least back home the water didn't smell funny. At least back home the air wasn't THIS bad. And most important, at least back home Tigranes didn't had to deal with the absolute scum of Mankind trying to stab him in the kidneys or Holy Emperor knows what else.

But then again, was he any better? Hadn't he taken up arms in support of a filthy heretic against the Emperor-appointed overlord of his world? Wasn't he deserving of punishment just as the rest of the inmates in this dreaded place? Sure, he could plead and argue about his duty to his lord and his ignorance of the happenings in the halls of power. But that didn't change his crime. No matter that he was just following orders like any good citizen ought to do, because in the end, these orders were streaming down from a heretic.

Tigranes shook his head, it would do no good to brood over it. He was but a serf, if he was here then it was because the Emperor was punishing him for his crimes. And he would bear it in quiet obsequiousness like any faithful servant. The former miner just turned his attention back to the gruel. Better to finish it soon and get back to work. Keep quiet and stay low, don't attract attention. That had worked reasonably well so far for Tigranes.

His attention, however, was caught by the rambling madman on the other end of the table. Tigranes looked at the man, feeling a mix of pity and disgust. Someone that broken ought to have had received the Emperor's Mercy long ago. Or maybe, that was the Emperor's punishments for his own crimes? Strip him of his mind and faculties, leaving a broken, giggling husk behind to atone for whatever crimes he committed?

Tigranes stopped himself again. Turning back his attention to the gruel. Ignoring the mad ramblings or the other prisoners sharing his table. Even though he couldn't help but notice how a couple of them had that same air about them as the officers of the Royal Army back home.

Then he saw the Captain up on the catwalks. Now that one looked like an officer alright. Could almost pass for a Colonel back home. Just add a couple of tattoos to identify his bloodline and the appropriate trappings and decorations that came with the rank. Tigranes reasoning continued. Chances were, he thought, that this many people from the Militarum were here, was because perhaps the higher ups were going to raise a Penal Legion out of Redemption? It would certainly fit with the rumors running wild around the ex-soldiers in the camps. About the newest campaign routes falling near the planet.

If that were indeed true, maybe this could be Tigranes' chance to truly redeem himself? Surely that was the Emperor's way of giving him a better chance for redemption? Whatever he was planning however, was interrupted by the madman attacking the Captain.

Tigranes could not stop himself, the hideous wretch had probably killed them all and didn't even knew what he was doing. In his anger he shouted at the offending prisoner, throwing his own tray at him.

Warhammer 40k: The Eternal Fight for Freedom - Penal Legion RP (Looking for cannon fodder!)

I should have a post ready by Friday

Warhammer 40k: The Eternal Fight for Freedom - Penal Legion RP (Looking for cannon fodder!)

Guardsman reporting for duty, sir

SACRILEGE WAR (Grimdark Fantasy NRP)

I'm interested.

Warhammer 40k: The Eternal Fight for Freedom - Penal Legion RP (Looking for cannon fodder!)

A war criminal, a junkie and a pedophile walk into a bar...:P

Looking forward to this

Warhammer 40k: The Eternal Fight for Freedom - Penal Legion RP (Looking for cannon fodder!)

@Keksalot@Instigator@Eisenhorn@GrimmReconz

I'll assume you four are all going to remain silent then...

@Hank@Drunken Conquistador

I like it, please post Shiah into the Char tab.

Now, we can get going with us three (yes, I'll get a character up as well), or we can advetise a bit more and wait a wee bit more. What say you?

@Jbcool

We can start and let others join while things are underway

The New World: Fate of Albion II (Remade)

Grand State of Neziri-WIP

Name: Grand State of Neziri
Demonym: Nezirir
Description:

A rather large nation located on the continent's north west reaches, the Grand State of Neziri is a relatively young nation. Established a mere 400 years ago with the Annulment of Tar-Mirian, which saw the dissolution of the ancient Arlamanthine Empire and its absorption into the Revanese Republic, thus creating the Grand State.

The Grand State was based on the notion that while a single simply wasn't fit to hold absolute power, neither were the mobs fit to have any say on the ruling of the nation. So a compromise was reached, in which only the most able and skilled were to be given the chance. Or in short, the nobles would rule without having to bother with obeying some king or giving voice to the masses.

Needless to say, the lack of a true central power to keep the aristocracy in check has caused problems for the Grand State. Civil wars, popular revolts and simple political gridlock have time and again wrecked havoc on the nation, almost bringing it to complete ruin several times in the past. The most learned among the scholars now dreadfully point out how close the nation is to a major crisis should the popular unrest and economic crisis not be dealt with effectively.

Due to the Arlamanthine's status as a magocracy, the Grand State enforces a strict policy of persecution against magic and its users. The Saganid Order, a militant group under direct Senate supervision, is tasked with hunting down and exterminating witches, wizards and the stain of magic inside Nezir.

Government: The Grand State of Neziri is ruled by the Senate, in theory created to ensure that no single man could hold absolute power and return the land to the days of Imperial tyranny, the Senate has been dominated by the interests of the aristocracy ever since its inception. To be eligible for a chair, one must not only come from a established noble family but also own sizable material assets. Official ruling power lays with two consuls elected for a year long term. And in times of crisis, the Senate can appoint an Autocrat with almost unlimited powers.

Below the Senate there's a well established bureaucracy that is tasked with running the day to day affairs of the nation. More often than not, however, these organs are essentially dominated by whatever landlord or merchant prince has the most influence in the city or province. This also translates to Senate appointments, such as provincial governors and military commands.

Economy: Theoretically speaking, the Grand State is large enough to have a diversified economy, natural resources are many and abundant, the land is fertile and its population vast. Reality often does not corresponds to theory however, and currently the nation is experiencing economic recession.

In more general terms, agriculture and forestry are the driving engines of the Nezirir economy. Fruits, lumber and incense are the most renowned export goods of the Grand State, though its size and population means that other sectors are not entirely underdeveloped. Or wouldn't if not for the ongoing recession.

Religion: The current Neziri pantheon was born as a result of the religious policies of the old Arlamanthine Empire, as its hosts subjugated land after land, the Emperors of old sought to smooth over differences by officially absorbing foreign gods into the Arlamanthine Pantheon. Either as new minor deities or simply declaring them different aspects of existing ones. Over the centuries this has evolved into a system where the same gods are worshiped in different ways depending on what part of the State one visits. Which has also led to the rise of some tensions across the realm, as this religious diversity breeds tension between the different temples and congregations.

This lack of centralized doctrine has also led to the creation of many mystery cults all over the realm. Syncretic and secretive religious schools whose purpose is to attain true knowledge of the gods. They are tolerated, if only because the aristocracy tends to consider them a fun hobby, though the local spirits, renowned heroes of the past and ancestors are also widely worshiped through the entire length of Nerziri. With many of the oldest great houses claiming descent from a mythical hero or godly ancestor.

In general, however, there are several major gods who are worshiped

Geography:
Waiting on map

Population: 13 600 000

Demographics

Humans compose the bulk of the State's population. With minority populations composed of members of several races. Either imported populations from the days of the old Empire or native peoples that were conquered and assimilated long ago.

Culturally speaking, the people tend to be mostly homogeneous. The old Mage-Emperors pursued a strong assimilation policy on their new conquests. Imposing their culture over the conquered peoples while at the same time adopting whatever concepts and ideas interested them. Over the centuries, this has served to coalesce the many differing cultural identities into a single culture. Of course, the sheer size of the nation means that regional variations exist, they still hold most of the same principles.

Capital among them are the ideas of Order and Duty. The gods created the world as an orderly place, where everyone and everything has its place and its role. Knowing and accepting one's role in this order is paramount. For just like a peasant must obey and bow before his lord, so must his lord act as befitting his own lordly duties and ensure his subjects are cared for and that he rules and lives as an example of justice and fairness. Otherwise he has proven himself undeserving of his position.

Mages, however, play with powers and forces that are reserved solely to the gods and their chosen. That's reason enough for them to be persecuted. However, said power also always ends up corrupting them, making magic-wielders stray from their place in the world and seek to rise beyond their station, challenging the gods themselves.

Notable Locations
(Give us some info about your capital, other important cities, maybe where your forts and colonies (if you have any) are located)

Personalities of Note
(Your ruler, perhaps your highest military officers, generally just use this space to help us keep track of your POV characters)

Institutions:
(Major non-military institutions of the nations, such as legislative bodies, guilds, religious sects)

Military:

Organization: Instead of fielding a central army, the Senate bestows the authority of maintaining armies upon a chosen group of Senators, while provincial governors are also allowed to look to the defense of their lands. Essentially allowing the formation of vast private armies with very little state oversight.

Despite this lack of oversight, there's not that much variation between the different hosts of Nerziri. One of the results of a rather homogeneous culture is that in general the people fight in much the same way, while blacksmiths and others tend produce similar equipment no matter where you find yourself in the State.

Most variations comes from the elite regiments fielded by the grandees. Which are frankly the only noteworthy aspect about the Nerzirir armed forces. These retainers are a direct reflection of the Senator's own splendor and power. As such they always go to great lengths to make sure their retainers are always the best dressed, trained and armed.

Troop Total: (Keep reality and upkeep in mind, e.g. 3% of your population as full-time professional soldiers would be a whole lot. Many seemingly unrelated factors can go into this, including abundance/lack of food and your nation's wealth)
Army:
Navy:
Other: (Such as siege equipment, internal security, important mercenaries, spies, etc.)

Other:
Amazing feats of engineering:Whether it is building colossal marble temples to the gods or embarking in more practical enterprises such as paved roads or massive irrigation projects, Nezirir engineers and architects have no equal among the civilized lands.
The Breadbasket:The lands of the Grand State are among the most fertile of the continent. Coupled with good weather and skilled specialists, Nezirir is a powerhouse when it comes to agriculture.
The illusion of authority:Despite all the pomp and protocol of official state functions and flowery legal codes, the Senate has only as much power as the Senators and other grandees allow it to possess. The lack of a strong central authority has always been a constant in Nezirir, and so have corruption and nepotism. After all, what can the Senate do besides bow to the interests of the upper class?
Unrest:Economic recession, blatant government corruption alongside racial, religious and ethnic tensions have conspired to create an impending storm. So far the Senate has managed to keep things under control, but even a single spark may set the whole thing ablaze.
The Stain of Magic:Originally formed out of disparate groups of outlaws and rebel slaves fighting against the Arlamanthine mage-lords, the Saganid Order has had 400 years to hone their skills in the art of witch hunting. As it stands, they are perhaps, one of the last Nezirir institutions unaffected by the growing crisis, acting as part Inquisition and part secret police, as long as the state maintains its support for their anti-magic efforts, the Order sees no reason to involve itself in the nest of vipers that is Nezirir politics

@Drunken Conquistador

Rolls 10

Rolls

Basic Demographics & Government Info
Population:
13,600,000
Territory Size:
5. Your nation is "blessed" with a significantly larger than average amount of land. While you may have a great deal of opportunities to utilize both your ample farmlands and wilderness, your borders are hard to defend and your settlements are spread out which can impede communications.
Technology:
4. Adequate modernization, you manage to keep pace with the rest of Albion.
Prevalence of Magic:
1. Magic is a taboo to your nation with its practitioners living in hiding
Government Type:
12. Your nation is an oligarchy. It needn't necessarily be aristocratic or plutocratic; the main defining feature is that there is no one individual that holds supreme power; rather, there might be a council of elders or a senate.
Political Stability:
2. Your people are growing increasingly discontent, but so far it hasn't boiled over to the point of violence. Or if it has, your government has found a way to suppress it before it erupted into anything major.

Economy

Overall Wealth:
3. Your nation was once in good enough shape, but recent events have caused a large recession and now your economy is shrinking. If this isn't resolved soon, major issues will arise. The people are used to a higher standard of life than they are currently experiencing, and as food supplies contract there may be mass starvation and the collapse of industry, commerce, or even government.
Urbanization:
4. Your nation is decently urbanized with the fair balance of towns and rural areas
Agriculture:
9. Your nation relies heavily upon orchards and fruit plantations. Coconuts, dates, or perhaps even bananas are your main crops. For some reason all this fruit seems to make your sailors a lot less likely to get scurvy.
Notable Resources:
Citrus, lumber, incense

Military
Military Structure:
8. Powerful nobles or merchants maintain private armies even in times of peace. These are effective and don't cost the central government any money, but aren't terribly reliable as they owe their loyalty to their masters rather than the nation itself.
Military Focus
9. Army centered around a small group of elites supported by a large bulk of troops.
Navy:
1. Almost nonexistent navy that just serves to transport the army and perhaps ward off rogue pirates
Military Leadership
2. Generals rose to their positions through experience and battlefield exploits; competent, but also decadent
Military Reputation
11. Your military hasn't done much to earn a reputation and is not particularly renowned.

Very much a WIP. If someone could help me with the military aspect I would appreciate.

As you can see, I was kinda aiming for a Republican HRE-Style thing with this nation

@Drunken Conquistador

Just reposting what I got so far

The New World II {NRP}{Mid-High Casual}{High Fantasy Setting}

Grand State of Neziri

Name: Grand State of Neziri
Demonym: Nezirir
Description:

A rather large nation located on the continent's north west reaches, the Grand State of Neziri is a relatively young nation. Established a mere 400 years ago with the Annulment of Tar-Mirian, which saw the dissolution of the ancient Arlamanthine Empire and its absorption into the Revanese Republic, thus creating the Grand State.

The Grand State was based on the notion that while a single simply wasn't fit to hold absolute power, neither were the mobs fit to have any say on the ruling of the nation. So a compromise was reached, in which only the most able and skilled were to be given the chance. Or in short, the nobles would rule without having to bother with obeying some king or giving voice to the masses.

Needless to say, the lack of a true central power to keep the aristocracy in check has caused problems for the Grand State. Civil wars, popular revolts and simple political gridlock have time and again wrecked havoc on the nation, almost bringing it to complete ruin several times in the past. The most learned among the scholars now dreadfully point out how close the nation is to a major crisis should the popular unrest and economic crisis not be dealt with effectively.

Due to the Arlamanthine's status as a magocracy, the Grand State enforces a strict policy of persecution against magic and its users. The Saganid Order, a militant group under direct Senate supervision, is tasked with hunting down and exterminating witches, wizards and the stain of magic inside Nezir.

Government: The Grand State of Neziri is ruled by the Senate, in theory created to ensure that no single man could hold absolute power and return the land to the days of Imperial tyranny, the Senate has been dominated by the interests of the aristocracy ever since its inception. To be eligible for a chair, one must not only come from a established noble family but also own sizable material assets. Official ruling power lays with two consuls elected for a year long term. And in times of crisis, the Senate can appoint an Autocrat with almost unlimited powers.

Below the Senate there's a well established bureaucracy that is tasked with running the day to day affairs of the nation. More often than not, however, these organs are essentially dominated by whatever landlord or merchant prince has the most influence in the city or province. This also translates to Senate appointments, such as provincial governors and military commands.

Economy: Theoretically speaking, the Grand State is large enough to have a diversified economy, natural resources are many and abundant, the land is fertile and its population vast. Reality often does not corresponds to theory however, and currently the nation is experiencing economic recession.

In more general terms, agriculture and forestry are the driving engines of the Nezirir economy. Fruits, lumber and incense are the most renowned export goods of the Grand State, though its size and population means that other sectors are not entirely underdeveloped. Or wouldn't if not for the ongoing recession.

Religion: The current Neziri pantheon was born as a result of the religious policies of the old Arlamanthine Empire, as its hosts subjugated land after land, the Emperors of old sought to smooth over differences by officially absorbing foreign gods into the Arlamanthine Pantheon. Either as new minor deities or simply declaring them different aspects of existing ones. Over the centuries this has evolved into a system where the same gods are worshiped in different ways depending on what part of the State one visits. Which has also led to the rise of some tensions across the realm, as this religious diversity breeds tension between the different temples and congregations.

This lack of centralized doctrine has also led to the creation of many mystery cults all over the realm. Syncretic and secretive religious schools whose purpose is to attain true knowledge of the gods. They are tolerated, if only because the aristocracy tends to consider them a fun hobby, though the

Local spirits, renowned heroes of the past and ancestors are also widely worshiped through the entire length of Nerziri. With many of the oldest great houses claiming descent from a mythical hero or godly ancestor.

Geography:
Waiting on map

Population: 13 600 000

Demographics

Humans compose the bulk of the State's population.

Notable Locations
(Give us some info about your capital, other important cities, maybe where your forts and colonies (if you have any) are located)

Personalities of Note
(Your ruler, perhaps your highest military officers, generally just use this space to help us keep track of your POV characters)

Institutions:
(Major non-military institutions of the nations, such as legislative bodies, guilds, religious sects)

Military:
Organization: Instead of fielding a central army, the Senate bestows the authority of maintaining armies upon a chosen group of Senators, while provincial governors are also allowed to look to the defense of their lands. Essentially allowing the formation of vast private armies with very little state oversight.
Troop Total: (Keep reality and upkeep in mind, e.g. 3% of your population as full-time professional soldiers would be a whole lot. Many seemingly unrelated factors can go into this, including abundance/lack of food and your nation's wealth)
Army:
Navy:
Other: (Such as siege equipment, internal security, important mercenaries, spies, etc.)

Other:
Amazing feats of engineering:Whether it is building colossal marble temples to the gods or embarking in more practical enterprises such as paved roads or massive irrigation projects, Nezirir engineers and architects have no equal among the civilized lands.
The Breadbasket:The lands of the Grand State are among the most fertile of the continent. Coupled with good weather and skilled specialists, Nezirir is a powerhouse when it comes to agriculture.
The illusion of authority:Despite all the pomp and protocol of official state functions and flowery legal codes, the Senate has only as much power as the Senators and other grandees allow it to possess. The lack of a strong central authority has always been a constant in Nezirir, and so have corruption and nepotism. After all, what can the Senate do besides bow to the interests of the upper class?
Unrest:Economic recession, blatant government corruption alongside racial, religious and ethnic tensions have conspired to create an impending storm. So far the Senate has managed to keep things under control, but even a single spark may set the whole thing ablaze.
The Stain of Magic:Originally formed out of disparate groups of outlaws and rebel slaves fighting against the Arlamanthine mage-lords, the Saganid Order has had 400 years to hone their skills in the art of witch hunting. As it stands, they are perhaps, one of the last Nezirir institutions unaffected by the growing crisis, acting as part Inquisition and part secret police, as long as the state maintains its support for their anti-magic efforts, the Order sees no reason to involve itself in the nest of vipers that is Nezirir politics

@Drunken Conquistador

Rolls 10

Rolls

Basic Demographics & Government Info
Population:
13,600,000
Territory Size:
5. Your nation is "blessed" with a significantly larger than average amount of land. While you may have a great deal of opportunities to utilize both your ample farmlands and wilderness, your borders are hard to defend and your settlements are spread out which can impede communications.
Technology:
4. Adequate modernization, you manage to keep pace with the rest of Albion.
Prevalence of Magic:
1. Magic is a taboo to your nation with its practitioners living in hiding
Government Type:
12. Your nation is an oligarchy. It needn't necessarily be aristocratic or plutocratic; the main defining feature is that there is no one individual that holds supreme power; rather, there might be a council of elders or a senate.
Political Stability:
2. Your people are growing increasingly discontent, but so far it hasn't boiled over to the point of violence. Or if it has, your government has found a way to suppress it before it erupted into anything major.

Economy

Overall Wealth:
3. Your nation was once in good enough shape, but recent events have caused a large recession and now your economy is shrinking. If this isn't resolved soon, major issues will arise. The people are used to a higher standard of life than they are currently experiencing, and as food supplies contract there may be mass starvation and the collapse of industry, commerce, or even government.
Urbanization:
4. Your nation is decently urbanized with the fair balance of towns and rural areas
Agriculture:
9. Your nation relies heavily upon orchards and fruit plantations. Coconuts, dates, or perhaps even bananas are your main crops. For some reason all this fruit seems to make your sailors a lot less likely to get scurvy.
Notable Resources:
Citrus, lumber, incense

Military
Military Structure:
8. Powerful nobles or merchants maintain private armies even in times of peace. These are effective and don't cost the central government any money, but aren't terribly reliable as they owe their loyalty to their masters rather than the nation itself.
Military Focus
9. Army centered around a small group of elites supported by a large bulk of troops.
Navy:
1. Almost nonexistent navy that just serves to transport the army and perhaps ward off rogue pirates
Military Leadership
2. Generals rose to their positions through experience and battlefield exploits; competent, but also decadent
Military Reputation
11. Your military hasn't done much to earn a reputation and is not particularly renowned.

Very much a WIP. If someone could help me with the military aspect I would appreciate.

As you can see, I was kinda aiming for a Republican HRE-Style thing with this nation

Warhammer 40k: The Eternal Fight for Freedom - Penal Legion RP (Looking for cannon fodder!)

Tigranes

Name: Tigranes

Gender: Male

Age: 34

Former Occupation: Former PDF Sergeant, and before that a miner.

Former Rank/Position: Sergeant

Mental and Physical Traits:

Tigranes considers himself, before anything else, a loyal and obedient servant of the God Emperor, these values were insistently impressed upon him during all of his life, and even now he sees no reason to doubt them. This notion of blind obedience to higher authorities was somewhat shaken by the events that lead up to his life in a Penal Legion, but Tigranes is still a servant at heart, and unlikely to challenge authority or disobey orders. And though not actually happy to be in this situation, Tigranes tries his best to not resent his lot in life, and instead rationalizes this as merely a chance to redeem himself in the eyes of the God Emperor

He makes up for his lack of mental prowess with physical one. A lifetime of hard, menial work and the years fighting in the Haykan civil war have made him strong and used to hardships and privations. Likewise, his years serving in the Haykan PDF have left him accustomed to a disciplined and harsh military lifestyle. And before that, his years working in the mines have left him with a familiarity for tunnels, sewers and enclosed spaces.

Appearance:

A short and stout man, Tigranes' skin is tanned from the days spent under Hayk VII strong sun. His arms are strong and hairy, with an old faded tattoo of his previous PDF regiment on his left one. His reddish hair has started falling down so he shaves it, his forehead is large, contrasting with his beady brown eyes. While his large nose is slightly crooked to the right. His upper lip is covered by a thick mustache that is better groomed than the rest of him by a fair margin. In general his body has its own share of minor scars and scraps gathered over the years

Wargear

Lascarbine
Explosive Collar
2 Mono Knives
3 Frag Grenades
3 Krak Grenades
1 Flak Vest & Flak Helmet
Imperial Guard Penal Legion Prisoner Uniform
1 Inhaler
1 Gas Mask
Poor Weather Gear
Rucksack
Basic Tool Kit
Mess Kit & Water Canteen
1 Weeks' Rations
Blanket & Sleep Bag
Rechargeable Lamp-Pack
Micro-Bead
Ident Tags ("Dog Tags")
Imperial Infantryman's Uplifting Primer

History:

Tigranes was born in a serf family in the world of Hayk VII, in the lands of Baron Menotius. Like his father and grandfather before him, Tigranes received no formal education, instead he was simply trained to work in the valuable golden mines of the Baron. A task he took with heart once he came of age. After all, as a serf, it was his duty to obey the commands of his lord, just as the baron obeyed the duke and so on until one reached the God Emperor himself, who lorded over all of Mankind from his Golden Throne on Terra.

His life would've likely proceeded without greater excitement or changes, just like his forefathers before him, if not for political machinations far beyond his knowledge or understanding in the refined halls of power of Hayk VII. The death of King Miranes X threw the planet into a bloody civil war. Tigranes overlord, Baron Menotius threw his lot with the late King's eldest son. As a result Tigranes ended up being conscripted by the Haykan PDF.

The young miner went to war firmly believing that his cause was just and the Emperor smiled upon King Miranes XI and his servants. The years of brutal combat and the callousness of the officers did manage to tear away his initial naivety, but nevertheless he persevered in his views. After all, how could he, a illiterate conscript, assume to know better than his commanders? Men and women of refined breeding, education and bloodline?

Tigranes eventually managed to reach the rank of Sergeant, attrition and his own blind obedience to his superior's orders earning his the position. However, he never advanced beyond the rank thanks to his complete lack of formal education, lack of initiative and connections. Not that he minded that too much, in his mind he wasn't fit to being anyone more important than that anyway.

The war continued on and on for years, usurpers and would be kings rising and falling with each moon. Tigranes managed to survive battle after battle, weathering both enemy fire and the callousness of the commanding officers to their own men, not that he saw it like that at the time. Eventually, Meronius XI managed to break the stalemate, seizing the capital and pushing back all other claimants in a series of brilliant offensives. Then the Inquisition showed up.

For as it turned out, Meronius XI had been dealing and consorting in secret with Xenos and Heretics to fund his war effort. With Inquisitorial stromtroopers and Sororita companies landing on Hayk VII and the Ecclesiarchy's official condemnation, Meronius' war effort collapsed as his allies abandoned him and his soldiers deserted en mass, Tigranes included. The war ended in four months with Meronius cousin, one of the last remaining opponents to his rule, crowned as queen.

While the new government busied itself with cementing its position and the Inquisition purged the native nobility, the question arose of what to do with the literal armies of prisoners that had once served the Heretic King. Since Meronius' heresy had been kept a secret and most of his men deserted him soon enough, mass executions were ruled out in favor of more merciful punishments. In Tigranes' case, his involvement with several massacres and bloody reprisals against civilians was enough to condemn him, and so when offered a chance to redeem himself in the Penal Legion, he eagerly took the offer.