Etan Za'Darmondiel.
***
Amusement. That was what I saw when I turned my gaze to Amun, looking at the wood elves fly alongside our great-grandmother. But not the amiable kind he so often displayed- at least when he focused on the druid. The other one, however- the one who fired on me- was gazed upon like prey out in the open. I could only imagine the wicked machinations he had in store for the old elf.
Amusing indeed.
"No time like the present, right?" Amun faced us, prompting us to face the Legions, organized on the fields below.
The irony was not lost on me; for we stood on the very wall Zaraxus killed the rulers of Shujen before, now reconstructed in the gothic style favored by the undying sage. And like that king and queen must have stood there, ordering young souls to their deaths; Amun stood in that same spot, ushering young souls to live.
"To my classmates, all of you seasoned trainees, and fresh faces, allow me to be the first to welcome you to the Legio Noctis, and to congratulate you on being the first class of this organization; soon to become the finest force in all the realms. To my classmates who supported me in founding this organization, I grant you the honorific of Conditor. To your subordinates before me, who aided in your endeavors and serve you faithfully, I you shall be known as Primes of Eotrom and the Legio Noctis. I both commend and thank you for dutifully completing your orders.
"For both of you, however, your ultimate trial is upon you. And though the time spent within will vary, you all will emerge tomorrow, evolved into legends and blessed beyond comparison. That will then be your leave of absence while we attend the mid-year festivities at the Bodhi Tree. And after, it's back to work. Back to training. Back to recruiting.
"And so, without further ado, prepare yourselves for transit. And… I'll be taking these." A subtle sweep of the hand saw Amun pull their doppelgangers to him before they ascended to Eotrom in a beam of radiant darkness.
Naturally, we of the Troupe and our subordinates were both trailing behind them and waiting for them in the Darkroom. Not to oversee their training as we had done with the drow and those from Maru. Our clones joined Amun in determining the Legionaries' benefits and boons while their originals trained, leaving the Troupe's physical bodies to do as poor leaders did and play catchup.
Such play revolved around the tiers of vehicles established in the Legions, ranging from non-magical vehicles to mobile campers and the various classifications of Uma to the celestial objects looming above the realms. Brigades were privy to Sky Shards. Divisions claimed asteroid stations floating at the height of the White Wall. Corps were privy to moons that orbited the worlds woven by their Imperators.
As things went, Amun had no shards, no asteroids, one incomplete moon; and the world he wove was more of a star than anything. There was only the Cuttleship and his other Umas, paired with Mani; the center-point of all woven worlds on which no one lived.
And so, working from the top, he created the home world and headquarters for the Zed Legion using material from the deepest depths of the Darkworld and the divine realm alike. The result was a two-faced world. On one side, the face shifted along the color spectrum, camouflaging it black during the night and blue or white during the day to blend with the sky.
Carved on the far side, however, was a scowling visage that would only be seen from the surface on… special occasions. And so, the Dusk World of Draydon was formed.
The world had but one icy moon orbiting it: the Shujen Necropolis, formed and ruled by Zaraxus and Lana, populated only by Amun's growing legions of devils and undead. In turn, no asteroids dwelled in the distance of our world. Instead, there was a ring. A planetary ring of material wealth and discarded scraps made invisible to the eye like the moon and the world itself, yet populated by augmented beings who saw to recycle those broken blades and cold cadavers.
Made to orbit Amun himself with high eccentricity, the world was made to dip into the atmosphere once every tenday and spend the next five days ascending to Mani's altitude- but not its location- before it began falling once more. And so, the world was then freed from the tethers that bound the other worlds and was made to be inhabited by all in the Zed Legion. Us, our subordinates, drow, devils, and undead - those who did not exist on paper; those who were ultimately free to wander this infinite playground spread beneath us.
The world was tidally locked, with the same side facing the Mortal Plane and the same pole- the south pole, facing towards the sun. That region was inhabited by Freki and his pack. A summer wilderness that grew into an autumnal expanse at the equator, where it met the spring meadows spread before the tundras and ice-capped mountains on the north pole.
While claiming a quarter hemisphere of our world gave them vast 'kingdoms,' the world was created through a lair stone of the World Weaver and thus made up for its relatively small size with a vast subterranean network of chasms, tunnels, and caverns, much like the Darkworld.
Through that, Wilson had the largest domain, set within the core of the world. There, he was free to create away from the prying eyes of the light and smother himself in foul gasses in the process. In turn, that was where most of our industry was held; though each kingdom maintained its independent industry.
The rest of us dwelled on Draydon's far side, where the carving of that devilish visage scowled at the few stars above in perpetuity. In its right eye was a divine ocean occupied by Blude and the Mafia, wherein the left was a forest of flesh occluded by an eye of eternal dusk. Above and between them, in a closed third eye, was Iris' domain, a maze of machines and factories seated below the biomes of her dominion.
Leary and his kin dwelled on the chin of that scowling visage; a mountain range, when seen from the surface, formed near the south pole. A seemingly small space. But their dungeons and training halls were vast. And their location gave them easy access to the mouth and nose just north of them to get their exercise or mingle with the rest of us.
As for us drow, me and my brother lived in the left and right horns, respectively. In that regard, they were akin to heavily sloping towers raised near and pointing to the north pole, positioned in such a way that even at the height of day, the sun would be no brighter than the peak of dusk. In turn, Amun stayed on the crown. Or rather, in the crown. Far below Geri's mountain ranges on the north pole and directly above Iris' domain.
Celestial objects aside, we were all caught up in terms of trained troops. Post Zimysta's Fall, there were around 210,000 troops in the Zed Legion. Enough to fill our senior ranks, if not our junior ranks as well. Though that would come in due time.
As such, Amun did as a good leader would do and told us what was in store for the rest of the year. "In short, nothing. There are no official orders other than the obligatory recruiting and training. The only task is for the prime members of the Troupe. They are to accompany me to the summoning course after the festivities to allegedly meet the Necro King, my great-grandfather. Any of you are welcome to introduce yourselves to him. Though, even I do not know how he'll react.
"After that, I have some business in the Faewoods. Then some more business with the wood elves and some concluding business with the high elves; much in the same way as with you. After that, there's another leave period scheduled in the month of Decmus, at a hot spring. And then we were off to do some proper exploration during the three months we have left.
"Having no orders until then, that means you're free to spend the time doing whatever you wish outside of your daily tasks. But no venturing to Eotrom." He warned. "That's dedicated for extended leave. And training, of course."
So saying, we returned to Mani's surface to gaze upon the sky and settled in just as Amun's true form returned from blessing the new Imperators, the Corps Generals and their first officers.
As we emerged as the prime deities in Amun's pantheon, they emerged as his major deities. Divine Explorers brought to the pinnacle of their biological and spiritual existence by not just Amun's hand, but by their own blood, sweat, and will. And in the same way that Amun's power was passed on to us; their power, their mindset- their culture was passed on to their subordinates and made ready to be debuted to all the realms.
"You are my finest creation. The sum total of my will, made manifest by your efforts. To you, who have given me your souls, my divine explorers, through whom I can vicariously explore these realms, I give my mind, body, spirit, and soul as your God-Emperor. I have clad you in the best war gear; taught you unseen tactics; equipped you divinely; you possess self-sufficient industries, supreme logistics, and indomitable wills. None shall best you, none shall taste your fear, none shall halt your march, my Legio Noctis!"
The pride in Amun's voice was palpable. As if the weave were as excited as he was , it conjured images in the mind of him as a young half-drow, parading in a realm of ice and snow with the humans placed in his service. Now, that same human descended to the Mortal Plane at the front of a Legion numbering well over half a million, saluting as they descended to the Mortal Plane as legends.
"The First Prime Legion: the Undying Night! Commanded by Conditor Imperatoris, Toril O'Connell!" Simion declared through every network and every lore skull in existence while our eyes feasted on the new legionaries.
Those of the first wore dress uniforms dominated by hues of blue, white, gray, and black. Their symbol was a hooded skull with a wreath crown set atop a round shield with crossed hand axes behind it, the prominent style of the Legion's premier combat unit: "First Prime Corps of the Undying Night: The Order of the Undying Tempest! Commanded by Prime Legatus Noctis, Zane Cooper."
The 1sts special operations unit were the gestalt knights of Toril O'Connell, taken from the fallen gray dwarven stronghold, Eotrom, and the Kingdom of Ligin and trained to his standard to wield his gaseous lightning and the charged talons and wings of his tempest griffon in their armor. Made in plates of adamantine, it covered their bodies from their spurred boots to their hoods, enchanted to cover their visages beneath eternal veils of darkness, leaving only the etchings on their wreath crowns and their distinctive weapons to distinguish them as individuals.
Of all special operations units in the Legions, they were the only ones to be their own corps. Yet there were other units within the 1st to be announced by Simion. "Second Conditor Corps of the Undying Night: The Amazonian Warriors, commanded by Conditor Legatus Noctis, Teofila Traversini."
The Third Conditor Warrior Corps consisted of the all-Amazonian Warrior Army, Marine, and Skyfall Divisions, all commanded by Teo's sworn sisters, Orsola and Ale. Denoted in the Legion by their frilled tunics and lack of armor, their standard operation procedure was to deploy deep behind enemy lines with no logistical support, instead relying on their survival skills and strength to seize strategic objectives.
Indeed, every unit of the 1st was capable of such a thing. But none did it better than them. Not even the most popular corps of the 1st.
"Third Conditor Corps of the Undying Night: The Rain Men! Commanded by Conditor Legatus Noctis, Samson Farmer."
From the immense blessings granted to them, they adopted the strategy of raining on the battlefield before any other. Like the Warriors, they captured strategic objectives with little to no support. Like the Order, they took and held land with divine authority. As giant paragons of humanity made more, they punched gaping holes through enemy lines and thrived in wars many would flee from. As Rain Men, they were the first outside the Black Wolf Brigade to be given the designation: C.D.S.T.
On Simion went, describing the other Prime Corps of the Legions' premier fighting force. The Fourth Prime Corps of the Undying Night: The Destroyers, led by Bazzric Baal and his destructive lunatics, wrapped in the same charred leathers and burning chains as the dwarf himself. The Fifth Prime Corps of the Undying Night: the Ashen Eye, led by the Djinni of fire, Ash, and his wizards.
As the mass of bodies descended past our view to land on the fields below, another mob descended feet first. From their suits to their armor, they wore feathers, masks, and cowls dyed tan, red, green, and blue. Like the creatures their Imperator tamed, their symbol was that of a long-nosed skull, winged with the same verdant hues as those who bore the insignia on their uniforms.
The Legion of diplomacy, commerce, garrisons, and civility. The bridge between the Legions and Eotrom. "The Second Prime Legion: The God-Emperor's Crown. Commanded by Conditor Imperatoris, Jaimess A. Corey."
At 8 Conditor corps', the Crown held the title as the largest legion to date. And it was projected to keep that title for centuries, for their special operations unit was the legendary Divine Beast Tamers, and each corps' roles were quite varied.
Some worked solely for the Legions, yet released their work to Eotrom's public. Willard Rowe and his 1st Conditor Lore Corps, as well as Ritrix Mildbluff's 2nd Conditor Morale Corps. Others, such as Winston's 3rd Conditor Peasant's Guard and Issac Galliard's 4th Conditor Bulwark Garrison, focused on our allies' civilians and militaries, respectively; intending to not just protect them, but to train them to protect themselves.
The rest served both the locals and the legions. Rebecca Plassein's 5th Conditor Ranger Corps educated civilians in the ways of their class and provided a ranger training center for the Legions. On top of that, they patrolled the outlands of our territories, taking part in extensive surveying operations to classify every creature within their environment, tagging some for protection and others for extermination.
Rhody's 6th Conditor Weasel Corps was a bit like the Orcinus Mafia, only grounded, territorial, and projected to have members dwelling in every city sewer in our territory. They were the rogues in the dark that kept other rogues from climbing too high, knowing too much, or stealing too brazenly; either through elimination or recruitment.
Kaolinite and his 7th Conditor Duelists Corps did much the same, ensuring the civilians could release their violent tendencies whilst also providing bloodsport of varying intensities to both the locals and the Legions. Beyond that, his dueling academies not only taught civilians the fighter's trade, but were intended to train them into a serviceable militia.
The final corps of the Crown was the 8th Conditor Tribunal Corps; a strange outfit for the half demon and Conditor Legatus Noctis, Zarzok. It was especially strange because the Legions did not keep prisoners, in the traditional sense.
While insubordination and a failure to follow orders were punished by retraining in the Darkroom, we had only trials for criminals and no dungeons for war prisoners to occupy. But then, perhaps that was the reason. Zarzok was a Fighting Executioner, and prisoners of war were to be executed and information extracted from the post-death. He supplied many lore skulls in that regard. Yet he had judges and court officials still. And so his corps was as plentiful as any other crown.
The next mass of bodies to fall past us held more renown than the first two combined, though their daily clothes would never make one think of such things. Aside from the Grim Gearheads, they wore denim, coveralls, hard hats and gloves made thin and rugged to withstand the stresses of their professions, represented by a goat's skull with wrenches for horns and smoke spewing from its nostrils.
Their dress uniforms, however, were just as pristine as ours, only dyed with metallic-silvers, smokey grays, and fire reds with hints of yellow. They were the product of Amun's years of continuous work toward an arcane technological empire. "The Third founding Legion: The Cogs of Eotrom. Commanded by Conditor Imperatoris, Edward Pascal."
Every weapon used by the Legionaries came from the 1st Conditor Silverforge Corps, named after the dwarven paragon himself. Likewise, every piece of armor came from the 2nd Conditor Armorers Corps, led by Forgruna Drakehorne. Nearly every building that was to be built for ourselves or our allies was to be made by the hands of Quinn Leonhard's 3rd Conditor Construction Corps.
They were all protected by Thordrohilda Diamondblade's 4th Conditor Bruiser Corps, as well as Matthew Reid's 6th Conditor Sapper Corps and Edgar Lope's 7th Conditor Grenadier Corps, whenever they weren't sabotaging enemy objectives.
"The Fourth Conditor Legion, the Vagabond Vulcans! Commanded by Conditor Imperatoris, Roheisa Deapou!" Simion declared as the many optics and lore skulls focused on the steel gray and crimson uniforms of those descending. Simultaneously, the Net displayed the steel Vulcanox skull used to symbolize the Legion, its horns glowing like charged rubies.
Their 1st Conditor Corps was denoted by the ash and soot drawn in tribal designs atop their skin. Dubbed the Silent Corps after the unique brand of rage held by their Conditor Legatus Noctis, Elurial, they were the most-zealous unit of the Vulcans, and acted as their primary scouting and light infantry unit- the only of its kind in the 4th.
Formed by Conditor Legatus Noctis, Slate, a Goliath Fighting Champion, the 2nd Conditor Corps - the Champion's Army Corps was among the most disciplined and skilled units in all the Legions. Their members held a fierce mind for competition, much like their sister corps, the 3rd. But unlike their mirror, they held every type of infantry, combat, and support unit one could expect in a proper army; only built to accommodate the bulk of their leader. That, and they all wore some variant of power armor.
Their sister corps was the 3rd Andisol Prime Corps, led by Conditor Legatus Noctis, Corundum, a Goliath Barbaric Champion. Like the Champion's Army, the Andisol Highlanders were proud, exceptionally disciplined, and more organized than even their mirrors. Yet, they were so-called 'tech-barbarians,' boasting powered exoskeletons carrying light armor rather than the full power armor worn by the army and the 5th corps.
Unceremoniously named the Conditor Mountainpike Corps, after their Conditor Legatus Noctis, Darekhil Mountainpike, they were a mostly dwarven corps of heavily power-armored barbaric brawlers, whose industry revolved entirely around colossal constructions and dwarven war machines.
A blinding light shone from above as the last Vulcans landed in their formations, making those distant voices in the city scream ever-louder, for they could hardly bear the majestic sight of the Valkyrie Empress descending to the Mortal Plane. And behind her… "The Fifth Prime Legion, the Deliverers of Soul, Commanded by Conditor Imperatoris, Lucia Pike!"
With bronze, gold, and white colors, the Deliverer's symbol was that of a Valkyrie with her wings crested upwards, both hands clutched around a pike as if in prayer. Like an inverse mirror to the Crowns, the 5th was the smallest legion, containing only the 1st Conditor Merciful Corps and the 2nd Conditor Witch-Doctor Corps, commanded by Conditor Legatus Nocti, Rua Nun and Phelia. Yet, with the Valkyrie Court acting as their special operations force, theirs would remain among the most popular for ages to come.
The next legion was something more familiar to me, led by a familiar face. Their uniforms held the colors of nature; blues, greens, and browns with hints of white, black, and gray. Symbolized by a similarly colored sphere that resembled their woven world, they were a legion of monks, druids, and rangers, plus a rogue corps, specializing in nature and extreme mana zones. "The Sixth Conditor Legion, the World Keepers! Commanded by Conditor Imperatoris, Peter Quinn!"
Donned in silk robes and wreathed in glistening webs were the 1st Conditor Bombyx Corps, commanded by Conditor Legatus Noctis, Scarlett Bombyx, a druid with hereditary ties to silkworms and moths. Conversely, the 2nd Conditor Grove Corps, commanded by Conditor Legatus Noctis, Mary Farmer, were druids associated with Amun's domains and their hold on nature; although mostly moonlight.
The 3rd Conditor Settler's Corps, commanded by Conditor Legatus Noctis, Zeke Smeal were mostly rangers boasting large packs and more gear than their kind would often carry, as they were the ones who would build legion settlements in the most hostile, far-off places.
The 4th Conditor Warden Corps, commanded by Conditor Legatus Noctis, Toni Forester, were, in a sense, the rangers focused on beasts. Much like the rangers of the Crown, the Wardens specialized in taxonomy, keeping extensive records of animal populations to ensure stable ecosystems; even if that included the protection of dangerous beasts.
The last corps of the Keepers was the 5th Conditor Shinobi Corps, commanded by Conditor Legatus Noctis, Rommy Peak. Being primarily shinobi, with a focus on dungeon crawling, they all wore face masks and used various excuses for non-rogues inquiring of their habits, ranging from a fear of germs to disfigured faces. However, like the Wardens, they were more invested in cataloging and regulating dungeons rather than clearing them.
The descent of the last keeper saw a pale crimson light bloom from above, signaling the holiest legion's descent. With colors of silver, crimson, and that pale blue-white moonlight, their symbol was that of a full moon, ringed in a Sanguis light. "The Seventh Conditor Legion, the Blooded of the Moon! Commanded by Conditor Imperatoris, Zakira of the Bloodmoon!"
Having no other Conditor in her legion, the 7th was filled with Zakira's dedicated followers of Mani, but with a twist. The Order of Worlds represented Amun's goodness, yet that goodness did not exist without malice. Thus, the 7th Legion was born. With their special operations division filled with those who were touched by the moon like Geri, Freki, and Blude, their corps were composed of holy armies, inquisitor destroyers, oracles, and weavers.
However, their 1st Prime Bloodmoon Corps was a theistic order of zealous knights, blessed dames, holy paladins, warrior monks, war priests, battle nuns, and clerics, shrouded in light, medium, and heavy power armor or faux-muscled robes for the monks. They were assisted by the sleek-dressed members of the 2nd Prime Moonrunner Corps and their grav-lifted chariots, riding moonbeams into battle to strike fast and hard.
The 3rd Prime Weaver Corps were wizards, warlocks, witches, and clerics, blessed with the means to cast with gravity and moonlight - the powers most associated with the World Weaver's domain - using them to uplift or decimate societies and weave worlds at a low level, placing asteroid shards and the like in the sky.
Their final division was the 4th Prime Cathedral Bloodmoon Division, a holy logistical and combat support unit, boasting most of the Legion's industry. They mass produced holy water and created seas of lunar flames to bless battlefields with and acted as the training center for zealotry and the clerical arts - a trait their sister legion had not.
Their sister legion was unseen in the Darkworld, despite the presence of their Imperator in Zimysta. With colors of black, gold, purple, and crimson, they wore skin-tight clothes reminiscent of drow craft, adorned with feathers, bones, and dark jewels, as well as tinted spectacles and beaked hoods. "The Eighth Conditor Legion, the Plagues of Chaos! Commanded by Conditor Imperatoris, Opal of the Blackblood!"
Unlike the 7th, the plagues' special operations force was their army of unholy knights, damned dames, anti-paladins, wicked clerics, cursed monks, slaughter nuns, and destroyer priests. Thus, their corps' were few, and yet were both commanded by Conditor.
The 1st Conditor Dusk Monk Corps was Veil of Shadows' order of mostly monks and knights who were neither holy nor corrupted by their twilight. Similar to the rangers and rogues of the 2nd Conditor Hunter Corps, commanded by another cat-like Felipian, Conditor Legatus Noctis Curious Twig.
The next Legion to fall from Eotrom was beckoned by the silver light one expected from the 7th. However, the light came from Shujen Bay, rather than the skies, and their many numbers descended to them, wanting. Being the first legion to fill its ranks, and with no other Conditor, they were the second largest number of corps, yet numerically far superior to the Crowns. "The Ninth Legion, the Lunarian Fleets! Commanded by Conditor Imperatoris, Hogaz!"
Like the ships that spawned behind us, their uniforms were silver, oceanic blue, kelp green. However, their symbol was more… eccentric. A snake, intertwined with itself to bite its tail and make the infinity sign, with a vast sea in the left loop and sprawling lands in the other.
Having guaranteed sovereign fleets for the pirate captains he first met, they became the various fleets of the Lunarians, leaving his special operations division to be formed from those he later gathered for his personal ships, made by Mani's hand. That led them to making the same bargain with their Imperator that he agreed to with Amun. And so was born his special operations division, the Lunarian Seekers.
The Seekers were marines and solo sailors, painted with the same madness that made the sea floor look like Mani's surface. Their Brigades sought Merfolk, Tritons, Atlanteans, and secrets of the World Sea's depths, and their battalions sought more specific things. In the end, protecting the Lunarian fleets sailing the World Seas above.
Having been made by Ed Pascal and further enhanced by Eotrom's three Gods of Artifice - Ed, Iris, and Amun - their fleets could undoubtedly sail the World Seas without end, for their ships were Umas, and their interiors were expanded to the size of countries.
1st Prime Task Fleet Victory was their arrow, poised for a fatal strike. The 2nd Prime Stygian Subron were their eyes and ears. The Prime 3rd Stronghull Fleet was their shield, the 4th Assault Fleet their sword. The 6th Battle Fleet was their hammer. The 7th Survey Fleet was their backbone. Them, the Lunarians.
Being their mirror in almost every way, the next Legion had no light to beckon their arrival, only a gust of wind that pulled everyone's eyes skyward, where they remained staring at the gray, white, and dark blue uniforms or their symbol of a feather-like sword rising from a skull's mouth. The 10th Conditor Legion, the Sky Skimmers! Commanded by Conditor Imperatoris, Duc'cec!"
Like Hogaz, the eagle-like Sapiavi had none of their classmates in his legion. Thus, his first group of Skimmers was those he recruited from Eotrom and beyond; mostly mages, to everyone's surprise. He trained them in flight; they taught him in the ways of magic, and together, they learned of Amun's history and artificing prowess to develop tools that even impressed us.
There was the magical broomstick meant for enhancing witchcraft's efficiency, the Potter, and the SCAMs that let them fly so high, but their two other revolutionary discoveries made Eban sponsor the Skimmers. The first was a fusion of wands and the 'rifles' used by Amun in his previous life; the Raphew, a quite devastating weapon on its own. Yet, they made it more powerful by developing a class of spells - War Spells.
Amun's ascension saw those coveted devices integrate with their highest ranking members, giving them the means to traverse the void above and giving rise to their special operations division: the Void Runners. The rest of their 'Commands' split themselves according to the paths they'd committed themselves toward.
The 1st Prime Harpy Squawk Command was focused on all combat operations, from offense and defense to anti-air and battlefield logistics, swarm management, traffic control, and flight operations. Likewise, the 2nd Prime Mobility Squawk Command specialized in logistics and transportation, delivering troops and equipment across vast distances, through means ranging from hypersonic flight to gravity slings and warp points.
The 3rd Prime Nest Squawk Command was focused on mage education and flight training. Not just for their members, but for other legionaries and allies as well. As such, its ranks held their best mage pilots; and the 4th held their most daring.
The 4th Prime Hive Squawk Command was unique among the legions, for they were focused on research, development, and testing equipment and spellcraft designed by their ranks and stolen from the enemy.
"The Eleventh Conditor Legion, the Lords of Gloom! Commanded by Conditor Imperatoris, Elijah of the Blackblood!" Simion declared across the net. Yet, onlookers could only see Net highlighting the golden-eyed draconic skull wreathed in purple flames, signifying their Legion. At least until their eyes fell to the beings dressed in black, maroon, and golden hues.
Like the Plagues, the first members Elijah recruited, turned into vampires, and followed him into the Shadow Realm to complete the Trial of Five Deaths became his staff and special operations division; the entities who gave the 11th their namesake- those we met in Redagh and their subordinates.
Their isolated nature led to them scattering across Shujen to become masters of infiltration and subterfuge, with their standard procedure being to regress their age before entering foreign lands to grow and rise into a position of power. Lords of War, Industry, Commerce, and Law. So it was. Their corps were born.
Conditor Legatus Noctis, Urshure, commanded the 1st Prime Corps, Clan Gloomscale; a small but growing clan of dragonborne corrupted by shadowfire to devote themselves to Cononthoth. Their 2nd Prime Vassal Army Corps was recruited from Shujen, and was a private army that operated in the light, keeping their draconic and undying connections hidden from view.
Acting as their mirror was the 3rd Prime Cult Corps, filled with those who wished to fully delve into draconic, vampiric, or undying corruption with no rhyme or reason to hide it. Likewise, Clan Gloomscale's mirror was half of the kobolds taken from Zimysta's fall and imposed on the Legion by their Sovereign, making the 4th Prime Kobold Hive Corps, the largest of the Lordlings.
On this day, here, in the Bodhi Peninsula, the first 11 Legions of the Nox formed and made ready to perfect themselves over the coming years. 11 Legions Demigods, led by the Gods of the Eternal Champion. 11 Legions, waiting to embark on the Great Marulean Crusade.
"Now that you know the horrors of war and the problems with peace; the privilege of strength and the curse of knowledge, the burden of leadership, you understand the restraint required to wield this power I have given you. Thus, you are self-sufficient and self-governing. Thus, you are given operational sovereignty and diplomatic immunity, under the regulations of our Empire and Legions.
"However." Amun paused, grinning as the blue conduits on his body bloomed with divine light, forcing into view, the familiar visages of those Maruleans he led, even from here. "You are not the only ones to have faced significant change. Observe."