Legions of Light
The High Table spares no expense on the Legions of Light based at the Bulwark of Light on the southern rim of the Kirinal Pit. The Legions have the best equipped and most well-trained army that money can buy.
The Legions have good soldiers, no one can deny it. As long as they get their gold, they fight well. And everybody knows who pays the bills at the Bulwark. House Molndal owns the whole hog and the rest of the Table are just their swine.
In the light of day, the spires of the Bulwark of Light gleam gold and white. But when the sun sets, through some curious effect, the fortress appears to be red and black. It's a curious optical illusion that sages and scholars debate with some small amount of curiousity.
It's right there. And you still don't see it.
The Legions of Light man the Bulwark of Light in the name of the High Table. They are responsible for protecting the southern span of the Pit Wall and the Southern Gate. The Legions belongs to the command structure of the Order of Light.
The Order, never missing an opportunity for marketing, dubbed the singular army of 5,000 soldiers and knights the "Legions of Light". They are commanded by Count Hringo Molndal, the Bulwark Landmaster. The troops are divided into five Legions each commanded by a Legionmaster handpicked by Count Hringo.
Composing a Legion
The Legions of Light follow the composition of a typical Order Legion: 600 heavily armored "Light Troopers", 200 "Flaming Musketeers", and 200 mounted "Light Knights".
Horse-mounted knights are of little use on the Pit Wall, so their knights are mounted on griffons, dragonnels, and giant eagles.
The elite infantry known as the Blood of T'kor, or "Blood Knights" are known for their red armor and heavy weapons. They are among the most feared warriors in the Zone and have the highest kill rate of any squad on the Pit Wall.
The Order recruits the best soldiers they can find from High Table territories, from around the world, and throughout the multiverse. They use Concordance citizenship as an incentive to attract recruits. By Concordant Mandate, those who serve in the Zone are eligible to earn citizenship in the Concordance. Only citizens can hold positions of power or own property in the Zone. Many wealthy people in the southern slice kickstarted their fortunes with a stint in the Legion.
Journal of a Light Trooper
2nd Prime of Balagem, 3211 F.A.
I come from a military family, my five siblings all joined the Order to serve House Molndal. They have been content to do their duty and earn their pensions. I'm the only one with any bigger goals.
I worked hard. I made the right connections. I greased the right palms. Today, I made Legionnaire. I'm in the Zone. In five years, I get my Concordant citizenship and my gold icosahedron!
My plan is to work hard and pick up every extra shift that I can. I'll save every copper I make and once I'm a citizen, I can buy land. I have a plan for timeshare hunting lodge resorts in the Anomalous Forest that'll make me as rich as a Molndal!
The Face of the Legion of Light
The youngest Legionmaster, Harmony Tun-Razak commands the Fifth Legion of Light. This pretty young tiefling is the daughter of Count Hellenbrecht Tun-Razak, the Grandmaster of the Order of LIght. She is well aware that she was given command because of her gender, her race, and who her father is.
The Legions use her to "red-wash" the overwhelmingly white male human composition of their forces. Despite this, Harmony is a genuinely good person and an excellent officer. Unlike the other Legionmasters, her troops will fight to the death for her.
I know exctly how I got my command, but I am GOOD at what I do. I know that the Order has problems. But I'm not the only one inside the Order who thinks we can do some real good.
Journal of a Light Trooper
3rd Faerie of Anamber, 3214 F.A.
After a few years in the Order you learn a lot. Supposedly the Legion are the best paid and the best equipped army in the Zone. Well the officers eat caviar every night. Our suppliers throw the best parties in Aurumopolis. The budget for gold paint and white silk is through the roof.
All I know is my armor's too light and my shield shattered on the claws of some nightmare beast. I would've been toast if Legionmaster Harmony hadn't been close by. She killed the monster and got me out of there. My next stipend had a few extra Bilog in it along with a note. "Go to the Tortoise and get some real equipment."
Legion of Flight
The Second Legion of Light is nicknamed the "Legion of Flight". This beautiful fleet of skyships patrols the skies above the Southern Pit Wall and are stationed at Aurumopolis. Each gilded ship proudly bears the gold and white banners of the High Table and House Molndal. The Flightmaster is second-in-command of the Legions behind the Landmaster.
Despite their great wealth, the Legion does not have the magitech capabilities to build skyships to rival those of some of the other Cantons. Over the years, they have purchased decommissioned skyships from the Tortoise Conclave and the Silver Assembly. They have one dreadnought class skyship, the Golden Siren, manned by 200 crew and soldiers. The rest of their fleet consists of a dozen cruisers and frigates that are manned by the remaining 800 members of the Second Legion.
I'm tellin' ya, them "Legion of Flight' skyships ain't nothin' but gold paint on clearance hulls. My grandpa goblin worked on those exact ships when he was a little gobby. They're all flash and no smash.
Journal of a Light Trooper
2nd Shatter of Anamber, 3216 F.A.
"Horn 2 Prime Unknown Humanoid Population 5 Magic 1 Tech 4" - Surveyor of Worlds
I'm writing this with my back against the Pit Wall. I’ve been on duty for 23 hours. The galvanic cannons of the Golden Siren floating above me have thundered all night long. It’s been a long hard Shatter, but the night is finally ending. The Az-damned army of idiots in the Pit will be gone at dawn!
At Shatter's dawn, the Surveyor announced another mortal world, heavy population with less magic than us and almost equivalent tech. We announced ourselves with the old hex crystal loudspeakers, a telepathic broadcast, and by dropping psychic flyers. They responded by bombarding us with artillery. So now we're in containment and I'm in a full-blown war zone two days before my tour of duty is up!
That's OK! I have my pension lined up. I've saved up enough for a down payment on that hunting lodge! I make my first payment this week, and the family is coming up this Faerie to celebrate! Now I just need to get through the next 30 minutes.
I like the detail of Harmony's position being a type of "red-washing." You communicate a lot very concisely.
She's actually super-competent and probably deserves to be higher up in the Order than she is. She's also a good bean and one of my favorite NPC's to play.
For your consideration, my submissions for the WorldAnvil Worldbuilding Awards 2024. (I've also included some of my favorites other worldbuilders.)
Daww, she sounds lovely!