Seventh Legion (AOS)

The Seventh Legion of the Dragon-Blooded Shogunate (Reinforced) is the last remnant of the Shogunate's military, based in the River Province city of Lookshy.

History

In the chaos wrought by the Contagion and the Balorian Crusade, the Shogunate's military fragmented across the East, leaving units to fend for themselves without orders in a landscape riddled with plague and rakshasa. Eventually Nifvarin Gilshalos of the Seventh Legion rounded up as many survivors as possible and gathered them in the port city of Deheleshen, or what was left of it. Here they reorganized in Quicksilver Dolphin 4 (RY -1)[1], and here they returned the following year when the future Scarlet Empress finally drove the Fair Folk back. Some felt it important to uphold the Shogunate's laws in the ruined territory, while others simply had no where else to go.[2][3]

In Bronze Phoenix 5 (RY 20), the survivors of the Seventh Legion established Lookshy on the bones of Deheleshen's remaining First Age structures. It was more of a garrison than a city, with a population made up almost entirely of soldiers, but it provided much-needed security over several key trade routes. It also housed the last vestiges of the Shogunate's bureaucracy, and the Legion refused to recognize the Scarlet Empress or the Realm as a legitimate successor state. They were able to back this up this refusal by force, much to the frustration of the Empress.[4]

Over the centuries, the Seventh Legion remained the preeminent military power in the River Province, at once resented and relied upon by its neighbors. In Golden Rat 9 (RY 557), on the heels of another Fair Folk incursion, Lookshy joined the Confederation of Rivers in order to normalize relations with other river cities.[5]

Gunzota Incident

In Quicksilver Bear 9 (RY 615), a First Age weapon accidentally detonated at the Gunzota Redoubt near Greyfalls, transforming the redoubt and everyone inside into solid amethyst. Tragically, this happened while the majority of the General Staff and a number of high-ranking commanders were convened at the redoubt for a meeting, resulting in a drastic shake-up of the Legion's command/Lookshy's goverment. In truth, this incident was engineered by Adjutant General Teresu Hightower and a ring of co-conspirators, and in one fell swoop it wiped out a cadre of corrupt and self-serving commanders. Teresu became chumyo, and quietly finished the job of purging the Legion and restoring its standards. Some officers have their suspicions about the incident, but cannot prove anything; if they could, it would rock the Legion to its core.[6][7]

Recent Events

The most recent major military action in the Scavenger Lands came in Quicksilver Dolphin 10 (RY 750), when Thorns invaded the Confederation of Rivers. The Seventh Legion mobilized, along with its allies, and fought hard for three years to drive the invaders back. At the Battle of Mishaka in Quicksilver Cat 10 (RY 754), the forces of Thorns were finally broken. Most Lookshyans lost someone in that offensive, and so they had little sympathy for Thorns when Mask of Winters invaded a decade later.[8][9]

There are some among the Legion who think it should be more aggressive, perhaps even making a bid to restore the Shogunate now that the Scarlet Empire is in disarray. They remain in the minority for now.[10]

Organization

The General Staff of the Legion is also the ruling council of Lookshy. All residents of the city must serve in the military upon reaching the age of majority, and those who choose not to re-enlist are still considered part of the reserves and can be called on for as long as they are physically able to fight.[11][12]

The chumyo who commands the Seventh Legion is the head of the General Staff, but the staff can vote to remove a chumyo they feel is unfit to serve. Most of the upper ranks of officers are Dragon-blooded simply by virtue of their longevity, but the General Staff does include mortal officers as well.[13][14]

The Legion's operations are supported by seven administrative Directorates:

  • The Directorate of the Adjutant-General, overseeing personnel - which, in Lookshy, means following residents from cradle to grave to ensure they are trained, employed, and cared for.
  • The Justice Directorate, overseeing law enforcement
  • The Security Directorate, overseeing counterintelligence
  • The Stores Directorate, overseeing all supplies, including the wonderous First Age weaponry of the Legion
  • The Operations Directorate, overseeing strategy and tactics
  • The Liaison Directorate, overseeing foreign diplomacy
  • The Intelligence Directorate, overseeing the Legion's spies[15][16]

The Legion's combat forces are still organized in much the same way as they were under the Shogun:

  • Four Field Legions, each commanded by a taimyo
  • the Lookshy Home Guard and the Lookshy Manse Guard
  • the naval forces
  • the Sky Guard, which possesses over a hundred First Age flying machines in various states of repair
  • the Foreign Legion - technically part of the Second Field Legion - made up of non-Lookshyan troops serving at the Legion's redoubts across the River Province
  • the reserve, which still trains weekly, and amounts to another six full Field Forces of personnel.[17]

Sorcerers are common in the Seventh Legion at all levels - Lookshy's Academy of Sorcery is open to any citizen, and both mortals and Dragon-Blooded usually know at least a few charms. More proficient sorcerers serve as support troops; their magic is a weapon like any other, and the Legion uses it as such. Special forces such as warstriders, artillery, gunzosha and ashigaru heavy infantry also complement the regular troops.[18]

Six of the Legion's redoubts, not counting Gunzota, are public knowledge. Four additional redoubts are kept secret even from the Legion's allies. Each of these protects a Thousand-Forged Dragon from the First Age. In addition, should one of the other redoubts or Lookshy itself fall to an enemy, the secret redoubts provide secure points to fall back and regroup.[19][20]

Gods of the Seventh Legion

Distinct from the local gods of Lookshy, the Seventh Legion's patron is Sunipa, the war goddess of the East. Relza, one of the goddesses of flight, looks favorable on the Sky Guard specifically. The Maiden of Battles does not openly express any thoughts on the Legion, but has personally sealed two proclamations of destiny related to it, which remain in effect.[21]

References

  1. ↑ Exalted: Scavenger Sons, p. 66
  2. ↑ Exalted: Compass of Terrestrial Directions Vol. 1: The Scavenger Lands, p. 43-44
  3. ↑ Exalted: Dragon-Blooded: What Fire Has Wrought, p. 110
  4. ↑ Exalted: Compass of Terrestrial Directions Vol. 1: The Scavenger Lands, p. 43-44
  5. ↑ Exalted: Compass of Terrestrial Directions Vol. 1: The Scavenger Lands, p. 48
  6. ↑ Exalted: The Outcaste, p. 34
  7. ↑ Exalted: Dragon-Blooded: What Fire Has Wrought, p. 115
  8. ↑ Exalted: Dragon-Blooded: What Fire Has Wrought, p. 124
  9. ↑ Exalted: Compass of Terrestrial Directions Vol. 1: The Scavenger Lands, p. 48
  10. ↑ Exalted: Compass of Terrestrial Directions Vol. 1: The Scavenger Lands, p. 54
  11. ↑ Exalted: The Outcaste, p. 33
  12. ↑ Exalted: Dragon-Blooded: What Fire Has Wrought, p. 118
  13. ↑ Exalted: The Outcaste, p. 31-32
  14. ↑ Exalted: Compass of Terrestrial Directions Vol. 1: The Scavenger Lands, p. 63
  15. ↑ Exalted: The Outcaste, p. 33-36
  16. ↑ Exalted: Dragon-Blooded: What Fire Has Wrought, p. 120
  17. ↑ Exalted: Compass of Terrestrial Directions Vol. 1: The Scavenger Lands, p. 62-63
  18. ↑ Exalted: The Outcaste, p. 37-40
  19. ↑ Exalted: The Outcaste, p. 43-44
  20. ↑ Exalted: Compass of Terrestrial Directions Vol. 1: The Scavenger Lands, p. 64
  21. ↑ Exalted: The Outcaste, p. 36-37
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