Imperial Legion

"Upon my honor I do swear undying loyalty to the

Emperor, and unwavering obedience to the officers of his

great Empire. May those above judge me, and those below

take me, if I fail in my duty. Long live the Emperess! Long

live the Empire!"

The strong-arm of the Emperor, known as the Red Legion, the Imperial Army, or even the Ruby Ranks, the Imperial Legion is the primary fighting force of the Empire. The roots of the Imperial Legion dates back to the founding of the Alessian Empire during the First Era. When the slave-turned-saint Alessia conquered the White-Gold Tower and lit the Dragonfires, her rebellion became a legitimate political power. The Empire, as much as its legions, would traverse eras of conflict, civil war, and loss. Dynasties rose and fell between the First, Second, and Third Eras. The legion likewise followed suit, ranging from a world power, to crumbling to a mere shadow of its former self.

Goals of the Legion 

The singular purpose of the Imperial Legion is this: fulfill the will of the Empire no matter the cost. Long has the Empire’s ambition to conquer the known world, and the Legion will go to Oblivion and back in order to achieve it. Upon the will and command of the emperor, the legion acts.
Charged with establishing order and keeping the peace within the Empire, the Imperial Legion provides guards for towns and cities, and offers protection to nobles and high ranking politicians. Outside the walls of civilization, legion soldiers can be found patrolling the common roadways and manning established forts and places of strategic importance. They act both as the main arm of the Empire’s military efforts, as well as routine law enforcement in the allied provinces. In times of war, the Legion is given great latitude in their power, and many resources are put into place to ensure the Empire is preserved. With a standing navy and the ability to quickly increase their recruitment, the Imperial Legion is an invading and occupying force. One tactic that the Legion has employed to ensure victory is an enrollment process with a high standard of excellence, while remaining open to all denizens of Tamriel. All people, from any background and a broad range of skill sets, are welcome within the Ruby Ranks. From disenfranchised Orsimer to disaffected Altmer, the fiercest warriors and the sharpest wizards. Even dragons have been counted among the Legion at times. This versatility has provided the Imperial Legion with centuries of strength and power.

Feature: Legion Station 

As a member of the Imperial Legion, you have found your place within the strict hierarchy. You can requisition simple equipment for temporary use, and you can gain access to any Imperial Legion fort, camp, or office in the Empire. In these areas, you can rest in safety and receive treatment from the combat medics. People tend to be on their best behavior in your presence, and assume you have the right to be in areas that might otherwise be locked off to the public.

Variant: Legion Agent 

Agents of the Imperial Legion hide in plain sight, unlike the rank and file soldiers of the Empire. Agents are specialists in infiltration, espionage, politics, and even sometimes assassination. These legionnaires act independently and are given a handler in order to further the Empire’s goals where armies cannot go.
Skill proficiencies: Insight, Investigation Tool proficiencies: Disguise kit

Feature: Refuge

You receive shelter and assistance from members of the Empire at fortresses, Imperial held cities, outposts and forward camps. Additionally, you have special access to a secret network of supporters and operatives who can provide assistance on your adventures. You know a set of secret signs and passwords you can use to identify such operatives of the Empire, who can provide you with access to a hidden safe house, free room and board, or assistance in finding information. These imperial agents may risk their lives for you, so long as the risk revealing their true identities is justifiable or minimal.

Rank and Renown 

By gaining renown as a soldier in the Imperial Legion, you ascend through the structured ranks of the guild. Promotion always requires the approval of a superior officer. Your advancement is a reward for fulfilling your duties and proving your talents, rather than an automatic consequence of increased renown.

Spell Level	Spell 1	Spell 2
Cantrip	Guidance	Message
Level 1	Alarm	Command
Level 2	Arcane Lock	Calm Emotions
Level 3	Haste	Clairvoyance
Level 4	Compulsion	Freedom of Movement
Level 5	Dominate Person	Scrying

Rank 1: Sergeant 

Prerequisite: Renown 3 or higher with the Imperial Legion As you’ve spent time with the Legion you have proven yourself as a leader. At this rank, you have trained extensively and have been gifted with Legion equipment befitting your station. You gain proficiency with a one-handed weapon of your choice and shields, or with a two-handed weapon of your choice, and you receive a version of this equipment that indicates your rank in the Legion, generally bearing a Legion or cohort insignia.
Additionally, you gain authority over a small team of lower-ranking soldiers. When you undertake a mission on the Legion’s behalf that requires military strength, a squad of 1d4 soldiers accompanies and assists you for the duration of the mission. Between work and adventures, you earn a salary that is enough to maintain a modest lifestyle, including private quarters in an Imperial Legion fort or garrison.

Rank 2: Prefect 

Prerequisite: Rank 1 and Renown 10 or higher with the Imperial Legion
As a prefect, you are responsible for missions and strategies that you can’t execute entirely on your own or with the aid of a handful of soldiers. After receiving orders handed down from the legate above you, it’s your job to figure out the tactics needed to accomplish those goals.
You lead a cohort of soldiers, which consists of six squads, each made up of four Legion recruits commanded by a sergeant (use the soldier stat block to represent them). You can assign these squads to tasks of your choosing within the area of Tamriel that your forward camp, fort, or city is situated. You can also lead these soldiers into battle yourself, or bring one squad and its sergeant with you on a guild mission.
You continue to earn a salary sufficient to maintain a modest lifestyle, but your private quarters are more spacious.

Rank 2: Special Role - Battlemage Palatine

Prerequisite: Renown 10 or higher with the Imperial Legion, Spellcasting or Night Magic class feature If you meet the prerequisites, you can apply to become a Battlemage Palatine, an elite leader of the Imperial Battlemages. These exceptional spellcasters are exalted for their unique skills and abilities and serve alongside the regular Legions. While in this prestigious role, you use a combination of might and magic to serve the Empire in ways that the martial rank-and-file soldiers cannot. Members of the Imperial Battlemages are given a different level of independence in the guild, due to the longstanding traditions of this esteemed order. They will be called upon to take on tasks that require the use of the schools of magic, such as missions that could benefit greatly from the use of illusion or teleportation magics. The Imperial Battlemages will also be responsible for defending and healing the troops, while using destruction or alteration magic to control the battlefield and exploiting the enemies weaknesses.
As a Battlemage Palatine, you are placed in charge of a cohort of soldiers, just as a prefect is, except these soldiers are Imperial Battlemages (use the hedge wizard stat block to represent them).

Type

Military, Army