Ash Legion

The Ash Legion is one of the three High Legions of the Dominion of Torment, revered for its dominance in mechanical warfare and innovative military strategies. Unlike its counterparts, the Steel Legion and Arcane Legion, the Ash Legion’s strength lies in its mastery of firearms, war machines, and steam-powered technology. Born from the need to adapt to constant conflict and scarcity of resources, the legion quickly embraced invention as its cornerstone. Their focus on mechanization and industrial advancements has set them apart as the driving force behind Torment’s technological and naval superiority. This Legion has earned a reputation for its inventiveness, especially in developing devastating battlefield technologies. The Ash Legion’s engineers, often of impish descent, constantly push the limits of warfare with bold new designs. These engineers create some of Torment’s most fearsome weapons, such as the infamous Iron Shredder, a massive spiked wheel designed to wreak havoc on enemy formations. Their unique combination of mechanical prowess and strategic ingenuity has allowed the Ash Legion to become a key player not only on land but also in naval warfare, where they dominate through advanced ships and firepower. Central to the Ash Legion’s identity is their role in advancing the Dominion’s naval capabilities. Their coastal fortresses and shipyards, located in places like Leviathan’s Maw and Kraken’s Spire, have transformed Torment’s navy into a formidable force. Although Ash Legion's fleet is smaller in size and slower compared to other nations’, the Ash Legion’s technologically advanced vessels grant them an edge in firepower. This strategic focus on naval innovation ensures that the Ash Legion remains crucial to Torment's continued expansion and defense across Ragnarok.

Structure

The Ash Legion’s structure combines traditional military hierarchy with its unique focus on technology, machinery, and naval superiority. This integration of ground forces, mechanical warfare, and naval command allows the Ash Legion to maintain its strength across multiple theaters of war, ensuring efficient coordination between land, sea, and air operations. High Command

Tribune. The supreme leader of the Ash Legion, the Tribune commands both ground and naval forces. The Tribune oversees the coordination of mechanized warfare, naval strategies, and airship deployment. They have full authority over the Legion’s territories and report directly to the High Imperator of Torment.

Primus. The Primus manages the strategic execution of the Tribune’s directives, coordinating ground forces, naval fleets, and war machines. Primuses ensure that naval operations, land-based siege engines, and airships work together during large-scale operations. They are often seen as the right-hand to the Tribune, handling critical battlefront decisions.

Command Ranks

Artificer General. The Artificer General is responsible for the creation, maintenance, and enhancement of the Ash Legion’s war machines, artillery, and naval vessels. They oversee teams of Engineers to ensure that the Legion’s technological assets are combat-ready and integrate seamlessly with naval operations.

Centurion/Fleet Marshal. Centurions command companies of around 100 soldiers or naval crew members. They lead ground forces and naval squads, ensuring effective execution of both combat strategies and mechanical warfare on land or at sea.

Machinist Officer. Reporting to the Forge Master, the Machinist Officer manages smaller groups of Engineers, ensuring that individual war machines, naval engines, and siege devices remain operational during combat. Machinist Officers are crucial for ensuring that the Legion’s mechanical forces perform without failure in the heat of battle.

Legionnaire/Shipmaster. Leading squads of 20 to 50 soldiers or sailors, Legionnaires play an essential role in battlefield coordination, both for mechanized units and naval combat teams. They lead tactical skirmishes and enforce discipline across the lower ranks, ensuring that their teams are always battle-ready.

Lieutenant/Gunnery Officer. Lieutenants support Legionnaires and Centurions by managing logistics, coordinating squad movements, and supervising mechanical assets. They are essential in the smooth execution of both land and naval strategies, ensuring optimal combat efficiency.

Tasked with the management of a ship’s artillery, the Gunnery Officer ensures the smooth loading, aiming, and firing of naval weaponry. They coordinate with the Engineers to ensure all cannons and naval artillery function at peak efficiency during engagements. Rank-and-File Soldiers

Engineer. Engineers are the backbone of the Ash Legion’s mechanical and naval forces. They maintain and operate war machines, ship engines, and siege devices, ensuring the Legion’s technological superiority is always upheld. Their expertise ensures that the complex machinery of the Ash Legion operates smoothly in both battle and logistics.

Sailor. The primary naval troops of the Ash Legion, Sailors serve on steam-powered ships, handling all the necessary tasks to keep the vessels combat-ready. They manage day-to-day operations, assist in ship maintenance, and are essential in executing boarding operations during naval combat.

Artillery Crewman. Artillery Crewmen handle the maintenance and operation of land-based siege engines, as well as naval artillery. They serve under Gunnery Officers, ensuring that both land and naval firepower is maintained and effective during long engagements.

This hierarchy enables the Ash Legion to operate as a cohesive, multi-faceted military force that balances mechanical warfare with naval and land operations. By maintaining clear roles and responsibilities across both land-based and naval theaters, the Ash Legion ensures that it can efficiently project Torment’s military strength across all corners of Ragnarok.

Culture

Innovation and Mechanization. The Ash Legion's culture is deeply rooted in the principles of innovation, mechanization, and practicality. Unlike the other High Legions, the Ash Legion thrives on its ability to adapt and evolve through mechanical advancements. The legion believes that progress and survival come from embracing technology and invention, and this ethos permeates every aspect of their military and societal structure. Engineers, machinists, and inventors are held in the highest regard within the legion, as their work fuels the machines that give the Ash Legion its battlefield superiority. This drive for constant innovation is what sets the Ash Legion apart, as they view technological advancement as the key to Torment’s future dominance. Pragmatism Over Tradition. One of the core tenets of the Ash Legion’s culture is their emphasis on practicality over tradition. While the Steel Legion holds fast to ancient combat techniques and discipline, the Ash Legion constantly pushes the boundaries of what is possible with technology. Tradition is respected but only insofar as it serves the Legion’s goals of progress and effectiveness. This willingness to abandon outdated methods in favor of more efficient solutions has made the Ash Legion the technological powerhouse of the Dominion, responsible for the development of airships, steam-powered war machines, and advanced firearms that have reshaped the way Torment wages war. Ingenuity and Resourcefulness. The Ash Legion also values ingenuity and resourcefulness, traits that have been necessary for survival in the harsh environments of Ragnarok. The ability to make something out of nothing, to repurpose and improve on old designs, is celebrated within the legion. This inventive spirit is particularly evident among the legion’s impish engineers, who are renowned for their ability to craft devastating war machines from limited resources. Their creations, such as the Iron Shredder and tri-barrel repeating cannons, exemplify the Ash Legion’s focus on overwhelming firepower and mechanical superiority. Collaboration and Teamwork. Teamwork and collaboration are also important cultural pillars within the Ash Legion. Large-scale mechanical warfare requires careful coordination between engineers, machinists, and frontline soldiers. The legion fosters a culture where these roles are highly integrated, with engineers working alongside soldiers to ensure that machines and weapons function flawlessly in battle. This close-knit collaboration creates a sense of unity and shared purpose, where every member of the legion understands that their contribution, whether mechanical or martial, is vital to the success of the whole. Embracing the Industrialization of War. Despite their technological prowess, the Ash Legion maintains a grim and pragmatic outlook on war and survival. They are acutely aware that their machines and inventions exist in a world of constant conflict and that their role is to ensure the survival of the Dominion at any cost. The Legion embraces the smoke and fumes of their creations as symbols of strength, unbothered by the environmental consequences of their industrialized warfare. In the eyes of the Ash Legion, the ends—securing Torment’s dominance and protecting Ragnarok—justify the means.

Public Agenda

The public agenda of the Ash Legion is shaped by its commitment to technological advancement and its role as the primary force behind the Dominion of Torment’s naval and mechanized warfare capabilities. Their objectives focus on maintaining the Dominion’s dominance through innovation, expanding their naval presence, and fortifying the industrial power of Torment.

Technological Superiority and Innovation. The Ash Legion’s core value is the relentless pursuit of technological advancement. They believe that progress through innovation is the key to maintaining Torment's dominance. Whether through war machines, naval technologies, or advanced siege engines, their commitment to innovation sets them apart, ensuring that the Dominion remains at the cutting edge of mechanized warfare.

Naval Expansion and Defense. Naval supremacy is a cornerstone of the Ash Legion's agenda. They aim to expand and secure Torment’s influence across the seas, using advanced steam-powered ships and artillery to protect coastlines and assert dominance over the oceans. Their naval strength supports not only Torment’s expansion but also the broader defense of the confederation of dominions.

Industrial Growth and Efficiency. As the architects of Torment’s industrial power, the Ash Legion emphasizes the need for constant growth in production capabilities. Factories, workshops, and shipyards are critical to their strategy, providing the resources necessary to sustain the Dominion’s war efforts. Their focus on industrial efficiency ensures a steady supply of war machines and naval vessels.

Strategic Territorial Expansion. The Ash Legion advocates for the expansion of Torment’s borders through the use of its technological and naval advantages. They support capturing strategic locations that fuel the Dominion’s industrial and military needs. Their belief in conquest through technology and mechanical warfare drives their ambition to extend Torment's reach without compromising confederation stability.

Assets

The Ash Legion’s assets reflect its strength in mechanical warfare, innovation, and naval power. These assets form the backbone of their tactical and logistical operations, allowing the Ash Legion to project its military power across the Dominion of Torment and beyond. While their navy may be fewer in number compared to other realms, the technological prowess of the Ash Legion ensures their dominance on both land and sea.

Kroth, the Fortress City. Kroth is the heart of the Dominion’s military power and serves as the central hub for all three High Legions, including the Ash Legion. While Kroth primarily houses the Steel Legion’s command, the Ash Legion maintains significant control over key military installations within the city, including engineering workshops, foundries, and naval yards. These facilities are responsible for the production and maintenance of the Ash Legion's war machines, steam-powered naval vessels, and artillery. Kroth’s strategic location and fortifications allow the Ash Legion to coordinate operations seamlessly with the Steel and Arcane Legions, ensuring the Dominion’s defense remains uncompromised.

Fortified Outposts and Naval Bases. The Ash Legion maintains fortified outposts across key strategic locations in the Dominion. These serve as logistical hubs, training grounds, and defense points for both land and naval forces.
- Leviathan’s Maw. This is the primary naval port of the Ash Legion, responsible for overseeing all aspects of the Dominion’s naval operations. The Maw houses the shipyards where the ironclad fleet is built and maintained, and it serves as the command center for naval warfare. Leviathan’s Maw is heavily fortified, ensuring that any coastal threats are swiftly neutralized, and is essential to controlling Torment’s northern waters.
- Midbay. A vital base in the Finnora Wetlands, Midbay serves both as a harbor and a logistical center for the Ash Legion’s naval fleet. It acts as a support station for naval vessels heading to or from Leviathan’s Maw, providing repairs, resupply, and crew reinforcements. Midbay also serves as a regional command post, overseeing the defense of Torment’s coastal territories and acting as a rallying point in times of naval conflict.
- Kraken’s Spire. This massive coastal fortress and light house is both a naval base and an engineering center, where war machines and siege engines are constructed. Kraken's Spire plays a crucial role in patrolling the Whip of Fire and preventing incursions into Torment's coastal territories, offering a stronghold from which the Ash Legion can launch naval offensives or defensive maneuvers.

Ironclad Fleet. The Ash Legion’s ironclad fleet is one of its most formidable assets. These vessels, driven by a combination of coal and fire Magic, are slower than traditional sailing ships but boast immense durability and firepower. Each ironclad is outfitted with cannons and flamethrowers, allowing them to overpower even the most heavily armed conventional warships. Though fewer in number compared to the vast fleets of the Karthan Commonwealth, the technological superiority of the ironclads makes the Ash Legion a dominant force on the seas.

War Machines. The Ash Legion's true strength lies in its range of devastating war machines, each designed to turn the tide of battle in their favor.
- Iron Shredders. One of the most feared assets in the Ash Legion’s ground warfare arsenal, the Iron Shredder is a massive, spiked wheel designed to tear through enemy lines. These furnace-powered behemoths are sparingly unleashed in key battles to roll over and break infantry formations, creating chaos among enemy ranks. Although dangerous to deploy, their devastating power makes them invaluable in large-scale conflicts.
- Furnace Tanks. These massive, smoke belching, heavily armored vehicles are equipped with flamethrowers and artillery—most commonly catapaults. Powered by fire magic and coal, Furnace Tanks can burn through enemy defenses and fortifications, creating an almost unstoppable force on the battlefield.
- Thunder Cannons. Siege weapons capable of launching explosive shells over great distances, the Thunder Cannons provide essential firepower in both offensive and defensive operations. These massive artillery pieces are a key component of Ash Legion’s strategy for breaking enemy formations or bombarding fortifications from afar.

Technological Superiority. The engineers of the Ash Legion are constantly innovating, improving the war machines and naval vessels that drive their military might. From battlefield machines to advanced ironclad warships, this commitment to innovation ensures that the Ash Legion remains at the forefront of both mechanical and naval warfare. This focus on technological superiority keeps the Legion ahead of its enemies, maintaining Torment’s dominance across Ragnarok.

History

The Ash Legion's presence on the wider global stage is relatively new compared to the other High Legions, born from the ranks of the Grand Legion’s siege engineers following its division into three High Legions by Ashbane Aul'Karlon after the Age of Blood. While the Steel Legion remained the bastion of traditional warfare and the Arcane Legion handled magic and spellcasting, the Ash Legion rapidly established itself as a force defined by invention and ingenuity. Initially tasked with providing mechanical siege support, the engineers of the Grand Legion began to experiment with firearms, siege engines, and mechanized warfare, setting the foundation for the Ash Legion's identity. The Ash Legion truly came into its own during the War of the Undying, a cataclysmic conflict that threatened to engulf the world in undeath. When the Awakened, led by the first lich Vauldis, launched a global assault using undead hordes, it was the technological advances of the Ash Legion that proved crucial in turning the tide. While the rest of the Dominion's forces struggled against the ceaseless waves of the dead, the Ash Legion’s war machines, artillery, and flame-powered ironclads provided the firepower necessary to hold key positions, particularly in naval and siege operations. The newly established Ironclad Fleet, played a pivotal role in transporting troops from Ragnarok to Kalki Isle, where Vauldis was ultimately defeated. During the War, the Ash Legion's engineers introduced devastating new weapons to combat the undead legions. Among the most iconic of these was the Iron Shredder, a massive spiked war machine capable of mowing down undead hordes en masse. These advancements allowed the Ash Legion to stand as a bulwark against Vauldis' necromantic onslaughts, preventing the undead from overwhelming key defensive positions across the Dominion. By the end of the War of the Undying, the Ash Legion had cemented its role as Torment’s foremost authority on technological warfare. The Ash Legion solidified its naval dominance during the Crusading Wars, a period when the Karthan Commonwealth unleashed its vast, traditional fleets to challenge the Dominion of Torment’s control over key maritime routes and to challenge the rising powers of Ragnarok with the assistance of the High Heavens. Though the Commonwealth’s sailing ships were more numerous and faster, the Ash Legion’s streamlining of ironclad production in response to the wars was instrumental in defending Torment’s waters. The Ironclads Fleet, with their superior firepower and impenetrable hulls, outmatched the Commonwealth’s ships in sheer durability. Additionally, fortresses like Leviathan’s Maw and Midbay, equipped with advanced siege weaponry, became crucial strongholds, helping to repel Commonwealth naval assaults. As one of the three High Legions, the Ash Legion now represents the Dominion of Torment's capacity for invention and adaptation in warfare. While the Steel Legion holds the line and the Arcane Legion unleashes powerful spells, the Ash Legion provides the firepower and strategic ingenuity needed to secure victory in both traditional and unconventional conflicts.