Skeletal Legion

Introduction

All Wraiths who fell to Pestilence in its many forms swell the ranks of the Skeletal Legion. As this includes all who die of disease and starvation, it is one of the two largest legions in Stygia; only the Grim can compete with its numbers.

History

The Skeletal Lord may be the very same wraith that held that title at the founding of the Hierarchy; certainly his speeches imply that he was present - and perhaps responsible - for pestilences long before the current Stygian empire, even extending to the plagues of Moses.

Leadership

The Skeletal Lord himself rules from the Seat of Dust within the Tower of Bone. He is conservative in his command, content to let Pestilence do its work and bring ever more souls under his leadership. Much of his time is spent in rambling speeches, both historical and philosophical, all recorded in the Journals of Bone by dedicated archivists.

Within the hierarchy of the Skeletal Legion, leaders at a given level are generally entrusted with sole decisive power; getting councils to agree on plans is considered a waste of time. This leads to swift decisions, but also to occasional unrest among lower ranks, who are neither consulted nor given much choice in their orders.

Current Goals and Mission Statement

If the Skeletal Lord has a far-reaching plan, he has not made it known. It is believed that he regards himself as a sort of divine agent, and has dedicated himself to the understanding and furthering of Pestilence in its many forms. Whether or not this is the case, as a practical matter he appears satisfied with the status quo, and the tasks of the Legion revolve around simply keeping things running smoothly.

Military of the Legion

In the 13th century, more than half the soldiers to die in a war are felled by disease and starvation, not by combat. As a result, the Skeletal Legion commands the greatest military force outside the Grim. These soldiers, who died not in honorable battle but on a sick-bed, often feel that they have something to prove. While the cautious politics of the Skeletal Lord rarely lead them into open conflicts, they throw their full enthusiasm into battle when it arises. The Skeletal military highly values longbows; most squads have one or more archers, and any larger force will include a company consisting solely of archers.

The most common battle insignia is either the symbol of the Legion or a clenched skeletal fist with one or more missing digits. Only the Hands of Bone, the Lord's personal bodyguards, use the full skeletal fist as their symbol.

Ranks

Legionnaire: The rank-and-file soldier.

Centurion: The first officer rank, comparable to a Sergeant. Centurions command units of about a dozen Legionnaires.

Marshal: A mid-level officer, comparable to a Lieutenant. Marshals oversee companies containing four to eight Centurions and their squads.

Overlord: A high-ranking officer, comparable to a Major. Each Overlord oversees a battalion composed of several Marshals and their companies.

Anacreon: Although the local Anacreon is generally occupied with civil duties, he holds military position as well, and may command (and expect reports from) Overlords operating in or near his Necropolis.

High Overlord: The generals of the Legion, they command a number of Overlords, and report directly to the Skeletal Lord.

Civilian Service

The legion contains a broad variety of departments, ranging from the mundane to the arcane. Ranks and purposes vary greatly from one order to the next. Approximately a quarter of all Skeletal wraiths do not serve any specific order; these are the shopkeepers, entertainers, riffraff, and so forth. Many of the rest serve as clerks and scribes. The elite among these are known as the Order of the Quill, and virtually all Anacreons rise from the ranks of that order. One notable order unique to the Skeletal legion is known as the Order of the Crimson Trefoil. This Order's purpose is to study and record knowledge regarding every form of Pestilence known to man. The Order maintains a vast archive of this knowledge, sustained in part through a fee charged of each Skeletal wraith who seeks access to the archive. The fee varies by the scarcity of the information sought, and can range from one Obolus to thousands.

Opinions

Humans

Every human brushes with Pestilence, even if they do not die from it. Thus, every one of the Living is interesting both as a potential recruit and as a possible unwitting agent of Pestilence. Those who attempt to fight Pestilence would perhaps be considered enemies, if they were particularly effective, but the state of 13th century medicine makes them an annoyance at worst, and often unknowing assistants

Other Legions

There is a strong rivalry with the Grim, as the two vie for the position of the most powerful legion. The Iron Legion and the Silent Legion are the most likely to be engaged in disputes over souls, the former for diseases complicated by old age, and the latter for victims of disease who chose to end their own suffering. The Pauper Legion is friendly and sometimes considered an ally. For unknown reasons, the Skeletal Lord has commanded his military to assist any Emerald wraiths that are in danger. Other Legions are not given much attention, provided they do not attempt to interfere in Skeletal affairs.

Supernaturals

The Skeletal Lord considers other supernatural creatures to be largely irrelevant. Any that are found to be able to control Wraiths are treated as threats and dispatched where possible; others are essentially curiosities, and Skeletal wraiths who run into them are free to deal with them as they wish.