Legion of Blood

From BRWiki

The Legion of Blood is an elite formation in the tribal armies of the Blood Skull Barony. Unlike the tribal warbands, which lack discipline chase after targets of opportunity, attack or fall back on their own initiative, and loot fallen enemies before continuing in battle, the Legion of Blood is a highly trained, disciplined force which fights in formation and responds to its commander's orders, not the individual judgement of warriors.

Since his rise to the Scarlet Throne, Thrakkazz the Cruel has desired a body of heavy infantry capable of defeating a formation of housecarls without resorting to an overwhelming number of sword-fodder. His discovery of Rikken, an orog tactitian with a knowledge of Anuirean heavy infantry, made the Legion of Blood possible. Rikken had fought as a mercenary in the armies of the Gorgon and learned quite a bit about Anuirean military practice. The Gorgon's discipline was brutal enough that Rikken deserted his warband and wandered the Stonecrown mountains as a bandit. He eventually came to the Blood Skull Barony looking for a place in orog society, and was discovered by the Scarlet Baron. For nearly ten years Rikken built the Legion of Blood, until his death in 1520 HC. Now the fhoimorien, Svarang, commands the unit.

The Legion of Blood is an elite force designed to win main battles, and so is not found with raiding expeditions. Its appearance on the march is a clear sign to any Rjurik commander that the Blood Skullers are invading. The Legion drills for war as would any elite heavy infantry formation and serves the war plans of the Scarlet Baron.

Joining the Legion of Blood

The Legion of Blood is composed of fighters and barbarians, and being an elite unit, warriors are rare. The unit is composed of orogs, fhoimoriens, and ogres who have demonstrated an ability to follow directions and fight in a disciplined style in their tribal warbands. Officers of the Legion keep their eyes out for those who can pass up an opportunity to loot in order to strike at the enemy, who resist the urge to attack vulnerable targets in order to achive decision in battle. The Legion of Blood exists to defeat the Rjurik Huskarls and in so doing throw the rest of the army into retreat.

Character Benefits
Members of the Legion are housed and fed well. The rest of the army gives up loot to reward the Legion. Members are treated as an elite corps, with preferntial treatment in their tribes for choices of mates, social rank, and other privledges.

Role Playing Suggestions
Members of the Legion are generally motivated less by greed for loot than by other incentives which encourage a disciplined approach to combat. These include a desire to kill enemies rather than just frighten and steal from them. An understanding that organized killing is more effecient than a random melee. Or even just a docile willingness to follow the instructions of the Legion's officers.

Typical Member

The typical member of the Legion is a 4th level fighter or barbarian selected by the officers of the Legion from tribal warbands because of the individual's disipline in battle.

Prestige Class
Members of the Legion of Blood do not take any prestige classes, though their officers might. When they do, they often seek a class which offers them leadership, teamwork, or group moral benefits. There is a gang leader for the giants, the ogres and fhoimorien, and a gang leader for the orogs. Svarang commands the two dozen or so legionaires.

Lore of the Legion
The appearance of the Legion of Blood generally reverses the normal assumption about units of the Blood Skull Barony. Generally, only units of orogs can stand against Rjurik infantry. Goblin units require superior numbers to achive victory. The Legion, however, is more than a match for a corps of huskarls, and in the past, Rjurik forces have only thrown the Legion back when they outnumbered the legion with quality forces, such as a company of horse flanking the Legion while huskarls faced their front.

A Legion of Blood Campaign

A campign based on the Legion of Blood would be a military style campiagn with numerous wars and invasions of Rjurik realms near the Blood Skull Barony. Characters would take part in many battles and sieges. With rock throwing ogres and fhoimoriens, the Legion of Blood would often be called in to breach defenders' walls and then charge the breach.

Tactics
The Legion begins combat by initiating missile combat. The fhoimoriens throw rocks, and the orogs throw spears before the fhoimoriens and ogres charge followed by the orogs who attempt to create flanking conditions for their larger companions.

Organization
Svarang is the captain of the Legion and comands the entire company. As the Legion is an elite unit, and Svarang is a Legendary Leader, Svarang out-ranks his fellow captains. He may command as many as five companies. Svarang is a Bloodthirsty commander. Allies within 30 ft recieve a +1 morale bonus to all damage rolls.

Colbrandag is the leader of the giant band (the ogres and fhoimoriens). He has the rank of lieutenant and may command up to 25 soldiers. Colbrandag is a Runt-Squasher commander. Allies within 30 feet recieve a +2 morale bonus to attacks made to any foes one size caragory smaller than they are. There are six ogres and six fhoimoriens in the giant band. The ogres are 4th level barbarians and the fhoimoriens are 4th level fighters.

Hreklar is the leader of the orog band. He has the rank of lieutenant and may command up to 25 soldiers. Hreklar is a Pursuing commander. Allies within 30 ft deal an additional 1d6 damage to frightened or panicked adversaries. This is a moral bonus. There are fourteen orogs in the orog band. Seven are 4th level barbarians and the other seven are 4th level fighters.

Sample Legionaires

The 4th level barbarian from the DMG applied to an ogre character is a fine member of the Legion. Likewise the 4th level fighter from the DMG applied to a fhoimorien character works fine. Orogs might be either 4th level fighters or barbarians. Each of the gang leaders is a 5th level fighter (one orog, one fhoimorien).

Svarang CR 9

Male fhoimorien fighter 4/legendary leader 3
LE Large giant
Init -3; Senses Spot -1, Listen -3
Languages Giant, Orog

AC17, touch 13, flat footed 15
hp75 (11 HD)
Fort +11, Ref +2, Will +7

Speed 20 ft (hide), base 30 ft
Melee +10/+5 shortspear 1d8+5 Ranged +2 shortspear or +3 rock 1d8+5
Base Atk +11;Grp +23 Special Actions greater command 1/day, quick rally Combat Gear +2 hide armor

Abilities Str 20, Dex 4, Con 15, Int 8, Wis 5, Cha 10
Special Attack Rock Throwing SQ Rock Catching
Feats Power Attack, Cleave, Far Shot, Weapon Focus (Shortspear), Leadership, Iron Will, Improved Cohort
Skills Balance +2, Climb +3, Diplomacy +5, Intimidate +5, Profession (sailor) +7, Spot +2, Use Rope +7
Possessions +2 hide armor; shortspear; rough leather bag with 4 throwing rocks, a cooked earthenware jug containing two gallons of amber-colored concentrated urine for tanning leather, 60,000 silver pieces.

Rock Throwing (Ex) The range increment is 40 feet for a fhoimorien’s thrown rocks. A giant of at least Large size can hurl rocks weighing 40 to 50 pounds each (Small objects) up to five range increments.
Rock Catching (Ex) Once per round, a giant that would normally be hit by a rock can make a Reflex save to catch it as a free action. The DC is 15 for a Small rock, 20 for a Medium one, and 25 for a Large one.
Fearless (Ex) Legendary Leaders are immune to fear effects.
Commander Rating Svarang's rank, position, and natural ability give him a commander rating of 6, allowing him to attempt to give orders (Diplomacy or Intimidate) to captains or lower ranking officers, and he may command up to five companies if required.
Greater Command (Sp) as the spell 1/day (save DC 16).
Quick Rally (Ex) rally as a free action.