The Legion of the Deep

When the seven gods of Ozlith journeyed into the domain of war, the deep was the first to leave. While the other gods watched in awe and horror, it didn't watch at all. For the deep knew well of the ways of war, taught by the many souls it claimed. The deep, however, was narrow-minded, and only knew the ways of war at sea. It called upon the fishers and sailors of Ozlith, giving them dreams of its keep in the ocean depths. It told them the secrets of the sea of beasts and why the colony ships never returned. It was then that the fishers took up arms. They waded into the dark depths of the sea of beasts. Their people were starving but their god was on their side. With trident and buckler, they slew a great monster and together dragged its corpse out of the bloody sea. The massive catch was called the Leviathan. They took its life, its meat, its bones and marrow and by their god's grace, they took its name too.

The Leviathan are trained to fight at sea both above and below, coordinating efforts to strike where it will be most deeply felt. On land, they can be seen running through the flow of battle like waves. Like showman, they perform for their ocean god. They taunt and poke at their foes as they search for the heads of the army and sever them one by one, for what is an army but another beast?

— Ozlith: The Birth of an Empire and the Seven Legions

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A reclusive group, the leviathan of the deep legion take their name from their patron god and the first sea monster they killed. The legion cared more about your ability than your gender. As such both men and women could join. The Leviathan were well-trained sailors and could easily fight outside of water. The true training deals with what happens below the surface. The main focus is how to coordinate, maneuver and fight while under water. They take their time with their prey as if performing for some unseen audience.

The Leviathan were used as assassins in land-based battle but their true home was at sea. The first members of this legion were sailors and fishermen, hence the heavy use of nets and tridents. Tridents were often used to hunt the larger game in the sea of beasts.

Style

The fighting style of the Leviathan was a concentrated effort. You rarely saw one alone and if you did, another is not far. The style often features a blatant display of confidence and a common stereotype regarding the legion says that they were prone to showing off and playing with their food. The leviathan were the first gladiators in the ozlith arenas for this very reason. The cockiness is a ruse to reveal and exploit weaknesses. The style does differ in some ways depending on the context of the battle.

On the battlefield, they see no difference between an army and the sea monsters they often hunt. They cut through enemy lines, targeting captains and other high ranking soldiers to disrupt and rout the enemy. When at sea they were often used to target enemy navies and problematic creatures that reside beneath the surface.

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Outfitting

The Leviathan became known for using tridents. It was a symbol of their legion and a shared heritage among them all. They also employed nets, bucklers and even throwing knives. The Leviathan rarely wore heavy armor, preferring lighter variants to make mobility easier.

Before a battle, the Centurions of the deep would drink a potion granting them The Blessing of the Deep. The potion is a heavily guarded secret, bestowing slight invisibility and the ability to breathe underwater. They wade into the water, board enemy ships and take the vessel. Should the threat reside below the surface, they take their time. They study the enemy and coordinate a strike to kill it quickly.

It is said that the deep legion rode on large sea monsters to travel long distances or fight large naval battles alongside the fleets of Ozlith. These massive creatures carried anywhere from 20 to 30 centurions who would leap from them onto enemy vessels.

Structure

The Leviathan consisted of almost 3000 troops but often employed sailors and naval mercenaries to assist them for much larger forces at sea. Hierarchies in the legion of the deep never went beyond the individual squad who ranked based upon their role during an operation. The rank considered the lowest being those who act as bait or distractions and the highest being the one who makes the killing blow. The leviathan always think of enemies as larger forces and as such even a single target will often face many leviathan who work together to bring them down.

by jameszapata

Type

Navy

Overall training Level

Elite

The Perfect Catch

The deep was stubborn and proud in its return. It refused to recruit any who were not at home when at sea. Despite knowing it could double its forces otherwise, the deep insisted on using sailors, and fisherman to fill its legion. Ozlith was a peaceful island at the beginning surrounded by what became known as the sea of beasts. While initially kept a secret by the Senate, the ocean surrounding the island was filled with massive creatures. Some the size of a man and others the size of mountains.

Sea life was treacherous in Ozlith, seen as a suicidal profession but the siren song of the sea enticed a precious few to a point of manic obsession. They would row out from shore with nets and tridents. Catching fish equal to and even twice their size. The fishers were the sole reason Ozlith could sustain its numbers until the first colony ships were built. They were celebrities and relished in their fame some even making a show of their trade with elaborate displays of force as they catch and kill their prey. The deep watched as well as few things ever amused it and receiving thanks for their success after a catch filled it with even more pride.

Eventually, the Senate would commission the building of colony ships. Several times a year a ship will leave for the mainland visible on the horizon. It was known they would never return but on occasion, the ships would disappear from view as if pulled beneath the waves. The Senate blamed their ships at first before the truth was revealed. The built ever more advanced vessels and still fewer and fewer reached the opposite shore. It was then that deep chose to intervene. He sent visions to his chosen of his home beneath the sea and showed them the creatures that lurked in the inky depths.

It sent a vision to a young sea witch of ingredients for a special brew. She and the chosen drank from her cauldron and into the sea they went. Few would speak of what they saw in the sea. Monsters and sights so horrid it drove most insane. They bore witness to the culprit of their colony ships destruction and put together a plan to kill it. Every man and women would have a role in the kill, and each of them would share in its bounty and the fame it would bring them.

The deep watched from afar in the guise of a giant black squid. They knew it watched them and knew their God was with them.with its blessing and the witch's brew they struck fast and hard, the witch herself striking the killing blow as she buried her trident into what must have been the creature's skull. It took almost 200 men and women to drag the beast to shore, and when they did the best was butchered, not one part wasted. It is said that the meat when preserved fed the island for almost a year. The Senate was dethroned and the expansion of Ozlith began. As the other gods returned and crafted their legions, the enemies that preyed on Ozlith fell one giving birth to the mighty empire that would enjoy fame the world over.

Mhirriah gave me visions of that fateful day. The creature they brought to shore was massive and to get the chance to see them fight it was an honor and a privilege. They drank their blessing, i remember it looked quite painful. The potion changes the lungs. Then they waded into the water and the moment their bodies dipped below the surface...they disappeared...The invisibility only works underwater.
They swam cautiously, following the ocean floor. It seemed like hours went by but eventually they saw it. The leviathan almost two hundred feet in length alone. Its strange tendrils dancing in the current as it drifted silently.

It was a beast with pale white skin and nothing really seemed to make sense as far as its appendages go. I couldn't tell where its mouth was, each tendril was different in length, and where the tendrils met seemed like someone just mashed them together and bound the whole with strands of living tissue. Each of the centurions took positions, taking note of every movement, and every possible place a strike could be made. Once they finished and made their plan, the kill was surprisingly quick.

— Journals of Mhirrah, Chosen of Mhirriah