Legion of the Manticore

As long there are battles to be fought, mercenaries will exist to fight the battles others don't want to. Among these professionals was the Legion of the Manticore, known for both the indiscriminate nature of their contracts and their positively vile business practices.

Structure

The legion was set up to mirror many militaries in its rank structure. Most held the rank of legionaire, sergeants were in charge of platoons, lieutenants were in charge of battalions, and each company had a captain. Over the entire legion stood the general. Promotion was based on evaluation by one's superiors.
The legion was primarily broken up into three companies: the Company of Warriors, the Company of Mages, and the Company of Skirmishers. Each one was led by its captain, who sat on the Captains' Panel, who ran the day-to-day affairs of the legion. The general was chosen by his predecessor, but traditionally, it was the captain of the Company of Warriors.

Public Agenda

The Legion of the Manticore existed for a very simple purpose: to fight for money. To that end, they accepted any contract with no questions asked. As long as the money was good the legion would march anywhere in the Twin Worlds, and fight any enemy.

Assets

The legion was well-armed, well-trained, and well-organized. It was in possession of an ancient elven citadel, claimed by the original Company of the Manticore. It was restored to its former glory, and was known for being impregnable.
Their main asset was their numbers, which rivaled most nations. Their secret was the indiscriminate recruitment. They would accept any recruit, no questions asked, regardless of race, skill, or criminal background. There were even darker allegations of of kidnapping and slavery, but these were never proven.

History

The great private army had a very humble beginning. It was once nothing more than an adventuring company named the Company of the Manticore. It was fashionable at the time for noble houses to sponsor adventurers, and they were sponsored by House Forren, whose crest is a manticore.
Unlike the rest of those so-called adventurers they ranged much further afield. Also unlike the others, they outlived the house that employed them. Modern historians believe the adventurers are responsible for their demise, but their evidence for this is the unstable nature of adventurers.
During their adventures, they took over a ruined elven citadel and restored it to serve as a base of operations. Their presence inspired others to join, and they changed from a mere company to a true legion.
Time passed, and new generals came and went. Each one had different policies, changing the legion from a stalwart force of protectors to a band of cutthroats and back again. The only thing that didn't change is their purpose of providing force of arms in exchange for coin.
Their fortunes changed when they trained a particular orphan in the ways of wizardry. This mage, Vord Ink-Heart, deserted after his first battle. He was protesting his cruel training, and their total disregard for his scholarship.
The general was very strict about desertion. By his order, all deserters were hunted down and hanged without mercy. Their efforts failed, to the point that Vord swore to destroy them, until no stone stood atop another.
Their hunt for him continually failed, until he marched up to their castle with an army at his back. The army was an illusion, but with the power on an Ashen Shard he raised all the dead in the catacombs. The legionaires were systematically slaughtered and Vord's vengeance was fulfilled.

Disbandment

Vord Ink-Heart's defeat of the legion was absolute. Select parties of legionaires were outside of the castle, but they feared the necromancer so greatly they went into hiding lest they provoke his wrath. In truth, he simply didn't care about their existence enough to hunt them down.

DISBANDED/DISSOLVED

No battle too thick, no battleground too hostile

3821 2R - 3 Helianos, 1798 3R

Type

Military, Mercenary Group

Training Level

Professional

Veterancy Level

Trained

Demonym

Legionaire