Golden Legion
The Golden Legion is a condottieri company contracted by the republican government of Frankonia. Though it is in theory independent, it essentially functions as the army of the Republic as a consequence of its historical foundations.
Structure
Whilst the original Golden Legion was, indeed, one legion strong, the current Legion encompasses four legions, commonly called the Carian Legions after its founder, each numbering 5200 infantry and 200 cavalry. These soldiers are called the legionaria, or legionnaires. Each legion is structured into nine cohorts of 480 legionnaires, and the first cohort, which always numbers 800 legionnaires; each cohort being comprised by six or twelve centuria of 80 legionnaires. The centuria are commanded by officers called centurions. In addition, each legion is accompanied by 200 cavalry, divided into ten turmae of 20 each, with each turma commanded by a decurion.
Attached to each legion is one company of 80 Republican Guards, the Prince-Mayor's personal soldiers, who formally act as the Republic's military attachés to the Golden Legion. They are referred to as the 1st to 4th Praetorian Delegations. Finally, each legion has its own commander, the legates-general, and all legions answer to the senatorial legate-general, who is currently Edwige de la Fleur de Lys. The other legates-general are, in order of their commanded legion: Gustave d'Outre-Mer, Arthur Vells, Honorine de Jereoux, and Aurélie de l'Aigle.
Frankonia's native population is not great enough to allow extensive recruitment, and the Golden Legion traditionally recruits most of its soldiers overseas, particularily from the Yelanid Alliance. However, its officers are almost exclusively from Frankonia itself, either by birth or education, due to very specific qualifications that the Legion asks of its leaders: high standards of etiquette and Republican chivalry, general knowledge about Frankonian law and history, as well as battlefield competence. The large Constitutional State Academy in Ponvarus, which has faculties in political science, history, language, war, and more, accounts for nearly all new officer assignments to the Legion, which is also where most of the Republic's diplomatic staff is taught.
Its unusual structure and nomenclature was a conscious decision taken by its founder Rochelle Carus, who based the Legion on the army of pre-Republican Frankonia.
History
The Golden Legion was founded during the vast expansion in trade of Frankonia, by a noble scion and likewise military strategist of the Carus family, Rochelle. Frankonia's Constitution of Liberty and Equality only allows the state to maintain a small standing force to protect essential institutions; in the case of war it can draft citizen-militia. Thus, Rochelle Carus sought, and managed, to circumvent this restriction by founding a mercenary company that was to be contracted "for all time" in the service of Frankonia.
It is notable for the role the IV Golden 'Shadow' Legion, or 'Legio Auream IV Umbra,' played in The Silent Morning. The Legion was mainly responsible for enforcing the closure of all roads and exits from Ponvarus and Frankonia, but they also assisted the Republican Guards and Consular Vicarii in the mass arrests of suspected Cabalists.
Type
Military, Mercenary Group
Alternative Names
Carian Legion(s)
Formation Type
Training Level
Professional
Veterancy Level
Trained
Leader
Parent Organization
Notable Members
