Silent Legion

Organisation

The Legion of Silence, or Silent Legion, is a familiar sight around the Imperial Palace. The Legion exists separate from the aegis of the Imperial Legions and Thousand Scales, as a personal possession of the Scarlet Empress, who held the reigns of power over them directly.

The Silent Legion is made up of two groups. The largest are the Silent Legionnaires themselves, hulking brutes whose tongues and testicles have been removed, and are kept in bags hanging from their belts. They are permeated with alchemical concoctions and sorcerous tattoos to transform them into powerful combatants striking harder and more resolutely than any normal mortal, and even some Dragonblooded. Sorceries also ensure their loyalty to the Empress. The methods behind their creation and control are known only to Her.

The smaller group are the Brass Legionnaires, gleaming metal automatons wrapped in scarlet cloaks, more powerful even than the hulking mortal Silent Legionnaires. The Brass Legionnaires held by the Empress are relics of a bygone age, though unlike the mortals of the Legion there are others in Creation who also have stockpiles of Brass troops.

History

The automatons have served the Empress since the beginning decades of her reign. The mortals are much different, presented as a gift to the Scarlet Empress by Sesus Magel and Cynis Belar in the wake of House Iselsi’s treason. The Empress accepted the gift, then had the sorcerers from both Houses who had created the Legion put to death and their laboratories and libraries razed, ensuring only She possessed the means to control and produce them. Members of those Dynastic families, safely without sorcerous expertise, were appointed to administer the Legion and fund part of its upkeep, a costly expense but one granting some influence within the Imperial Household.

These two Silent Legion commandants were joined some twenty-five years ago by a third, appointed by the Empress to administer Her Brass Legionnaires, who had until then been commanded by her directly.

Leadership

All troops of the Silent Legion answer to the Scarlet Empress and commit their loyalty to her. However, for political and administrative purposes the Empress commanded the Legion to obey three commandants whom she appointed. This standing order seems to persist even in her absence.

First-Chair Commandant (Issho): Sesus Magel Nagat

Second-Chair Commandant (Nissho): Cynis Belar Ukinyo

Third-Chair Commandant (Sanssho): V’neef Bijar

It has been noted that the Regent of the Realm, Tepet Fokuf, does not seem to have inherited the Empress’ power over the Silent Legion, though neither do they object to his presence.