ninga_express Posted November 30, 2011 Author Share Posted November 30, 2011 (edited) The Imperial Legion Explained To Provincials Preamble: It was during a trip to Silvenar that I noticed with amazement how much the intern organization of the Imperial Legion is hazy and unclear for the inhabitants of remote provinces, and sometimes even for the good people of Cyrodiil. It's neither the place to report in this handbook how a couple of Bosmer traders were tricked by some kind of swindler who passed himself off as an 'imperial elite commander of the twentieth legion' to requisition some of their goods, nor to say how pointless was the attempt of those traders to get some compensation from the local garrison as they were advised to. The purpose of this handbook is different: I will here try to make the complex organization of the Imperial Legion through the whole Empire plain to the common people. This way, I hope that regrettable breaches of trust like that one in Valenwood will progressively disappear. First Chapter: Subdivisions Of The Imperial Legion People often think about the Legion as a whole who rules the most part of Tamriel. This assumption, though not completely false, lack of precision and is quite tricky when it comes to understand in which hands lays exactly the authority.<BR> If the Imperial Legion was first fitting the picture of a single army directed by an unique leader (the Emperor) through a single chain of subordinates, the constantly growing size of the Empire and the multiple fronts during wars and rebellions rapidly compelled the Glorious Emperor Tiber Septim to divide his Legion in legions and assign to each one a General as leader commanding in his name. That way, the Imperial Legion was able to react faster to external or internal ennemies. Generals had the right to take crucial decisions without consulting the Emperor first (although they were to justify thereselves later). It's remarkable that during the whole history of the Empire, no General use this considerable power against the Emperor's interests or to secede from the Empire, even when the Emperor wasn't as charismatic as Our Mighty Emperor Uriel VII. Loyalty aside, a more positive explanation may be the excellence of the system: a renegade legion would have to fight against the others, (who)remained faithful to the Emperor, with the result that each General had too much to lose in such a folly. Furthermore, an attempt of putsh(I assume they mean revolution) led by several Generals was highly improbable, because all legions were of equal force: there was so no way to determine, in case of victory which one would replace the Emperor. And thanks to Talos, it's never changed since that time. At the end of Tiber Septim reign, the Imperial counted five legions. Nowadays, there are twelve legions and, the reconquest of Tamriel being achieved, there's no hint of further increasing. Note: for a complete list of the legions, their current locations and leaders, report to the annexe I. Second Chapter: From Wartime to Tamrielic Peace If during wartime, the Generals have a nearly total authority on their legions, things are different as long as the peace reign in their Province. In fact, the role of the whole legion change once the conquest of a Province is achieved. History shows that inhabitants are often reluctant to be ruled by the one who was seen as the leader, then the worse, of their enemies. The imperial solution to this problem is as simple as ingenious: the Province is never ruled by the victorious General, but by another high-ranked member of the Imperial Legion, more familiar with diplomacy, the Procurator. That way, at the eyes of the locals, the General looks like humiliated, and they are more willing to be obedient to a leader innocent of the harm and pains of the wartime. That reason would explain the surprising difference among the Imperial Legion ranks and the effective military rank is another way for the Empire to avoid a General growing too influent. That's why a General cannot get a promotion higher than Protector Knight. But despite the difference of rank, in wartime, the General is always the leader of the legion. Higher-ranked knights must follow his command, for he is ruling in the name of the Emperor. It is plain that a new-coming ruler sent straight from Cyrodiil wouldn't by himself know the specificities of the local politics and customs. For this reason, the Procurator usually seek the advices of the General and the Blades who were working in the Province as diplomate before its conquest. So we can see that the Imperial Legion has two different organizations depending on its role: in time of war, it is an army led by a General, but during the peace its has to preserve the peace and rule of law in the Empire under the command of the higher knights and the Procurator. One should add here, in order to be exhaustive, that usually, the Imperial Legion is working together with local authorities, like local nobles and faction who subdued to the Empire. Note: for a complete list of the ranks of the Imperial Legion during period of peace and war, see annexe II. Chapter Three: A Practical Exemple: The Province of Morrowind Finally, I will describe here the organisation of an imperial province to illustrate what has been said before. Nowadays, the Imperial Province of Morrowind is ruled by the Procurator Varius Calcidius Boethius, residing in Old Ebonheart, on the Mainland. He sometimes travels to Almalexia to confer with the Dunmer King Hlaalu Athyn Llethan. Six Knights of the Imperial Dragon are responsible for their own juridiction: T. Angius (Almalexia), R. Miles (Blacklight), V. Vatinius (Ebonheart), S. Ahenobarbus (Firewatch), H. Placidius (Narsis), C. Constantinus (Tear). Due to the good will showed by Houses Hlaalu, Redoran and Telvanni after the negociations between the Mighty Emperor Tiber Septim and Vivec, one of the Living Gods of the local religion, it was decided that a single legion will be enough for the maintenance of the law and order in the new Province. That's why the Twelfth Legion has been so far protecting the people of Morrowind in co-operation with locals guards of the Tribunal (such is the name of the dunmer Temple), Great House Hlaalu, Telvanni and Redoran and, to some extent, Indoril and Dres. These latter Houses being still hostile towards the Empire, the Twelfth Legion has to maintain large garrisons on their Districts. Its General, Quirinus Darius, is residing in Gnisis, Vvardenfell where are enlisted and trained provincial volunteers wishing to join the Imperial Legion. Written the 3E423, Sun's Dawn the 18th, College of Akatosh, Imperial City Annexe I: list of the twelve legions First legion Legio Victrix: Cyrodiil - General L. Scylla Second legion Legio Ursa: Skyrim - General S. Emerius Third legion Legio Hasta: Summerset Isle - General T. Cotta Fourth legion Legio Scaevola: Hammerfell (east) - General L. Balbus Fitfth legion Legio Pugnax: Elsweyr - General M. Favorinus Sixth legion Legio Vindicativa: Topal Bay - General F. Valens Seventh legion Legio Diva: High Rock - General C. Crassus Eighth legion Legio Rapax: Hammerfell (west) - General C. Regulus Ninth legion Legio Madara: Abecean Sea - General A. Gellius Tenth legion Legio Tenax: Valenwood - General R. Emerius Eleventh legion Legio Escensa: Black Marsh - General S. Cato Twelfth legion Legio Mortuum Caput: Morrowind - General Q. Darius The uniform of the different legions is very close, but a legionary may always be identified by some details of his armor. For exemple, members of the Second Legion have a bear engraved on their shield and on their pauldron, while the First Legion wear the Imperial Dragon on their cuirass, instead of the generic horses. Annexe II: Military Ranks and Imperial Legion Ranks: Military Ranks: (wartime) General Commander Captain Lieutenant Sergent Soldier/Legionary Recruit Imperial Legion Ranks: (in pacified provinces) Procurator Knight of the Imperial Dragon Knight of the Garland Knight Protector Knight Bachelor Knight Errant Champion Agent Trooper Spearman Recruit The lower ranks are usually bound, so that Legionary is ranked as a Spearman, while non-commissoned officers are Troopers. Note: A very interesting book someone discovered in Morrowind Edited November 30, 2011 by ninga_express Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MatthewHinton456 Posted September 13, 2014 Share Posted September 13, 2014 A lieutenant is a rank, but in Latin, a legate can be referred to as a second in command. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LAGERDRINKA Posted February 16 Share Posted February 16 Don't about your characters' support for the imperial legion but my female argonian berserker's civil war ended as soon as Tullius cut ulfric's head off and she didn't hang around for the speach as she had more importatnt things to take care of like the thalmor and dragons and she told him that as sooon as the civil war questline was over, she was out of there and was only getting (reluctantly) involved to extend things. BTW she says that IF she's going to have to take sides and get forced into something, she's:- taking as long as she wants doing the side missions when she wants doing things her way and her terms only Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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