The Risen Legion of Tarinion


Author: Chris Calland © 1998

Rules: 1. Edition

The caravan train wound its way through the mountains, they were ten days out of the fort and another two days away from the watch tower. The firstborn warriors there needed the supplies badly and Captain Narn was determined to see it got through. Sergeant Gorfia and his men had been scouting ahead of the main group and they should have reported back over half an hour ago, Narn was beginning to get worried. Rumours said that strange things lurked in these mountains, and Narn liked to listen to rumours, they were more often that not true.

Captain Narn despatched two men to search for the missing scouts, with orders to stay in sight of the main column. This did not ease his mind any, the sergeant was a strict time keeper and had even chastised Narn for being late in the past, it was just not like him. Further ahead the two soldiers stopped, they both stood still and silent as if turned to stone. The Captain strode forwards to investigate, and there, slightly off the road was Gorifa and his scouts. Their bodies were in a rough circle and they all faced outwards, weapons drawn and with grim blood soaked expressions on their faces. Narn definitely did not like this one bit, two days away from the tower, ten days home and no scouts to check the trail. The general had not believed him when he said he had a bad feeling about this mission.

One of the soldiers gestured forwards down the trail. Narn looked up from the bodies. A shadow was creeping up the valley, a large shadow caused by huge black clouds. The clouds moved unnaturally fast and with it came rain, hard driving rain. The two firstborn who had found the bodies began to shout, so the captain squinted through the rain, and there moving up the trail towards them, was an infantry column.

The horses that pulled the wagons began to panic. It was not the thunder that had them spooked, they were used to that, it was something more sinister, something evil. Narn had his bad feeling again. He shouted at his men to form a line in front of the caravan, and he watched carefully as the column marched closer.

The figures stopped forty yards away. They had formed a shield wall and out of it protruded rusty spears, and over the top grinned wicked bone white skeletal faces. Their banner barer held aloft a tattered flag. Narn recognised it, it was the flag of Tarinion. The flag of the legion who were ambushed and massacred in these very mountains by the elves centuries ago. The bad feeling just got terrible.

The skeletal musician held up his war horn and blew. No sound was made, but the horses heard it and bolted. The lead figure then held aloft his axe and opened his jaw, the legion broke their shield wall and began to run. Doom had no voice but the firstborn heard it coming.


The Legion


Background

In the days before the Triad, when the One King first ruled and there was a fragile peace between the races, their stood a city. A fine city built on the backs of hardworking men and women. This city stood on the furthest borders of Firstborn lands, and even though the elves claimed the lands for their own the city was built and grew in stature. The men there grew used to battle until a warrior caste emerged from the populace. The lord drew the greastest three hundred together into a band of men feared in combat and terrible to behold. These men become known as the legion, and the city was known as Tarinion, an elf word meaning Strong.

The city lived free for many years, but under constant threat. The people loved the lord for what he had done, and in turn the lord loved the One King for the stability he represented. Then the Triad rose and brought chaos with them.

When the elven armies marched, the lord of Tarinion sent his people to the One King and abandoned his city. He took his finest men, the legion, to the mountains where he hoped to hold the elves until the One King arrived. For three weeks the legion held the pass of Kar Kazack, then a messenger arrived. The One King had committed suicide, and the elves had many armies and only a fraction had been at Kar Kazack, the legion had been tricked and the Firstborn were lost.

The lord of Tarinion cursed the One King, uttered profanities that made his men cringe. They all heard, even the elves in the valley below, but the one who heard him most clearly was the Dark One, and he answered the Lords’ wishes with all his power.

The vale ran red with Elven blood, but finally with reinforcements from the sacking of the Eternal City, the Firstborn capital, the last of the legion fell. They all followed their lord to his grave.

Resurrection

One year to the day after the massacre at Kar Kazack Pass, the legion rose. All the bones had been striped bare by the scavengers, and had been left to rot where they lay. The Lord rose first, followed by his second and finally all the legion were arrayed before him. The legion then marched to a monks sanctuarty in the mountains where they use to hide during night fall. The monastery was well hidden from the elves and would have been the only building not to be captured by the Triad, if the legion had not arrived. The monks died quickly, and after, the legion raised their banner from the halls.
Over the passing centuries the legion have exacted heavy toll on those passing through the mountains, and every year their fallen rise again to join their compatriots in the mountain strong hold. They are the immortals, the warriors who live to hate.

Redemption

Their remains one hope for the legion. They do not know why the One King did what he did. They do not know that he sacrificed himself to protect his people later. This they must understand.

The Chronomancer Ladavius has been given the insight into how to deal with the legion, but he knows his destiny on the matter is far away in time. He has hope that the legion will once again march for the One King, and the elves will remember the day at Kar Kazack Pass, and fear its warriors.


The Legion

The legion are all skeletal warriors and as such have all the usual abilities of the risen. They are all armed with spears, shields and have scale mail armour. Being a unit of legend they have special abilities and this has been represented in their points cost. Also they have an unusual unit structure allowing them to have up to twenty risen in one unit.

The Risen Legion of Tarinion
Legion Spearmen (4-17)
CC MW PW LD AC W ST MV A DEF SZ Cost
14 11 - 12 2 1 0 3 18 0 1 35
Legion Standardbearer (1 Opt.)
CC MW PW LD AC W ST MV A DEF SZ Cost
14 11 - 12 2 1 0 3 18 0 1 35
Legion Musician (1 Opt.)
CC MW PW LD AC W ST MV A DEF SZ Cost
14 11 - 12 2 1 0 3 18 0 1 35
Legion Sergeant (1)
CC MW PW LD AC W ST MV A DEF SZ Cost
16 3 - 14 2 1 0 3 22 0 1 45
Special Abilities:
- The legion are immune to arrows and crossbow bolts.
- The legion are immune to fear and panic.
- The legion can all BRACE if they have spears.
- The legion can all form SHIELD WALLs.
- The legion musician causes panic in mounts (can only be used once per game).
- The legion DOES NOT have to be controlled or lead by a necromancer.
Equipment:
Legion spearmen all carry shields and spears.
Legion Standard bearers carry straight swords.
Legion musicians carry straight swords.
Legion Sergeants carry axes and shields.

Name CR MX RM DAM
Straight Sword CC - - 10
Spear CC - - 10
Sergeants Axe CC - - 12

First version from 23.03.2008. Last version from 24.03.2008.

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