Conquest - Hundred Kingdoms: Steel Legion (English)

“Forget her workout. Forget their armor, their weapons, and the fact that your best have been trained by their worst. Just remember one thing, dear cousin;When the Steel Legion moves, kings fall.”
- Duke Anghelus, now King Anghelus I of Munlin

Until the death of Otto IV, there were six Imperial Legions on the field: the Gilded Legion, the Legion of Steel, the Diamond Legion, the Legion of Ash, the Legion of Smoke and the Silver Legion. In the chaos that ensued, all but two were disbanded by order of the Imperial Conclave. The only remnants of these once powerful institutions are now the War Academies at Argem.

The survival of the Gilded Legion was ensured by their critical role in maintaining the sovereignty and independence of the Imperial Mint. The Steel Legion, on the other hand, survived by a simple means, they refused to disband. They set up camp on the Klaean Fields of Argem and issued an ultimatum: that they only answer the Emperor. Until an emperor sat back on the hollow throne, they would serve the empire. Despite threats and condemnations from members of the Conclave, no one was foolish enough to question their position. Before things could escalate, the Conclaves approved the establishment of the Office of the Imperial Chamberlain, and the Steel Legion has guaranteed the sanctity of Argem, the Imperial capital and the Office of the Imperial Chamberlain ever since.

The Steel Legion is one of the oldest armed forces in the Tellian Empire. The name derives from the legendary legions of ancient rule and goes back to the first professional armies used by the emperor. Only the Orders can claim a legendary or more glorious past. As the Steel Legion took on the role of guardians of the Empire and guarantors of the chamberlain, they abandoned their traditional weapons and armed themselves with great swords, traditionally the ceremonial weapon of the Diamond Legion, which guarded the now defunct bodyguards of the Emperor. In doing so, the Steel Legion became the last surviving link between the glorious military history of the Armatellum Dynasty and today's Hundred Kingdoms.

In the absence of an Emperor, the Steel Legion is the wealthiest and most powerful mercenary company in the Empire. They sell their services on a large scale, but only to families who are at war outside the Empire or who have a casus belli recognized by the Imperial Conclave. Her wealth is supplemented by a standing contract with the Office of the Imperial Chamberlain to protect Argem from any assailants. The nobles see this treaty as a mere device, a mechanism for the Chamberlain to support one of the Imperial Mandate's strongest and most staunch allies behind a veneer of neutrality. To date, no Noble House has been willing to directly challenge the Steel Legion for this or any other reason.