Legio XIII Solmurus

Ionian Legionaries

The Legio XIII Solmurus ("The Thirteenth") has a long and storied history. In the beginning of the Ionian Empire's expansion, Emperor Valerian created the Legio Solmurus (literally the Sunwall Legion under the standard of the Sun) as an experiment, specifically tasked with countering the elven mages of Alfinwald during the Forest Campaign. They tested experimental Orichalcum equipment fresh out of the workshops, and now every legionary receives a Scutum Solis as part of their standard kit, making every soldier resistant to magic.

The Thirteenth saw individual successes in the Forest Campaign, but the elven forces proved more nimble, flanking the rest of the army and devastating formations with lightning, poison clouds, and mud. Hostilities ended with almost no changes to the border between Ionia and Alfinwald. More importantly, the Thirteenth suffered very few losses and gained quite a few recruits.

Soon after, Emperor Aurelian initiated the Thousands Campaign, ordering the legions west to bring civilization to the countless tiny fiefdoms in Castrerus (known to non-Ionians as the Sundered Empire). Every ramshackle castle, walled town, and tower of ancient design in Castreus had a self-appointed lord who claimed a miniature kingdom, and they constantly fought each other in hopes of gaining population, resources, and land. Many of the so-called Fort Lords had some command of magic, so the Thirteenth proved vital to claiming their territory for Ionia. Word of the Thirteenth's effectiveness spread, and eventually Fort Lords started surrendering when they saw the Sun standard outside their walls.

When the Empress Irene dissolved the Empire, she leaned heavily on the legions to keep the peace. The Thirteenth threw its support behind her, and many followed the most famous and well-loved legion in Ionia to her banner. Many say that the Empire would have torn itself apart if not for the Thirteenth.

Since the height of the Empire, many legions have disbanded for lack of funds and recruits, but never the Thirteenth. Anti-magic technologies have developed over the decades, and the Thirteenth has always tested new developments in the heat of battle. They have shrunk in number over time, but they still remain the premier legion in Ionia, often times influencing the senate in their decisions. Over the years, many of the legion's high-ranking officers (legates, tribunes, and even prefects) moved on to senator seats, and many of those wound up elected as Consul.

The Sunwall Legion has aggressively recruited in recent months since the hawks have taken a majority in the senate and the Thirteenth's popular ex-legate Leo Amata accepted the position of Consul, and it currently consists of 1,000 legionaries. The legion is organized into two cohorts, each with six centuries of 80 heavy infantry. Each cohort has a pair of onagers crewed by 10 legionaries and a 10-soldier support unit made up of doctors, smiths, leatherworkers, and carpenters to support the century. Most of the legionaries have just finished basic training, so their morale may falter when first exposed to armed resistance.

The Legio Solmurus currently marches on Fellport to form the tip of the spear in Consul Leo's recetly declared Reclamation Campaign. Another 1,500 mostly unproven legionaries of the Legio VI Victrix march alongside them under their Bull standard to support the invasion and secure the farmland and food supplies of the Amaryllis Estate just north of the independent city.

Part of T.W.Wombat's #City23 project. See the Fellport Index for all entries.