Blackstone Legion

### Banner

The **Blackstone Legion** was a warring Knights faction led by a female warlord named Apollyon.

## Overview

All three playable factions interact with the Legion during their Story Campaign. The Warden (the main character the player plays as in the Knight campaign) was introduced (and knighted) into the Blackstone Legion. It is named for the obsidian table around which the legion was first formed.

### Apollyon Takes Over

The female warlord Apollyon took over the legion by killing her rivals and recruiting many experienced soldiers loyal to her. Her eventual goal for the legion was to start a war between the three main factions. Under her command she subjugated the majority of the splintered Knight legions, including the remains of the Iron Legion.

### Starting a War

Apollyon's mission was to start an endless war between the Samurai, Vikings and Knights. She began her mission in Valkenheim by invading many Viking fortresses with the help of Holden Cross, the Warden, and Mercy. Using superior tactics and technology, the Blackstone Legion pushed their army all the way to Svengård. This location was the Blackstone Legion's primary target: A fortress storing the seed grain of the Viking clans. They attacked the fortress and killed its leader, Gudmundr. With the seed grain under control the Legion burned half of the food and left a little bit on the orders of Apollyon. This was done so that the Viking clans would fight over what little food was left. Her plan would succeed and lead to the Vikings to start The Great Raid on the Samurai.

This also led to The Warden abandoning their oath and leaving the Blackstone Legion.

### Fall of the Blackstone Legion

In the chaos of the Great Raid the Blackstone Legion and Apollyon stormed the Imperial Palace and killed the emperor, capturing the various daimyo in the process. Apollyon gave the throne to Seijuro and left the other daimyo in The Myre. A Kensei and exiled daimyo named Ayu killed the other Daimyo, recruited Seijuro and took the throne. With knowledge of Apollyon's doings, The Orochi was sent to Ashfeld on orders from Ayu.

Meanwhile, in Ashfeld, The Warden and Holden Cross along with a complement of other warriors like Stone and Mercy left the Blackstone Legion and reformed the Iron Legion. These soldiers would later side with the Samurai of the Dawn Empire during the siege of the Blackstone Fortress.

The Samurai and the Iron Legion stormed the Blackstone Fortress, surrounding the keep and blocking all access tunnels. The Blackstone Legion fought to the last man, Apollyon herself was defeated in single combat against The Orochi. Toward the end of the siege the Warborn showed up and the uneasy alliance broke, the three factions fighting each other once more.

#### Legacy

The Blackstone Legion stirred up activity from all three of the factions and destroyed any hope of peace in Heathmoor. The Vikings had been brought back to their former selves, raiding and pillaging and serving as a general threat. The Iron Legion had been reformed and united, now under the rule of the Lord Warden. And finally, the Samurai are now ruled by a powerful empress, Empress Ayu. Apollyon had succeeded in her goal of weeding out the weak and forcing a conflict between the three factions. This war would go on for many years to come.

Some time after Apollyon's death, Holden Cross, Stigandr and Ayu meet and share their stories at the request of the Lord Warden. They agree to try for peace, even though it will likely result in their deaths.

The more extreme members of the Blackstone Legion, one of them being Astrea, were exiled to the East, where there was a civil war among the Wu Lin. Astrea would rally up the ex-Blackstone Legion members and form new allies with certain Wu Lin warriors to make a return to Heathmoor as the newly formed Order of Horkos.

### Strength

The Blackstone Legion was very strong at its height. It consisted of many smaller legions that swore fealty to Apollyon, including the Regal Legion (who owned the castle Hervis Daubeny inhabited) and the larger Iron Legion. Its ranks were filled with the enemy's finest warriors, who were captured and conscripted into the Blackstone Legion if they were deemed worthy. It is implied that they also house many former Wardens, such as Ademar and Apollyon herself.

### Notable Members

* Apollyon - Warlord and leader of the Blackstone Legion. She believes that humanity is divided between wolves and sheep. Her ultimate goal is to ensure that war is everywhere. She was defeated in a duel against The Orochi during the siege of the Blackstone Fortress by the Iron Legion and the Dawn Empire.
* Hervis Daubeny - A Warden who briefly joined the Blackstone Legion before leaving after learning of Apollyon’s true motives. Years later he would join the Chimera Alliance and would also host the Chimera Banquet. He is also nicknamed the “Lion of Feronia”.
* Holden Cross - A Lawbringer and second in command of the Blackstone Legion. He would join the Iron Legion with The Warden. Years later he would become leader of The Chimera Alliance and be known as “Gryphon”.
* Stone - A Conqueror who served the Iron Legion who would later pledge his allegiance to the Blackstone Legion after they saved Harrowgate from a Viking siege. He later rejoined the Iron Legion with The Warden.
* Mercy - A Peacekeeper tasked with infiltration and sabotage. She later joined the Iron Legion with the Warden.
* The Warden - A Warden that Holden Cross inducted into the Blackstone Legion. Despite being instrumental in several of the Blackstone Legion's greatest victories, The Warden was also instrumental in its downfall.
* Ademar - Holden Cross' former second, an ex-Warden whom The Warden duels at Westhold Castle which Hervis Daubeny had been occupying with his militia after he had left the Blackstone Legion.
* Julius Salavander - A Warden commander for the Blackstone Legion and a former member of the Regal Legion. He was in charge of Odinsgard when the Warborn Warlord known as Stigandr attacked with his Warborn forces.
* Davis - A member killed by Ragnar during the assault on Valkenheim.
* Astrea - An ex-member of the Blackstone Legion who'd later become the leader of the Order of Horkos.
* Vortiger - Once a noble knight and the leader of the Holy Order of Balaur, he later took a dark path after crossing paths with Apollyon. He joined the Order of Horkos due to participation in A Tyrant’s Test.
* Erzebet - A female Black Prior who would later join The Order of Horkos. She was killed during Tales of Rebellion 3.
* Commander Raviel - A Black Prior and Vortiger's second-in-command, who was sent to investigate the Celestial Sphere in Arabia.

## Trivia

* The player can get two slightly altered versions of the Blackstone Legion's insignia as symbols.
	+ The default color for attacker is a similar scheme to the primary colors of the Blackstone Legion.

* It can be assumed that regions once controlled by the Blackstone Legion are now in constant conflict due to their fall, like Citadel Gate.

ApollyonHolden CrossStoneMercyThe WardenAdemarJulius
## Gallery

### Images

Apollyon, leader of the Blackstone LegionHolden Cross, a Lawbringer and Apollyon's second-in-command