Caesar's Legion

Standard of Legio I Arizona (Caesar's Banner)

Caesar's Legion usually shortened to **The Legion** is a highly militaristic, totalitarian, ultra-reactionary society founded in 2247 by a former Follower of The Apocalypse named Edward Sallow, who eventually became the faction's first Caesar of The Legion. Well organized, disciplined, and utterly devoted to their leadership, The Legion was one of the major groups involved in the Mojave conflict and in direct ideological opposition to The NCR.

Having been defeated in the Mojave, The Legion survived a massive counter-attack by The NCR intended to wipe them out once and for all as well as crushed a second punitive invasion led by President Kimball Jr. Now led by the former head of the Praetorian Guard, Caesar Lucius, The Legion has reconquered much of its former territory in Colorado and Arizona and expanded its control over Utah. Having allied themselves with the Midwestern Brotherhood of Steel, they've become a central power in the geopolitical stage that is the former Western United States.

## Rise of Edward Sallow

The Legion's origins lie with an expedition made by the Followers of the Apocalypse to the Arizona Wasteland to meet and study the various tribes in the region. Amongst those in the expedition was a young Edward Sallow. Eventually the group met up with the Blackfoot Tribe and, with the help of a Mormon translator named Joshua Graham, attempted to communicate with them.

Unfortunately some sort of error in translation caused the Blackfoots to seize the Followers and hold them for ransom. At the time however the Blackfoots were at war with a number of different tribes in the region and it quickly became apparent that they were losing. Not wishing to be lashed to a sinking ship, Edward, who was well read in military tactics, offered his help.

What started as some minor tactical advice soon led to Edward commanding the Blackfoots directly, and eventually after crushing the other tribes in the region, he named himself "Caesar" and reorganized the Blackfoots and the tribes he'd conquered into what would become The Legion. Joshua Graham agreed to become his first Legate and serve as his second-in-command. What followed were decades of expansion and conquest. Edward modeled his new Legion based on The Roman Empire, believing that in doing so, he might transform the backward tribes of the wasteland into a unified cultural and military force and build a legacy worthy of his namesake.

Edward's conquests eventually led him to the Colorado river and New Vegas. Seeing this as his chance to take his own Rome, 'Caesar' made ready to cross the river and invade the Mojave, crushing the NCR forces stationed there. After being repulsed in the first battle of Hoover Dam, Caesar executed his old friend and Legate Joshua Graham for incompetence, and regrouped his forces: gathering slaves and more troops for a second assault. He made it clear that there would be no third.

When the second assault finally came, despite his best laid plans: Caesar was unprepared for the sudden appearance of Robert House's army of securitron robots. Unable to stop both the NCR and this new, terrifying, army The Legion was defeated and was forced to withdraw. However the battle had claimed the life of Caesar himself as well as many of the Legion's top field commanders, including the "Monster of the East" : Legate Lanius. While the NCR did not end up in control of the Dam, thanks to House they held the field, and immediately made preparations for a punitive campaign to wipe out The Legion once and for all.

## The Legion Under Caesar Lucius (First NCR Invasion)

With Edward dead and The Legion's forces in complete disarray, the retreat back to Arizona was a hard one. If they were to have any chance of survival, a successor would immediately need to be named. Amongst the potential candidates, Lucius, Head of Caesar's Praetorian Guard, was a popular one. His experience, popularity with the rank and file, and close ties to Caesar's inner circle made him a the natural choice, and soon he was elevated to the crimson: becoming the second Caesar of The Legion. Lucius set to work immediately.

Left with only a single intact Legion: Legio I Arizona, under his immediate command. Lucius knew he had no hope of holding the Capital of Flagstaff, which NCR forces were now making a beeline towards and would be at within days. He made the difficult decision to abandon the city and burn it to the ground, both to prevent any of its resources from being utilized by the NCR military, and to show the NCR proof of his willingness to fight to the bitter end. As a parting gift, the Legion poisoned the food and water supply, and ordered hundreds of NCR POWs crucified in a display of mockery around the city.

While the NCR paused in Flagstaff to bury its dead and assess its new strategy, Lucius took this lull in the campaign to rally his forces. Legion commanders, cut-off since the Mojave campaign, were finally able to be contacted and orders given to regroup to Caesar's banner as soon as possible. His forces swelled from a single Legion, to more than four within a fortnight. However, The NCR's stalling had only given them a brief respite, and soon they were being pursued once more. Lucius knew that if he confronted the NCR invasion force head-on, her may very well be crushed completely. To that end, and with the help of the infamous head of the frumentarii, Vulpes Inculta, he waged a brutal guerrilla and scorched earth campaign against the NCR army, dwindling their numbers significantly.

However, The Legion continued to be pushed back, and eventually they began to run out of room to flee as they were pushed up against the border of The Brotherhood of Steel's territory in the Midwest. However, much to NCR's, and Lucius's own, surprise The Brotherhood of Steel intervened in the conflict: siding with The Legion. Hoping to keep The Legion as a buffer state to the NCR's expansionist agenda, the Midwestern Supreme Commander Simon Barnaky ordered his troops to aid the Legion in driving NCR troops out of their territory. The joint Legion and Brotherhood counter-offensive successfully put the NCR army to rout, and guaranteed The Legion's survival. A treaty was soon signed and left up to renewal in the near future.

Now safe from the immediate danger posed by the New California Republic, Lucius was free to rebuild the Empire of his predecessor. With Caesar's death, much of former Legion territory in Colorado had been seized by opportunistic warlords, including Dog-City. Having regained full control of Arizona and New Mexico, Lucius was able to raise fresh levies and march on Colorado. Serving by his side was one of the most experienced battlefield commanders remaining in The Legion: Aurelius of Phoenix, a former Centurion who had commanded legion forces to great effect at Cottonwood Cove. Lucius now elevated him as his Legate.

## The Campaigns in Colorado and Utah

The campaign to recapture Colorado was not an easy one, as the tribes and raiders of the region were almost as adept in ambush tactics and guerrilla warfare as The Legion itself. In particular, the siege of Denver (Dog-City) was saw a bout of particularly brutal fighting that lasted nearly three months before the defenders finally capitulated. Following the fall of Denver, the fighting then turned to the hills and mountains, and into territory that even Edward Sallow himself had dared not trod. Pushing the Legion's boundaries further into unknown lands. Unable to accept anything less than total victory, Lucius persisted in breaking every tribe that resisted, extending the campaign significantly. However, eventually, The Legion was able to gain complete control of the Colorado region with its valuable resources including an important new source of gold near Colorado Springs. Slaves and wealth brought in by this conquest helped to further fuel Lucius's efforts to reconstitute The Legion.

With Colorado now firmly back in the fold, Lucius's next target became Utah. A region that Edward had made designs on conquering, but had never been able to fully realize. With six full legions under his command, nearly 34,000 legionaries, Lucius invaded Utah, pushing as far north as Utah Lake and bringing all the tribes of the Zion Valley and Grand Staircase region under The Legion's control, swelling its ranks with fresh slaves and new recruits. One such capture was a young and headstrong New Canaanite woman named Hannah. Her beauty and intelligence immediately caught Lucius's eye and he had her separated from the main slave stock and brought to him. What began as a curious affection, as Lucius enjoyed her talk of her faith and her travels amongst the tribes of the region, soon blossomed into utter devotion. Hannah too found herself drawn to the handsome but brutal warlord, and came to believe she had been chosen by God to serve as a voice of love and reason to the Caesar of The Legion. The two were soon married. It was out of love for his wife that Lucius made the Edict of Zion, declaring that New Canaanites would be protected and free to worship and preach their faith throughout Legion territory. Such a declaration was not without controversy, given the prevalence of the Cult of Mars, but Lucius's popularity and near god-hood status amongst The Legion gave the Edict the necessary weight to see it through.