Lore:Second Legion

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Second Legion legionaries
Second Legion arms

The Second Legion is a division of the Imperial Legion, the militant arm of the Empire. The Second Legion has a storied history from the Interregnum, especially when they served Varen Aquilarios in his open rebellion against Emperor Leovic.[1] The Imperial War Mastiff is the mascot and symbol of the Second Legion.[2]

History[edit]

An Imperial War Mastiff

At some point in time, the Second Legion, specifically the 33rd Cohort was stationed in southeast Valenwood, in an underground fort called Sanctuary Chimera.[3][4]

By the mid-Second Era, the Second Legion was led by General Nipia[5] and during Emperor Leovic's reign, they were stationed in the Gold Coast. When the Emperor revealed the Great Spirits Proclamation, Duke Varen Aquilarios of Kvatch assembled most of the Second Legion to fight his rebellion in the heartland of Cyrodiil. A single cohort of the legion was left under the command of Varen's nephew and successor, Carolus Aquilarios, to protect Kvatch.[1]

Cyrodiil was embroiled in the Colovian Revolt and pushed east into Colovia. At the time, the Second Legion used a cave known as Legion's Rest, between Chorrol and Skingrad as a rest stop.[6] But after an initial defeat in Fort Ash, and once he recruited the Legion of Chorrol, Varen's armies overtook Leovic and sent him back to the Imperial City.[7] Once the battle had encompassed central Cyrodiil, Varen Aquilarios and his rebellion took to Bruma as their headquarters.[8] By 2E 577,[9] Varen had defeated Emperor Leovic and assumed the title of Emperor by right of conquest.[10]

Leovic's advisors, the Icereach Coven led by Mother Ciannait were banished back north to their island home on the Sea of Ghosts,[11] but the Second Legion led by Optio Cornelia Midara were in pursuit of them. They tracked the coven to Falkreath Hold where they fought battles to the north and west. The Legion saw major casualties on both fronts and the Optio ordered an immediate withdrawal back to the Jerall Mountains for further orders. The Optio then made a report to the Second Legion High Command and advised that they not pursue the coven any further.[12]

Shortly after Varen left for the Cyrodilic heartland, the Imperial Prefect of Anvil and the Count of Anvil, Ephrem Benirus, moved to seize Varen's property and holdings. Carolus assembled his cohort of the Second Legion and the Kvatch Warders, and intercepted the Imperial force at the plains outside the city. The battle ended in a swift victory for Carolus, and the remnant of the Imperial force retreated to Anvil. Three more attacks were launched from Anvil that year, but Kvatch repelled each one and left Anvil with fewer and fewer surviving troops. The conflict was settled when Varen was crowned Emperor, and Carolus formally inherited the title of Count of Kvatch.[1]

With Anvil's defenses in tatters, however, the pirate captain Fortunata ap Dugal was able to capture the city with ease, and then install herself as Provincial Governor. Following the Soulburst of 2E 578 and the disappearance of Emperor Varen, the Pirate Queen began harassing Kvatch and declared it would be annexed by Anvil to form an independent Gold Coast state. Count Carolus responded by sending out the Second Legion cohort to confront the Anvil Guard at a site near the Gottshaw Inn. The legionaries walked into an ambush. In what became known as the Gottshaw Massacre, the Second Legion cohort was wiped out by a pirate army that outnumbered it six-to-one. With the cohort gone, Count Carolus was left with no choice but to swear fealty to the Gold Coast for the remainder of the Pirate Queen's reign.[13]

Meanwhile, the greater part of the Second Legion that followed by Varen established their peacetime headquarters in Bruma's vicinity.[2] General Nipia attended a meeting with the Elder Council on the 16th of Second Seed, 2E 578, in which he raised a concern about a conspiracy of traitors among the Imperial Legion. Before he could press further about it, the Soulburst occurred at that moment and rocked the ground underneath the meeting.[5]

Gallery[edit]

  • Second Legion armor style

  • Bruma

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c The Wolf and the Dragon — Midara Salviticus, Historian, University of Gwylim
  2. ^ a b Imperial War Mastiff pet description text in ESO
  3. ^ An Ancient Love Letter — Rogano
  4. ^ Sanctuary: Final Assessment
  5. ^ a b Minutes of the Elder Council
  6. ^ Legion's Rest loading screen text in ESO: Gold Road
  7. ^ Eulogy for Emperor Varen — Lord Abnur Tharn, Chancellor of the Elder Council
  8. ^ Chronicles of the Five Companions 5 — Abnur Tharn
  9. ^ Deciphered Imperial Document — Emperor Leovic, deciphered by Beragon
  10. ^ Chronicles of the Five Companions 1 — Lyris Titanborn
  11. ^ Arvnir's dialogue in ESO: Harrowstorm
  12. ^ Meet the Character - Mother Ciannait — Optio Cornelia Midara
  13. ^ The Wolf and the Pirate Queen — Midara Salviticus, Historian, University of Gwylim
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