High Legion
“The four primary legions of the Charr are the Ash Legion, Flame Legion, Blood Legion and Iron Legion. Each is extremely proud, warlike and individualistic. Each proclaims its right to the throne, tracing its members' lineage back to one of the children of the original Khan-Ur. There are smaller legions, both independent and absorbed within the larger legion banner, but few of them can prove their ancestry from a known cub of the Khan-Ur. Still, some bands occasionally try to justify their separate identity either through blood of military strength, claiming independence and raising a new banner.
The High Legions are the four primary legions of the charr race and hold the highest form of organization within charr society. After the last Khan-Ur's death sometime around 100 BE,[1] the leadership of the charr was split into the four large legions, each led by claimants of one of the four recognized children of the last Khan-Ur. Each High Legion is named after the primus warband of each legion and each is led by an imperator, who claim to be direct descendants of the Khan-Ur. The High Legions are the Ash Legion which was founded by the Khan-Ur's spymaster, Blood Legion which was founded by the Khan-Ur's firstborn cub, Flame Legion, and Iron Legion.[2] There are supposedly smaller legions as well, both independent and absorbed within the larger legion banner, but few of them can prove their ancestry from a known cub of the Khan-Ur. Still, some bands occasionally try to justify their separate identity either through blood of military strength, claiming independence and raising a new banner.[3]
Each High Legion has claim to a different portion of charr territory. The Iron Legion holds control over Ascalon; the lands to the east of Ascalon, beyond the Blazeridge Mountains, are said to be held by the Blood Legion, though their homelands lie to the north, in an area previously known to be under Flame Legion's influence. It is uncertain where the Ash Legion originates from, but all four High Legions show interest to and operate in the region of Ascalon—Iron, Blood, and Ash cooperating from within the Black Citadel, and Flame Legion from their base of operations, the Citadel of Flame. Since the charr rebellion of 1116 AE, the Flame Legion has been overthrown and driven back to their citadel from which they harass the other legions. The Ash, Blood, and Iron Legions collaborate to fight not only against the Flame Legion but also against other regional threats such as the Foefire ghosts led by the spectral King Adelbern, the Branded minions of the Elder Dragon Kralkatorrik, the numerous ogre immigrants pouring into Ascalon from the Blazeridge Mountains, as well as the rogue factions of human Separatists and charr Renegades who continue waging a guerrilla war despite the ceasefire between the three High Legions and humans.[3][4]
| Following Flame Imperator Gaheron Baelfire's demise in 1325 AE, the Citadel of Flame falls to the Pact, while the Flame Legion splinters into multiple rival factions.
After extensive negotiations a Flame Legion splinter group led by Efram Greetsglory is accepted back into the High Legions for the All-Legion Rally of 1333 AE, while the remaining Flame Legion factions remain hostile to the High Legions. During the Icebrood War the four High Legions are split between the opposing cross-legion armies of the Dominion and the Frost Legion which consist of Blood Legion loyalists, defectors from the three other High Legions, and the Renegades; and the United Legions which consist of Ash and Iron Legion loyalists, Efram's Flame Legion loyalists, and Blood Legion defectors. The three High Legions and Efram's Flame Legion join the multi-national Tyrian Alliance in 1337 AE while they begin making preparations for the election of a new Khan-Ur in the future. |
Legions[edit]
| Legion Name | Current Imperator | Specialization | Emblem | Colors | Motto[2] |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ash Legion | Malice Swordshadow | Espionage, assassination, intel-gathering | A black sun | Black and silver | "Quick and quiet." |
| Blood Legion | Bangar Ruinbringer | Combat, scouting, invasion | A sword with a red blade | Red and silver | "Overpower." |
| Flame Legion | Gaheron Baelfire | Zealotry, spellcasting, superstition | A yellow brazier and flame | Orange and red | |
| Iron Legion | Smodur the Unflinching | Engineering, mechanization, building, siegecraft | A blue cog | Blue and silver | "Steel won't yield." |
- See also: Imperator#At present
Gallery[edit]
Banners used by the High Legions.
Notes[edit]
- In the biography, charr characters must decide which High Legion the character belongs to. The Flame Legion is excluded from this list.
See also[edit]
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The Guild Wars Wiki has an article on High Legion. |
