“They are all me. My will is their will. My power is their power. In five virtues, they will be separated. In five colors, differentiated. In five legions, divided. With the best training, they will be prepared. With the best armor, dressed. With the best weapons, equipped. With the most powerful beasts, mounted. And against the strongest enemies, they will be victorious. They are the wrath of justice. My wrath. They are the desire for revenge. My desire. They are the power of this capital. My power. They are my Otesis Knights. And they will rebirth this world.”
– Otes Abiak, King of Otesis.
The Otesis Legions are the most legendary and recognizable Force in Drakynium, in the service of history’s greatest hero, King Otes Abiak. Formed by knights, also known as “King’s Drakes”, of various races, the Otesis legions are the perfect middle ground between the numerous Otesian Army and the powerful warriors of the Drakynean Guard.
The legions originated as warbands that fought the tyrannies supported by Gralgor. Using guerrilla tactics, none of the bands felt that they were truly harming these brutal governments. But under the greatness of the now-founded Drakynium, they were given the resources, organization, and strength necessary to be a true and recognizable threat in every battle they fought.
The legions were founded by the five most powerful fighters who defended the capital in the legendary First Siege of Otesis. After this, these five were given authority to form their legendary Otesis legions. Each legion has its name, color, oath, and its two secondary virtues and one primary. The primary being what the legion values most, and which is indispensable for anyone who wants to have the honor of becoming a knight. As with the primary virtue, each legion requires its candidates to possess the Mysti Pillar that represents it. No one lacking this type of Mysti is considered for recruitment into each legion.
| Legion | Secondary Virtues | Primary Virtue | Founder | Mysti Pillar |
| Brasali | Conviction + Will | Bravery | Ramos (Loberian) | Chaos |
| Astov | Work + Companionship | Trust | Dayon (Merfolk) | Life |
| Dolav | Sacrifice + Duty | Heroism | Harvam (Human) | Holy |
| Arnem | Wisdom + Knowledge | Geniality | Alos (Kyuubi) | Order |
| Karnost | Talent + Effort | Efficiency | Kaelos (Wukong) | Death |
Upon joining each legion, the knight is expected to uphold the values that granted him the honor of wearing that armor. Each legion has its own style and culture, with an attitude or behavior that may be unacceptable in one, but completely preferable in another.
Ranks
Like any large enough military organization, the Otesis Legions have ranks that form the chain of command. Being the same in all five legions.
| Rank | Summary |
|---|---|
| Legrarch | Highest ranking and leader of the entire legion (the founders were the first legrarchs). |
| Segrarch | Commands one of the five segments that divide the legion, being the leader of literally a fifth of it. |
| Captarch | He leads one of the numerous captaincies that divide a segment, being responsible for leading the 100 knights that make up the captaincy. |
| Lieutarch | As the Captarch’s personal assistant, the Lieutarch mediates superior orders and oversees the behavior and discipline of the captaincy |
| Esarch | Closest to the knights. He is generally responsible for welcoming new members and accompanying them during their initial period in the legion. |
| Knight | Most basic rank of all legions, usually the youngest. From this rank it is possible to receive an Otesis Drake. |
| Squire | Training phase. Did not officially join the legion. A squire becomes a knight who meets the requirements to join the Legion, usually by awakening his Mysti Pillar. He is then placed in the care of an experienced knight who will teach him the virtues, culture, and style of the Legion. If the squire survives a year, he will officially join the Legion, becoming a Knight. |
Structure
Each of the 5 legions is divided into 5 segments, each segment being commanded by a segrarch. And each segment is divided into numerous captaincies commanded by captarchs, each captaincy being composed preferably of 100 otesis knights, holders of other lower ranks.
Due to their high numbers, only captaincies that become famous, for various reasons, receive names by which they become known. As for the segments, there are only 5 per legion, which are worth mentioning.
Segments
Each of the 5 legions is completely divided into 5 segments, with not a single knight, with the exception of Legrarch, who is not part of one.
Each segment is focused on specializing and using a specific power of the Mysti Pillar of their legion, just as each segment has its own culture, style, symbol and way of fighting.
| Segment/Legion | Brasali | Astov | Dolav | Arnem | Karnost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| First Segment | Vengeful Fires | Immortal Vanguard | Divine Shields | Silencers | Victory Vindicators |
| Second Segment | Storm Bringers | Wild Bunch | Anointed Fighters | Ice Hearts | Life Takers |
| Third Segment | Unquiet Bodies | Garden Lords | Virtuous Weapons | Sky Jailers | Soul Flayers |
| Fourth Segment | Scarlet Stars | Feral Spirits | Miracle Bearers | World Readers | Corpse Host |
| Fifth Segment | Lost Minds | Iron Tremors | King’s Judges | One Truth | Ghost Guard |
Recruitment
On the advice of Kaelos, legrarch of the Karnost Legion, King Otes decreed that only men would be Otesis Knights. Anyone may apply to join the Legion, but only those who possess a Mysti Pillar will be accepted, becoming squires who will be personally trained by an Otesis Knight for one year.
In terms of age, the Legions accept men until the end of their mental immaturity. Since different races have different aging patterns, in human terms, the limit would be 25 years.
With the Otesian Age mired in war, the prime candidates for entry into the legions are orphans. A particular orphanage in the capital of Otesis, called the Five Paths, takes in only boys. In addition to providing them with shelter and food, the orphanage trains them to awaken their Mysti Pillar as soon as possible, thus being able to form future Otesis Knights.
Generations
Throughout the 40 years of the Rebirth Wars, several generations of Otesis Knights have made up the Legions, each generation comprising a portion of decades with their own interests and ambitions.
| 1st Generation/Justice Generation (First Decade) | All of the starting knights. They have been with Otes since the beginning. They are the veterans, the most experienced and respected. They are the closest to Otes, and fully understand his ideals, and will fight and die for them. They seek to bring justice to those who have so damaged the world. |
| 2st Generation/Glory Generation (Second and Third Decades) | Young men who join the legions in the midst of the Rebirth Wars. Many are children of the first generation. They do not seek to understand the ideals for which their parents fought, but rather to be as great and famous as them. All they saw was a world full of enemies to defeat and turn into legends. Always seeking feats to achieve fame and glory. It is no coincidence that this is the generation that produced the most traitors of all. |
| 3st Generation/Peace Generation (Fourth and Last Decade) | The youngest of all, these entered near the end of the wars. Many children who suffered the most and were saved throughout the war, some very late, and seek to thank Otes through legionary service. They want to finally achieve Otes’ goal, the pacification of the world and its rebirth. |
Otesis Drakes
The Otesis Drakes are the famous and legendary mounts of the Otesis Knights. Artificially created by the mages of the Magis Solis through the cooperation of the Great Spirit Helavis and the God Kion in the capital Otesis. These drakes are smaller than dragons, having 4 legs and 2 wings, and non-sapient, being truly animals.
All Otesis Drakes are male,because the genes of Beud, the dragon and brother of King Otes, are used to produce them and produced in the colors of the five legions, being able to have a breath of fire, ice or lightning, most commonly being fire. Regardless of the element, the color of the breath will be the same as the drake and the legion.
Despite being made in a laboratory in large numbers, the hatching process and the time until they reach a decent size for combat ends up being reasonably slow, with there not being enough drakes for all the Otesis Knights. Even though at the beginning of the Rebirth Wars practically all the knights had drakes due to the time they had to prepare for war, over time, deaths and replacements of drakes and new knights being recruited more and more frequently, made these beasts more seen as rewards for those who deserve it than a certainty when joining the legions.
In addition to being a symbol of authority and respect, the Otesis Drakes are living personifications of the power of Drakynium, being worshipped and idolized by all citizens.
Feeding
The Otesis Drakes are naturally carnivorous. However, due to their large numbers at the founding of the legions, providing enough meat to feed all of these beasts was unsustainable. The mages of the Magis Solis were successful in creating Drargem, a type of mass-produced feed that is beloved by the beasts of Otesis, becoming their staple food.
However, with the battles, many drakes had access to meat again, being able to devour the fresh corpses of enemy troops and beasts. Some drakes only feed like this with the permission of their knights, in some cases not even needing permission, as the knight allows them to feed as they please. In more extreme cases, they do not even wait for the battle to end, chewing up enemies alive and devouring them.
In Case Of Death Of His Knight
If the rider of an Otesis Drake dies, everything will depend on the animal’s reaction. It may get over it over time, and may become a partner for another rider. Others go into such deep mourning that they have no desire to eat, fight, or even live anymore. It is also possible for the drake to become so enraged that it can no longer be controlled, abandoning the Drakynium and living like a wild beast in the wild. Each drake is a different case.
Immunity To Necromancy
Due to the god Kion’s contribution in their creation, the Otesis Drakes are so pure that no enemy or even allies are able to raise them as zombies after their deaths. The death of one of these beasts represents the fulfillment of the duty for which they were born, nothing more is required of them after that.
Legionary Treasures
Throughout the history of the legions, there have been things that have become truly sacred to each of the 5 legions. These are the legionary treasures.
The treasures can be anything, as long as it is related to your legion. A weapon, armor, even the drakes, the knights’ living mounts, could be considered treasures if they reached a sufficiently legendary level.
As usual, the greatest and most legendary knights were the founding Legrarchs. All their weapons, armor and their mounts were considered Legionary Treasures.
- Brasali – Waberia, The Spear of Ramos
- Astov – Strapor, The Hammer of Dayon
- Dolav – Peglia and Tyros, the Sword and Shield of Harvam
- Arnem – Locrio, The Trident of Alos
- Karnost – Resalia and Irzelia, the Rapiers of Kaelos.
Drakyans
It is said that Otesis Knights stop fighting only in three situations: death, age or incapacity. Still, even if the knight is affected by the latter, there is the possibility of him continuing to serve Otesis and its king.
Once the knight suffers enough damage to cripple him and make him unable to fight, he is offered the possibility of the Drakyan ritual. Through this ritual, the knight will have his body undone, as well as that of his mount, and then both will be joined to form a new and complete being, that being the Drakyan.
The ritual is offered, but the final decision to accept it is up to the knight, in addition to the natural will of his faithful drake. It takes a great will to serve and a sense of duty to submit to the ritual, because if it fails, there is no chance of restoring the bodies of the volunteers. Besides courage, what defines the success of the ritual is the relationship between the knight and his drake. Both will be undone separately and then fused to form a new being. The relationship between knight and draco cannot be based on anything less than companionship, friendship and trust. Both must be absolutely certain that they would never abandon the other to death. They will spend their entire lives together, which will not be possible if they were not faithful to each other in their past lives.
If the ritual is successful, it will generate a new Drakyan, ready to serve his legion. Standing about 5 meters tall, they have the appearance of a majestic and intimidating humanoid with a draconic appearance. Capable of flying, they also possess the breath of the draco that participated in the ritual.
Normally the Drakyan’s mind retains the memories of the knight he once was, even if they are disjointed and confused, thus maintaining the name he had in his past life, but in rare cases the Drakyan needs a new name and identity, as if his life were starting over in that body.. Fortunately, all maintain reasonable intelligence, the ability to speak and a good understanding. Even though the mentality of each one may come as a surprise, there is one thing that is constant in all Drakyans: extreme loyalty and a great will to fight. All who accepted the ritual accepted the fact that they would continue to live only to serve and fight for the Drakynium. Thus, the Drakyans are no longer able to have a normal life and live with ordinary citizens. All of them are put to sleep by their legions, being awakened only in battles in which they are required, something that can take years. Since their creation, the Drakyans have been a source of admiration and respect in the kingdom of Otesis, and above all, within their legions. The knights naturally feel a sense of brotherhood and camaraderie with their colleagues. But everyone has a deep respect for the Drakyans of their legion, despite not seeing them as much as they would like. They are the heavy reinforcement that comes to the rescue of their brothers in any battle they need, they are the ones whose will to continue fighting has overcome the injuries and incapacities of their wounded bodies. For soldiers like these, there is not a single knight capable of not admiring those giants who continue to fight by their side in the most decisive battles.
No matter the moment, seeing a Drakyan enter combat is always a sight of relief and hope for allies; and terror and intimidation for enemies.
Positions
Within the Otesis Legions, certain knights end up demonstrating talent in roles other than warfare. These knights are offered a prominent position within the legion, depending on the area in which they demonstrate proficiency.
Unlike ranks, positions do not, in theory, grant any authority or power over the other knights. But in practice, knights with positions end up being more respected than normal and their words end up being listened to more carefully by the others.
Vitalain
As different as they may be, one thing all legions share is the belief that their particular virtues are what make each knight in the legion strong. The virtues are more than a doctrine, and more than just requirements to be a knight of a given legion; they are a path, a path shared by all who carry one of the five legionary colors; the virtues are meant to bring everyone together, to keep the legion united and strong; with something in common among all, no knight will feel alone on the path that all his brothers walk together.
Still, there are those knights whose virtues weaken over time, those who fail to keep the oath they swore when they became Otesis knights, those who stray from the path followed by the legion. The reason for this is diverse, and it is of little importance whether the knight feels ashamed or even disgusted by his deviation. It is in these moments that the existence of the vitalains becomes indispensable.
Known as the “Guardians of Virtue,” the Vitalains are the guides and advisors within the Otesis legions. They are the ones to whom brothers who have accidentally strayed from the Virtue go, and Vitalains are sent to watch over those who are suspected of deliberately straying from the path. Whether it is a Brasali who has acted cowardly, an Astov who has failed to trust, a Dolav who has acted selfishly, a Arnem who has acted ignorantly, or even a Karnost who has failed, all of these brothers are advised to visit their legion’s Vitalainn.
With just one conversation, a Vitalain is able to restore confidence in the Legionary path within any brother who may have doubted that he was worthy of continuing to walk it. They are masters of words, great listeners, and perfect guides, those to whom the lost turn to find themselves again. Vitalains are often available to listen to the mistakes and insecurities of their brothers, and will gladly speak words that will make them proud of the colors they wear and eager to prove themselves worthy of them again.
They care for their brothers’ mental health, not letting them succumb to their own thoughts of inadequacy or failure. No matter how heavy a knight’s guilt or shame may be, the Vitalains will do their best to restore their brothers’ faith that the virtue of their legion still lives on within them.
In addition to providing guidance, the Vitalains are responsible for monitoring. As Guardians of Virtue, they are obliged to help those who have weakened and seek redemption, but they also have the obligation to supervise those knights who purposefully stray from the virtuous path and tarnish the honor of the legion. Once warned about their dishonorable actions and actions against the values of the legion, if the knight insists on bringing shame to the colors he wears and all his brothers, he will be appropriately banished from the legion, if his actions are not against the legion itself, or worse, against Drakynium itself. In such cases, there is even the possibility of being sentenced to death. Whatever the decision, the words of the responsible Vitalain will carry enormous weight, as they are the living representation of legionary virtue, their vote is extremely moral, respectful and important.
Even though they help any brother who wants to get closer to virtue, and watch over those who consciously stray from it, the Vitalains’ greatest activity involves guiding those knights who stray from the path, even if unconsciously. Even though the legion functions as a single body, with its virtues present in all its parts, the segments function in practice as separate parts. Each segment, even though it has the virtue of the legion it composes as its path, has its own beliefs and ideal ways of acting. Therefore, the Vitalain of different segments, even if they are from the same legion, will have different ways of helping and guiding their brothers. Depending on the segment, a knight may be reprimanded for excessive violence, or even for the lack thereof, this depends on the culture of the segment. Still, at the end of the day, it is the primary virtue of the legion that will command the Vitalain’s judgments and advice, even if these judgments and advice are made in the way of their segment.
While the Vitalain are known as the healers of their legions, their duties extend beyond counseling and inspiration. While they have a more formal role, the Vitalain are Otesis Knights, forming one of the Drakynium’s main forces, and this means that when called to the battlefield, they will be there alongside their brothers. In battle, the Vitalain often form the front lines. As legionary virtue is something that every knight must follow, the Vitalains, as embodiments of that virtue, must be followed by their brothers in battle. Even amidst the chaos and death, and even amidst the sounds of misery and suffering, the Vitalains’ words reach the ears of their comrades who need to hear them. By shouting, if necessary, the values of his legion, reminding everyone what they fight for, even reciting his legion’s own oath in the middle of the battlefield and in the midst of the slaughter, a Vitalain is capable of giving strength to even the most tired bodies and will to even the most disbelieving souls.
Ordinary knights have armor painted entirely in the color of their legion, and can customize it as they wish, as long as their affiliation is still visible. Upon becoming a Vitalain, the knight’s armor turns black, with the color of his legion, previously filling it entirely, now being only details, but still quite visible. Another recognizable mark of the Vitalains is their helmets in the shape of a “Y”, symbolizing the two secondary virtues adding together and forming the primary virtue of the legion. Even in appearance, the Vitalains represent the virtuous ideal that makes an Otesis knight.
Whether through conversations in the halls of the legion, or shouts on the battlefield, the Vitalains are those who rekindle the pride of the colors that their brothers wear and the will to defeat every enemy of the Drakynium.