The Ebon Legion was an elite and wholly independent military force, owing direct allegiance to none of the seven states. Founded in 12 SE by order of the assembly at Lunesdale, the Legion was charged with the "Defense of the Septarchy from all Threats, be they from within its Borders or Beyond."¹ During its storied history, the Ebon Legion was credited with victories in several ambitious foreign campaigns, as well as crushing the rebellion of 47 SE. The black ships of the Legion, sallying forth from their austere stronghold, the Onyx Fortress, were an anchor of peace and prosperity for generations.

How the Legion funded itself was a closely held secret. Some said that the Onyx Fortress had been built on top of a rich mining complex that had supported the Legion through the centuries. Others held that the Legion had long been in league with the Aetherists, and was supported by contributions from that organization. A few to this day claim that the Onyx Fortress itself was nothing less than the eighth Low Gate of Gravitopolis, and was funded by commerce with the Hidden City.²

During the Reign of Quintillian

The Legion was one of the few military units to avoid falling under Septarch Quintillian's direct sway. Lord Commander Kelena has often been the target of criticism for failing to use the Legion's influence to maintain stability. While it is true that Kelena might have used the Legion's wealth and power to curtail the buildup of the Septarch's forces before matters reached a critical point, it must be remembered that doing so would have been the first time the Legion had acted directly against a Septarch, an act which might well have led to civil war. The political climate being what it was, moreover, Kelena could hardly trust that the other rulers of the land would forgive the Legion for overstepping its legal bounds once their positions had been made secure.

In the Civil Wars

When it was at last clear that there would be no peaceful way to resolve the situation, the Legion at last roused itself to action. However, the local warlords who were already arising to fill the power vacuum had no desire to see the Legion impose order. While its intervention succesfully brought a close to the Little War, this in the end did little but fuel further emnity towards the Legion.

Thus began a period of steep decline. While the Legion's soldiers remained second to none, bereft of the support of the Septarchy, the Legion proved unable to keep up with the rapid technological advances of the era. Though it was able to secure a number of Convection Engine powered craft, the arwhal population around the Onyx Fortress was insufficient to support the construction of smokeships in any appreciable number.

This is perhaps one of the reasons that Lord Commander Kelena, in 239 SE, authorized an expedition to the Pillar of Ascension, in a final effort to reverse the Legion's fortunes. Regrettably, due to the results of the venture, we remain uncertain just what the Commander expected to find there.

The Last Flight of the Ebon Legion

Virtually the only source of information about this venture comes to us in the form of a soldier's journal, recovered after the fall of the Onyx Fortress. The document was badly damaged, but the relevent entries are here transcribed.

7/17
Stars don't look right. Elenthe says it's just refraction from the clot above us.³ Three more days on our present course, if the charts are right.7/18
We've reversed course. Captain's furious, but I think he's the only one. Never seen a storm like that before. No rain. Not even clouds - the stars were still there, when you could see them through the lightning. Each strike looking closer. We didn't have a choice. Hopefully the commander'll be satisfied with the creature we found. We must've hit it in the dark or something. Looks like some sort of flying snake. Big, too - took three of us just to get it in the hold. With luck it'll stay asleep long enough to get home.7/22
The thrice-cursed beast's loose again. Burst through the door like paper, and headed straight for the main engine room. Slipped like and eel right past the guards, and wrapped itself around the main turbine housing. The chief says it's not affecting the engine⁴, and it seems happy enough there, so the captain says we can just pry it off once we put down in the fortress. [document ends]

Certain events in this account have provoked comparison (possibly fanciful) with the following fragmentary passage from the Iron Codex:

"And Tzadkiel opened the Gates of Heaven, waking the stars from their slumber. ... the spears of light in the darkness! Who that crawls across the face of the land can stand against them? They fled back into the deep places, and walked no more in sight of the stars."⁵

Eyewitness accounts verify that the ships of the Legion successfully completed their journey to the Onyx Fortress. This remains, however, the last confirmed report of the existence of the Legion as such.

—Thaddeus Rhagfarnllyd