Legion

Just as war is a great element of suffering amongst the cosmos, the army of the means by which that suffering may be brought forth. The legion is nothing more than the embodiment of the violence that blooms from those groups of people willing to slaughter each other over... well, just about anything. Just like an encroaching army of people on the horizon, the sight of a legion should shake you to your very core.

— Patrick Graham, Demonologist

War is hell. Many have repeated such a sentiment throughout the history of Creation, but just as demons seem to be an ever present force within any mortal world, war seems to follow right alongside them. The suffering produced by wars across the cosmos have produced some true horrors among the world of the demon hordes. Horrid mechanical creatures like the Tolgramoth and its tiny relative the Tolgramini stalk the hellish landscapes of the demon world utilizing their manmade weaponry to shred their fellow demons. Large sections of said landscapes are transformed into nuclear wastes by demonic incarnations of the atomic bombs of mortal worlds. War as a whole has generated such abundant energy for demons it has earned its own domain, ruled by the Demon King Válka-Oorlog.

Where demons such as the Tolgramoth present the brutality of war through its modern capabilities, the (not so) humble legion presents it through a more archaic lens. The legion is exactly as its name implies; a demonic legion. The body of this species is made up of hundreds of humanoid torsos donning armor and wielding weaponry from various pre-industrial civilizations and mortal races. From afar, the legion appears to be a roving army led by savage war beasts. In reality, the demon itself is a single creature, the myriad of bodies connected via a thin sheet of flesh hidden among the thrashing bodies and limbs.

These living tides of war live by both their name and domain, rushing across various landscapes in search of glorious and bloody battle. This species possesses a bloodlust potent enough to spark battles amongst its own bodies if it goes too long without bathing in the blood of other creatures. It is quite fortunate for the species the legion moves with surprising speed, and far less fortunate for all other creatures for such a brutal demon to possess the agility it does. While moving at their top speeds, a roving legion leans further into its unintentional facade as a normal mortal army.

Makeup of a Legion

A legion is made up of three distinct pieces; humanoid soldiers, monstrous beasts seemingly tamed by the humanoids, and the massive muscly foot covered by the previous two components. The humanoid bodies across the body of the legion have a tendency to move either perfectly in sync in the way one would expect the perfect army to or by animalistic thrashing which is likely expected of demons far more often.

The second half tends to lead the charge with large powerful beasts standing in front of the weapon-wielding humanoids. Though most instances of the legion are led by creatures resembling oversized elephants, some have also taken the forms of gargantuan boars, savage chained-up rhinos, starved rabid lions and homicidal bears. The war beasts stand at the front to act as a shield for the weaker humanoids on the back. The exchange between the main two-thirds of the species work together by using a more solid form to guard weaker long-ranged bodies.

Finally, the muscly foot encompasses a majority of the demon's body and is the way in which such a violent creature seeks out its next victims. The foot is similar to that of a gastropod to the point where they secrete a thick slime which spreads across the ground it slithers on. This slime protects the underbelly of the demon and can become a hazard to anyone attempting to fight it.

Legions may appear invincible due the incredible synergy between the three components of its form. However, such a simple species requires a very simple solution to either return it to the demon world or force it to respawn following a dormant period. The humanoid components are notable for the fragile state of their being. If someone were to perform a flawless ambush, a handful of these humanoids would be obliterated before the demon itself could take the time to respond. Ranged weaponry serves a far more reliable method to taking down such a terrible character.

Born for Battle

When not under the control of a master, a legion spends most of its time travelling. This species cannot stand to remain in one spot for extended periods of time as they run out of playthings to shred in due time. They utilize their frightening speed to charge across barren landscapes in search of new foes to overpower. The large flat foot connecting the many bodies of the demon together possesses strong gripping muscles and a thick sticky mucus, both of which assist in navigating the hazardous types of terrain common in their home. Such capable movement only adds to the intimidation factor of this species as they can slither across even dangerous environments with incredible skill.

During their travels, the components of a legion may test their weaponry on random objects or unfortunate creatures that cross paths with the beast. It is through this constant playing around that these demons leave an unmistakable trail as they move. The first sign is the thick slimy residue left behind by the body of the demon itself and the second is the consistent trail of destruction caused by a very bored demon.

Once an area with fresh targets has been discovered, the legion may wish to set up a perimeter which it will patrol in search of noteworthy enemies. Any potential victim to a legion attack should keep track of the two major signs of a legion's presence in an area and always listen for distant almost-human shouting. If this sound is heard, the legion is somewhere within a 500 mile radius and is likely only getting closer. The best course of action when handling a rampaging legion is to hide from it, though this is not the easiest thing to do. Distractions have also been known to work as the simple mind of this species only calls for it to kill.

Both within their natural environment and in mortal worlds, uncontrolled legions have exhibited a strange behavior where they seek out large open spaces where they will chant and scream for days at a time. Eventually these desperate calls will lead new things to fight, be it demons willing to fight the terrible creature regardless of any imbalance of strength or skill or curious mortals who are unaware of the trap they have stepped in.

A Big-Ticket Troop

The legion possesses immense power for such a low-rank demon, making it a high-demand troop among demonic hordes. Many powerful demons are willing to endure the extensive lengths that must be taken to make one of these savage creatures swear fealty to their cause. Any demon noble who possesses even a single submissive legion is held with rather high regard as it takes true power to quell the bestial nature of this species. Of course, such a task becomes almost elementary for powerful demons such as Válka-Oorlog, who utilizes many legions as shock troops.

Under the thumb of a more powerful demon, a legion may force itself to mellow out and will become far less likely to tear open every single thing that comes within dissecting distance. Other demons aligned with the legion's master may choose to keep their distance due to the volatile nature of this species. Unfortunately for other lesser demons, such a decision is only offered to more influential demons. Possessing a level of weakness at a much lower level compared to the legion itself, other demons sent in the first waves of invaders These first arrivals must ensure they are out of the area before the legion arrives or they will find themselves the wrong end of a hundred spears.

Such behavior is entertaining to these masters, with some demon lords even encouraging their legion or legions to "play" with the smaller demons. In an ironic twist of fate, such seemingly undesirable traits make a demon like the legion such a high-demand species among the demonic aristocracy.

Spectator Blood Sports

Another reason the legion earned its position as a high-demand demon is its value to more powerful demons as a source of entertainment. As stated, a legion may feel inclined to find a large open space and start crying out to possible challengers. In the demon world, this lures in many a fighter both worthy and unworthy of crossing paths with the embodiment of barbarism.

One unique property of the legion's bestial cry is its unique sound pattern, which other members of the species recognize even from great distances as a call to battle. For unknown reasons, the legion can hear this specific call for much greater distances than they can hear other sounds and other demons can hear it. The offending demon will spend hours at a time calling out for challengers, not even stopping when lesser combatants appear. It will only stop this booming declaration of war once another legion enters its arena, sparking the lengthy and bloody battles this species has become infamous for.

Though far more grand spectacles of violence can be found among the demon world, these events have become famous in their own right among the high ranks due to their incredibly messy nature. Where a hulking glutton like the drallmamoth prefers a more no-nonsense method of destruction, the legion relishes in spilling the many fluids of other demons across the battlefield and soaking the dirt in a rainbow of demonic blood. What had once been a barren patch of sand becomes a fleshy canvas for the legion. Such levels of wanton violence is commonplace among the War Domain, but it is rare to see it accompanied by the levels of barbarism exhibited by even a single legion.

Due to the hostile nature of this species, spectators often watch from a great distance or send in spies to provide a closer view without entering the arena. Often a demon lord with a legion under its control will unleash the demon if it recognizes the call to the slaughter. From there, a spy will be sent to follow the living tide of war to allow its master to witness it in the heat of battle.