The Company of the Broken Baton

The Company of the Broken Baton kept the same command structure as they possessed before they deserted. Above all was the Captain. He had three File Leaders under him and each File Leader had three squads to command. Each squad was commanded by a squad leader.

During the last few centuries of the Empire, morale among those who protected it would steadily decline in large areas of the Realm. When Century Captain Vesavi Gow led his men to go rogue in order to truly serve the people it changed the morale of the company. They again had what they viewed as an honorable objective and they strove to accomplish it.

To do what the Empire did not, share it's wealth with all of it's people. Not just the Elite or well connected.

In the beginning it was the Fourth Century of the Nineteenth Imperial Legion. They abandoned their post with a full load of supplies and all the equipment, weapons and armor a century of the Legion would have. Over time they gathered more followers, not just soldiers. They established hidden bases at numerous places around Aclenisia. At their Height they could match any Imperial Legion for numbers

During the Decline of The Empire corruption, always present, grew. Among those who were most offended by the blatant abuse of power that was rife within Imperial Bureaucracy was Century Captain Vesavi Gow. For five years he and his Century had been fighting an uprising in Tivinou. When they were finally victorious his Century was one of those tasked with shipping back what he believed was items stolen from the Empire. En route to Aclensia he discovered the truth. All the caravans were to be delivered to various high level Bureaucrats around the empire, the majority going towards the capital. As the journey continued he consulted with his officers, eventually moving onto the rank and file till he had convinced every single one to join him in serving the people better then those the followed would allow them to. They took possession of the entire caravan, slaying those who were complicit in the looting scheme. The rest joined them. The entire caravan went into hiding, no trace of them seen for almost a year.   During that year they established their first base deep within the Teopil Hills. They also sent covert members to surrounding communities, finding who was in need and who was oppressing the people. In the Spring of 144 BF the newly christened Company of the Broken Baton began to secretly disseminate the wealth they had stolen to the common folk of Aclenisia.   Raids on Imperial merchants began as well. Almost all the wealth was redistributed to the people, only a fraction was kept for operational costs. For 14 more years they operated thus. Seven different times large units and formations were sent to hunt them down and bring them to justice but no ambush was ever successful since the people loved them and got word to them anytime a file of soldiers was seen. This gave them a tremendous intelligence advantage which they used to defeat every force sent against them until 131 BF. Growing furious over the loss of wealth, Imperial Bureaucrats plotted to resolve the matter. The entire matter had been concealed from Empress Shondona II since revelation might reveal their corruption which had been the catalyst for the whole affair. High level legion officers where bribed and four full legions moved to Aclenisia. What followed was a terror campaign. Commoners were tortured to give up the Company.   None Did.   But still the horrors would continue, whole villages put the torch and its people to the sword. The Company could not bear that others were taking such hurt for them. Knowing they were doomed they attacked the vastly numerically superior force. Three days of battle saw the Company killed almost to a man, Captain Gow had captured. The intent had been to torture him to death in a public spectacle. The vile act had just begun, the surviving Imperial Legion and every commoner within ten kilometers had been gathered to witness, when trumpets interrupted them.   Word of what had been occurring in Aclenisia had reached the Empress. She had tasked her heir, Prince Drevino to investigate the matter and dispense justice as needed. He had uncovered the corruption that had been the source of it all. Several High Level officials had been summarily executed but the tipping point was a major battle had been lost due to insufficient troops. Troops that had been secretly moved to hunt the Company of the Broken Baton had been diverted from that battle. The senior officers complicit in the affair were executed on the spot by the Shadowguards who accompanied the Prince. Captain Gow, gravely wounded was brought to the Prince for judgement. Captain Gow admitted openly what he had done and why he had done it. In light of his honesty and bravery in breaking his oath for what he viewed a nobler purpose the Prince gave Vesavi the choice for his execution. Vesavi requested to die by the Prince's own hand. It was granted and in his official report to his mother named the Captain of the Broken Baton, Vesavi the Unbent.

Defeated in battle 131 BF