Legiones Alterrae

The Legions of Alterra are the main fighting force of Alterra.  Other units may pledge their allegiance to Alterra, though the Legions are the primary unit upon which Alterra relies.  The uniform of an Alterran Legionnaire is composed of black and green garb decorated with the Signum Astri (Alterra’s five pointed star).

There are currently three Legions in Alterra.  Legion I is based in Edmond, Oklahoma and is commanded by Commander Alexander Vedette.  Legion II is based in Columbia, Missouri and is currently under construction by Grandmaster Tiberius.  Legion III is located in Connecticut and is commanded by Commander Tristan.

The Legions are dedicated to the service and protection of their nation, and their members are expected to uphold honor at all times.  They are to be a beacon of virtue in dark times, a model for others to follow.
The Legions are broken down into smaller groups to increase their fighting efficiency and to encourage growth in number and ability:

Squad
A Squad is the smallest group of Alterrans within the Legion, consisting of five Alterrans. A single squad is led by a Captain, who is appointed by his superior. As a general rule, the members of a squad elect their captain, though this is not always true.  Squads are named with Arabic Numerals, but are generally spoken along with the name of their star (ex: Alpha Two is the second Squad in the first Star). The full name of a squad consists of the name of its Legion, Star, and Squad (ex: II Alpha 3, or Alpha 3 of the Second Legion of Alterra).  The century is implied by the name of the Star.

Star
A Star is composed of 5 Squads (25 Alterrans) and is lead by a Castellan, who is also a Captain of one Squad within the Star, and who is appointed by his superior. Stars are named with Greek letters (ex: Alpha, Beta, Gamma, Delta, etc).

Century
A Century contains 4 Stars (20 Squads, 100 Alterrans) and is lead by a Centurion, who is also a Castellan and who is appointed by his Commander. A Century is named with Arabic numerals (ex: Century 4).  However, when referring to a Squad’s name, the number of the Century is implied by the Greek letter used by the Star, as listed below:

Century I
-Alpha
-Beta
-Gamma
-Delta

Century II
-Zeta
-Eta
-Theta
-Kappa

Century III
-Lambda
-Mu
-Nu
-Xi

Century IV
-Pi
-Rho
-Sigma
-Tau

Century V
-Phi
-Chi
-Psi
-Omega

Legion
A Legion consists of 5 Centuries (20 Stars, 100 Squads, 500 Alterrans) and is lead by the Commander, who is also a Centurion, and is appointed by the Grandmasters. A Legion is named with Roman numbers (ex: Legion I, the First Legion of Alterra).

Elite Units
The Templars and Death Guard are elite sub-units of the Legions of Alterra that can only be obtained for an entire squad. The tests composed for them center around the perfect cooperation of the squad. A squad can attempt these tests only after each member has attained the rank of Knighthood. If, however, the squad fails the test, they cannot re-take the test for at least another month. A squad can only belong to one elite unit at a time and each member within the squad retains their personal rank.

Templars
The Templars are the elite offensive fighting force of Alterra. They master the art of warfare in formation. They learn to move and fight in their formation, devastating their enemies. To be accepted into the Templars, a squad of knight-rank or higher must pass these two tests:

1. The Grandmasters will be joined by 4 squads of a minimum of squire rank. The testing squad must attack this group, killing both Grandmasters and killing enough other warriors to get 1/2 of the available points. Squires are worth 1 point; Knights, 2; Knights of the Oak, 3; Knights of the Raven, 4; Knight of the Star, 5. In the case that Grandmasters are not available, the Grandmasters will choose two individuals to take their place (typically the Commander and his Lieutenant).

2. The Grandmasters or an individual chosen by the Grandmasters shall test the squad's ability to get into a number of formations quickly. A minimum of 10 formations will be tested.

If a squad is accepted, each member is formally referred to as (name), Templar of Alterra.

The Secret-Keeper
The Secret-Keeper is the commander of the Templars. He or she is chosen by the Grandmasters for being an exceptionally good fighter and commander (he must ask a Grandmaster for permission to command the Templars for a single battle during practice, so that his commanding capabilities can be observed). The Secret-Keeper can be replaced at any time, if the Grandmasters choose another. The previous Secret-Keeper then must tell the new keeper the Secret of the Templars. The Secret-Keeper is forbidden to reveal the secret to anyone other than his successor.

The Death Guard
The Death Guard is the elite defensive force of Alterra, focusing on the ability to protect a person or object against innumerable odds by using a myriad of formations and techniques. The Death Guard also works to perfection on their shield wall, making it nigh impenetrable. In order for a squad to be accepted into the Death Guard they must pass these two tests:

1. The Death Guard shall escort the Grandmasters a distance of 1/2 mile while being opposed by 4 squads of a minimum of squire rank. The challenging squad must defeat enough to receive 1/3 of the points available as defined above and must also have both Grandmasters alive and uninjured at the target.

2. To demonstrate their ability to form an effective shield wall, the squad will hold a distance the width of five men for a minimum of 5 minutes against 4 squire rank or higher squads (the assaulting squads have a resurrection point thirty feet from the shield wall).  The assaulting squads may not go around the shield wall (it is essentially a passage battle).

If a squad is accepted, each member is formally referred to as (name), of the Death Guard, or as Death Guardian.

The Angel of Death
The Angel of Death is the commander of the Death Guard. To be eligible for this position, a Death Guardian must pass this test: The Death Guardian must defend a page armed only with a single blue, against four warriors of Alterra (of knighthood or above). The Death Guardian can be armed in the same manner as for the test to be inducted. The other warriors can be armed in any way (at the Grandmasters’ discretion). All fighters must be approved by a Grandmaster. When this test is passed, the Death Guardian is then allowed to command the Death Guard for one or more battles on the next practice, so that he can be judged on his commanding capabilities. Once a Death Guardian has passed this test, he is brought before the Conclave, where he is tried for proficiency in battle (mainly in defending others) and his ability to command. If the conclave votes in his favor, he may challenge the current Angel of Death for the position.  If he wins, he is awarded the rank and his name is changed to Azrael, the Angel of Death.