The Empyrean Legion

The Empyrean Legion

The Empyrean Legion is a knightly ordered organized and ordained by the House of Veneration. Its 5000+ members are the religion’s special armed services, but also act as heralds, explorers and architects. Members are usually recruited from the House of Veneration’s basic security forces or from other military organizations. Applying to be a member is no easy task, and most people being considered are put through an intense background check, physical fitness examination and mental aptitude test. Once accepted, members must train on the Saturn Academy grounds for two years before earning their knighthood and being able to join other holy quests and assignments. Members can be of any race, though most Solins and Naga are usually considered unfit by board of induction officials.

Once inducted, Knights of the Empyrean Legion are appointed to a base of operations, 90% being mobile battle vessels. Once allocated, knights are considered able bodied to handle any mission by themselves if ordered. Fortunately, due to the danger of most expeditions, more often then not, a squad of Empyrean Legion members are dispersed together. As of recently, the Empyrean Legion has been very active in the Hexisan Galaxy, investigating indigenous planets and histories. Since the Hexisan Galaxy has many more wiped out worlds and societies than the Milky Way, House of Veneration officials have sent forth a large number of knights to study their lost empires in hopes of linking them to the Creator.

While the knights are looked at as nothing more than mercenaries or zealots by some organizations, the ultimate difference between them and other military units are their code of ethics. The Empyrean Legion is expected to follow a strict code of conduct, and if found guilty of disobeying these laws, are stripped of their title. Losing one’s title not only takes away from personal honor, but also retracts all rights to bare heavy arms, armors and policing rights within the Terran Alliance. Their ethos is as follows…

 To maintain God and His/Her Church
 To serve the liege lord in valor and faith
 To protect the weak and defenseless
 To live by honor and for glory
 To despise pecuniary reward
 To obey those placed in authority
 To guard the honor of fellow knights
 To eschew unfairness, meanness and deceit
 Never to refuse a challenge from an equal
 Never to turn the back upon a foe

Empyrean Legion Knights also receive numerous benefits for serving faithfully. On the field, the knights are adorned with some of the most high tech armors, weapons and gadgets that the church can afford. They are transported on premiere battle ships, and housed in fortified bases. They have tactical authority during times of need over the Sacred Guard military units and any HOV policing forces. They receive special funding for projects and can request more with proper justification. They receive an ample pay to support their families and are able to retire after 45 years of age. Afterwards, Empyrean knights are still considered nobility in the eyes of the House of Veneration, but must give up their right to bare heavy arms or armors within Terran Alliance territory (aka The Milky Way). They are housed in House of Veneration complexes along with their families and honored for their bravery in the name of one God.