Caesar's Legion
Full Name: Caesar's Legion, Sons of Caesar (Lucius), The Commonwealth (Lucius - Democratic path)
Ideology: Ruler
Founded by a group of hostages captured by the Blackfoot Tribe, nobody could have realized how far Caesar would take the tribals under him. Almost two decades later and the Legion holds complete control over all land east of Colorado and is currently fighting numerous wars of conquest, having absorbed many tribes and stripped them of their identities; converting them to Caesar's cult of personality. Caesar's best, Legate Lanius, is currently on a campaign east to conquer New Mexico and Colorado, with the plunder to be used for the campaign west.- Artistic Licence – History: In-universe. Caesar knows that his Legion, in its present state, has more in common with the Gallic tribes the real Gaius Julius Caesar fought than with Rome, and made some compromises in order to get his plans off the ground.
- Bread and Circuses: The Legion rules over what they consider "civilized people" this way. Settlements that willingly accept Caesar as their supreme ruler, pay tribute to the Legion, and obey its men's requests and orders unquestionably are given the Legion's protection and modest supply of water, food, and electricity in exchange. However, if the Legion writes off a group as an "uncivilized" tribe, they receive no such offer, instead being brutally crushed and forcibly subjugated.
- Les Collaborateurs: Those who voluntarily renders unto Caesar are made into this, with significant autonomy and guarantees of safety so long as they contribute resources or manpower to the Legion.
- Decadent Court: Downplayed. While Caesar surrounds himself with yes-men and loyal veterans, some of his legates have very distinct plans for the Legion, which may end up plunging it into infighting.
- Necessarily Evil: The barely-tolerated (at first) "Cult of Vulcan", which manages the Legion's technological and engineering affairs, is at least partially made up of survivors from a Brotherhood of Steel detachment that Caesar previously defeated in Arizona. While detested by Caesar initially, it's kept afloat out of pragmatism, which may turn to genuine respect depending on which path the Legion follows.
- Fantasy Counterpart Culture: As the name suggest, the Legion is heavily based on Rome. In practice, even to Caesar's own admission, its current state has ironically more in common with the real Julius Caesar's barbarian foes than anything else.
- Keystone Army: Downplayed. The Legion is held together almost entirely through Caesar, and will almost certainly fracture into infighting should he die. Various measures by his underlings, however, could mitigate the damage should it occur.
- Repressive, but Efficient: At least initially. As brutal and ruthless as the Legion is, it has brought order back to Arizona and specifically to the communities that have submitted willingly to Caesar.
- Rising Empire: The Legion is an ascendant empire-in-the-making. Whether it could make a proper transition into a new Roman Empire or fall apart is another question.
- Science Is Bad: Played With. Initially, Caesar makes an effort to discourage scientific research outside of guns or practical development, believing that civilizational decadence and an overreliance on automation was what doomed pre-war society. This can be averted, however, should the Legion foster a technocratic "Cult of Vulcan" that instead sees progress as inherently Roman.
- Teeth-Clenched Teamwork: It becomes apparent that the Legion's most capable legates and subordinates are jostling for power over each other, and are only kept in line by Caesar's force of personality. The moment he dies, their power struggles devolve into open civil war.
- Visionary Villain: While the Legion's low-level grunts might be brainwashed lackeys and thugs looking for plunder, the leadership, especially Caesar, have vastly greater ambitions than being just another group of warlords. They want to remake the world in their image, and they have a surprising amount of planning in place to do just that.
- We Have Reserves: The Legion is all too happy to throw throngs of fresh recruits and tribal auxiliaries at its enemies, with those still left fighting softened enough for the veteran legionaries to finish off.
- White Man's Burden: Caesar's Legion's entire history was based on conquering tribes and removing their identity to become part of itself. If a tribe refuses to submit or has no value, then it will be destroyed completely.
Caesar
Ideology: Ruler
Formerly known as Edward Sallow, a Follower of the Apocalypse sent east to learn more about the communities there, Caesar is the founder and unquestioned leader of the Legion. After encountering books on Roman history, he was inspired to use the blueprint of the ancient Roman Empire to mold bands of tribals into the nucleus of a new civilization. Even as his Legion continues its ascent, however, he has greater ambitions in mind. Though time is not at his side.- Badass Bookworm: Caesar was originally a linguist, sent by the Followers of the Apocalypse to research tribal dialects, with a surprising knowledge of history, cultural theory, and sociology.
- Because You Were Nice to Me: Caesar still holds some degree of affection for the Followers of the Apocalypse and will generally offer them safe passage away from Legion territory rather than just enslaving them outright.
- Dark Lord on Life Support: Though it's not immediately obvious, he's slowly dying from a brain tumor, just as in the source material. Unless it's resolved, he could die well before achieving his dream of "Nova Roma," sparking a civil war that can potentially bring the Legion down with him.
- Defector from Decadence: To a degree, he sees himself as having broken off from both the perceived degeneracy of the NCR and Followers of the Apocalypse.
- From Nobody to Nightmare: Caesar has come far, from being an impoverished NCR citizen named Edward Sallow to one of the most dangerous figures in the wasteland.
- A God Am I: Downplayed, but Caesar's pretentions to godhood as the Son of Mars have grown alongside his ego over time.
- Heel Realization: Downplayed. If he manages to have his brain tumor removed and maintain control, he gradually comes to the conclusion that the Legion could not survive in its current form. While this doesn't cause him to have a change of heart, it's nonetheless enough to make him reconsider how he goes about seeing his vision of a new Rome through.
- Hypocrisy Nod: If he survives the brain tumor, Caesar quietly comes to acknowledge some of the hypocritical aspects of both the Legion and his rule over it. This leads him to look even deeper into Roman history in order to improve himself.
- Necessarily Evil: He views the more reprehensible and draconian measures done under his watch as either a temporary measure, or a stepping stone for fulfilling his ultimate goals.
- Pragmatic Villainy: Caesar could be swayed to adapt reforms and more pragmatic policies, even to the point of embracing technological advancement, if it means making his vision of a new Rome a reality.
- Visionary Villain: His ultimate goal is to establish his "Nova Roma" and bring the NCR to heel through conquest and Hegelian dialectics.
Lucius
- Broken Pedestal: Downplayed. As Lucius tries to emulate Caesar, he begins to notice how hypocritical the man had been. Regardless of which path Lucius pursues, this spurs him to try and succeed where his beloved master had failed.
- Internal Reformist: In his democratic path, he's shown to be inclined to make piecemeal reforms, and could potentially re-establish the old Southwestern Commonwealth. Though these are more to keep the Legion functional in the long term than anything else.
- Know When to Fold 'Em: Regardless of which path Lucius follows, he comes to the conclusion that the Legion's heartland must be heavily fortified, whether it be due to buying time until it's once again strong enough to continue expanding or in his democratic path, due to him realizing that protecting Arizona is more important than further expansion.
- Meet the New Boss: Downplayed. Lucius considers himself the most loyal of Caesar's Praetorians. Yet while he makes a conscious effort to preserve as much of his master's work as possible, he can implement his own pragmatic changes in order to ensure the Legion's long-term survival. Even in his democratic path, he still invokes his former master's ideals to justify his reforms.
- The Remnant: If Caesar dies, Lucius winds up leading the late Edward Sallow’s most diehard loyalists, calling themselves the Sons of Caesar.
- Yes-Man: Lucius is among the most loyal and sycophantic of Caesar's followers, though this can potentially change in his democratic path.
Malpais' Cohort
- Equal-Opportunity Evil: Unlike the rest of the Legion splinter factions, Malpais' Cohort is one where women and others belittled by Caesar are treated as equals, so long as they abide by its Christianized status quo.
- A Lighter Shade of Black: Malpais' Cohort may be an expansionist, militant threat to everything around it, albeit with a Mormon veneer. It is, however, considerably more tolerable to live in and open to change compared to the other would-be successors to Caesar's Legion.
Malpais Legate/Joshua Graham
- As the Good Book Says...: The Malpais Legate's focuses progressively become sprinkled with Biblical quotes and allusions.
- Beneath the Mask: While the Malpais Legate seemingly embraces his title and status in the Legion, he holds on to his Christian beliefs and identity as Joshua Graham.
- The Dreaded: Second only to Caesar in the hierarchy, few dare to defy the Malpais Legate openly. At least for so long as he is on Caesar's good side.
- Everyone Calls Him "Barkeep": Downplayed. While the Malpais Legate is formally referred to as such even in the event of civil war, his closest followers still refer to him as Joshua Graham.
- Hijacked by Jesus: Should Joshua Graham remain in the Legion as the Malpais Legate, he could secretly co-opt its nascent religious and cultural institutions. Eventually, the existing cults are replaced by a militant form of Mormonism, with his version of the Legion outright being referred to
◊ as the "Army of the Lord" and the "Horns of Moroni". - Internal Reformist: As part of his Christianization of the Legion, the Malpais Legate implements various reforms such as greater autonomy to tribals and elevating women into positions of honor as equals.
- The Starscream: If the Malpais Legate remains in Caesar's good graces, he's revealed to not only be subtly usurping control of the Legion. He's also plotting to eventually seize power and remake it in his image.
Vulpes' Legion
- Pragmatic Villainy: Compared to the other competing contenders, Vulpes' Legion is more likely to be more selective in its cruelty, and generous whenever it's convenient, even while otherwise retaining much of Caesar's vision intact.
- We Are Everywhere: The Frumentarii, which form the core of Vulpes' Legion, have gained a reputation for infiltrating rival factions without their targets ever noticing until it's too late.
Vulpes Inculta
- Bread and Circuses: Vulpes Inculta is amenable to implementing "merciful" reforms like abolishing slavery, as well as offering more clemency to conquered and vassalized peoples. That mercy, however, is extended only for so long as the Legion's subjects know their place.
- The Spymaster: He's the head of the Frumentarii, in charge of overseeing all the Legion's covert-ops and military intelligence activities.
- To Win Without Fighting: Under Vulpes' leadership, the Legion puts more emphasis on subverting and destroying enemies from within rather than mere conquest.
Aurelius' Legion
Aurelius
- Might Makes Right: Aurelius is fervently dedicated to crushing enemies under the boots of his cohorts, believing that only the strongest and bravest deserve to rule.
- War for Fun and Profit: Aurelius can provide incentives for mercenaries to join his Legion's military adventures, both to bolster his ranks and to learn their tactics for future campaigns. That he also gets a hefty sum of caps in the process also provides a good incentive to keep the Legion's campaigns going.
- Warhawk: Of all of Caesar's would-be successors, Aurelius is the most imperialistic and expansionist.
Legion of Hades
- Les Collaborateurs: The Legion of Hades is largely comprised of ghouls and other mutant collaborators, which are just barely tolerated by the rest of Caesar's Legion.
- Teeth-Clenched Teamwork: While they are loyal to Caesar, the rest of the Legion views them with thinly-veiled disdain, at best.
Caius Drusus
- Internal Reformist: Caius Drusus downplays some of the more reactionary aspects of Caesar's Legion while providing significantly more mobility for ghouls and mutants like himself.
- Reassignment Backfire: Caius Drusus is given command over the Legion of Hades by Caesar, both as a reward for loyalty and as a not-too-subtle means to keep his kind out of sight. As Caesar's Legion plunges into civil war following its founder's death, however, he could potentially emerge as an even more potent threat than his predecessor.
- Token Non-Human: Given Caesar's sub-par view of ghouls, Drusus stands out by virtue of his tenacity and dedication.
Navajo
- "Not So Different" Remark: While the Navajo find the Reservation's forced conversion of slaves into ghouls distasteful, they can simply decide that both are simply looking out for their own people, and enact a mutual defensive guarantee with the Reservation.
- Voluntary Vassal: Caesar initially sought to conquer the Navajo, but two years of bloody war convinced him this would not succeed before Chief Hashkeh Naabaah had him visit New Navajo, struck peace with the Legion and pledged to serve in the Legion's wars in exchange for the Legion's protection from raiders and access to their markets. The main choice in the Navajo's focus tree is whether they seek to rebel against the Legion, or gain more autonomy until they become the Legion's ally instead of subject.
Two Sun
- All Hail the Great God Mickey!: The Cult of Nas originated from a pre-war auto racing company whose employees banded together to give hope to the helpless. Racers would patrol the city, while mechanics and priests maintained their equipment and kept the generators running.
- Voluntary Vassal: When the first troops of the Legion threatened Two Sun, a lone courier wearing the symbol of the Great Fox showed the people of Two Sun that Nas' will was not to attack, but to lay down arms, approach in peace, even offer gifts to the invaders. While some of the older racers still lament the loss of autonomy, the relationship between Two Sun and Caesar's Legion has always been mutually beneficial.
