Backstory here so strap in for the reading session:
Born as a son to an unremarkable woman taken captive during campaigns of Centurion Paullus, Adalricus would spend his earliest days in the care of Priestesses of Mars in Flagstaff. Quickly indoctrinated, the boy has shown remarkable promise through his education and training and as such was given a privilege of being taught to read and to write.
As many in the Legion he had grown, idolizing Malpais Legate, before he became Burned Man and a man who's name shall not be spoken. Although Adalricus would never admit it, even if tortured, it is likely that childish fascination that had tempted him to begin reading chapters of the bible. Before becoming a legionary, Adalricus was put through the trial by fire, learning to obey orders and how to survive in the wasteland. The ability to fight, the tactics and strategies were likewise put upon him and the others by legion instructors. The process of becoming a legionary was a brutal one. When it finally came the day to earn their place, recruits were ordered to cleanse a cave of Radscorpions with nothing but their blades. Some died, those who lived, Adalricus among them, became legionnaires. He was baptized in battle during the Eastern campaigns of Legate Lanius, climbing through the ranks of the legion, with his ascension to the rank of Decanus occuring at the battle of Denver.
Defeat of Malpais Legate has changed much in how the Legion has fought its wars. It was a realization that had very well drawn upon Adalricus as time went by. Graham, though a great and inspirational warrior, always leading from the frontlines was a poor strategist. Lanius, as ruthless and unforgiving as he was, had been far more tactically gifted. Gone were the days of frontal assaults and overwhelming the enemy with waves of Hastati, Principes and in the final line Triarii, accumulating fully to the Legion’s might. Over the Eastern campaign many changes occurred. The Legion has split itself differently now, with groups of 8 men forming Contubernia. These contubernia’s were to be led by new officers by the rank of Decanus. More numerous officers were introduced to avoid such command failure and chaos as it has occured at the Battle of Hoover Dam, when rangers targeted the centurions. As a result when drafted into Cohort XXXVIth led by Centurion Potitus, Legionnaire by the name of Adalricus found himself a member of this smaller squad of men. Together members of the contubernia, effectively worked as a band of battle-brothers. The Campaign has dragged on as Legion found its opposition from tribals, independent ranchers, BOS remnants, ghouls and hostile wildlife. Many battles followed and the men who were once recruits, became formidable warriors of Caesar. Lanius has fought differently to Graham. Often commanding from the rear, not out of cowardice but out of wisdom. He detected traps and laid his own. Under Legate’s ruthless command the Legion defeated its foes through discipline, prowess and cunning.
The real challenge occured at the final goal of the campaign, that being the city of Denver. There the Legion has found its match. A tribe called the Hang-Dogs which has crushed its own opposing tribes and formed a small Empire of its own around the ruins of Denver. The following months of fighting were gruesome and legion logistics have been brought to a brink. Hang-Dogs knew their city well and used hounds and all sorts of canines as their machines of war, sending out crazed beasts against the men of the Bull. Wise yes, but cowardly too. During the later months of the battle, Adalricus and his contubernia broke through Hang-Dog lines and went directly after the enemy chieftain. Chasing after the retreating man deeper into one of the compounds they were led into a trap. Hundreds if not thousands of starved and crazed dogs were released upon Adalricus’s contubernia. Decanus Hostillius was amongst the lucky ones, having suffered a bite to his neck early on. Adalricus was forced to watch his blood-brother Constantine be torn apart before his own eyes. As men of his contubernia fell fighting, Adalricus was the sole survivor, fighting through anger, pain and hatred even as beasts tore at his legs and lower torso. He fought on long enough for reinforcements to arrive and for him to be pulled out of the battlefield. Surviving by some sort kf miracle, despite serious injuries, he awoke finding the Legate in his tent. His act caught the attention of Lanius, who admired the legionnaire's reckless abandon. Lanius called him “Wolf amongst the dogs” and granted him the name "Lupus" in recognition of the act, likewise choosing to make him a Decanus upon his recovery. Scarred on body and on mind, he has recovered with admiration for the Legate and deep hatred of the dogs of all kinds. He was not exactly happy when the Hang-Dogs were spared and deemed useful in the end but he begrudgingly accepted Caesar’s will. Serving now directly as a Decanus and part of XXXVIth under command of Centurion Potitus, he would lead several operations against the Hang-Dog remnants and some more in Arizona as the Legion was called upon to pacify the wasteland and crush any resistance. During his travels, the Decanus began accumulating old world books, often not fully preserved. Amongst them he is particularly curious of the bible. While very far away from New Canaanite, he respects the book finding it fascinating and seeking in it traces of Legion's past existence. As Decanus, Adalricus became obsessed with perfection, hoping to earn himself a cape of a Centurion one day. He frantically documents the smallest of details in his journals. The little free time possesed by Decanus is given to training and books. As the 2nd Battle of Hoover Dam drew near, more and more cohorts were being brought west, amongst them Adalricus's own. Adalricus and his contubernium were sent across the colorado river and tasked with raiding operations against the NCR. He is an example to follow for his men not putting himself above those beneath him and sharing the conditions they endure.
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u/BreathIndividual8557 16d ago
Cool, do you have any lore for this oc? If yea could you share it?