Cassia Flavius

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History
Cassia was born to a thieving father, and a mother who did not make it through the birth. Her conditions could only be described as poor, up until her father was inevitably arrested. At the age of nine, Cassia was left destitute and alone. After a few months of begging, stealing, and scavenging to get by, the young girl came upon a band of Centurions. Their gleaming armor, weapons, and stoic masks reminded her of stories she had heard. Stories of a bygone empire.

Seeing as she had nowhere else to go, Cassia asked the Centurions to train her. It was an odd request, especially coming from such a young girl, but after a bit of begging and promising, the little girl found herself in the custody of these complete strangers. Afterwards, Cassia was put through a rather rough couple years. Training, sparring, exercising, but most interestingly, reading. Anything that little Cassia could get her hands on, whether it be books, scrolls, or stone tablets, she would study to excess. The only things she would not read were those that she could not decipher. This voracious appetite for knowledge lead to the young girl learning much about the old empire. Stories of great emperors, an unbeatable military, and the gods that watched over them, all of it fascinated Cassia, and quickly planted ideas in her impressionable mind. Ideas that have failed to leave her in adulthood.

A New Empire
As Cassia aged, she spent much of her time in combat. Whether it be in sparring, as a traveling mercenary group, or a gladiatorial fighter, Cassia often impressed both her spectators, and her combatants. When the previous leader of her centuria passed, Cassia was quick to take up his spot, and personally fend off any who dared challenge her. Now that she was in a true position of power, those ideas of hers got to work.

Deciding that her group of rowdy Centurions needed to be a more organized force, Cassia began whipping the soldiers into shape, as well as recruiting new ones. In the process of traveling and amassing more trainees, Cassia came upon an abandoned castle in the Iron Slopes, partially wrecked from a previous, forgotten battle. After clearing out a small group of bandits (and countless rats) Cassia and her centuria managed to claim the structure. Cassia's ambitious plans were in full swing by now, and she had the whole structure renovated, dubbing it "New Rome".

Current Antics
After having founded New Rome, Cassia and her men began to take claim on nearby settlements. Not only in the Iron Slopes, but Waterstop, the Labyrinth of Sand, and some of Brute's Bend as well. The new empire protects the towns and cities it lays claim upon, taking it upon themselves to execute criminals, recruit new Centurions, and even guard shipments. But the new empire does not take no for an answer, and enforces strict tax policies. When New Rome extends its reach to a settlement, they are given two options: Join us, or burn to the ground.

Appearance
Cassia's armor is rather elaborate, and does a good job of discerning her as a leader. A red plume rests atop her helmet, and a stoic mask keeps her face protected. Her armor as a whole is rather elaborate, with a bear pelt adorning her back, and chainmail covering any exposed points. The robes and cape in her armor are crimson, giving an iconic look. A phoenix is carved into one of her vambraces, and a basilisk into the other.