The Blacksun Order

"'I took an oath. To fight for peace. So did you. All of you.' - Lord Warden"

The Blacksun Company
"'Funny that you asked, I always thought it's obvious. Tell me, what in the world is the most powerful, most unstoppable thing? No, not one of those fat club-wielding eastmen. I say, it is the sun. This beautiful night will be over soon, and we both know, what we see. We, just like the sun, come out of shadows, bringing our light to others. The light, or should I say, 'enlightment' of death. We will fight until the streets are black from dried blood, nothing will stop us, no one will question our power. That's why we are black sun. Now go back to sleep, as tomorrow we have another city to raid.' - Knight-commander Walder Crevan""'Don't think about that too much, man. He's just an old fart who drinks too much and then tells his cool stories about streets filled with blood, how beautiful the sun is and so on. In fact, we are just former mercenaries who got into Apollyon's hands and got fascinated by her fancy stories. As long as there's a war going, we have money, so why not? Better than sitting in some hole without money anyway.' - Knight-commander Reynauld Viatoris"As long as there's a conflict, there always will be someone getting profit from it. The Blacksun Company was a group of mercenaries, well known for being all over the lands. Need someone killed? Viking ships appeared from the horizon? Blacksun is ready to help for decent pay. Some rumors told that the Blacksun itself escalated those conflicts they solved so effectively, though if you asked their knight-commanders avoided to give any commentary.

For a group which consists of bloodthirsty criminals and honor-seeking knights alike, one has to make rather strict yet deliberate rules. And someone did. Blacksun was based on three 'pillars' - The golden coin, as a reward to fight for, The contract, which is a duty to fulfill, and The Company, that unites them under a single banner.

Starting as a bunch of like-minded former soldiers, they grew fast to become an army to hire, taking contracts others wouldn't and succeeding almost at every turn. Some of Blacksun knight-commanders could let themselves to somehow get themselves a castle for various reasons - for official meetings with other commanders and regular Blacksuns, as a place to rest for a while, or just to show off. The most well-known of those is the Blackfyre Castle. Sometimes, local lords would want to claim such a castle, so if a really large-scale contract was presented, Blacksun knight-commanders met and voted if they should accept it. Same went for defensive maneuvers, if someone was bold enough to attack with their own forces. Such voting evolved into 'Solstices' - regular discussions of 'Constellation' - the circle of Blacksun's knight-commanders. Soon, both sides of the northern Ashfield border became scared of seeing the "Dawn" - the army of Black Sun.

Some told that the Blacksun Company was probably becoming a new major faction to influence the lands of Ashfield, but they didn't. They remained true to their Pillars, understanding that any changes could eventually put the Company to an end. But even then some mercenaries betrayed the Pillars to further shatter the peace in Blacksuns' ranks. The Captains were already at odds with one another, the two most famous being Walder Crevan and Daemon Sanctus. Those lords, who were so eager to hire Blacksuns before, now learned the art of diplomacy, as hiring Blacksuns meant the complete destruction of anything that stands between them and their payment. The numbers of Company started to fall, as the golden age of it ended. But there was something else, waiting in shadows. The wolves' howl has put an end to Black Sun's little haven, bringing something more threatening.

The Old Blackstone Legion
One day, a letter came to the Constellation's members. Under the unknown seal, there was a letter:

"This is going to be a job, like you never had before. The war is coming, and you have to choose your side. Time to expand and become the best and the strongest in the new world with the new order, where you will always have a contract to accept. Will meet all of you in the Vale."

Iikaya's barrier was a place of infinite Viking raids, which is why it's lords always had some work for mercenaries, and the reward was never disappointing. The Vale was a place, where a lot of local heroes died, defending their homes from Viking hordes and rival legions. And, unaware, fallen victims to their pride, the Blacksun Company marched there. They didn't meet what they expected though, as there was another army on the horizon. Somewhat confused, one of the Blacksuns' leaders stepped forward, hoping that this is still going to end in another contract, that will make the Blacksun Company strong again. But the swift arrow prevented any hope for a peaceful ending, as it became the Eclipse, as only the oldest ones of the Legion remember this event. The well-organized, huge army laid waste to a bunch of self-confident individuals. Only the strongest and most fearless of all remained. The Blacksun elite stood in an eye of the storm, helpless and nearly broken. Suddenly the fight stops. The man steps out of black and orange mass, inviting the enemy to make the last Blacksun Company's contract: Now, as the weak ones, who prevented Blacksuns from expanding, died, the Blackstone Legion promised life, riches and endless war for those who will accept to fulfill a rather vague contract. The war that the new Blacksun Legion will bring to the world, the new order where there always will be a fight to take advantage of. The tradition required Blacksuns to vote, but, as they stood on their brothers' corpses, most of them finally understood that what just happened was just a test, and the Company passed it, and the ones who didn't accept the contract didn't live for long. So, still shocked, they agreed rather fast, seeing that they got hired by people who know what they are doing - the Blackstone Legion. Yet, the remaining mercenaries weren't here for the Legion, but for the Contract to fulfill, nothing more.

From town to town, from battlefield to battlefield, the new addition to the Blackstone Legion fought the strongest enemies this world could offer. Never resting, never giving up a fight, the legion was still losing a lot - more people, more money and, most importantly, their identity. There was no more Blacksun Company - brave mercenaries, who were free to serve only to themselves. Now they are just unnamed wolves, embracing the moon. Still, they were happy to fight and bring the war to the most distant parts of the world, never again questioning their ways, remaining faithful to their old traditions, they suppressed their dreams of freedom in an endless fight, as the Coin now was a reason for a war to start, the Contract was the Blacksun battalion's reason to participate in another war and the Company that was lost for something greater to rise. But not everyone could accept how the very principles of their family became an old chant to repeat, to stay confident and hope that everything would eventually return to its place. But it only got worse from there.

By the Holden Cross himself, an order was issued: A group of deserters was found, a pathetic flock of sheep to be slaughtered. The Blacksun got to the place and set an ambush. The fight was over before traitors knew what hit them. And the Blacksun squad would have an all-night feast, if not for a Blacksun knight who uncovered a sun amulet on one of the corpses and a note inside:

"Treason should be punished. Weak of the pack will die alone. You did well, wolves. Never think of disappointing the Legion ever again."

Only then Blacksuns realized what they have done - these people were their former fellows, who abandoned the cause of endless war to find a new, achievable one - peace.

Those who remembered their old ways and valued the Company, they used to be a part of, were the first ones to revise the conditions of their contract. Seeing this as an act of betrayal, the other Blacksuns raised their swords, as they remained loyal to the Blackstone Legion they always were a part of. Those who accepted what they are now, claimed to be The Blacksun Wolves. Under the guidance of Walder Crevan, who proclaimed himself as The Alpha, the true Blacksun Lord, the Wolves stayed with the Blackstone Legion, still believing in Apollyon's ideals. The other ones, lead by a knight-commander Reynald Viatoris, who claimed to remain loyal to the Constellation and the old Blacksuns' ways, rethinking how could they fulfill the contract even though the Blackstone Legion showed how they treat their people. There also were those, who either joined the Iron legion under the command of Daemon Sanctus to end the Legion they grew to hate or dispersed to never be seen again. The three leaders, who now became rivals, understood that if they just start ripping each other's throats, this will be an end of them. So they beg farewell to each other, knowing that the next time they meet, will probably be on the different sides of the battlefield.

This was the beginning of the end for this chapter of Blacksun's history, as the united force of former foes stroke the Legion in its heart, - the last battle of Appolyon.

Shattered
"'Guess, this is an end for our fight. Remember this day as the day we go to rest. Some of you may decide to keep fighting, some of you are fed up. Whatever road you choose, remember one thing: we came a long way, and we can not remain the thing we once were. Every story has an end. Every fight should end in someone's victory. Every war should end to bring another one. And you will end them all. You are the wolves. The real ones. Ones who know what they are.' - Walder Crevan before he sallied out to fight the invaders"The last battle of Apollyon was a battle for everyone to participate. Everyone, except the Constellation, it seems, as they knew the result before the battle even started. As the Blacksun Wolves sallied to hold the invaders off, they were not prepared to see Blacksun banners charging back at them - the ones who joined the Iron Legion. As the battle escalated, the fate brought down Daemon Sanctus and Walder Crevan, resulting the end of Daemon's story, as his head was chopped off for the treason against the Blacksun, nearly ending the story of Blacksun Wolves, as only a few survived, according to rumours.

As for the Constellation, still under a guidance of it's remaining members, they overlooked the battle, but didn't intervene, as this was their fight no more, the Blackstone Legion was losing this battle, and the Constellation still had a contract to fulfill. They watched how every side of the conflict fights and then retreated to heal their wounds. As the time passed by, confused, taught only to be warriors, nearly forgotten their old ways, they came up with the renewed codex called 'Nostro Proposito', which they followed to the day when the last member of Blacksun was no more. The war is an endless cycle that cannot be ended, and they swore to be victorious every time.

"Because every story has an end. Every fight ends in someone's victory. Every war should end to bring another one. And the Blacksun swore to end them all", as the conclusion of Nostro Proposito stated.

And so it was. Blackstone puppets no more, they finally saw the world they destroyed in a new way. Whatever allegiance Blacksuns had, they knew the new war was coming and they will have a comeback. The remaining Blacksun Wolves, Constellation traditionalists and vengeful Iron Legion Blacksuns knew they would once again carve the united Blacksun banner into Ashfeld, not for gold, like they once did, but to fulfill their contract they signed an eternity ago, any means possible. Though not every Blacksun would accept this new reality and would take time to accept their place in this world once more, like those, who joined the Iron legion or those who ran away as far from Ashfield as possible. So the Blacksun batallion dispersed, hid away from those still willing to destroy them. But the story wasn't over, as the Blacksun always found a way out of even the most desperate situation.

The New Blackstone Legion
A new war, as expected, came upon the lands of Ashfield. And another one, then another one. Quite a long time has passed since the Blacksun was somewhat united. Still, sometimes there were rumors of fierce warriors, holding their weapons like someone the world forgot or tried to forget. But that wasn't for long.

The ninth war, since the fall of the Blackstone Legion, started. The Samurai made a swift offense, breaking the might of disorganized knight orders, fighting each other. Only when the infamous volcano cult failed to protect their false god, the people of Ashfield understood that only united they could defeat the old foe. But how could they unite, if every banner wanted it all for itself?

The answer came from a distant path. There were the ones, protecting the people from themselves. The ones taking even the most dangerous contracts, fulfilling it any means possible. Often the way they fulfilled their work lead to even more work to do, and soon Blacksuns started to recognize their fellows' complex problem solving here and there. Soon, the three branches started to cross each other's paths and, with some exceptions, such meetings went rather smooth, as they had the same goals, same way of thinking and, of course, same history. Not a surprise, when rumours of the reformed Blackstone Legion rising came to their ears, the Constellation invited every former member of it to vote, as everyone had a right to do so, despite having different standing on following the Three Pillars Codex. As the voting took place, those in favor of meeting the new Blackstone Legion told farewell to others, who abandoned the contract, as they were Blacksuns no more.

Upon meeting the new Blackstone leaders, Blacksuns didn't see the same unstoppable force as before, but like-minded knights, some of them wanted to bring Appolyon's ideas back, some hoping for a good fight, and some just believing that the new Blackstone Legion, surprisingly, will put the war to an end. The Blacksun needed the new Blackstone Legion as the force, that will help them with fulfilling the contract, the very Blackstone Legion gave to them, but both Blacksuns and Blackstone Legion weren't the same, as they became partners, and not puppets and masters, with the New Blackstone Legion doing the boring stuff. And, having some experience in uniting a lot of different people under one banner, thBlacksuns did the same to the Legion, as they helped to establish the ideals, the way the Legion treats other factions joining and became one of the two Legion's major parts, the other being the Remnants, as their banners became the ones to forever represent the new Blackstone Legion in the ever-changing world.