PERIOD | 782 - 812 AHR |
---|---|
REIGN I | King Bjorn I Fritz, 782 - 784 AHR |
REIGN II | King Arne I Fritz, 784 - 797 AHR |
REIGN III | King Lothair I Fritz, 797 - 810 AHR |
REIGN IV | King Valnar I Fritz, 810 - 812 AHR |
FOUNDING COMMANDER | Commander Oryx Shun |
Humanity has always been fascinated by the outside world, always curious to learn more about the world that extends beyond Wall Maria. This curiosity would culminate in 782 AHR, through the creation of the Scouting Legion, the third branch of the Military, led by its first Commander Oryx Shun. Tasked with exploring and navigating the outside world, the Scouting Legion created their insignia - the Wings of Freedom - as a testament to their strength, bravery, and, of course, freedom in traversing the unknown.
In 784 AHR, the Scouting Legion led by Oryx Shun, prepared to venture outside The Walls. Such an occasion marked the first time someone had ever ventured outside The Walls since their erection.
The mission took place just outside of the District of Shiganshina. Members of the Scouting Legion paraded outside of the District, to crowds of cheering civilians, who were just as excited to learn about the outside world as the Scouts were. However, many members of the Scouting Legion felt a tightening in their chest as that outer gate slowly rose. Fear, just as excitement, circled in the minds of Scouts as their Commander led the charge into the uncharted territory.
As the Scouting Legion pushed South outside of The Walls, servicemen expectedly spotted titans approaching their formation. Seeking to avoid confrontation with them at all costs, they navigated around them and pushed onward. Eventually, however, the titan onslaught proved to be too much for the Scouts. As the Scouting Legion pushed further and further outside The Walls, titan density grew more and more, until combat with them was inevitable. The Scouting Legions’ rudimentary swords and shields were little match for the titans who towered over the soldiers. One by one, they were picked off, until the Commander, stunned by the loss of his comrades, ordered a full retreat. The expedition lasted only thirty minutes, and it was a complete massacre.
In the District of Shiganshina, soldiers’ screams to open the gates could be heard from the streets. The gates would eventually open, and to the citizens’ shock and despair, only nineteen of the original 143 would return to the District. Family members of the deceased wailed in the streets, filled with despair, as they knew that they would never see their children again. The first expedition was a complete and unequivocal failure, and public sentiment gradually began to shift against the Scouting Legion following the event. A month after the massacre the Scouting Legion Commander, Oryx Shun, would retire. The fruits of his and his soldiers’ labor would be a rudimentary map with only but a few trees dotted on an otherwise blank canvas.
In 812 AHR, the Scouting Legion, now led by Commander Erich Jaeger, hooked across the plain valleys beyond Wall of Maria, being fully-equipped this time around with their newly developed 3DMG. As they ventured onwards, many on the front-lines reported of the enormous giants, also known as Titans, making their way towards them. Commander Erich commanded the Scouts to make their way to a nearby forest, in hopes of being able to bait the titans within the forest, separating them and making it easier for them to scurry over them.
Section Commander Brune Grice stuck close to Commander Erich, tracking his every move. Brune would briefly speak with the Commander, letting him know that it would be safe to continue onwards with the Scouts that are already up ahead, leaving those who were slow with their 3DMG in the dust and behind to fend for themselves. Commander Erich Jaeger would deny the suggestion and instead hook towards those stranded deep within the forest. As Erich did so, Section Commander Brune would follow behind, making sure his beloved was kept out of harm's reach.
As they both continued to venture into the forest and retrieve those who may have lost their way in the forest, the titans began coming in small hordes, tilting many trees slowly but surely. Commander Erich Jaeger, taking notice of this, continued his retrieval at a fast pace, pointing to the direction to the outside of the forest for the Scouts. As a few Scouts were unable to be found, Erich changed his direction and headed towards the outside of the forest. Suddenly, he heard whistling coming from his gas canisters and came to an abrupt stop, luckily on top of a branch. He would attempt to hook forward though, it seemed as though he was out of gas.
Before Commander Erich Jaeger knew it, a rampaging titan would begin to headbutt the tree, swaying the tree back and forth. Commander Erich, holding on to the tree for dear life, knew his time was about to come to an end. . . Section Commander Brune Grice, watched from a distance as the titan continued to tilt the tree. Brune knew that he needed to act fast and do something quick if he wanted to save Commander Erich Jaeger from his unforeseeable fate. As he grasped his handles, he would pull his blades out and hook to the titan’s back. While doing so, he would continue with a series of slashes towards the titan’s back, cutting all flesh that was around the region. At one point as he slashed, the titan became limp and started to emit steam. Section Commander Brune Grice would then hook on top of the branch that Erich Jaeger was on, grabbing him, and calling a retreat back to The Walls as the Second Expedition was deemed a success due to the first ever killing of a titan. . .
Today, despite the historic actions of the Scouts' predecessors, the Scouting Legion holds a tumultuous reputation with the rest of the Walls. Viewed as a waste of resources, the Scouting Legion is looked at with disdain by the broader population, who thinks that the money that goes into funding the branch would be better spent fortifying the Walls against the titans that brought destruction and chaos to Wall Maria. Time will tell, however, if that reputation is bound to change.