And it was so. The new army was dubbed the Foreign Legion of Odus, much more appropriate due to its Romanesque militarisation and the nature of its soldiers. Infinitely more disciplined than the High Soldiers ever were, the guilds of Odus excelled together for some time, conducting Pugnae Collegii (guild-raids) in zones as far away as Kunark and Velious. After some time, when the term of Doctrina Fidus was over, the Senate cast lots and elected Shinay the Loreseeker as the new First Consul. Shinay was fairly new to the High Keepers of Odus, having been voted to the Senate fairly soon after joining the guild and now having attained the highest symbollic position on Odus.
After the election of the new First Consul, however, General Pallidmortis began distancing the Legion from the High Keepers of Odus. Some of the Senate sensed that he was beginning a plan he had held for a long time. The Legion began to hold sovreign assemblies, the General would meet with his Officers in secret, and the Legion would conduct Pugnae Collegii by itself. The situation escalated as High Keepers began to accuse the General of treason and heresy, or believing the lesser races with which he worked equal to himself. Tensions began to flare between the High Keepers and the Foreign Legion, climaxing in an unauthorised assassination attempt on the General by the Lord Tribune Erugoth Quillcoat of the High Keepers. Although equal in training, the Lord Tribune was no match for the General's demigodly skill, and paid for the attempt with his life. Pallidmortis paid for a resurrection.
Accusing the Senate of ordering the assassination attempt, the General cited numerous other instances of hostilities by the High Keepers of Odus, which were refuted by similar reports about the Foreign Legion. Senator Doctrina tried to justify Erugoth's actions, saying, "Erugoth was defending the High Keepers of Odus how he deemed best. He has a hot head, but a warm heart." Senator Gallius of the Gatecallers, trying to avoid a conflict with the General, replied, "Yes, but when an Erudite's head and his heart tell him different things, to which should he listen?" This did not help to alleviate the pressure. Eventually, the General met First Consul Shinay the Loreseeker and Senator Gallius of the Gatecallers in person. He took advantage of the opportunity.
"The Foreign Legion of Odus," he declared, "is henceforward completely sovreign and independent of all jurisdiction of the Senate of Odus or any body or man save myself."
Some time went by, and the three stood silent, Pallidmortis waiting for a response, Gallius and Shinay too shocked to give him one. Shinay was the first to gather himself up and speak.
"What, in the name of Erud," exclaimed First Consul Shinay the Loreseeker, "happened to you on Kunark?"
General Pallidmortis began slowly, in a deep voice. Gallius, who was now very, very old, leaned forward on his Broom of Trilon in order to hear.
"When I was held captive by the Giants and was prepared to escape, there was an Iksar monk who saw in me, a fellow follower of Cazic-Thule, a destiny that was too great to ignore. He ran out of our holding cell distracting every guard he could along the way. He did not get far, but it was far enough. The Giants fell upon him with great anger and malcontent. While this Iksar fought as well as he could, I turned upon the final guard that was left to hold me captive. It was a pitched battle, but with the hatred welled up inside me, I punched, harm-touched, and spell-weaved my way to freedom. When I escaped, I turned myself invisible once out of the line of anger of the Giants. I climbed to the top of the walls of their mighty fort and looked down to see if the young monk had lived... but he had not; I saw his corpse with my own eyes. For a moment, a tear welled up in the eye of a man who till this day only knew how to live by fear, and felt little or no compassion for anyone. Just as I was about to leave, out of the corner of my eye, that corpse stood up. It looked around to see if any giants had remained behind. The giants, thinking he was dead, went back to their duties elsewhere. The Iksar monk then spotted me on the wall, my invisibility faded from not paying attention. He waved at me, then slithered beneath the wall and ran home to Cabilis. I decided it was time to run home myself. I then began the long trek back to Odus."
Pallidmortis flashed an icy glare into Shinay's eyes when he concluded his speech, and then sat down. All were silent. After some time, seconds or hours no one could tell, Gallius spoke.
"So be it, heretic. You have abandoned our doctine, the very basis of our guild's existence. Our guild, our people, and your very being have you forsaken."
"The Legion," responded the General, "does not share your views."
"No," answered Gallius, "they do not. I know this. You must be given a fair Trial or they will not follow us. It is a pity that we must lower ourselves to pleasing the Lesser, but it must be so."
The General walked away. The Senate convened later that day and sent a summons to Pallidmortis to answer for his insurrection, a day that became known as the day of the Fateful Trial.