Deliberate Values Dissonance: As they're descended from a Lost Roman Legion, the Alerans frequently show an incredibly xenophobic (bordering on genocidal) and imperialist attitude towards their non-human neighbors, and are also highly misogynistic and sexist (represented in how Alera is a No Woman's Land).Deflector Shield: Skilled windcrafters can create shields of 'hardened air' to deflect incoming objects, though in practice it's less a force field and more directing objects around/away from their intended target.Decadent Court: Aleran politics are incredibly dirty and violent, to the point where 'cutters' (read: assassins) will never be out of work.

This unfortunately means that when the Vord finally attack, most of Alera's available forces are completely unprepared and get their asses royally handed to them multiple times before they're eventually able to wise up and effectively fight. Zigzagged in the modern day, though, as while there are still several examples (most notably the Antillan and Phrygian Legions along with the First and Free Aleran), most Legions have been able to go decades (particularly in the southern cities) without seeing any action, making them very conservative and inexperienced.

Badass Army: The Aleran Legions were the primary tool from which the ancient Alerans were able to carve out their empire while being surrounded by numerous hostile forces like the Malorandim, Children of the Sun, Avar, Yrani, and Dekh.

Basically humans granted with Elemental Powers connected to nature spirits called 'furies', the Alerans went on to conquer an entire continent and have ruled over their newfound empire for roughly a thousand years under the House of Gaius.

The long-lost descendants of the Legio IX Hispana and its Camp Followers (along with many Germanic mercenaries), who ended up in Carna through a wormhole.

Codex alera furies