Hawthrone's Royal Guard

The Royal Guard were founded by Stannis I Altimir, the first of the so-called "New Kings" in Hawthrone. At first numbering at about 1,000 men, they now number a little over 5,000 under the current ruler, Stannis III. Sworn to protect the King of Hawthrone and follow his will, these knights adorn themselves in purple tunics with the King's Sigil in court and wear full battle armor while in active duty. To be a guard, one must first be an appointed knight, an honor given to men of great selflessness or skill by Townmasters or the King himself. After applying for the Royal Guard, a knight goes through a series of brutal training five years in length or more to acquire advanced martial, magical, and even scholarly skills.

Once finished with training, a knight can choose his specialization in the Guard, the major branches being Courtier, Soldier, Officer, Warden, Master-at-Arms, Ranger, or Whisperer. Within each major branch are duties that the Guard must fulfill. For example, Courtiers accompany the King and his subjects in court and entertain guests if need be with magic, music, stories, or duels. Soldiers act as basic armsmen and go abroad where fighting needs to be done. Officers are leaders that command the Guard as a whole. Wardens are guardsmen, and make up the largest portion of the Royal Guard. They are stationed throughout the King's Keep and the city of Altimir to defend the King's wishes. Masters-at-Arms are trainers, battle technicians, and unmatched or unstoppable killing machines. To qualify, a member of the Guard must have mastered at least five martial skills such as archery, swordsmanship, mounted combat, shield-use, duel wielding, lancing, etc. Rangers roam the world abroad to carry out the King's commands. Whisperers perform similar tasks, but answer to the King directly. Other than that, it is not known what sort of duties the Whisperers perform.

All Royal Guardsmen wear the King's Sigil at all times, save the Whisperers, in order to indicate their status. When dressed for battle, they wear the finest steel plate available, the iron and carbon imported from foreign lands, and smithed by a master blacksmith and armorer unknown by the outside world. Some say the armor is even enchanted, but this is not possible since steel is derived from iron. Their weapons are also master-crafted. A standard Royal Guardsmen carries only a steel longsword, but depending on the need, they use other weapons as well. The armor is dyed slightly to have a purplish tint to compliment the violet color's of the King's Sigil. The undergarments and tunics beneath the armor are also purple. Officers and Master-at-Arms wear long purple robes and more ornamental armor to designate their status.

The Royal Guard is both loved and feared throughout the land. Their sense of duty and loyalty is unmatched, but so is their ability to defeat their enemies...