Obsidian Guard

Mal Daggur's not-so-secret police...
Originally numbering a few hundred, these imposing Nobeyls clad head-to-toe in their signature armor once served exclusively as Sur Daggur's personal bodyguard and private army: not that he needed bodyguards given his size. Their numbers slowly increased as Sur Daggur prepared to make his move against the long-ruling Anazhar Clan until the time grew ripe for the Dragon Tyrant to ascend. A then-adolescent Takshi Anazhar fled with his clan-clutch and loyalists, seeking refuge in the Redali System while those left behind or remaining of their own accord were branded Dasphati and mercilessly prosecuted. Sur Daggur intended them to serve as front-line commanders and elite troops to break the will of Thangiens, but for all their skill they would suffer an embarrassing defeat at the Siege of Bainshaebo. Since his father's death at the Battle of Banguk, Mal Daggur has increased their numbers exponentially, using them to enforce his will at home while he is engaged in the Sol System.

Composition

Manpower

Estimated 100,000-250,000 on the Homeworld, 50,000 within the fleet.

Equipment

Heavy metal armor coated with obsidian glaze with hazard protections built into the helm and cuirass. Armor covers most of the entire body with the exception of the shell, joints, and tail.

Weaponry

Small phergon arms, phergon rifles, long two-handed sword.

Vehicles

Thunthen sky-bike for small teams, troopships for large mobile operations, D-Class fighter for orbital and sub-orbital engagements.

Structure

Directly under the command of the Supreme High Overlord and in his absence the current High Overlord. Teams are typically dispatched in groups of twenty, the maximum capacity for a fully-loaded troopship.

Tactics

Members use a perverted form of Rait'chian, advancing in rows or wedge with swords drawn until reaching melee range. Small arms are used at range or in skirmishes and tail clubs used to supplement melee attacks.

Training

Members must be proficient in both swordplay and Dau'che'taun (Nobeyl claw-fighting). Must be comfortable wearing full-plate for long periods of time. Despite the notoriously bad aim of Nobeyls, knowledge of phergon-based firearms is required.

Logistics

Logistical Support

Even though their armor is designed to be comfortable and protect against hazards, it must be cleaned regularly and cannot be removed by the wearer alone. Khamen or Pesak "squires" are kept on standby to remove armor when needed and perform maintenance on filtration systems in the helmet.

Auxilia

Fighter squadrons can be deployed to provide air support or relief.

Upkeep

Armor and weapons are relatively cheap to provide given the abundance of raw materials on the Homeworld. When deployed abroad such as Planet Earth in the Sol System, members must be resupplied from the supercarriers.

Recruitment

Comprised exclusively of Nobeyls, members are primarily recruited from the Daggur Clan or satellite clans and carefully screened to avoid infiltration from Dasphati loyalists.

History

Sur Daggur founded them under the pretense of training new troops able to operate in hostile environments such as Planet Khilio. He placed his longtime friend and mentor Rammaz Plaedarr in charge of leading the earliest formations. After Sur Daggur's death at the Battle of Banguk, Mal Daggur took command and ordered the immediate expansion of the ranks. Feeling this would dilute their effectiveness and prestige, Rammaz Plaedarr stepped down in protest and took up the lifestyle of a bloodhun. The idea of Mal Daggur turning the elite troops into his "praetorian guard" sickened him. He would find his fears vindicated as while the guard grew to a significant size and were kept amply supplied with equipment, they ultimately have a poor win/loss ratio when it comes to engagements.

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Obsidian Guard by Mardrena

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Siege of Bainshaebo

Troops were dispatched to keep an eye on Dasphati captives used as cannon fodder at the gates of the city but made a critical blunder by forcing poorly-trained Dasphati to the front of the formation instead of facing Ander's charge themselves. The resulting disorientation allowed Ander and his Ranks to mow down Nobeyls with relative ease. The Obsidian Guard wasted precious seconds tripping over their own tails and fumbling with their blades trying to strike at the pegacorns flying overhead. While the siege was deemed a failure, Mal Daggur insisted they simply needed greater numbers to overwhelm the Thangiens.

The Feast of Fendahu

Sur Daggur deployed his Obsidian Guard to Planet Feinlor as a show of force to the Cat-Lords. The panther-men not only outmaneuvered the sophisticated swordplay and tail clubs of the Nobeyls but made a meal of the invaders, further embarrassing the Obsidian Guard and enraging Sur Daggur. The resulting fallout would end with the Burning of Banguk and the death of both Sur Daggur and Ander Vai-Stel-Vethu.

Spoiler Warning: Planned Content!

Far Star Traveller

"What the bhazzak are they trying to pull...charging at us with their feathered steeds? Dasphati! To the front, you maggots!" an obsidian-armored Nobeyl barked and the formation shifted. "Don't bother wasting shots until they are nearly on top of us. Let them think they have a chance at surviving..."
"What do you mean they don't have their fingers on the trigger?" Ander made a face as he hunched in the saddle. Skybolt snorted again, glancing at him briefly and flicking his ears. "Pfft, well this is going to be easier than I thought..." he muttered under his breath as the Ranks closed the distance, hundreds of hooves thundering over the grass. "HOLD..." he shouted. Back on the front lines, the obsidian overseers thwacked fidgety Nobeyls to keep them alert. "HOOOOOLD!" Ander reiterated as he came close enough to see the looks of confusion and apprehension on the dragon's faces. Some of the Nobeyls started wiggling their index claws. Skybolt snorted in warning.
"NOW!!" Ander barked and let go of the reins, pressing his palms against the saddle and hoisting himself off of Skybolt's back. He kept his legs spread as he dropped backwards off of Skybolt's rear and his boots thumped as he landed on the grass. Skybolt flapped his wings at full stretch as he rose into the air. The dumbfounded dragons lowered their weapons and watched stupefied as the entire advancing charge mirrored Ander's maneuver, dismounting simultaneously. The Obsidian Guard roared in protest and uselessly barked orders to no avail as the Dasphati scrambled to take aim. Ander let out a throaty cry as he charged forward, Gold Wing digging deep into the gut of the nearest Noble.

Events of Foes From Another World

While setting up a rough network for the prototype wrist-coms in Ch. 22 "Claws and Daggurs", Rowen of the Strata discovers Mal Daggur's fleet in orbit above Earth. Members of the guard head out in D-class fighters attempting to apprehend him only to run afoul of dragon titan Raurgoth. Before the Ronin are able to identify or interrogate the surviving guard, Raurgoth eats him whole-armor and all.
The Obsidian Guard are deployed alongside rank-and-file Nobeyls during Mal Daggur's initial attack on the city in Ch. 29 "Avatar of Justice" and not only face staunch opposition from the Dynasty, but are relatively easily apprehended by the four Elder Ronin. To their credit, a single Nobeyl is able to wipe out nearly the entire crew of a Nether Barge.

Events of Cataclysm War

The Obsidian Guard find themselves sidelined while Phitdaitiarona is present aboard Mal Daggur's flagship. She manages to root out Dasphati informants embedded in the fleet that had completely flown under the radar, yet another blunder on the guard's behalf.

Squads of obsidian-armored Nobles wielding phergon rifles skulked through the streets. They managed to meet up with some of the downed pilots and searched for enemy targets. “WEB OF DECEPTION!!” Streams of sticky white webbing erupted from all directions and caught the Nobles by surprise. They roared and hissed, squirming uselessly. The webbing wrapped around their limbs in such a way they could not tear themselves free. “You covet this world so much? Then stick around,” Dais taunted from where he dangled. “Welcome to my parlor...hah hah…”

— Foes From Another World Ch. 29

Events of Spacequake

When the Empress of Night's spacequake fails to destroy all life on Earth, Mal Daggur cuts ties with her after realizing how severely she weakened herself. With the ten Ronin scattered without memories, defense of the Mortal Realm falls to their allies. Initially believing their fighting skill and superior numbers can steamroll opposition, the Obsidian Guard are dealt yet another embarrassing defeat at the hands of the Neo Ronin.

“We...are the Obsidian Guard. Once we served merely as Sur Daggur’s personal bodyguard. Now we are counted as the most elite out of Mal Daggur’s troops. Our namesake armor is impregnable, our blades wicked sharp. Among the Thangiens, only the mighty Metraind can match us in battle, but whereas their numbers are finite, we….are legion...”
Mal Daggur sat stoically in his command chair as he watched the chaotic scene unfold on the main screen on the bridge of the Nsenagvvik. It sounded like a playground or a birthday party with excited squeals of children in the background. An obsidian-armored Thunthen Nobeyl struggled to escape the battle. Strands of sticky white webbing snared him by the ankles and yanked his legs out from under him. He landed on his chin and feebly dug his claws into the ground as something pulled him off screen powerfully. “Ohhhh no you don’t! You’re not getting away that easily!” Davie Osmond taunted.
“Quit hitting yourself! Quit hitting yourself!” Harlann Wallhanger held another Noble captive and used his chains to swing the Noble’s arms to and fro, striking itself in the jaw repeatedly. In the distance Mal Daggur could see another Nobeyl staggering away from the fight, pieces of armor falling away from his lower body as Harry Holmes used acid blasts to effectively pants him. Archibald Archer harried another Nobeyl taking potshots at its posterior while the guard skipped away squealing in panic trying to cover its rear with both hands.
Bru Ranir pursed his lips and glanced nervously from Mal Daggur to the main screen. Mal Daggur continued to watch in numb shock as his prize Obsidian Guard got utterly humiliated by the Neo Ronin. Bru Ranir opened his mouth to speak, pausing briefly before biting his lip and drawing breath.
“As I believe the Humans would say...if your father had not been utterly vaporized by Ander during the Battle of Banguk, he would be spinning in his grave fast enough to power a supercarrier…” Bru Ranir drawled tightly. Mal Daggur let out a growling snort and stood abruptly.
“Enough of this! Dispatch fighters!” he ordered and lashed his arm out to the side.
“I must admit, I thought it was suicide to deploy the Neo Ronin against the Obsidian Guard, but they’ve proven more than capable of holding their own…” Bak Thraplek commented as he and Kayura observed the battle on their end in the Roost.

— Spacequake Ch. 2

Spoiler Warning: Planned Content!

Ronin WarriorSpectra

"As if regular Nobles weren't bad enough, now they're wearing full armor?" Sage grunted as he fended off a Thunthen bearing down on him wielding a heavy sword. While it ground closer, Sage briefly took one hand off of his sword and clenched his fist, deploying his gauntlet spike. Instead of stabbing the Noble between its armor seams, he simply touched the spike to the armor and sent forth a current that jolted it enough to send it staggering, allowing Sage to bash it in the chest with his pommel.
"I can't remember the last time I saw these guys!" Kento remarked as he blocked and parried skilled strikes from another Noble. "They're not so tough! I heard the Neo Ronin mopped the floor with them!" He grunted and pitched forward when a phergon blast caught him in the shoulder and turned to the side, catching a glimpse of a Noble aiming a phergon pistol at him. He turned around and arched his back, firing off the spike cables on his chestplate and sending the Nobles skidding before retracting the cables.
"These are the Obsidian Guard! They're Mal Daggur's elite troops. Each one of them's been hand-picked and specially trained. Don't get cocky with them, even with our Spectronin Armors! I guess they're taking orders from Myr Chedryn now," Rowen warned and used his skyboard as a shield to block phergon blasts before returning fire with his crossbow.
"Try not to kill them! There's no sense in them throwing away their lives for nothing!" Cye argued and parried with his trident in one hand while firing harpoons with his other arm.
"They are fighting for what they believe in...regardless of how foolish it is," Anubis commented and shot his chains at a charging pack, bowling them over before retracting them to his back. He shrugged his arms and the axe blades slid out of his gauntlets. He crossed his arms infront of his chest and the blades glowed bright gold. "TWIN AXE TORTURE!!" he lashed his arms to the side, sending a X-shaped wave rushing into another charging group. The Nobles jerked to a halt and collapsed to the ground, paralyzed despite their armor.
Ryo parried the practiced slashes and skipped back, drawing his fire rod and peppering the Noble with fireballs. The Noble charged ahead unscathed and delivered a heavy strike that Ryo barely managed to block. "Your power has no effect on us! We are the Obsidian Guard! We will avenge Mal Daggur! You shall pay for your crimes!" the Noble rasped through the filter of its helmet. Ryo grit his teeth, fuming that he struggled against a Noble despite his Spectra Wildfire Armor. He grunted when something struck him from behind and he glanced out the corner of his eye in time to see a second Noble swinging down with its heavy blade. The other Noble lashed its tail club around and struck him in the ribs.
"Ryo!!" Rowen shouted when he saw Ryo get dogpiled by armored Nobles. He moved to assist but had to stop when another pair rushed to intercept him. "Ryo!!" Rowen cried when he saw the Nobles bashing and slashing with their swords. The area swarmed with obsidian-armored Thunthen, and none of the other Ronin could disengage either. A Noble swung its tail club up and brought it down swiftly, aiming for Ryo's head.
An armored hand shot up suddenly and caught the club with ease. The Noble yelped as a powerful grip flung it to the side, sending it bowling into a group attacking Tanya. She blinked and glanced to the side, surprised to see Ryo holding up two Nobles with his palms braced against their chests. "...um...Ryo....you okay?"
"Uhhhgh....aaagh!" the Nobles grunted as steam began rising from the seams in their armor. They stared down in disbelief that even with Armor, a human could lift two fully-grown Thunthen Nobeyls with virtually no effort. The helmet tilted up and burning red eyes peered back at them. Black lips peeled back over inch-long fangs and the mouth hinged wide, letting out an enraged hiss. By that point the other Ronin had successfully beaten their attackers into submission, with only the ones attacking Ryo remaining conscious. The Nobles convulsed as powerful heat radiated through their armor.
"I guess your armor isn't as fireproof as you think, now is it?" Demon Ryo taunted, grinning toothily. "You can't handle the heat, then get out of the fire!" he shouted and flung them away like rag dolls. "That'll teach you to gang up on me..." Demon Ryo growled and turned around to face the other Ronin, shrugging his shoulders. "Hey, everyone else okay?" he asked.
The other Ronin stared at him wide-eyed in shock. "What?" Demon Ryo frowned and raised an eyebrow. Sage deployed his gauntlet spike and Anubis ejected one axe into his open palm, tightening his grip about the handle. "What?!" Demon Ryo scowled, annoyed. Rowen reloaded his crossbow and Tanya shook all ten boomerangs into her palms. Demon Ryo blinked stupidly at them for several moments.
"OH! That!" he exclaimed and averted his gaze. "Um...uhh..." Demon Ryo rubbed the back of his helmet, looking almost embarrassed. "Now we're all adults here. I'm sure we can talk this over in a calm and rational manner..." he stated and waved his hands slowly.

Historical loyalties

The Daggur Clan

The Obsidian Guard answer chiefly to Mal Daggur and Myr Chedryn but are permitted to act on initiative to enforce discipline and apprehend dissidents. Not only do they make sure the gears of the war machine keep turning on the Homeworld and protect critical infrastructure and assets, they eagerly grease said gears with blood if need be.

Planet Thunthen by Mardrena

Type

Shock

Founding

1900's AD Earth-Time

Overall training Level

Elite

Assumed Veterancy

Veteran

Phergon Batteries in Action by Mardrena