Ringvolstad Imperial Guard

Artist - Avant Choi - Artstation.com

Overview

The position of Imperial Guard is an honored profession. Much like the woodswalkers, the Imperial Guard tests candidates through a series of trials and rituals. The candidates must prove knowledge of the laws of the Empire, must prove their skills of combat and above all else, they must exhibit a good moral compass.

Responsibility

Their chief responsibility is to protect the Emperor and the Royal family, but they are also tasked with enforcing the empires laws, protecting its citizens, and maintain the civil order.

Duration of Service

The position of Imperial Guard is for life, with the only exemptions being physical disability, discovery of immorality, or criminality.

Release from Duty

Physical disability simply refers to anyone injured or maimed while an Imperial Guard. If they are reduced in their capacity, they are no longer able to adequately defend the Emperor and royal family, and are released from their duties, with honor and continued support during their final days.

Immorality refers to any Imperial Guard that is discovered to be acting in ways unbecoming of their station. This includes corruption, mistreatment of citizens, or conspiring against the empire. They are released from their duties without honor, nor the support of the empire in their remaining days.Criminality refers to any actions that actively break the laws of the empire. Plots against the empire that move beyond rumor and become actions.

Criminality among the law keepers can not be tolerated and any suspected criminality must be reported, and if anyone is found to have known about, but not reported, on an criminality, are guilty of aiding, and will be punished as well. Minor crimes, such as aiding, the guilty will be released of duty, dishonorably without the support of the empire in their remaining days. Those found guilty of major crimes will be excommunicated, and rejected. This means that they will be tattooed as a criminal. Their face will bear the mark under both eyes, black bars, indicating their punishment. They will be forced to leave the city and fend for themselves. Never again will they be allowed back into another city, as their tattoos will tell anyone who sees them just what they are.

Composition

Manpower

The Imperial Guard is kept to 2500 members. Both men and women are allowed to join, provided they are deemed worthy by the trials and approved by the emperor himself.

Equipment

The Imperial Guard are Armed and Armored in uniform fashion. The armor is steel plate and mail. In the winter furs and woolens are worn, and in the summer Leather and linens.
They wear steel half helms, that the guard are free to decorate as they wish, provided that it does not mimic the markings of the captains.
They also carry Redwood Round Shields painted with the markings of their squad.

Weaponry

Each Imperial Guard is armed with a steel long sword and 2 small war axes to wear on their hip.
Violence is avoided at all cost, but they must be able to defend the Emperor and thier family, to the death, if need be.

Structure

Emperor - Highest officer
Commander - Handles strategy and management, reports only to the Emperor
Captain - Leads groups of squads, manages their tasks, and movements. Monitors their training. Reports to Commander
Training Captain - Trains, and tests all guards on protocols and tactics. Reports to commander.
Squad Leaders - Leads individual squad, and ensures the guards are adequately trained, armed and armored. Handles minor disciplinary issues. Reports to Captain and Training Captain.
Imperial Guard - Handles the duties of Patrol, law enforcement, and maintaining the peace. Reports to Squad Leaders.

Training

Imperial Guard are trained in combat, diplomacy, and law. They are continuously tested and retrained if need be, their position is one that does not allow for anything less than absolute adherence.

Valsgardi Imperial Guard Captain

Artist - Li Wenda - Artstation.com
The Captains of the Imperial Guard are armed and armored in the same fashion as the regular soldiers with the exception their helmets are marked in Blood by the hand of the emperor himself. The helmets are then painted with red to recreate these markings to signify they are operating with the authority of the emperor.