The Jazish Guards

How elite are the Jazish? That word elite, a misnomer. How could it be truly considered when it is the bought position of spendthrifts and rakes! Maybe it could have been considered 'noble' and 'elite' a few hundred years ago. How naive are people that they go goggle-eyed about dreaming to be a Jazish? Both the boys who dream to be these 'warriors' who guard a rat, and the girls who dream about them being their sweethearts, are all fools! Not to get me started on the waste of money they are, spirits bless the advisor who deals with it all'

— Adelphia Ittel

The Jazish Guards have been guarding the Larramendian dynasties since practically the founding of Cuerero, by King Fadrique I Larramendi in 664DEV. Once an elite guard unit, it has turned to a mere unit for pomp and ceremony to be paraded about by monarchs at festivals and parades. But, behind the yellow fabric, blue silk and Pauldrons and famous hats of The Elatendea lies a unit filled to the brim with the filths of corruption and elitism.

“The children gather on the streets more enthusiastically than their parents when the Jazish and their horse-based contemporaries are upon them. Perhaps even a younger child might be forced to pull at his mother’s apron or skirt. They watch with a fascination that wains with age as innocence is quickly lost, replaced by bitter duty, mesmerised by the pageantry of it all. And there is always a murmur in the crowd, especially from those young enough to not have a set path and old enough to talk – they want to be like that nobleman in gauzy garb mounted upon a horse.”

Size

To belong to the Jazish Guards is rare honour as depending on the era, it can vary between 30 and 50 members. Currently, it stands at forty-six men with many more guards situated about the palace. True Jazish membership is seen as the end of a man’s career, although most will never wear the well-known and often mocked uniform. While many would consider the Jazish to be the name given to only those who protect the monarch, Jazish could describe any palace guard. However, other palace guard units are rarely seen unless they are ceremonial like the Roch-Jazish Guards, therefore are given less respect and prestige.

“I do get the desire to be like those men, but I do not understand why my brother will chase said dream so adamantly like we all do chase our pigs.”

— A young girl

Weaponry

Jazish men rarely carry any other weapon besides the ceremonial Nrichish fastened at the waist and rarely used. The main weapon used in case of emergency is the nearly-identical-to-a-Nrichish, a Fǔgish, slightly smaller and rarely carried unless there is cause for concern.

Training

Originally, the first men appointed the position were highly trained, many of them fighting alongside Fadrique Larramendi in the fight to establish the precursor to the modern Cuerero of the today. These men were highly trained and experience but in the modern day such position has become more or less a position granted on the basis of money or nepotism. Within the Jazish, it has become commonplace for young men with little experience to belong to this regiment such as Macario Hyaznwa and Bentejuí Edmǔd. These men just so happen to bear the esteemed Edmǔd and Hyaznwa names. Such it has become that it is a surprise to find those who got in by mere hard work.

Recruitment

Originally, this formation was recruited by the whims of the first few kings as Cuerero expanded and fought to survive. In the earlier days, the Jazish’s ’anks were filled with competent men of whatever birth - the earliest of which having fought alongside the first Larramendi. Many of those who served in the guards’ descendants have become the noble houses of Cuerero.
With the establishment of Table of Ranks in the mid-700s DEV, the Jazish began to restrict themselves to selecting those of the nobility, competence be damned. During some points in history, especially during the aforementioned 20 Kingless Years, the Jazish was a hereditary office, although this was soon abolished with the rise of the Aitorian Dynasty. Today, people claim it still to be a merit-based office, what with exceptions such as the folk hero Augustin Dyazch who refused the position.

“For politicians, there is a phrase people often repeated. There are two factions to keep happy, the royal family and the Jazish, for they wield more power, what with their own power plus the power gained from being so close to a king.

— Climaco Ittel

Political Influence

While the Jazish is not an inherently political body and without political power because of many of the members belonging to the noble ranks and being highly influential themselves, the guards wield an uncomfortable amount of political power. Kings and Queens have been quite easily deposed by the guards and a few guardsmen have even tried to steal the throne of the branches of the Larramendi family, who have a ‘right’ to the crown.

The politician might have a hatred of them, yet he will endorse them because of their influence: they essentially control the king and feed him information just as much as his advisors. Maybe he will stoop so low as to bribe a Jazish guard.

History

The Founding

Early in the reign of Fadrique Larramendi he created the Jazish Guards to protect himself and his descendants. After all, with the formation of a new monarchy enemies abound and Cuerero was beset by many with little in the way of resources. To the best of his ability, he tried to keep it merit-based, choosing many of esteemed rank and those of high birth in order to pacify nobles. Although, after he soon passed away and his successor thought differently, giving precedence to noble rather than merit-based appointments.

The Fall of Fadriquian Dynasty

The fall of the first Larramendi dynasty comes at the hand of Grimanesa I Larramendi, overthrown by the Jazish for a cousin of hers, [Estevan Larramendi], more commonly known as Fortún III. By the establishment of a new dynasty, built on a much weaker claim than many other Larramendi, came the Table of Ranks – the coffin for any semblance of merit-based appointments.

“Such is the way organisations work in this world: turning away from meritocracy as they do from Duhaum!”

During the Fortunian Dynasty

As mentioned previously, during the Fortunian Dynasty comes the death of meritocracy within the Jazish, replaced by appointments of the upper class. There is now an established pool of nobles to pick from, trained from birth to wield both pen and sword. At least in this era there is a precedence for competent members of the nobility rather than wretches and whelps like those who lurk the modern ranks of the Jazish.

The ‘Era of Women’, or The Jazish during the Lorenzian Dynasty

We could consider the Lorenzian dynasty a Currean golden age and the strangest of the four dynasties, considering its stability when female monarchs are only said to bring disorder and chaos in Cuerero. Besides some at the start and their assistance in establishing Lorenza I Larramendi’s right to rule as closest living relative, there is little scholarship upon the Jazish during this era considering the other areas of the royal court and Currean politics or history during this era that take precedence. From what we know, little changes, although there is a relaxation upon the tight restrictions bought about via the imposing of the Table of Ranks enshrined in law.

The Fall of the Lorenzian Dynasty

The fall of the Lorenzian dynasty, like the fall of the Fadriquian dynasty, could have not occurred if not for the help of the Jazish guards in their deposition. However, unlike with the start of the Fortunian dynasty there was no monarch to fill the void left by the deposition of a monarch. And so began, the ‘Twenty Kingless Years’.

The Twenty Kingless Years

The name they are given when mentioned is a misnomer – it is only that there is no uncontested Larramendi king upon the throne. Four of the eleven ‘kings’ of this period come from positions within the Jazish Guards, especially those who are closer to the king.

The Modern day, or Aitorian Dynasty

With the ascent of [Aitor I Larramendi] to the throne thanks to certain guards’ members, there was an effort to curb the influence of the Jazish via some law reforms. Although, that doesn’t seem to work considering the usual pool of candidates of men with important contacts who are highly esteemed. However, this has not been the case with the rise in appointments based on bribery and nepotism.

Bought positions

The word gwlim-hyi has many meanings depending on context. Taken quite literally, it means ‘pair money’ or ‘bride money’ which is commonly paid out during the courting period in time for the wedding day. However, gwlim-hyi is also used to describe bought offices especially in an ecclesial or governmental context. Although sometimes it is used when describing the now common practise of buying your way into a Jazish appointment. More commonly, jul yazsh pinkhyeeb (literally ‘bought position) is used although that is depending on the author.

People often say that the reasoning for their poor reputation with many groups of society is because of the bought positions that lead to appointments of people such as the aforementioned Macario Hyaznwa or Bentejuí Edmǔd who prior to said appointments had little experience.

Type

Escort

Founding

667

Overall training Level

Elite

Assumed Veterancy

Decorated/Honored

Used by

• Cuerero

Refusing appoitments

Augustin Dyzach is a rare case due to his refusal of an appointment within the Jazish due to his moral beleifs, having apparently called the organisation 'morally bankrupt' in personal correspondence, mainly to his wife, Bethzaida. According to law, refusing the appointment - written in a personal letter from the king of the time - is treason punishable by death on default. However, and suprisingly, Augustin kept his life perhaps due to some intervention on the part of Leyre Y. Larramendi and longtime friend, Climaco Ittel - chief advisor of Aitor Larramendi.