The Brass Gauntlets

Of all the things the Northern Corner are known for, strength is rarely one of them. Home of the Followers of Terras, the Northern Corner celebrates knowledge, enlightenment, logic, and discovery. Fighting was considered a base reaction to displeasure, and the people generally preferred to learn the arts of self-defense rather than warfighting. The Seven Monarchs did have their own guard, naturally, and Terras' followers had a number of holy crusaders that would defend her tenants with their lives
During the years leading up to Cataclysm, where there was a real possibility that the Southern Corner would begin a War of Conquest, it did not escape the great minds of the Northern Corner that a heftier defense force might be necessary. The question then remained, what could the Northern Corner do to create an army capable of defending their territory that also exemplifies the tenants of peace, education, and enlightenment that they hold so dear.
The Seven Monarchs, along with Arete the Bearer of Seraph at the time, formulated a military organization based on the Scarlet Knight's training. This order consisted of warriors trained in the arts of melee fighting and self-defense, jurisprudence and logic, math and engineering, and finally fabrication. They would know how to fight, think, and forge their own armor and the brass gauntlet was the sign of their achievement to be among the ranks, which would never be removed. Rumor has it that the gauntlet itself was integrated into the soldier, however, that practice has long been disproved and discarded as the modern-day Brass Gauntlets wear the signature piece of their rank on top of their uniform sleeve.
   Five and a half centuries later, the Brass Gauntlets are more used as a glorified police force in the cities of the Northern Corner rather than a military organization. They no longer forge an entire set of armor, only their gauntlet. Their numbers have integrated with those of the royal guards, however, the gauntlet they wear is still the symbol that differentiates them from local authorities. The people tend to obey and respect the Brass Gauntlets more than the royal guards, so they are typically found in areas that need stronger defenses; such as the walls that surround large towns and cities as well as harbors. 
The rumors have recirculated that the long-lost monarch has returned to her throne as of recent, and she has demanded that the Brass Gauntlets strengthen their training and return to their original purpose in order to aid in the war against Narne and her fiendish armies. But, these efforts are still in their infancy, and it may take a considerable time for this to happen.