Lenaedo Guard

The Lenaedo Guard is the armed force and honour guard unit whose duty it is to protect the church and clergy of the holy mother Margareith, one of the principal deities of all humanity in Hatuntassi. In Nawaquivo, a small unit of Lenaedo Guard is assigned as the honour guard to bishop Mariasole Galiardi in Porto del Paradiso.

Composition

Manpower

The Lenaedo Guard currently stand at 216 personnel. 120 Lenaedo Guard are permanently stationed within the Pesanna, the grand cathedral and heart of the Margareitian faith, where they guard the Mitera, the high bishop of Margareith, along with all of the treasures and artwork within. The remaining guards are assigned to the other major Margareitian cathedrals across the world as personal protection for the bishops and archbishops as well as their respective churches or basilicas.

Weaponry

The Lenaedo Guard's signature weapon is the poleaxe, which are often engraved with religious iconography denoting their status as soldiers of a major world religion. The Guard can also be easily identified by their cuirasses of exceptional quality, again styled with intricate designs and symbols. Every guardsman also carries a sidearm smallsword and buckler to be used if an enemy proves too formidable for the poleaxe alone to fend off.

Structure

The head of the Lenaedo Guard is the Comandante, who is permanently stationed at the Pesanna and handles the organisation and management of the Guard as a whole. Beneath the Comandante are the Capitane, who assist in the day-to-day running of the Guard within the Pesanna, or take command of the Guard detachments stationed at the most important Margareitian holy places. In those places where only a handful of Lenaedo Guard are posted, the most senior among them is assigned the rank of Sergente, who command their small units of Guardsmen in their duties protecting their assigned bishop or priest.

Training

The Lenaedo Guard enforce strict standards on their soldiers and is widely considered one of the most disciplined martial organisations in the world. A Lenaedo Guardsman is expected to maintain a healthy diet and ensure regular exercise and weapons training when not on active duty. Spiritual discipline is also expected of a guardsman, who should find time for daily prayers and observe the various sacraments of the church, and during their off-duty hours should conduct themselves as benefitting a pious member of the Margareitian church, such as abstaining from drunkness, sexual relationships and gambling.

History

The Guard have their origin in the Second Reigan War of Succession. Due to the tangled web of familial relationships that had flourished among the various kingdoms and duchies of Northern Parralda, there arose yet another succession crisis over the title of Holy Emperor of Reigany, the dominant power on the continent. The sitting Mitera of the Church of Margareith, Viktorya IV, had publicly supported one of the rival claimants, and in response, Emperor Paulus III had invaded Cassamor with the intent of removing Viktorya as head of the Margareitian church and installing a Mitera who would support him instead.
Viktorya thus petitioned the Duchy of Lenaed, requesting a regiment of 200 Lenaedo mercenaries to bolster the church's military. Lenaedo mercenaries had already been employed by numerous kingdoms and Cassamoran city-states over the years, garnering a reputation for their skill and bravery in battle. The soldiers who were sent to Viktorya certainly lived up to that reputation, as they were decimated during the Sack of Caraes, when Emperor Paulus' troops attacked the city. The Lenaedo soldiers committed themselves to a rearguard action, holding off the Reigans while Viktorya escaped and were slain almost to a man.
Over the following centuries after the war, the Margareitian Church continued to maintain a detachment of Lenaedo troops, though over time they were disbanded as a military detachment, and instead took up the role as an honour guard, protecting the personage of the Mitera and other high ranking bishops within the church.

Type

Security

Overall training Level

Professional