The Sun Guard

The Sun Guard is the most prominent form of military protection in Elys, founded in 204 A.D. after a period of turmroil following the death of a prominent Amthet, or monarch, with no heir.

History

The Sun Guard has always been loyal to the Amthet and the people, as sworn in their oath: "Until by ill or death I end, my people and crown I swear to defend." The first Amthet to have a Sun Guard was Amthet Sevati, a kind outcast who was said to have risen to power through a blessing of the gods. She was able to perform miracles of light, and so the sun guard was named after the goddess thought to bless her. In old Elysian, the name is Keket Tera, or Keket's guard. Keket, in the beliefs of Nduthet, is the incarnation of the sun and holy light. There have been times, however, when the loyalty was questioned. When the Draketh people first arrived at Elysian borders in 335 A.D., the Sun Guard were divided by the decision of the Amthet to take up arms against them, believing them to be warriors, as Heban was a country in the midst of civil war. The leader, as well as half of the Guard, vowed to defend the Amthet with force, while the other half resisted and refused to fight. They snuck out of the palace to meet the Draketh unarmed, and found them to be peaceful refugees instead. The Draketh, believing themselves to be in debt to Elys, provided the Sun Guard with Sand Drake mounts, giving rise to the popular image of the mounted guard in modern art.

Present day

The Sun Guard today acts as a diplomatic force as well as a militaristic one, comprised of 10-20 individuals who have undergone a series of tests and training to be chosen as one of the guard. There is a larger force behind the Guard, commonly called the Star Guard or the Moon Guard, who oversee defense outside of the protection of the Amthet. The Star Guard numbers anywhere from 100-1000 guards strong, scattered about the major cities. The Sun Guards are recognized by their thick necklaces, which always display an eight pointed star, usually covered in gold. In battle uniform, they wear leather armor or scale mail, decorated at the shoulders with thick red bands. They wear knee-length skirts of drake-skin to protect their legs. When armed, they always carry a short knife and a spear. Oftentimes, the spear is decorated with carvings, paint, and leather bands to denote status. When in diplomatic uniform, they wear gold bands around their upper arm and matching white linen shirts and pants. They retain their knives in peacetime uniform, but do not carry a spear.
To become a Sun Guard is a matter of skill or luck. Most Sun Guards are the appointed heirs of their predecessor, whether child or friend. There is, however, a tradition of ritual combat that can be used to overthrow the position of a Sun Guard. Both the challenger and defendant fight four times: one armored battle with a spear and a knife, one unarmored battle using only natural weapons, one test of religious and historical knowledge, and one test of practical reasoning. In the event of a tie, the winner is decided by casting sticks to determine the will of the gods.
After this initial challenge, training to become one cohesive unit with the rest of the guard is essential. After every challenge, the entire guard is expected to spend two hours a day practicing and learning, and the new guard is expected to spend all day with at least one other guard for one week.
Practically, the Sun Guard is a diplomatic and assistive force to the Amthet, and only becomes a military formation when needed. A guard's daily duties typically concern matters of law enforcement and giving counsel to the Amthet, especially if they are a young one. They may also be asked to retrieve objects as well as greet and provide protection for foreign ambassadors or nobility.
The Sun Guard fills many roles of palace life, not just, as most people believe, the physical protection of the Amthet. The entire modern palace structure is designed around the Sun Guard, who are expected to be Equirries, advisors, and soldiers when needed to be. Throughout their long history, they remain essential to the very concept of Elysian governance, even in the peaceful times of the modern day.