Cada Cratal City Guard

It's lonely guarding the Rift in the rain, and Tion can't help but think that it's a punishment. Rift duty is considered one of the least desirable jobs in Cada Cratal, inferior even to the task of rounding up the city drunks. It would grate on even the most genial soul to be forced to keep guard here for too long. Tion, peaceful as he is, is finding his limits for this posting rather quickly. He blames it on that blasted lieutenant, Jime. Everybody knows the old codger is corrupt, but Tion had made the mistake of refusing one of his requests. Jime is likely sitting in front of a warm fire around about now with a glass of warm brandy. Tion curses and kicks the ground.
There's a figure in the distance coming closer, and Tion peers at it through the falling rain. Whoever it is is coming at quite a speed. Some sixth sense tells Tion to pick up his spear, and he moves into the path of the runner. As the person comes closer, Tion recognises the mark of a criminal on his foreram. He runs forward and sweeps the shaft of his spear into the runner's legs, causing an audible crack. They let out a cry and fall flat on the ground. Tion blows his whistle and waits. At least the night has become a little less boring.

Operation

The Cada Cratal City Guard is the key force for tackling the city's criminals, and operates in small patrols who apprehend criminals and bring them to a central jail where they are processed.
The patrols operate on a shift basis and monitor specific areas of the city, dividing it into quadrants for patrolling purposes.  They operate in 3 hour shifts and at the end of each shift they return to the headquarters to clock off.  They return to the hq to drop off apprehended criminals whenever they catch some also, which can result in areas of the city not being covered for some time depending on the size of the patrol.
Patrols rotate through the areas of the city and some beats are seen as inherently better than others, causing competition for the best ones.

Structure

The Cada Cratal City Guard is not incredibly hierarchical, but has some key figures in its structure. The Guard is nominally headed by the Senior Guardsman, a title that is given to the most experienced guardsman in the force. They appoint Lieutenants under them to help them run the affairs of the Guard and organise the individual patrols, and under these leading figures come the rest of the guardsmen. The guardsmen typically operate in small groups or pairs for their patrols and there is some degree of inter-patrol rivalry.

Culture

The Cada Cratal City Guard is quite aloof to the rest of the populace, holding themselves as better than the common citizens due to their authority. They look down upon other similar forces in other towns, but look up to the forces of Rider troops and Spellslinger Coterie . Within the organisation it is seen as your right to take bribes and other such things from criminals, and in some groups in the Guard guardsmen brag about the latest takings from criminals. Those who disagree with the corruption have nowhere to turn, as the hierarchy above them and below them resist change and one person's voice is nothing against the remainder of the Guard.
The Guard do, however, believe somewhat in justice. They will chase down criminals and organise civilians to prevent fires or watch out for any known criminals, and the bringing of a serious criminal to justice is a mark of great success.

Public Agenda

The public agenda of the Cada Cratal City Guard is to promote law and order in the city and carry out the edicts of the ruler of the City. They are also there to provide an arm of the Royal's Justice in Cada Cratal.

Assets

The Cada Cratal City Guard has several different assets. Principally, it has clubs and shortswords to equip its typical 50 members, as well as 25 small shields and 30 leather tunics. All the rest of the Guard's equipment is loaned to them by the city.

History

The Cada Cratal City Guard was formed when the city began to expand, around the mid-3rd century. At this time it was no more than a citizens' body, with no real invested power which operated in a very loose manner. As it grew to 50 members, the group began to attract the attention of the City's matriarch, Lady Leena. She legitimised the group and granted them premises within the city. They were given the right to arrest and detain citizens as they would.
The first captain of the Guard, an old man named Tollos, apparently was a very civically minded man but did not realise the behaviour of many of the more junior members of the Guard. Newer members were taking advantage of their position to make a little money on the side from prisoners and use this to settle personal scores. As time went on and leaders changed, this behaviour became more and more pronounced, although still hidden under the guise of preventing crime.

Prosper in Safety

Founding Date

245

Alternative Names

City Watch, Cada Cratal Watch

Training Level

Semi-trained

Veterancy Level

Trained