Guardians

Soldiers dedicated to guarding the First Gate of The Basalt Citadel, Guardians are the last resort in a worst-case scenario. From an early age, children are taught to seek them out in emergencies or during a breach. While Guardians are extremely gentle and kind to children in particular, and they can be relied on by all who would seek shelter in the Basalt Citadel, they are not to be underestimated in battle. Should a Guardian be called into battle they will fight with a ferocity unmatched by all but a parent defending their child. So long as a Guardian draws breath they will fight to protect those they have sworn to protect. An important part of being a Guardian is looking after all of the Citadel's inhabitants so they are forbidden from making arrests of any kind. They may help resolve civil matters however and are in fact encouraged to do so especially among young children to help foster trust.

Mounts

Guardians are a type of calvary riding astride massive reptilian beasts called Tunnelers who are their near constant companion. When someone joins the Guardians, they're given a tunneler egg and are expected to raise and bond with it. One can only become a full-fledged Guardian after demonstrating an inseparable bond with their tunneler. Upon their deaths, the two are buried together to preserve their bond even in death. If one dies before the other, tradition states that they are buried and the other half will join them when it is their time, some Guardians feel like they have lost part of themselves if their tunneler dies and may join them from a broken heart. Due to this intense bond and the need to treat everyone equally most Guardians never take a partner or have kids of their own. This is not expressly forbidden but is considered good practice.

Relationships and Loss

^{Special thanks to Marjorie Ariel for inspiring this new section}
When a tunneler dies before their Guardian, as previously mentioned, it is not uncommon for the Guardian to follow them from a broken heart. To those who live on, they often go into early retirement. Guardians are technically allowed to adopt another egg and raise it, but it is seen as a callous practice as their mount is not something so easily replaced. The only exceptions to this is if their tunneler had an unadopted egg at their time of death but even then most prefer to withdraw from the force, fearing they would impose unfair expectations on the hatchling in their grief. Guardians that retire often find new jobs in mining or smithing. Some may choose to live a quiet life without work, as the Citadel will pay for their expenses until death, but many find themselves uncomfortable with such idleness. Whatever they choose, they are still lauded for their service and may wear small tokens of their service such as a badge or scarf.
On the other hand, there are not many opportunities for tunnelers who lose their Guardian too soon. Those that lose their lifelong partner in battle often have to be put down as without someone to calm them from the heat of battle they can be a danger to everyone around them. Even if they are able to be calmed they're unwilling to work with anyone else. Some even go feral and disappear into abandoned tunnels, never to be seen again. Tunnelers that lose their Guardian outside of battle often enter a state of depression, and many seem to seek out their lost companion as if they don't understand, or refuse to accept, their absence. Some tunnelers are able to go work in mines but most often they're simply left to their own devices with other Guardians coming to care for them. Tunnelers, like their riders, are treated with the utmost respect and given as much space to make their own choices as can reasonably be given. Whether they pass quietly from a broken heart, join the miners, or live their life in quiet solitude, they are well cared for until the end.
_{It is said that some are working on a way to communicate with tunnelers so that in instances such as the above they can find out what the tunneler would like to do. Magma dwarf beliefs state that tunnelers are as intelligent as most adolescents and are capable of their own kind of speech, but due to the nature of their relationship with their companions, they never do.}

Type

Cavalry

Founding

306 EOR

Overall training Level

Elite

Assumed Veterancy

Decorated/Honored

History
306 EOR

Guardians Forming