Temple Guard

"For almost two thousand years we have guarded this temple, and for two thousand more we shall endure. Even the ravages of the Sakamohr broke against the holy walls around us. You are now one of us, and I expect each and every one of you to uphold that history."

The Empire of Belyos's pantheon is large and varied, with many gods and many temples. Whilst temple buildings are managed by the Priests, it is the famed Temple Guards who are responsible for its security and maintenance, as well as carrying the will of their priesthood around the Empire and beyond.
Of all the religious buildings in the Empire, the Temple of Yaltur in Belyos is the Empire's greatest, as befits the Empire's most important deity. Parts of it are almost 2000 years old, and it is the oldest standing building in the city, surviving even the depredations of the Sakamohr occupation. The Temple Guard of Yaltur are also the oldest, and have become the template for other similar organisations around the Empire.

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Structure

The nominal head of the Temple Guards is the High Priest of that particular temple, but operational command is handled by a High Commander, who is based in the High Temple in Belyos. Under the High Commander are Commanders, who each lead a section of the Temple Guard with a specific role; the Protectors guard the actual buildings and property of the Temple, the Rangers accompany Priests and Clerics on their travels, the Stewards manage and maintain Temple property, the Agents act as laymen emissaries and envoys for Temple business, when the matter is not suitable to be handled by priests, and finally Mariners crew and sail the Temple Fleet. Underneath Commanders are various numbers of Captains, who command a variable number of Guards, depending on the location, role and so on. Command is then distributed to Sergeants, who lead squads, again of a variable size.
This organisation has been adopted by almost all the other Temples, and is seen as the standard operation model for Temple Guards of any deity. The vast majority of Temple Guards are Protectors, with a sizeable number of Stewards, dependant on the size of the property under guard. Not all Temples have Agents or Mariners, but all of the Inheritor gods do.

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History

The Temple Guards of Yaltur are the original, and were founded in 52 IY by Emperor Sios after the construction of the Temple of Yaltur was completed. They saw an uninterrupted length of service until the Sakmohr invaded in 1408. The Guards were one of the last remaining defenders of the city as the Sakamohr approached and negotiated the surrender of the city to Pexld, under the conditions that the various Temples were not pillaged. Pexld only agreed to the sanctity of the Temple of Yaltur, and faced with overwhelming odds, the Temple Guards agreed.
As the city was sacked around them, the Temple Guard fought off bands of opportunistic Sakamohr seeking to 'accidentally' raid the temple, and eventually Pexld's horde settled down into a less anarchic state. With most of the priesthood gone, and a tiny population of Imperials remaining, the Temple Guard ensured the temple was maintained, and the purple The Flame of Yaltur remained lit. New recruits were obtained from area of the Empire free from Sakamohr influence, and smuggled into the city, to continue to protect the sanctity of the building.
When the Sakmohr devolved into in-fighting in 1571, the Temple Guard once more found themselves defending the complex against raiders, and withdrew into the main building itself, leaving the majority of the temple to the anarchy outside. For the next fifteen years, they protected it until the short-lived alliance of northern states finally evicted the Sakamohr from the city.
Hopes that the Empire would be re-founded were premature, and the next century saw the Temple Guard as the only real authority within the city, helping the few people who returned to live in the remains of the city live in some semblance of security. The other temples were slowly recovered and re-sanctified, and civilisation returned to the Belyos island.
When Til-Yaltur's crusade reached Belyos, the Temple Guards saw in him a chance to regain past glories, and wholeheartedly backed him, becoming some of his most loyal soldiers. In return, when the crusade completed successfully, Til-Yaltur granted the Temples complete autonomy within their grounds. As the city grew, the various temples regained their influence and splendour, and now the Temple Guards are seen as some of the Empires finest soldiers, but utterly loyal to their temple first, then the Empire.

A Temple Guard in the colours of Yaltur

Founding Date

52 IY

Type

Military Order

Training Level

Elite

Veterancy Level

Decorated/Honored

Parent Organization

The Empire of Belyos

Location

Belyos

Related Ethnicities

• Imperial