Wrought Watch
Platehands are the worst. There's this one guy, Ironclad, that hops in the Grit Pit every now and then; hate having to fight that guy! He hates having to fight me, too, 'cause I always go for his legs. They should really cover their armor joints better, even a Stain could take em' out with one good hit!
Guard of the “People”
Those with enough wealth or influence in the inner rings of Stahlrest enjoy relative security in many fashions, be those physical, financial, or spiritual securities. One of those is known as the Wrought Watch (abbreviated as WW), a private, paramilitary police force headed and funded by Constable-Baron Lawrence Sterling. This private police force acts similarly to a guild, whereas only those with proficient enough skills may apply to become a member. Because of this quirk, Constable-Baron Sterling has a seat on the Capstone Authority, a conglomeration of guild leaders and leading industry Barons within the Luminforge Syndicate that governs the nation-state.
Often flaunted as the “Guard of the People”, the WW were originally intended to patrol all of the city streets within Stahlrest without discrimination. However, due to numerous backroom deals made behind closed doors, potential bribes, and occasional extorsion, this is rarely the case. It is common knowledge among Stains, (a term given to people who fell through the cracks of society) in the outer ring of Stahlrest that, in the off chance a member of the Watch is patroling their ring, it is best to walk, scurry, or run in the opposite direction. Stains unfortunate enough to cross their path on a bad cycle are typically found the following cycle beaten, bloodied, and bruised lying in an alleyway or gutter full of industrial-grade grime. It is not unheard of for deaths to occur as a result.
Those living within the inner rings of the city, however, see a much different side to the Watch. Members with orders to patrol these regions rarely wear their armor, typically opting for nice, button-down coats and hats of various styles. Fewer still wear a mask, which is part of their uniform and dress code. Constable-Baron Sterling firmly believes that the members of his guild, his private force, should not be known to the public; at least, to those living in poverty in Slum Row. Officers with orders to make their rounds there are prohibited from entering without their armor, which ranges from patch-work iron plates to full suits of reinforced, steel-plated gear.
Specializations of Watchmen
While most officers of the WW are your bog-standard officer-of-the-law, the dedicated typically specialize in a particular field of interest within the organization. Below, one will be able to find three such branches. The Ordlings often act as a sort of officer corps, and are the most likely to never see any form of combat in the streets of the city. Seekers have been granted access to the newest gunpowder weapons and accessories to aid their cause; they are often used as a sort of spec-ops unit rarely seen in the open. Finally, possibly the most common specialization is the Platehands; officers fitted with full armor and face-coverings.
Ordlings
Ordlings are most commonly found within the inner and central rings of Stahlrest, tasked with handling the upper-crust of the city. These individuals are often high-ranking officers in the Watch, though any member may apply to join their ranks. The Ordlings' branch has a fairly low acceptance rate, however, as every applicant is thoroughly vetted and screened before they begin their training. Fewer still complete this rigorous training, making this branch of the Watch a cut above the rest.
The largest factor in their low acceptance rate, or their low training completion rate, is the "Civil Matters" module of their regimen. This course educates applicants on how to speak to, work with, and protect the city's elites. It is considered by those that pass the training to be a weed-eating exercise, allowing only the cream-of-the-crop through. However, it is not uncommon or unheard of for this module to be overlooked or overwritten if one is savvy enough to blackmail, bribe, or extort the officer conducting the exercise.
Unsurprisingly, corruption among members of the Ordlings is common, with bribes from the city's political and economic elite lining their own pockets to look the other way when matters find themselves at their doorsteps. Numerous investigations have been launched into this issue by outside organizations, though they rarely go very far. Those that look too far into the WW can typically find themselves at the business end of a Seeker's rifle or waking up later after a 'chance' encounter with a Platehand went awry.
Seekers
Members of the Seeker branch can be found across the city, often working in tandem with a partner Ordling or Platehand. These individuals receive at least a full year's worth of marksmanship training with both rifles and revolvers at distances up to 500 and 50 yards, respectively. Seekers are known for their lethal accuracy, typically used in securing areas of high importance or hunting targets of interest. The only requirement one much reach in order to apply to become a Seeker of the Watch is to not be a mage, of any degree or calibur. Constable-Baron Sterling is wary of the magically-inclined, and is thought to keep tabs on known arcanists residing within Stahlrest. While not confirmed, it is thought his vitriol towards arcanists stems from an accident that occured years ago which involved the deaths of some two dozen citizens of the Syndicate. [1]
A Seeker's uniform is similar to that of a typical Watchman's with a few notable differences. The first among them is having an open collar as opposed to having it closed. Stitched into the collar of every Watchman's uniform is a thick strip of leather meant to protect the wearer's neck from bladed weapons in the event of a close-quarters skirmish; it is left open on Seeker uniforms as the ranges in which they operate make it more of a hinderance than a boon. The second major difference is the face covering provided in their kit. Typical Watchmen are issued either a bandana or balaclava, whereas Seekers are equiped with Thaumtech-enchanced gas masks that enable their vision to pierce smokescreens or other visual obstructions. Gas masks have slowly been introduced as secondary kit for normal Watchmen due to an influx in industrial-grade gas attacks carried out in the outer ring of Stahlrest.
Platehands
Finally, the foremost physical specialization within the Watch: the Platehands. Watchmen that specialize in this branch receive rigorous training in hand-to-hand combat, as well as close-quarters-combat with and without weapons. Individuals in the Platehands are also put on a highly specific diet, one consisting of high protein and whole grains, to maximize the muscle mass gained from their training. Part of the reason that Platehands are known to be intimidating is that, on average, their members are physically larger than others of the same racial profile. Smaller folk such as gnomes and dwarves are some of the hardest hit by their regimen, with some reaching an average human's height and build during their tenure.
Platehands, unlike other Watchmen, do not have coats as their uniform. They are equiped in full suits of armor, most of which are studded leather clad in steel plates in vital regions. Every member is given a pair of bulky gauntlets with segmented, flat knuckle plates across the backs of the hands. Behind the knuckle-sized plates are pads [2] made of softened leather and down, which cushion one's knuckles should hand-to-hand combat ensue. Platehands, similarly to other Watchmen, always have a facial covering of some sort; more prestigious members of the branch have intricate steel masks while others simply use a balaclava beneath their helmets.
Depicted on the right is the member of the Watch nicknamed 'Ironclad' by members of the Seared Seeker's guild. This individual is known to enter the mostly-legal underground arena fights from time to time, always donning their rather intricate Platehand armor. His true name and rank are unknown, as he does not speak while visiting the guildhall in which the event takes place. Despite breaking one of the few rules set in place for the pit fights, no one ever stops him as they know he could simply bring other Watchmen to shut it all down over the slightest violation of the law set by the Authority.
Behind the Masks
As mentioned above, every Watchman is required to wear a face covering due to the less-than-stellar reputation of the WW with the Stain population. Ordlings and other high-ranking officers rarely follow this, treating it as more of a guideline while on duty (most can get away with this form of insubordination as they don't often visit the outer ring). This piece of the uniform was implemented to protect a Watchman's identity while on the job. Of course, this only became standard kit after a host of issues arose that led to a public hunt of specific, notorious individuals that resulted in the subsequent burning and death of ██ Watchmen and their families.
[1] This event came to be known as Blue Pyrem on account of the massive, azure explosion that leveled a multi-story residential building in the outer ring of Stahlrest. Over two dozen Syndicate citizens were found among the wreckage, along with the presumed culprit of the explosion; a Wissian mage visiting the city.
[2] These pads are kept in bulk, and replacements are ordered as soon as a set is used to replace a worn one. Platehands are known to wear their pads out quickly if their routes take them through the outer ring, which they often do.
Type
Security
Overall training Level
Professional
Assumed Veterancy
Experienced
Used by
I love the detail you include about the different roles within the watch, the way they dress, and (unfortunately) how those who are heavily armed with their faces covered tend to be policing the outer rings. The sense of power, control, and corruption is almost too real.
To say the Pinkertons of Gilded Age America were an inspiration behind the WW is an understatement, honestly.