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| ""Do you see it, sisters? Do you see it, brothers? Look in their eyes, there! Past the flame! Past the hunger! Now it is our boots treading their soil, and they begin to understand! We have had our fill of fear, and now theirs are the only hearts for it to seize! Forward!"" |
| ~Olric Makke, High Judge of Fortitude |
Summary[]
The Old Guard, originally known to Varimanian society as the Lambent Front, was a small armed peacekeeping force of trained elites, dedicated to protecting Variman and its allies during times of strife and war, as well as the holy order of Fortitude. Their work within Imeris, when tensions were low, consisted of guarding settlements and cities and bringing justice to criminals. When called to the front lines during the Civil War, however, their training and tenacity shone, even in their limited numbers. As the fighting progressed, what was left of Variman eventually stood under its banner as a single unit, taking the Front’s name as the fight reached its zenith. Now, the surviving original members, referred to as the Old Guard to prevent confusion, are left to adapt to a world that needs their protection now more than ever, lost without the one thing they’ve had to give them a united purpose: war.
History[]
Origins[]
When the Kingdom of Variman was still expanding, and the six Archons had not yet descended on the world, a grave and terrible threat loomed over its people. When all seemed nearly lost, and the capital all but lay in the shadow of impending destruction, Fortitude heard the humans’ call and guided its first High Judge through a devastating siege. Buildings were destroyed, streets were razed- but against all odds, the people stayed steadfast and survived to drive their invaders away.
It was decided, both through revelations received from their new Archon and through the peoples’ urging, that an order be formed in its name to prevent such a disaster from ever threatening their kingdom again. The High Judge, once a grizzled and unyielding general, donned their armor and called together the land’s militias and knights, organizing the first Lambent Front.
Throughout the Kingdom’s history, the order persisted. They adapted and times of peace came and went, slowly growing in wisdom and influence; when the Civil War came, it was as if they’d been preparing their whole existence for it. An immovable object against an unstoppable force- while the war was harsh on them, they never faltered. They remained as such through every battle they fought, separate and together… at least until the fall of the capital of Variman into Hell.
A Bloody Golden Age[]
During the Hellmarch, the Front was scattered. Small squads clung together as the capital’s people were ravaged, led on only by their dedication to Fortitude and surviving to the last. Judges became generals, men-at-arms were forced to take the lead of their comrades, and despite everything, morale was always high. The originals, already hardened from war, prevailed and became like idols, inspiring soldiers young and old. When all their efforts came to a head, when the portal back to Imeris was opened, they were the ones to stay behind and hold off the horrors of the underworld while their people escaped.
New Territory[]
Those originals that lived to see the Flight of Imeris, now barely a shadow of what they had once been in a homeland that did not remember them, were at a loss. They were now relics of a different time, for now it was not just them who understood the horrors of war, but everyone who had come out through that portal- and with the Temple of Fortitude destroyed, they had no Archon to turn to. They buried their fallen brothers, shielded their kin from the hordes of undead that would soon drive all of Imeris’ peoples from their homes, and sailed their ships into the Mists.
For them, adaptation to the new land the Imeris Entente calls home will be the hardest. After so many years of only war, returning to a normal life may be nigh impossible.
Traditions[]
Common Ground[]
Much of the Old Guard formed tight-knit friendships with their fellow soldiers and squads during the civil war. Many of these close groups created their own traditions as a result, but a few were shared between them all. Keeping morale strong was taken quite seriously, as a soldier with no hope could not be steadfast- giving comrades the ability to relate to each other was invaluable in this effort.
Shields: No matter where you came from or who you were, in the old Lambent Front (especially in the thick of the Variminian Civil War) you were encouraged to carve on your shield what you were fighting for. Many soldiers would carve this into the backs of their shields, and could be both images and words.
Music: A tradition started long before the war by the first High Judge of Fortitude; be they marching, resting, or fighting corruption in the world, a soldier’s heart sings with hope, and so may they. Many hymns were written and sung throughout the existence of the Front, and some even written by squads in the war. The Front’s style of singing in Common could be compared to a gospel choir, though some war songs written in old Variminian had the inflection of a Gregorian chant.
Trophies: Over the years, as guardianship, war, and battle became like a way of life to the elite Old Guardsmen, money grew to have little value for their work. As Holy Men they did not take pay, and wanted not for it outside their needs for equipment and rations; so, when their work was done and the battle was over, they would accept gifts offered by the towns and cities they defended. From a strip of cloth, to a painted hide, to an ornate sword, a well earned trophy was worth more than gold to the Order.
War Paint: Developed during the Civil War, a method the Old Guard used to help their enemies recognize them (and their impending doom), was for a soldier to pick a color based on its meaning, and paint a stripe across the left side of their helmet. A squad of painted soldiers during the war was a sight to behold- unless you were on the wrong side of their shields.
Beliefs[]
The Old Guard, like the Inquisition and Magisteriate, dedicated themselves to a specific Archon, in this case Fortitude. Thus, much of their code of honor revolved around what that entailed.
To the Last
The fact remains to this day, that this order within the Seskantige Preke took ‘steadfast’ incredibly seriously. If an Old Guard doctor saw a dying soldier, they would run to their aid, rather than put them out of their misery. If they were pinned for days under enemy assault, they would not retreat until they were wholly and entirely spent, and only then would they step away to regain their strength and come back more ferocious than before. It’s understood between members that giving up is inherently not an option, even in one’s most dire moment; for the right purpose, with the right motivation, anything was worth fighting for.
Prayer
For many members of the Front, prayer was a powerful motivator, even for the less orthodox. It was commonplace for members of a squad or troop to pray together rather than alone, and for the sake of brevity and to keep a clear connection throughout the whole of the Old Guard, many prayers were written down and repeated. One such prayer, for example, was;
“Fortitude, I pray for endurance, that you may give me the power to be the shield I am needed to be.”