How (and Why) To Join The Guards
It is common knowledge that a person would sign up at the Guardhouse. Just show up and perform some health checkups and endurance tests and you can get in if you pass and there are available openings, otherwise you go on a waiting list. Females and males are acceptable to join.
The pay rate and job security for guards is why most join. Some long for adventure and others for a bit of power over the common man.
Guards Uniform
A thin silvered helm that is more for presentation than practicality, with a long brush from the top dyed a dark green. The same dark green is also worn on their hip-length coats, thick and lightly lacquered to protect the wearer from rain soaking through. The buttons are silvered and stamped with the royal insignia.
A very thick material known as \'woven cloth\' is dyed black for the guards to wear, the belt is also black with a silver buckle with the royal insignia on it - so that it is easily identifiable as part of the King\'s Army supplies. The black boots have a hard sole and toes, but soft and supple leather covers up to the shin.
Guard Ranks
Rank is shown by a coloured stripe of ribbon on the left breast. From the earliest Initiate (being white), to the Captain of the Guards (black).
Most guards wear gray ribbons, passing the Initiate to become a Weapons Guard - whether skilled in the Crossbow or best with the Sword, the ribbon remains gray.
For an ever watchful Palace Guard, the ribbon is a slightly darker gray. Only the guards or the very observant citizens know this.
Skilled Guards are tactical - those who command a unit of Weapons Guards. These wear a light green ribbon.
And those who are the highest rank that can be reached without actually being the Captain of the Guard and ultimate decision maker, wear yellow ribbons. They are the Lieutenants. There are never many of these around - always less than ten, but never fewer than three.
Guards Relationship with Lord Dagger
It has been observed that the guards treat Lord Dagger with respect and follow his shouted orders as though he has rank. It is widely travelled that Lord Dagger is very good friends with the Captain of the Guard, and it would be unwise to a guard\'s chosen career path to upset this particular noble.
Take note that an Initiate might make the mistake of ignoring Lord Dagger, but a grey ribboned guard wouldn\'t - though a grey ribbon on a Palace Guard means that they distrust this particular noble, and view him with suspicion.
A light green ribboned guard wouldn\'t be happy about following orders from a \'mere noble\' yet would do it unless it conflicts directly with the King\'s normal orders (for instance, they wouldn\'t attack another guard unless that guard was doing something against common law), and Lord Dagger wouldn\'t order around a yellow ribbon because there would most certainly be confrontation.
Guardhouse
All guards live in the guardhouse.
A large square building, with four wings and an open courtyard in the centre. The building can sleep 200 guards, though not all the beds are full.
There are separate floors for the female and male guards, and no consorting after hours of any type is allowed (though it does go on, just don\'t get caught or there may be a demotion or expulsion in the near future).
The courtyard is large and allows for many training sessions, as well as an indoor training area in one of the wings, and the common room is not quite so common with much entertainment provided.
To live in the guardhouse is a rather good life, and so there is no shortage of townsfolk wishing to join the King\'s Army. The pay is reasonable, the food is edible and the clothing is supplied, so the majority of guards send their money to their poverty-stricken families, and the rest squander it on ale.
