The Royal Guard was a paramilitary formation of the Vaethian police, stationed in the capital San Vaeth and tasked with protecting the government.

Institutional Structure

The Royal Guard was formally part of the police, though it also had military weapons, training, structure, and rank system. Its commanding officer, a colonel, took orders directly from the National Police Headquarters. There were provisions such that, in case of emergency, the monarch could directly call on the Royal Guard; communications systems were added in the palace for this purpose.

Training of the Royal Guard happened in bases of the Vaethian Army outside the city. A twenty-day course alongside the capital's uniformed police rounded off the military training.

Mission

The Guard's mission was to protect the capital. In effect, it was the only well-armed police force in the city, and accordingly received guard duties for many important buildings: the palace, the parliament, even the Kingsbridge and Crag Bridge.

If the monarch called, the Guard could also form an army-style infantry regiment to face some organized foe. The mentality was to use the Royal Guard as the final elite core of the armed forces in case of a foreign attack.

Structural History

The Royal Guard was strongly inspired by the Gendarme Corps, the other paramilitary formation in Vaethia, and the to-be guardsmen were recruited primarily from the gendarmerie.

• Foundation, 73. Awaiting proper training of the Royal Guard units, the Gendarme Corps' 7th Group was deployed in the new barracks.
• Inauguration, 74. King Syron ceremoniously welcomed the freshly trained troops into the city. The 1st and 2nd Companies of 300 men each, garrisoned in the main barracks, and the Crown Company of 500 in the palace barracks, were created. A major was put in command of each company.
• National Purpose Restructuring, 97 OW. Many troops of the 2nd Company that had shown their dedication to the new government were transferred to the Crown Company. Meanwhile, a whole new 4th Armored Car Company was created, drawn primarily from the gendarme 5th Mobile Group. The enlarged force now counted 400, 350, 800, and 300 guardsmen each, under the command of Lord Colonel Aturion.
• Vaenya's Restructuring, 100 OW. When Queen Vaenya, she removed all the guardsmen who had been loyal to the regime, arresting officers and dismissing men of the rank. The entire 2nd and Crown Companies, the regime's staunchest supporters, were outright disbanded. In exchange, the new Guardians of the Faith - officially the 5th Company - was added. Though the 1'700-strong Guard was still under the command of a colonel and the police, the 5th Company, garrisoned in the palace barracks, was commanded by a lieutenant-colonel and had direct links to both the monarch and the Faith of Vaethia leadership overriding regimental command.

Operational History

King Syron founded the Royal Guard in 73 OW after riots in the eastern city due to a pandemic overwhelmed the police defenders of the parliament and a force of soldiers and gendarmes had to intervene. He decided that enforcement of order in the city had to be strengthened, and accordingly created a new paramilitary unit for the purpose.

• National Purpose, 97 - 100 OW. During the coup, a large part of the 2nd Company, and a platoon of the 1st, joined the usurpers. The Royal Guard became one of the regime's staunchest bases of support; its enlarged ranks were used to discourage any and all public manifestations, and the Crown Company was put to use making sure the princess remained under the government's control.
• Sublime Maneuver, 100 OW. During Princess Vaenya's counter-coup, the 2nd and 4th Companies under Colonel Aturion played a key part in arresting the regime leaders.