Tutelar Escort, The

Regardless of how enlightened a society may be, perils to peace will always exist; in actual fact I have concluded from my centuries of observations that advanced civilisations attract advanced threats.

Those who chart the course of a society make for the grandest statements if something untoward were to befall them.

In Sulatas, the Basileis and elected members of The Open Assembly of Representatives represent just those opportunities.

Sulamynen Defenders

Sulamynen has a layered approach to defense:

The standing armed forces of the Unity Army, Navy and Air Cavalry protect the borders from external threats.

City or regional Militias maintain law and order on a local level, organised by local officials.

Nomadic Magisters roam the nation and support local militias if requested, investigate serious cases and pass sentences on behalf of The Apex Chambers and hunt down the most dangerous threats to a local population.

A further layer exists to specifically protect the political institutions in Sulatas; the Basilean Guard have sole responsibility for protecting the OAR dome and the Representatives housed within, and the family of the Baseleis in Sulatas Castle.

An elite unit of Basilean Guard remain with the Basileis at all time, known as The Tutelars, or to give them their grand title; The Tutelar Escort of the Basilean Guard.

I must admit the precise number of Tutelars in existence eludes me, a detail I have never gleened from any source; I grudgingly concede there may be legitimate reasons of national security necessitating that secrecy.

Tutelar Structure

What I can relay however is the fundamental structure;

Tutelar Glaive is the officer in charge of the detachment; they have discretionary authority to take any action necessary to protect the Basileis. The title is derived from the glaive they carry; those long ceremonial poles with a sword affixed to the end, at least that is what they look like to me. What can I say, I'm a librarian not a fighter!

At any rate, I was able to trade some information with the Manipulator Smith who crafts these and they are a bit special! Commissioned when an officer is promoted to the Tutelar Glaive, they are each unique with an element of personalisation relevant to the intended recipient, whether it be their coat of arms or a significant motto. What is more, they are collapsable, they shrink down immediately to their sword form for more practical application in close quarters scuffles.

Tutelar Shields are the elite guards that pledge their lives to the Basileis, more specifically the institution they represent which I have always thought an important and fascinating distinction. These brave souls vow to stand between the Basileis and any threat. To aid them survive this promise they are presented with a shield personalised in much the same discrete fashion as the glaive.

I have not yet discovered any more about the shields and possible enchantments, though I will keep trying. The choice of weapons a Shield carries seems to be a personal one and not mandated for the unit as a whole, which one imagines does allow for a more flexible force.

Of course I have no doubt the Tutelars one sees escorting the Basileis are those who want to be seen; I have a strong suspicion there are hidden ones who stick to the shadows or wander in plain sight amongst the crowds. I would call them Tutelar Cloaks if they existed, which I can neither confirm nor deny, at the moment.

Tutelar Uniform

Of the Tutelars we see, the standard uniform is comprised of:

• a supple black leather armour for the torso, arms, legs, boots and gloves which is embossed with a discrete swirling silver pattern,
• a dark green tabard on top of the armour with a silver Pegasi emblazoned on the chest and back,
• and a black leather cavalier's hat with a dark green band and gold or silver feather flourish.

The gold and silver feathers are intersting. I am lead to believe a condition of acceptance into the Tutelars is the... acquisition of a silver Pegasi feather! Now silver Pegasi are very rare, found only in the heights of the Monument or Silverspire Mountains. Gold Pegasi are even rarer, perhaps even extinct; as far as I am aware the gold Pegasi feather is passed from one Glaive to the next, as a result of retirement or the expiry of the former.

Pegasi are also protected by the Crown and Assembly therefore I find it implausible to accept the most elite Guard unit would venture so close to the edge of the law for the sake of bravado.

I may be in error.

Which is as likely as Dragons returning to Aeon.

Iaro Gaunt

Type

Escort