The Clarets

Structure

Guardsmen: The Guardsmen make up the majority of the manpower of the Clarets. The branch is made up of skilled soldiers who patrol the palace and act as bodyguards for the Council, Guild heads, and other high-up positions. Many were soldiers in the militia who were recruited when their contracts expired. They are not the most elite members of the Clarets, but they are highly trained and a force to be reckoned with.
Research: This branch acts as a think-tank and contains some of the greatest minds in the city. This is where Magecrafters design new enchantments and more efficient wards, and craftsmen develop more efficient smelting among other things. Unlike the College and guilds, the Claret researchers develop new technologies strictly for military use.
Elites: The Elites are the best of the best. Among their number are the most powerful Casters and the most skilled soldiers. They are the ones who lead any official military operations sponsored by the Council and act as bodyguards for the General and Red Leader. They spend most of their time honing their skills and training the Guardsmen. They also run secret operations outside the city.

Public Agenda

Protect the Red Lady and respond to major threats to the integrity of the city.

Assets

Archives: They have access to any document in the city, so long as they can provide proof of the necessity of them seeing the said document. They also maintain a library of their own in the depths of the palace.
People: The Clarets have unopposed access to recruiting in Idorough. They regularly run interviews to hire more soldiers and researchers and almost no one in the city would turn down an offer to join.
Funding: They operate as both a private faction and an extension of the Militia, so they receive funding from the city (for research mostly) and can gain more by hiring out Guardsmen to act as escorts.
Equipment: All their equipment is the highest quality (dia-steel armor and weapons, as well as top-notch enchantments) and forged/created by Research. The Guardsmen's equipment is relatively uniform - other than their weapons - whereas the Elites' equipment is highly personalized with only the colors and the crest acting as a unifying mark.
Headquarters: Their headquarters is located deep inside the palace with tunnels leading down into the rest of the city for ease of access. It includes laboratory space, barracks, training rooms, and a library.

History

The Clarets were founded after the assassination of the first Red Leader during the Second Age. They were originally simply a private guard force for the ruling family of Idorough, but, through the ages, they have evolved and changed to become their own faction, with the guarding of the Red Leader only being a small portion of what they do.
After the Capital fell, the General took over high command of the Clarets and began pumping funds into the Research and Elite branches to prepare the city for eventual war.

Founding Date

Orain 10th, 485 TE

Type

Military, Special Operations Force

Alternative Names

Red Army, Bloodhounds

Training Level

Elite

Veterancy Level

Decorated/Honored

Demonym

Claret

Location

Idorough