Bargarix Royal Guard
Unlike the other orders, the Bargarix Royal Guard is entirely secular and much more selective, only numbering 1000 at a time. Trainees are still housed and fed but will only be promoted at the death of a Bargarix, keeping the number always at a 1000. It pledges its loyalty directly to the king, and their pledges are ceremoniously renewed at the beginning of each new king’s reign. Their captains are chosen among the warriors themselves, usually numbering up to ten total regime captains. Of these ten, one is chosen as a direct liaison to the King himself. Members are only chosen from orphans or children left behind by their parents in foster care, with no regard for gender, and are taught from a young age. Training, when still young, heavily involves play-fighting, obstacle courses, and small tournaments. Usually at the age of twelve, they are moved up to real combat training with wooden swords. Their regime of training becomes ever more strict, and are encouraged to spend what little free time they have sparring or familiarizing themselves with their weapon. At fifteen, each promising fighter is gifted a sword, symbolizing their ability above others - it is not unusual to see one of these selected among their peers as captain. Finally, at the same age, all members are welcome to partake in the full-scale tournaments where all citizens of Elliaster partake in.
Structure
The Halberdier
The representative of all Balgarix and direct liaison to the king. The King will give orders and tasks directly to them to pass down to the other captains. They are chosen among the 10 captains of the 10 regimes.Captains
Their captains are chosen among the warriors themselves, with only 10 at a time. Captains are only replaced at their time of death or if for some reason one is sentenced for a heinous crime, though they are usually pardoned by the King himself. This has given them a sense of impunity but they have recently also taken to defend the common man and antagonize the Sovarix. They are typically trained in all weapons, but their emblem of leadership is the two-handed falx. The ceremony to be chosen as captain is silent, private and held within closed doors at the royal armory. The regiment stands before a two-handed falx to make a choice: Either a claimant will step forth and raise the sword above his head, or present it to someone they wish to nominate. No words are spoken, and to act immediately is to act with dishonor; typically it takes an hour before someone steps forward. It's generally understood that the best of them will be nominated sincerely, but there are exceptions. If there is a dispute or someone wishes to nominate someone else, two things can happen: Either a competitor will challenge the nominee, or another soldier will turn away from him to show their disapproval. If the latter occurs, the nomination will only be invalidated if more than half the regiment does the same. This process could and is repeated multiple times until a captain is chosen, lengthening the procedure further until someone is chosen. The first to have turned away can then take the falx and nominate someone else. If the former occurs, the challenger must step forward and bow to the nominee, whence the two will battle. This battle, however, is more a dance than full-out combat. They do not strike to kill as to actively aim to hurt another Bargarix is grounds for a death sentence. Instead, the two competitors will generally display their technique and knowledge of attacks, blocks, parries, and restraint. Every Falx knows the moves and can judge for themselves if a mistake is done or not and thus an outside opinion is not needed, with allowance for one mistake. The loser will bow and step back to leave room for another potential competitor. This process is repeated until a captain is chosen. Once a winner is decided, the regiment will one by one bow to them. In the rare occasion that the winner of a bout is disliked, it takes three-quarters of the full regiment to choose not to bow. This is considered taboo but has been done in the past. The new captain will then choose a new Orphan to take his place as a Falx.Falx
The regular footman of the Bargarix guard. They are nothing to scoff at and are chosen among the best of recruits housed in the royal armories. Falx are trained from boyhood with swords, particularly the one-handed Falx and shield from where they get their name. They are divided in regiments of a 100, led by a captain chosen among themselves.Orphans
Named after their common origin of being orphaned, the title is also symbolic. Recruits and trainees are considered to be "without a family" until they officially join the Bargarix. While the numbers have varied in the past, the normal number is a 1000 so there are always enough heads to replace one Bargarix need be.Public Agenda
They will protect the king or whoever sits upon the throne without prejudice. Recently they have taken a dislike of the Sovarix and Orthopraxy (never publicly). This is a result of their staunch belief that the Throne is the first and foremost authority in the kingdom, not the Orthopraxy. A Falx could easily take a Sovarix in one-on-one combat, but the skill of a Sovarix can vary from Knight to Knight.
While they do not actively act against the Orthopraxy or Sovarix, they have taken to antagonize them and question their rulings, particularly during inquisition trials of commoners.
The Throne Rules
Type
Military Order
Training Level
Elite
Veterancy Level
Decorated/Honored
Leader
Parent Organization
Location
Comments