Hesteri Guard (hehs.TARE.ee)

'I am ascended, for I have faced death and lived;

The Word of the Messenger is Ascendancy.

I am the master, for boldly have I fought;

The Word of the Messenger is Mastery.

I am superior, through tenacity is the victory mine;

The Word of the Messenger is Supremacy.

I am the Will of the Messenger, and eternal;

The Word of the Messenger is Perpetuity.

My life serves the Word and World of the Messenger,

Whose Legacy is Eternal.'

- Creed of the Hesteri

The Hesteri Guard were originally the personal bodyguard formation of the Sharrarch of the Zendylite Empire, as founded by Zendyl Heste do Shaphel, also known as Zendyl the Messenger. Since the fall of the Sharrarchy in the late 27th century ATC, the Hesteri have instead devoted themselves to the defense of the Messenger's City, Col Zendyl, and the Baz Hesteran, wherein the Order resides.

Structure

The Hesteri are governed by four Masters, each of whom represents one of the Zendylite Tenets, and each of whom holds specific responsibilities within the Order.

1. Master of Ascendancy: Member-candidate with the most battle decorations from their time of regular military service. The Master of Ascendancy is responsible for education and discipline within the Order.
2. Master of Mastery: Member-candidate most skilled in strategy and tactics. The Master of Mastery is responsible for strategy, planning, and the deployment of the Order.
3. Master of Supremacy: Member-candidate most skilled in arms. The Master of Supremacy is responsible for the training of the Order.
4. Master of Perpetuity: Member-candidate who is the longest serving officer in the Guard. The Master of Perpetuity is responsible for the Order's logistics, and advises the other three Masters in their roles as well.

An initiate of the Hesteri Guard is called a 'Bren' (BREHN; pl. 'Brenni', BREHN.ee). They hold this rank until they have either served two full years from their induction, or until they have faced combat as a Bren of the Guard (the former is more likely, as Col Zendyl is seldom attacked directly), at which time they are promoted to the rank of 'Sible' (SEYE.bel; pl. 'Sibelli', seye.BELL.ee). Sibelli are members in full standing within the Order, and form the rank and file of the Guard.

For every two years of service in the Guard, a Sible gains a 'Degree' of rank, which is used to determine precedence and seniority. A 'Tar-Sible' (TAHR SEYE.bel; pl. Tar-Sibelli) is a Sible with additional responsibility and authority who acts as intermediary between the officers of the Order and the other Sibelli and Brenni. Tar-Sibelli must be of at least the Third Degree (minimum six years' service as a Sible), but outrank all other Sibelli, regardless of their Degree.

Officers in the Hesteri are known as 'Sestari' (seh.STAR.ee; sing. 'Sestar', SEH.star). Sibelli wishing to become Sestari may engage in a course of study designed by the original Masters of the Guard (and occasionally updated by current Masters with the unanimous agreement of their colleagues), and overseen by the Master of Ascendancy. This study typically takes about two years, and because none under Fifth Degree are permitted to become Sestari, generally none under Third or Fourth Degree is allowed to take the training. Upon completion of the course, the candidate is placed in a pool of potential Sestari until a position becomes available within the Order. This pool of potentials have the privilege of wearing the title Sible-Ascendant, and are considered equal in rank to a Tar-Sible, though Sibelli-Ascendant hold no authority to command others in the Order, yet. They do, however, hold the right to sit in observation at the Council of Sestari, where the governance of the Guard is conducted.

Culture

The Guard only takes veterans of the Imperial military who have served honorably for at least five years, though ten to fifteen is more likely. Dedication and loyalty to the Zendylite Empire, the Zendylite Tenets, and the Empire's institutions (in that order) are required, and every candidate is closely and carefully assessed for suitability to service in the Order; certain traits, such as avarice, pettiness, political ambition, and others, are not tolerated.

By decree of the Messenger himself, as well as by his bequest, the Hesteri are organizationally and financially autonomous within the Empire, owing loyalty to the Sharrarch alone. Their control of the Baz Hesteran and its resources, as well as involvement in various other ventures, assures the continuation of the Order's self-sustaining nature, allowing the Guard to remain an apolitical organisation.

"There is a time for aggression and a time for attrition." -early Master of Perpetuity

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The Hesteri typically number around five-thousand members, not including auxiliary personnel. In the event that Col Zendyl were attacked, the Order's usual protocol for defending the city involved arranging the Guard in five legions of one-thousand each; each of four legions would be assigned a quarter of the city for defense, whereas the fifth legion, termed the Final Legion, would hold in reserve at the Baz Hesteran. The Final Legion would be commanded by the Master of Perpetuity, whose responsibility it would be to give the order known in Hesteri lore as the “Time for Aggression Order”.

“It is time for Aggression”- this order is taught to every initiate of the Hesteri Guard as part of their training, which takes a dualistic approach. The full quote on which it is based comes from one of the Guard's earliest Masters, who famously said, “There is a time for aggression and a time for attrition.” This quote reflects the doctrine of the Guard, whose primary approach to defending the city would be to fortify, and grind down the enemy. There is a dark and tightly-held secret however, known only to the Masters of the Guard: deep within the vaults and armories of the Baz Hesteran is an arsenal of sufficient Bloodsteel weaponry to outfit nearly two-thousand of the Order's number. This cache of Bloodsteel, gathered during the days of the Bloodhand Rebellion and given into the care of the Hesteri, ostensibly to destroy, has instead been carefully hidden for centuries as a final resort for the Order. It was around this time that the “Time for Aggression” Order was created, and the Guard's training regimen adapted to suit. As such, part of the ongoing training of the Hesteri involves working with tactics and techniques that are presented as “last stand” forms, to be used only when the Guard is in imminent danger of being overrun, and the order has been given. The true purpose for this training is to prepare the warriors of the Guard for the possible use of Bloodsteel, even though they will never know it unless Col Zendyl falls under greatest peril of being captured.

The reason for the shadows and secrecy surrounding the Order's Bloodsteel cache, besides the obvious fact that they subverted the Sharrarch's directive to destroy the weapons and defied the prohibition on possessing such things, is that the Masters of the Guard have no way of knowing whether the Bloodsteel would work as stories said it did for the Bloodhand Vanguard, enhancing their warriors' speed, agility, and strength; or, if it would drive their warriors mad with bloodlust, as confused reports from the Bloodhand Rebellion suggest it did with the Vanguard, causing them to slaughter invader and citizen alike, and sparing none but their fellows. Ultimately, it was decided that the Hesteri would rather see their city destroyed than in the hands of a foe, so either potential outcome was considered acceptable in the last extreme defense of the city. Nevertheless, the weight of responsibility for the difficult decision to issue the order, borne by the Master of Perpetuity, is a heavy burden.

Public Agenda

The Guard is fanatically loyal to the Empire itself, and the teachings of Zendyl the Messenger. For most of the Empire's history, they served as the personal guard of the Sharrarch and the Imperial capital, Col Zendyl. Since the vacancy of the Sharrarchy began in the late 27th century ATC, the Hesteri have instead focused on maintaining the defenses of Col Zendyl, even after it ceased to be the official capital of the Empire.

A less known, but important duty of the Hesteri is the guarding of the ancient Bloodsteel mines on western Sia Zendylhia (Ehrma Zendylhia). Before the Bloodhand Rebellion of the late 24th century, this was to protect the Bloodsteel production as the exclusive domain of the Sharrarch. Since then, it has been to ensure that no one ever accesses the mines again.

Assets

One of the Order's greatest assets is its sole control of (and extensive knowledge of) the Baz Hesteran, Zendyl's ancient fortress, and formerly the Sharrarchial residence.

History

The Hesteri were founded by Zendyl Heste do Shaphel in 1024ATC, just prior to the official proclamation of the Zendylite Empire, as a personal bodyguard for the Sharrarch; the Order's creed dates from that time.

In the 2380's, the Hesteri were entrusted with the duty of gathering and disposing of the Bloodsteel weaponry of the last remaining members of the Bloodhand Vanguard; this order was only partially carried out.

In the late 27th century ATC, with the resignation of the last Sharrarch, the Order redefined its purpose, devoting itself to the protection of Zendyl's legacy by defending his city and former home.

Founding Date

1024ATC

Type

Military Order

Training Level

Elite

Veterancy Level

Decorated/Honored

Ruling Organization

Zendylite Empire

Location

Col Zendyl

Related Ethnicities

• Targotian/Zendylite