The Praetorian Guard, Lions of Praetor
Praetorius Aquila glanced up as the door to his office was pushed open. Praeti Cassia bowed quickly, nodding deferentially before rising back to her full height in a smart salute. Her Praetorian Armor glittered cleanly in the mid-afternoon sun and she made a show of scraping her boots off at the doorway before entering.
"What is it, Praeti?"
Praetia Cassia relaxed slightly before delivering her missive. "The Exarch demands your presence immediately."
Aquila sighed and lifted his gloved hand to rub at his temples. "What does the Exarch want this time, pray tell."
Cassia shuffled nervously. "He . . . um . . . wishes to know why our raid on the Venerata outpost was unsuccessful."
"Everything is detailed in the report I sent him. Can he not read?"
Cassia blanched at Aquila's tone, choosing, instead, to remain silent.
"Fine, where is his lordship?"
"He is currently dining at the Lion's Pride with the rest of the Aulus household."
"Of course he is. Send a messenger ahead that I'll be meeting him at his estate forthwith. I hope that he at least has the decency to step away from his meal."
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Aquila stood quietly waiting, tapping his foot on the fine red marbled floor. He admired the white marble stucco wall and the relief that had been carved therein of two lions engaged in battle, their fangs bared and claws raised high. The floor itself had been designed to look like a lion's head mid-roar, the crest of house Aulus. If there was one thing Aquila could expect from Exarch Valens Aulus it was a consistency for details. Even the various columns and tapestries held lion motifs and weavings, all returning to the pride of house Aulus. As one of the oldest remaining noble houses of Korinthos, Valens made sure that all who entered his estate, Lion's Pride, knew that they were entering the home of one of the most ancient and wealthy houses. It still baffled Aquila how Valens failed to pay the Praetorian Guard even a portion of what they were worth when he was sitting upon so much wealth. Only pride, and loyalty, forced them to remain here, chained and tamed.
The doors behind Aquila swung inwards and Valens entered the room. He was an older man, perhaps in his late 50s, and he wore his finely tailored military uniform well. He still liked to parade around in it, after it had been granted to him by the previous Praefectus, a mistake that Aquila had warned against. Now the nobleman wore it about like he was, in fact, a military genius. He'd participated in several campaigns, to be certain, but he was too old now to fancy himself a military man to participate in long marches and uncomfortable quarters. Valens watched Aquila though, with keen and ferocious eyes, like a lion stalking its meal. Aquila could admit that Valens did have an air about him, an aura that he gave off of danger and imminent attack.
"So, you've finally graced me with your presence, Praetorius. Tell me, why did it take so long to come and deliver your report?"
"Exarch, I sent the report forward with a messenger. It should have arrived yester . . ."
"I told you, Praetorius, I wish to have your reports delivered verbally and in person."
Aquila frowned. "I had meetings and other organizational tasks to attend to yesterday, Exarch, surely you'd prefer timely information rather than a late account in person?"
"I'd prefer it exactly how I asked for the report to be delivered. Don't forget who employs you. Your Praetorian lineage, no matter how noble, all hinges upon my great-great-great grandfather who started your order. Do not forget who you owe that existence to."
"I have not forgotten."
"Good, now what happened with the Venerata?"
"The outpost we raided was not, in fact, an outpost. I'm not sure who sold you the information, Exarch, but they lead you along."
Exarch Valens settled into his chair behind his huge desk. He fiddled with a pugio, balancing it between his hands and thinking with a ponderous look upon his face. "I want you to arrest Cato Pío, the Vulture."
Aquila blanched now. "The Thief King? Is that who sold you the information? Sir, we've tried before, we can't follow him effectively and he knows this city better than anyone. He and his Sparrows will see us coming from miles away."
Valens looked up at Aquila, ferocity in his eyes and a snarl upon his lips. "Did I stutter, Praefectus? If you don't know how to do it, find someone who does. I don't care, just make it happen. The bird and his Flock have tormented me and mine long enough. Yesterday was the last time he makes a fool out of me." Valens said the last in a growl, his teeth bared. He slammed the pugio into the fine wood of the desk to punctuate his point. "Do you think that is possible, Praefectus?" He asked the last question sweetly, almost as if he dared Aquila to doubt.
"No, Exarch, it will be done."
"What is it, Praeti?"
Praetia Cassia relaxed slightly before delivering her missive. "The Exarch demands your presence immediately."
Aquila sighed and lifted his gloved hand to rub at his temples. "What does the Exarch want this time, pray tell."
Cassia shuffled nervously. "He . . . um . . . wishes to know why our raid on the Venerata outpost was unsuccessful."
"Everything is detailed in the report I sent him. Can he not read?"
Cassia blanched at Aquila's tone, choosing, instead, to remain silent.
"Fine, where is his lordship?"
"He is currently dining at the Lion's Pride with the rest of the Aulus household."
"Of course he is. Send a messenger ahead that I'll be meeting him at his estate forthwith. I hope that he at least has the decency to step away from his meal."
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Aquila stood quietly waiting, tapping his foot on the fine red marbled floor. He admired the white marble stucco wall and the relief that had been carved therein of two lions engaged in battle, their fangs bared and claws raised high. The floor itself had been designed to look like a lion's head mid-roar, the crest of house Aulus. If there was one thing Aquila could expect from Exarch Valens Aulus it was a consistency for details. Even the various columns and tapestries held lion motifs and weavings, all returning to the pride of house Aulus. As one of the oldest remaining noble houses of Korinthos, Valens made sure that all who entered his estate, Lion's Pride, knew that they were entering the home of one of the most ancient and wealthy houses. It still baffled Aquila how Valens failed to pay the Praetorian Guard even a portion of what they were worth when he was sitting upon so much wealth. Only pride, and loyalty, forced them to remain here, chained and tamed.
The doors behind Aquila swung inwards and Valens entered the room. He was an older man, perhaps in his late 50s, and he wore his finely tailored military uniform well. He still liked to parade around in it, after it had been granted to him by the previous Praefectus, a mistake that Aquila had warned against. Now the nobleman wore it about like he was, in fact, a military genius. He'd participated in several campaigns, to be certain, but he was too old now to fancy himself a military man to participate in long marches and uncomfortable quarters. Valens watched Aquila though, with keen and ferocious eyes, like a lion stalking its meal. Aquila could admit that Valens did have an air about him, an aura that he gave off of danger and imminent attack.
"So, you've finally graced me with your presence, Praetorius. Tell me, why did it take so long to come and deliver your report?"
"Exarch, I sent the report forward with a messenger. It should have arrived yester . . ."
"I told you, Praetorius, I wish to have your reports delivered verbally and in person."
Aquila frowned. "I had meetings and other organizational tasks to attend to yesterday, Exarch, surely you'd prefer timely information rather than a late account in person?"
"I'd prefer it exactly how I asked for the report to be delivered. Don't forget who employs you. Your Praetorian lineage, no matter how noble, all hinges upon my great-great-great grandfather who started your order. Do not forget who you owe that existence to."
"I have not forgotten."
"Good, now what happened with the Venerata?"
"The outpost we raided was not, in fact, an outpost. I'm not sure who sold you the information, Exarch, but they lead you along."
Exarch Valens settled into his chair behind his huge desk. He fiddled with a pugio, balancing it between his hands and thinking with a ponderous look upon his face. "I want you to arrest Cato Pío, the Vulture."
Aquila blanched now. "The Thief King? Is that who sold you the information? Sir, we've tried before, we can't follow him effectively and he knows this city better than anyone. He and his Sparrows will see us coming from miles away."
Valens looked up at Aquila, ferocity in his eyes and a snarl upon his lips. "Did I stutter, Praefectus? If you don't know how to do it, find someone who does. I don't care, just make it happen. The bird and his Flock have tormented me and mine long enough. Yesterday was the last time he makes a fool out of me." Valens said the last in a growl, his teeth bared. He slammed the pugio into the fine wood of the desk to punctuate his point. "Do you think that is possible, Praefectus?" He asked the last question sweetly, almost as if he dared Aquila to doubt.
"No, Exarch, it will be done."
Structure
Praefectus and Praetorio
Praeti
Praetor
Adeptus
Culture
The Praetorian Guard is a place of discipline and strict training. The Praetorian Guard are often referred to as the Northern Lions due to their noble bearing and ferocity.
Assets
History
The Praetorian Guard directly serves the Exarch of Praetor and were organized by the Exarchs family shortly after the beginning of The 50-Year War in response to invading forces and a need for personal, organized standing armies. The Praetorian Guard does its best to respect this noble tradition and acts on the Exarch's orders in all things, though they are granted autonomy to pursue their own interests as well but are required to keep at least half of their number in Praetor at all times alongside the city's normal city watch and guard. In recent years, rumors have spread about their frustration with Exarch Valens Aulus, the Red Lion. Many have sighted this idea due to recent Venerata activity in The Sundered Veil and the Praetorian Guard's seeming inability to do anything about it. This has resulted in loud words and angry comments between the Exarch and the current Praefectus & Praetorio. Whether or not the Praetorian Guard will leave Praetor, the City of Lions remains to be seen.
Ut acri et pro dente comprimit - As sharp as claw and fang.
Symbol of the Praetorian Guard
Capital
Alternative Names
Lions, The Tooth and Claw, The Northern Lions.
Leader Title
Head of State
Head of Government
Official State Religion
Location
Controlled Territories
Notable Members
Comments