The Black Gauntlet
The Black Gauntlet is both religious and military order (as many things are in Cactsia). They are paladins to the god Skatr, sworn to uphold the conventions of order, power, and domination that he exemplifies.
In this service, they are the honor guard to the Cactsian solons. Their practices are mysterious and esoteric to the civilian population, but they are revered, and the same way that a child from Dopplefen may dream of moving far away from home to being a world-renowned bard, there are just as many young Cactsian children that have homemade sets of black armor to play pretend at joining the Lions.
Culture
Joining the Black Gauntlets isn't as easy as simply submitting a resume. Not only do you need to have a proven military record (this usually means having completed at least the seven mandatory years of service - there are exceptions, but most Gauntlets are selected from the soldiers who have chosen to serve beyond the mandatory years), but a nigh zealotry for Skatr. It makes sense, of course - these are the paladins of the Anointer. They cannot simply be luke warm to their god.
The second thing to remember is that you do not ask to join the Gauntlet. You are sought out, either by the solon that wishes to have you join their entourage or by the brotherhood itself, should you be impressive enough.
Then, should you accept, there is the initiation.
Because of Skatr's position as a god specifically of dominance and subjugation, the legacy and tradition of abuse is passed down from one generation of Lions to the next. In the case of those on the cusp of taking their vows, they are forced to humiliate themselves completely before the senior members of the order, often times being beaten nearly to death while never showing a sign of weakness, or by serving food and scrubbing floors completely naked without ever blushing in shame. It is a grueling and traumatizing process, but those that are able to pass the trials are given a final set of vows that they take and a brand of the eponymous black gauntlet on their hand.
Traditionally, the senior member of the order directing the initiation will tell the initiate, "may this be the last blow you receive without just recompense" as they are given the brand.
And this is borne out in their actions - Black Gauntlets are servants only to Skatr, their superiors, and their solon. Civilians know better than to anger these champions, as it will not be taken with grace nor humility. They are more than happy to return the abuse they have suffered thriceful on those outside the order.
Public Agenda
The Black Gauntlet protect solons up to and until their own deaths. It is their sworn oath, to be the swift iron hand of their masters.
Because each Black Gauntlet cohort is sworn to a specific solon, there can be tensions between the various companies. In fact, there have been quarrels on the parliament floor that have spilled out to the Black Gauntlets, and cohorts have been completely wiped out when the oath to serve one and only one master is taken to its most extreme.
The official lines, of course, is that the one master the Gauntlet serves is Skatr himself, but when you have an order built on dogged obedience and servitude as the Gauntlet is, the lines can become blurred.
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