Gelethian Runeguard

The Gelethian Runeguard are a unit of elite soldiers tasked with the protection of the Exarch of Gelethis. They are all masters of runelore and adept in the use of runes for magic and self-augmentation. Though nominally the unit exists to protect the Exarch from immediate threats, it is an open secret in circles less than satisfied with the current regime that the runeguard are often deployed to do the Exarchy's dirty work.

Composition

Manpower

The exact number of runeguards at any given time is unknown. The information is privileged and known only to the Exarch, the Supreme Pontiff, and members of the unit themselves. It is widely believed, however, that the number must be more than 5 but less than 20. It certainly doesn't help that runeguards use rune magic to occlude their faces and any identifying features when they are serving their duty, making it even more difficult to ascertain their true numbers.

Weaponry

The bitter cold of the Frostmere makes metal weapons brittle, ineffective, and outright detrimental in critical situations. To this end, the runeguards use weapons fashioned from the bones and sinew of greater titanspawn. Such weapons are rare, difficult to make, and equally difficult to wield properly. Besides the time and resources that go into cultivating a candidate into a full-fledged runeguard, the vast majority of the material value of the unit resides in these weapons.
Titanflesh weapons are strong enough to stand toe-to-toe against all but the best metal weapons to begin with. In the hands of a trained runeguard, especially one adept at imbuing objects with runes of augmentation, they can be made many times deadlier.

Type

Shock