The Grand Master's Royal Guard was a society formed by Lord Justinian Khyron shortly after an altercation with a rebel Clan known as Ar'Kell. Khyron felt it was necessary to form an elite corps of body guards, in the same vain as Palpatine's Imperial Royal Guards, to protect the Council from devious plots and assassination attempts. The Guard served in this capacity under many different leaders, with many different concepts of protection, until the society was closed in 26 ABY by Grand Master Sarin. In 33 ABY Muz Ashen reinstated the Royal Guard under his new Fist of the Brotherhood Ma`ar-Tyrius Ga-Tir. In 35 ABY, after Fremoc Pepoi Sadow took over as the guard's leader, he moved the headquarters from the Shadow Academy, to The Spike on Antei.
History of the Guard
Under the influence of the former Grand Master known as "the Other", Clan Ar'kell staged a massive revolt in an attempt to overthrow the Dark Council. Their first attempt was to strike out at individual Council members. Fortunately, Ar'kell was driven back and fled to the Core to form their own splinter organization. It was their assassination attempts that led Khyron to form the Grand Master's Royal Guard. An elite sect of Dark Jedi soldiers, trained and conditioned to be peerless protectors of the reigning Dark Lord and his Council. Initial training was conducted under the supervision of Master Blazer, a loyal servant of the Brotherhood and a powerful warrior.
As the Grand Masters Royal Guard progressed the warriors leading the Guard became less and less capable and training began to become more and more inefficient. The Royal Guard began to become more of a volunteer corps rather than an elite organization and the loyalty dropped as just wearing the famed armor because the primary motivation. Grand Master Sarin, seeing the loyalty and training dropping, decided to put an end to the organization shortly before the Vong Insurrection on Antei in 26 ABY. Many believe that if the Royal Guard were present the Grand Master wouldn’t of died needlessly in the sands of Antei while fighting Jedi Master Omancor Crask.
Shortly after those events Muz Ashen took on the title of Grand Master. Being a former Guardsman himself, Muz recognized the need for a new Royal Guard. The Dark Lord, along with Headmaster Taigikori Aybara Dupar and the Grand Master’s Fist, reinstated a brutal training ground on Lyspair and the Royal Guard lived once again. In 35 ABY, Fremoc Pepoi took over the guard as Ma'ar stepped away, and within the year Fremoc moved the Guard to Antei at The Spike to be closer to the Dark Hall and the members it was protecting.
Guard Training
File:Gm royal guard.jpgTwo guardsmen train Guardsmen training is broken down into the different Echelons. Upper Echelon Guardsmen will assist with the training of the lower Echelons. The Fist of the Brotherhood exclusively trains the upper Echelons because of their knowledge in combat and military tactics.
Guardsman were taught several disciplines, but their focus was mainly on personal combat. As the last line of defense for the Grand Master and his Dark Council, each member was expected to perform beyond excellent and so they trained themselves, physically and mentally, every day. Lightsaber combat featured predominately over the other disciplines, and all training was conducted with live weaponry. Most guardsmen are also trained for special operations, assassinations, and other military tactics because it has been known for Dark Councilors to go on their own covert missions as well as be used as frontline soldiers.
Rank System
As ambition drives the normal ranks of the Dark Brotherhood, it can prove a valuable tool within the structure of the Grand Master's Royal Guard, as well. Through sheer determination, a member may advance within the hierarchy of ranks within the Royal Guard. To do so, they need to earn Clusters of Fire.
Ranks within the Grand Master's Royal Guard are broken into four echelons, aptly numbered based on one's determination: First Echelon, Second Echelon, Third Echelon and Fourth Echelon. Within each echelon, assigned a numerical value, are the ranks of the Grand Master's Royal Guard. As one advances within the Society, progressing upward, special features are unlocked: armor, weapons, robes, and exclusive lightsaber hilts.
Guardsman Responsibilities
- Second Echelon (Rank IV through VI) - Having shown some skill and loyalty, these Guardsmen are trusted with more specialized training and may be tasked to serve as escorts for Dark Councilor's Magistrates.
- Third Echelon (Rank VII through IX) - Exceptional abilities separate these Guardsmen from the rest. Their distinction and service is seen with the presence of Praetors and Dark Councilors.
- Fourth Echelon (Rank X through XII) - Paragons of skill, dedication, and effort. These Guardsmen demonstrate the highest levels of combat readiness and situational awareness. It is these exemplary warriors that are trusted to guard the Grand Master himself.
Rank Elevations (Important to Read)
After a member passes the GMRG History course in the Shadow Academy, the member is automatically enrolled in the Society. After that, to gain rank, the earned Clusters of Fire for the next rank need to have been approved by the Master at Arms in that month. If they don't have the allotment of Clusters of Fire, they won't rank up, and possibly be demoted if they don't even have the same amount they had the previous month. On the First of every month, the Fist of the Brotherhood presses a button that automatically calculates the amount of the Clusters awarded for that member that month, and elevates or demotes them. There are ranks that will won't demote a member, those being level 1, 4, 7, and 10. The system is set up though, that a member can not rank up twice in one month, including the month that they take the GMRG test. It is best to make sure that the member has been awarded his or her Clusters of Fire prior to the last day of the month, so that in case an issue arises in real life for either the Fist or the Master At Arms, the member still progresses or stays at the same rank.
Rank Chart
| Rank
|
| GMRG Rank
|
Abbreviation
|
Required to earn the Rank
|
Reward
|
| Level 1
|
GMRG:I
|
Pass the GMRG SA Course with an 85% or higher
|
GMRG Warbanner Tasset
|
| Level 2
|
GMRG:II
|
20 CF's
|
|
| Level 3
|
GMRG:III
|
30 CF's
|
|
| Level 4
|
GMRG:IV
|
60 Clusters of Fire
|
Guardsman Warbanner Pattern
|
| Level 5
|
GMRG:V
|
90 CF's
|
|
| Level 6
|
GMRG:VI
|
120 CF's
|
|
| Level 7
|
GMRG:VII
|
150 CF's
|
|
| Level 8
|
GMRG:VIII
|
180 CF's
|
|
| Level 9
|
GMRG:IX
|
210 CF's
|
|
| Level 10
|
GMRG:X
|
250 CFs
|
|
| Level 11
|
GMRG:XI
|
300 CF's
|
|
| Level 12
|
GMRG:XII
|
350 CF's
|
|
Current Guard Assignments to the Dark Council
Guardsmen are assigned to the position, not to the person. Per standard operating procedures Guardsmen will wear their Royal Guard armor whenever on assignment to their Councilor.
GMRG Specific Competitions and Training
In order to keep the Guardsman in top fighting condition the Fist of the Brotherhood has seen to it that there are regularly scheduled wargames. These serve not only to hone Guardsman's abilities, but also give individuals a goal to strive for and bragging rights to their peers.
Gorefest
Gorefest is a competition that is held at the end of every month for GMRG members only. It is a brutal test of member's skills and endurance with gaming. At the end of the weekend, who ever has the best win-loss record is awarded the title, Gladiator of Gorefest, until the next Gorefest takes place.
Requirements:
- Must be a GMRG member and at or above rank 2
Rewards:
- Double CF's
- 2nd Level crescents
- Title: Gladiator of Gorefest.
Current Gladiator of Gorefest: Tiamath
Juggernaut
The Juggernaut competition is held every 4 to 6 months depending on when the Fist decides upon it. The current holder will have to battle every member that challenges him or her for the title. If the Juggernaut looses in battle, the title is given to the victor. The title can change multiple times during the competition. At the end of the competition the Juggernaut becomes the fictional bodyguard for the Fist of the Brotherhood.
Requirements:
Rewards:
Current Juggernaut: Tiamath
Current Roster of the GMRG
Fourth Echelon
Third Echelon
Second Echelon
First Echelon GMRG Rank II and III
Commander of the Guard
Throughout its many years of service, the Grand Master's Royal Guard saw the appointment of many Commanders. Though some names have been lost to time, below serves as a list of the former Commander's of the Guard, in order of most recent to earliest.
| Former Commanders
|
| Name
|
Service Dates MM/YY
|
| Faron
|
January 1998 - March 1998
|
| Blazer
|
March 1998 - August 1998
|
| ShadowXX
|
September 1998 - December 1998
|
| Dreadnaught
|
January 1999 - June 1999
|
| Z'lar Kahn
|
July 1999 - November 1999
|
| D'Artagnan
|
November 1999 - December 1999
|
| Raistlin Majerus Sadow
|
December 1999 - April 2000
|
| Z'lar Kahn
|
May 2000 - June 2000
|
| Kelric
|
July 2000 - September 2000
|
| Tuojas
|
October 2000 - December 4, 2000
|
| Blade Cannabisia
|
December 9, 2000 - January 2001
|
| Z'lar Kahn
|
February 2001 - July 28, 2001
|
| Rizlib
|
July 28, 2001 - September 18, 2001
|
| Telaris "Mav" Cantor
|
September 22, 2001 - November 9, 2001
|
| Sharad Hett
|
November 30, 2001 - April 2, 2002
|
| Sithspawn
|
April 11, 2002 - September 12, 2002
|
| Ziguarath
|
October 5, 2002 - December 20, 2002
|
| Shadow Taldrya
|
December 20, 2002 - February 12, 2003
|
| Halcyon Rokir
|
August 4, 2003 - April 27, 2004
|
| Demosthenes
|
May 11, 2004 - January 24, 2005
|
| Jasru Lakca
|
February 13, 2005 - May 9, 2005
|
| Sharad Taldrya Hett
|
May 9, 2005 - July 26, 2005
|
| Khobai Wrathraven
|
July 26, 2005 - Jan 6, 2007
|
| Reformed Guard Commanders
|
| Ma`ar-Tyrius Ga-Tir
|
September 5, 2010 - December 1, 2010
|
| Fremoc Pepoi Sadow
|
December 1, 2010 - June 25, 2013
|
| Valhavoc
|
July 5, 2013 - Incumbent
|