Order of the Black Guard

Introduction

Tattoo of the Black Guard

The Order of the Black Guard is an elite military unit consisting of the best warriors, spies and saboteurs in all of Clan Naga Sadow. There are always seven active agents assigned to each of the seven leaders of the Clan, the Consul, Proconsul, both Quaestors, both Aediles, and the Overlord. Their identities are kept a secret from others, only known to the Captain of the Guard and the Black Guards master.

They act as the agents of the clan summit and the shadowed hand of the clan and the Overlord.

History

My Honor is Loyalty

The Black Guard was founded by Daihok Endymiron and Shin’ichi Endymiron Keibatsu as an elite guard unit selected to serve their assigned summit member in the same way that Darth Vader served Emperor Palpatine. Acting as their iron fist and shadowed hand.

The idea struck the Dark Jedi shortly after Daihok ascended to the position of Proconsul of Clan Naga Sadow. Feeling that his position was shaky and his safety uncertain Daihok sought to have his cousin Shin’ichi, then known as Tharivol Endymiron, act as a bodyguard for the sole purpose of defending him from physical harm. As time went on Shin’ichi took it upon himself to act in a more proactive manner and began to route out conspiracies and plots against his cousin and master eventually upon them with deadly resolve. Soon he found himself investigating not only plots against the Proconsul, but plots against the whole of Clan Naga Sadow. The two felt the time had come for Naga Sadow to defend itself against all threats both overt and covert.

They approached the Overlord, Consul Xanos Zorrixor, and Proconsul Trevarus Caerick with a proposition to form the Order of the Black Guard. After much debate and discussion the idea was approved and Daihok and Shin’ichi were told to seek out six more members to form the order. Thus the Order of the Black Guard was born.

Over time the order had developed into an extensive network, with many guardsmen going on to serve in various leadership roles within the clan. While only seven members were active at any one time, any previous guardsman could be called up at a moments notice to serve the will of the summit.

In 31 ABY, the Captain of the Guard Tyren Atema revised this rule. Only seven would there be, and no more. The plan was to have seven Black Guard, with no reserves. The former blackguards would not continue their assignments or retain their clearance. However a year later, due to numerous threats both internal and external to Clan Naga Sadow, a call was sent out to all former Black Guardsmen and the reserves of the Order was re-established.

Captain of the Guard

The individual responsible for coordinating the Order of the Black Guard is known as the Captain of the Guard. The position is always held by the Clan Rollmaster.

The Captain of the Guard responsibilities include organization of the Order’s roster, the training of appointed Guardsmen, as well as being the Black Guardsmen assigned to the Clan Overlord; Astronicus Sadow.

Duties of the Captain of the Guard

• Maintain Roster of Active and Reserve Black Guard
• Training of Black Guardsmen
• Assure Appointment Dates and required competitions of the Order are met by each Summit member
• Continue and further develop background and future of the Order

Reserves

Upon completion of one’s term as one of the six guard positions, the member will be placed in the Black Guard reserves. While no longer being assigned to a Summit member, they will still have the rights and privileges of the training facility at Sadow Palace. This will allow the Guardsman the ability to continue to grow and develop their skills in case they are called upon once again to serve the Order.

If at any time during an active Guardsman term they are killed during duty, defect from Clan Naga Sadow, or are promoted to a leadership position of their own, that Guard’s Summit member will have the option to hand choose a replacement from the reserves.

Selection

Bring me the finest and first part of all you have.

Only the best of Naga Sadow are selected to act as Black Guard. Through activity, skill, and observation of demonstrations of loyalty are potential members selected. Some go their whole careers in Naga Sadow without ever serving in the guard.

Recruitment is done in secrecy by the Captain of the Guard in co-ordination with the Clan Summit. Observation of members daily routines is essential in this phase. Only those at the rank of Protector would be allowed admittance.

The appointments of the six active Black Guard positions will be announced on the first of the month using the following schedule.

• Jan 1 - Consul and Proconsul
• Feb 1 - HLK QUA and HMR QUA
• Mar 1 - HLK AED and HMR AED
• Apr 1 - Consul and Proconsul
• May 1 - HLK QUA and HMR QUA
• June 1 - HLK AED and HMR AED
• July 1 - Consul and Proconsul
• Aug 1 - HLK QUA and HMR QUA
• Sept 1 - HLK AED and HMR AED
• Oct 1 - Consul and Proconsul
• Nov 1 - HLK QUA and HMR QUA
• Dec 1 - HLK AED and HMR AED

A Black Guardsmen will have a three month term and are only allowed to hold one guard position at one time. A Guardsman is assigned to a position, not a person, so if a Summit member changes the Guardsman will continue with their appointment term and be assigned to the successor of that position.

Each Summit member will hold a competition to appoint the Black Guard to their position. This competition will have a time period of two weeks and precede the appointment date of that Summit position. If a Summit member wishes to deviate from the two week competition structure, it may be allowed with permission from the Captain of the Guard. It is the responsibility of the Captain of the Guard to assure all competitions and appointments continue as scheduled.

Training

Once a potential candidate is recruited they are sent to Sadow Palace for the first phase of training. This phase is known as “indoctrination” and consists of classroom instruction on a wide variety of topics including; procedure, interrogation, galactic law, slicing, finance, political science, etiquette, business practices, analysis, critical thinking, cross cultural studies, and special one-on-one classes on loyalty. It was a former practice to keep the recruits in phase one for a full year. This has changed. They are put through the hardest mental tests in both the Clan and the Dlarit Navy in a matter of months, or even weeks depending on the recruits current rank. This is the reason Black Guard are often changed, due to heavy mental stress and paranoia.

Phase two is known as “hardening” and consists of all manner of physical training both in enclosed gymnasiums and in the field, and field operations and skills. These courses include; small arms, heavy weapons, bladed weapons, demolitions, intense lightsaber drill, force drill, assassination technique, vehicle operations, spacecraft operations, field tactics, stealth, escape evasion and survival, surviving interrogation, intelligence gathering, counterintelligence, and other classified courses.

Upon completion of these two phases of training a candidate is then ready for the final test, a test of loyalty and endurance. They are given the Mark of Honor, a physical manifestation or loyalty to the Clan given to them by the Captain of the Guard. After this simple but important ritual, the guardsmen is assigned to his respectful master for duty.

Equipment

BG Armor by Muz

This is my saber.

The Black Guard are given access to the best weapons and equipment that Clan Naga Sadow has to offer. Beyond this each guardsman is issued their own set of specialized black armor, the schematics of which remain classified. It is rumored that they are enhanced with Sith Alchemy. They are known to employ a variety of unusual weapons, including Violator Gas.

The Active Black Guard is granted unlimited access to all records and classified documentation within the Clan databases, and is even allowed to attend Conclave.

Mark of Honor

In Darkness we are bound

The mark of the Black Guard is burned onto the flesh of all guardsmen without exception by the Captain of the Guard. Some employ poisoned inks in the tradition of ancient Sith Tattoos, while others use a more direct method, that of direct application via a form of force lightning. This is a final test to prove the fortitude of the guardsman in question. It is thought that if they can endure the extreme suffering at the leader of the Black Guard, then they would be bound inexorably to the Order thus cementing their loyalty to the Guard and Clan Naga Sadow.

Rules of the Order

• Black Guards are chosen every three months through competition.
• Potential Black Guards must be at least Protector in rank.
• The Captain of the Guard/Rollmaster co-ordinates the Order.
• All Summit members including Battleteam Leaders are not eligible for the Guard.
• Quaestor and Aedile Black Guardsmen MUST be a member in the coinciding House (ie. HMR QUA Black Guard must be a member of HMR)
  • If Quaestor or Aedile Black Guardsmen transfers to another House IN Clan Naga Sadow during term they will be allowed to finish said term.
• If a Guard member during an active term transfers to Rogue or another Clan or is promoted to a leadership position, that Summit member will have two options:
  • A. Hold a new competition to appoint a replacement.
  • B. Choose a replacement from the Black Guard reserves roster.

The Active Black Guard

Roster of the Black Guard
Position	Summit	Guard
Clan Overlord	Astronicus Aurelius Sadow	Robert Sadow
Consul	Manji Keibatsu Sadow	TBA
Proconsul	Taigikori Aybara	Ashura Isradia Sadow
HMR Quaestor	Fremoc "Demonic" Pepoi	Gavin Pollan
HMR Aedile	Bal Demona	Ekeia Iclo
HLK Quaestor	Malisane Sadow	TBA
HLK Aedile	Dyrra Skye	TBA

Trivia

• Fictionally Black Guard hold a higher rank than „normal“ members and should be regarded as such. The guardsmen themselves cannot reveal their identity andmust remain behind their mask at all times while on duty.
• The Black Guard were created by Shin'ichi and Daihok.
• The Black Guard of the Overlord is known as the Captain of the Guard
• Black Guard are chosen by competition organized and run by each individual Summit member.
• Muz Keibatsu Sadow created both the tattoo and armor images