The Wardens of Unity, also known as The Wardens, are a Battleteam of Taldryan. Formed in the year 36 ABY by Mirus Cavataio, the Wardens take care of the day-to-day tasks that are too difficult or too sensitive for a regular military force or a rag-tag collection of Dark Jedi with the aim of maintaining the strength of Taldryan's brotherhood.
History
In the aftermath of the Horizons plague, House Taldryan's summit realized that there was a dire need for a rapid response team during the reorganization of the Taldryan Expansionary Force. This necessitated the formation of a team dedicated to the missions that required an organized team of Dark Jedi, ones that could be called on whenever needed, unlike the chaotic nature of the Old Folks' Home. A new strike team was proposed for various missions requiring skills ranging from discretion to destruction, as well as guarding the populace of Taldryan's holdings from the direst threats. Taking the most promising from the ranks of the students and battle-hardened veterans alike, the Summit decreed the new battleteam to be the Wardens of Unity, named for the strongest weapon Taldryan ever possessed: its brotherhood.
Quaestor Rian Aslar approached his apprentice, Mirus Cavataio, to form this elite unit. While Mirus had some initial doubt, he sought out a variety of members from across Taldryan, people who he had encountered before or knew of by reputation, such as Phoenix Phyle veteran and prior leader Bubbles Taldrya, or the Master and Apprentice team Lokasena Corvinus (also a veteran of Phoenix) and Miranda Goto. Upon tentative assembly of the team, Mirus was given access to the vaults of Phoenix Phyle and extracted parts of its equipment while commissioning new gear from Taldryan's finest armorers. With the first batch of Wardens ready for action, the Wardens of Unity began operations in 36 ABY.
Role
Each individual member of the battleteam is referred to as a Warden. Each Warden has autonomous freedom to act within the confines of Taldryan space in order to stamp out threats and investigate any transgressions that they may come across, in consultation with the House Summit. This allows the Wardens to act swiftly and decisively against smaller threats that can be easily handled or coordinate with other forces of Taldryan in order to tackle larger and more comprehensive missions.
Wardens serve not only as soldiers and inquisitors but also loremasters and researchers. The wide range of experience belonging to the Wardens typically covers any discipline required on any mission; Orders are mixed interchangeably to allow for the spreading of knowledge and applications. In this way, whatever task the House Summit puts before the Wardens to accomplish, they can and will find a way to do it. Any available Warden can take missions at any time without prompting from the battleteam leader.
Locations
- Main article: Aegis Temple
File:AegisTemple.jpgAegis Temple, in the mountains.
The Wardens maintain their own facility close to Taldryan's Great Hall; this temple, named (appropriately) as Aegis Temple is located in the mountains near the Hall. In seclusion, but not secrecy, the Wardens prepare armaments and training regiments as well as libraries and medical facilities for the Dark Jedi of Taldryan to use, their doors being open for all. Designed out of the stones of the mountain itself, Aegis stands as a testament to the willpower of the Wardens and their unceasing quest to protect Taldryan from every threat.
Training
Wardens’ training is quick and basic given that many Wardens already learn or possess much of the required skills from their Master. Each Warden is given a very intense three-part training course over a week that allows them to undertake all of the tasks that they may be required to do independently, giving them a very honed and keen edge against all foes. Those with prior battleteam experience (for example, those in Phoenix Phyle) may opt out of any stage of the training – all new recruits are required to complete all three stages before deployment. All Wardens take a tour of Aegis Temple and are introduced to its many features before being shipped off to the training course.
All Wardens undergo basic weapons training beyond that of a lightsaber in the first phase; they must be familiar with use of a vibroknife, a blaster and at least one unarmed combat discipline for subduing an enemy. The Head Combat Instructor at Aegis Temple carries out this training. This training also incorporates specific use of the armor and blaster that all Wardens are given.
The second phase of training is survival training. Wardens are sent to the world of Taruma for a four-day survival course through forested, jungle and oceanic terrain, ensuring they know basic hostile terrain survival, first aid and movement skills such as abseiling. The final day is essentially a solo survival challenge; random dangers are sprung on the Warden, such as wild beast attacks, theft of food and forced marches and multiple-mile swimming sessions are commonplace. This is easily the most rigorous and difficult part of the training course.
The final phase is a one-day ‘tutorial’ course, teaching Wardens about the Kr'Tal System and the Rybanloth System as well as other Taldryan holdings in some detail. This phase includes how to interact with military commanders without undermining their authority and how to requisition additional gear or resources from the House Summit. Once this phase is completed, a Warden’s training is complete.
Other training can be acquired from the Head Combat Instructor, Chief Armorer or from other Wardens who specialize in the advanced fields that one wishes to improve in. Sharing of knowledge and skills is highly encouraged and should be done wherever possible in order to ensure the advancement of each individual Warden’s talents.
Equipment
Personal Equipment
Wardens are encouraged to cultivate their own set of equipment customized to their tastes given each Warden's individual style in regards to completing any given particular task. However, a standard kit of equipment is issued to each Warden upon joining in order to facilitate a unified front and also to cover any shortfalls in equipment the Warden may have.
Phase II-mod.IV armor.
Phase II-mod.IV Battle Armor
This armor is based off two varieties of Republic-type armor; it is a blending of the aesthetic look of the ancient Galactic Republic's trooper armor with the functionality and build of the more modern Phase II clone trooper armor. Using plastoid plating with a temperature-insulated black bodyglove, this provides basic protection from environmental attacks and basic kinetic damage. It also incorporates an armor-cam, wrist-mounted comlink and bio-scanners. Standard armor is painted in dark gray with brown trims, but the colors can be modified to suit personal tastes. The helmet is also an optional addition.
DC-17m ICWS & DC-15s Sidearm
The standard weapon used by Phoenix Phyle, first used by the Galactic Republic's clone commandos, the DC-17m is an adaptable multi-role weapon. Its barrel and magazine attachment can be changed out in a number of seconds between a blaster, a sniper rifle and an anti-armor grenade launcher. So too does it come with a matching, self-recharging sidearm, the DC-15s; the DC-15s can fire seven shots before needing to self-charge. Each Warden is given one of each with all of the attachments for their use, though the lightsaber is the preferred weapon.
DC-17m ICWS & DC-15s blasters.
Standard Issue Belt
This utility belt is designed to carry a wide array of sundries in relatively short order. The belt clasps on the front and can be found as part of the Mod IV armor but does not need the armor to be used. It includes a supply of food and water pellets, an underwater rebreather, a grappling hook, bacta patches plus spare pouches for additional ammunition or other tools as chosen by the Warden.
Dramatis Personae
Wardens
Support Personnel