Guard Regulations

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"MORE THAN YOU EVER WANTED TO KNOW ABOUT BEING A GUARD"


I. -UNIFORM REGULATIONS- II. -PROCEDURE- III. -RANKS AND ROSTER- IV. -ORGANIZATION- V. -BOUNTIES- VI. -AWARDS AND COMMENDATIONS- VII. -RESPONDING TO INCIDENTS- VIII. -ARRESTS- IX. -INVESTIGATING CRIMES- X. -DETENTION- XI. -MISCELLANEOUS EQUIPMENT- XII. -WHO THE HELL IS IN CHARGE AROUND HERE, ANYWAY?- XIII. -PROMOTIONS-

I. UNIFORM REGULATIONS

Guard formal/parade/banquet uniform is black tunic, pants and boots, with a grey stripe down the crease of the pants, grey cuffs on the tunic, and a grey cloak clasped by a pin that denotes rank. Grey armbands embroidered with the Guard's insignia are worn on the upper arms over the tunic; and, guardsmen are issued ceremonial daggers.

Officers above the rank of Corporal are given a silver-braid stripe down the side of their pants, and silver braid trim on the tunics.

Officers above Lieutenant are given a gray silk sash to wear under their sword belts. Decorations are worn on the right breast. Non-Commissioned Officers are issued straight broadswords, while Commissioned Officers are issued ceremonial curved Khalar sabers. If approved by the captain, issued ceremonial blades may be replaced with other blades that the guardsman supplies for the formal uniform.

Magic-using Guards may substitute a black robe for the tunic and trousers of their dress uniform if they so desire. The robe has gray trim at the cuffs, collar, and hem for guardsmen; officers' robes have a pattern of dragon scales embroidered on the trim in silver thread. Spell casters carry carved wooden staves as ceremonial weapons; officers carry staves with a silver dragon's head ornament atop it.

Uniform on patrol does not have to conform with the formal dress standards of the guard, though the gray cloak is required, as is the insignia pin. Alternately, a pair of gray armbands embroidered with the Guard's insignia can be substituted for the cloak in hot weather. The rank pin and guard badge must be displayed clearly for all to see while on duty. Guardsmen may carry their weapons of choice while on duty and out of formal uniform, this is also true for their armor.


II. PROCEDURE

Guards of Non-Commissioned Officer rank and above are entitled to assume command of a situation based on seniority. Guards are subject to a chain of command. Guards wishing to file complaint against a superior may submit directly to the Captain and Commanders as opposed to submitting report through a superior they have a complaint against. Frivolous complaints will be dealt with as a disciplinary matter against the complainant, and so discretion and forethought are advised before making accusations.

Upon arrest, subjects are to be dealt with expediently, brought before a magistrate immediately for sentencing. Subjects that are unruly may be quelled with the necessary force to do so, necessary force being at the arresting guard's discretion.

Guards do not have the burden of proof when making an arrest. The burden of proof is only to become an issue after the arrest has been made. Anyone may be arrested on reasonable suspicion by the guard. Guards are also expected to show discretion on whether or not to arrest, and are empowered to decide when or not a matter is serious enough to deem intervention. However, guards are encouraged not to accept the help of outside, unlicensed by the City in dealing with a matter, as such groups are not accountable for their actions except in a court of law. The nature of confrontations of this sort where third parties involve themselves is such that a guard force may be forced to deal with the antagonists and the third party at the same time to avoid collateral damage done by the third party in their attempts to 'help' a situation.

Guards are barred from drinking on duty, except for when the air is cold (40F or below) or there is rain and the guard has been on patrol in the weather, in which case the guard in question is allotted the equivalent of two mugs of beer, two glasses of wine or one cup of whiskey.

III. RANKS AND ROSTER

Ranks are divided into three classifications.

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Guards of increasing rank are able to exercise command authority over those of lower rank. Abuse of this will result in disciplinary action.

GUARDSMEN RANK INSIGNIA:

The basic insignia of the guard is a golden starburst within a brown circle with four points of the sunburst touching the edges of the circle at the points of the cardinal directions of a compass. This insignia then has different symbols around that indicate the rank of the guard as indicated by the table below:

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Arms-Corporal/Spell-Corporal - The first significant promotion awarded to newer guards and with it, they have some degree of authority over Recruits and Armsmen/Magi.

Arms-Sergeant/Spell-Sergeant - Sergeants typically lead squads of Guards, or are responsible for several two-man patrols of Guards in a particular area of the city. Sergeants also head up the details posted to guard specific locations, such as the treasury or the granaries.

Arms-Lieutenant/Spell-Lieutenant - Experienced Guards achieve this rank and are given some measure of authority over Recruits, Armsmen/Magi, Corporals and respective Sergeants. Lieutenants are responsible for all Guard activity within a particular district of the city during their shift.

Arms-Commander/Spell-Commander - Rank held by two people, who are personally chosen by the captain to act as commanding officers for guards when the captain is not present. One Commander will oversee operations from the main Guardhouse, while the other will command the Wharf Patrol.

Captain of the Guard - The head of the Civic Guard in Drache. Held only by one person. Denoted by a gold crown over the dragon's head.

IV. -ORGANIZATION-

The current strength of the Civic Guard is approximately four hundred individuals in the city of Drache. Civic Guard operations are divided into two precincts, the Upper and Lower City, each of which is overseen by a Commander. Approximately three hundred Guards operate out of the Main Guardhouse, which is located in the BlkDragon District in the Upper City. Guards from the Main Guardhouse patrol the BlkDragon District, the Market District (where the Merchant's Square is located), the Royal Church district, West Drache, the Mingit District, and the Forest Reserve. The Main Guardhouse also stations guard details at Castle Black (to protect the royal treasury, castle granary, and royal armory), the Guard's armory, the Podar ul Sinetattel (the Sithire's administrative headquarters), the Chancellery, and the Royal Church granary. In addition, Guards serving in administrative positions and as jailors for the Guardhouse's dungeon levels are counted among the Main Guardhouse's numbers. Deployment of Guards is tracked on a large slate in the Guardhouse, indicating whether a given guard is in the Guardhouse, out on patrol, or off duty. This is done so that if a guard doesn't show up for work or fails to check in before going home at the end of his or her shift, the absence will be noted and investigated.

The remaining one hundred Guards make up the Wharf Patrol, whose base of operation is the Wharf Garrison. The Garrison is built around the Wharf granary, which was already a heavily fortified structure to protect the city's grain supply from fire and looters. The garrison contains holding cells for prisoners, though these are usually used to hold drunks until they sober up, or temporarily hold prisoners until they can be transferred to the Guardhouse's dungeons. The Wharf patrol is responsible for the Wharf District, Red Lantern District (including the Xiunlan Quarter), and the Back Alley. The Guard doesn't often venture into the Back Alley, since doing so usually turns out to be more trouble than it's worth. Wharfers receive a 10% bonus to their salary for hazard pay. The Wharf Commander can request additional manpower from the main guardhouse when needed.

V. -BOUNTIES-

OFFENSES AGAINST THE CITY OF DRACHE AND ITS LANDS:

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  • Add 100 Bank Crowns if these offenses are done against the state including it's officials in their official capacities.

Undead: Each pair of fangs is worth a bounty of 50 crowns. Confirmed death of other forms of undead with witness testimony is worth 50 crowns.

Demons: The banishment, death, or dismissal of demons, with support witness testimony of at least 3 others, is worth 100 crowns.

VI. -AWARDS AND COMMENDATIONS-

Civic Guards who show courage or devotion to duty or sacrifice themselves for the good of the people of Drache eligible for a series of awards and commendations. Such commendations are worn on their dress uniform's right breast. Reports will determine one's eligibility for awards and commendations unless the deed is so great and public that it can be easily confirmed.


AWARDS

1. Order of the Black Dragon: The highest award for valor in the realm, this is awarded by the City Council's unanimous will to those they deem worthy of the award. Not lightly earned, the award comes with a knighthood and 2000 Bank Crowns, as well as a black and grey ribbon and a representation of a dragon rampant etched into a blued steel medallion. This award is worn only above all other awards.

2. Valor Badge: This badge is common throughout the ranks of the guard and is a grim reminder of the perils of the job at hand. This badge is a garnet heart set in medal of either copper, silver, or gold. The first grade, copper, is given to a guard automatically upon receiving a wound in the line of duty. The second grade, silver, is given upon nearly dying and traditionally includes a party to celebrate veteran status. The third, gold, is given upon dying in the course of duty and by some miracle being restored to life, and usually involves a party that entails not only guards drinking heavily, but magistrates, the Captain and the City Council. This third level will only happen if it is truly dramatic and the resurrection happens during the event and not at some point after an impulsive death decision.

3. Steadfast Warrior/Champion of the Realm Medal: The standard Guard award for valor in the line of duty, the Steadfast Warrior of the Realm, and the Steadfast Champion of the Realm, are awarded to guards considered to have provided a service, either in apprehending a criminal or in doing their duty, that could be considered to have been a particularly courageous encounter. The Steadfast Warrior of the Realm medal is a small representation of a knight's helmet, in silver, whereas the Champion's medal is in gold. With these awards comes 100 and 200 Bank Crowns respectively

VII. -RESPONDING TO INCIDENTS-

1. If your Guard PC is already in the channel when a fight or other incident of potentially illegal nature occurs, he or she should intervene.

2. If your Guard PC is not currently in the inn, ask the parties involved in private msg if they would object to a Guard showing up on the scene. An exception to this is if another character playing in the inn sends for a Guard to handle the situation. In that case, your PC should respond.

3. When intervening in a fight or other situation that may require force to resolve, always give the criminals a verbal warning, while identifying yourself as a member of the Guard, and a chance to surrender peacefully.

4. When getting involved in a fight in the inn, it's generally a good idea to move the fight to another channel as quickly as possible, especially if the inn is busy; if it must go into a nonofficial side channel, be sure to log it. IC, your Guard is moving a violent confrontation away from innocent non-combatants so they don't end up as collateral damage.

5. Note that the Guards are frequently outmatched by the more powerful creatures that frequent BDI, so be careful about picking your battles. We don't want you to resort to God-PCing to combat God-PCs. Our model here is that the Guard are more or less ordinary people working together to combat the supernatural menaces that threaten Drache. As Ciciv Guards, you'll be representing the channel IC, so you ought to set an example for others, rather than stoop to their level and match power gaming for power gaming.

6. Some people may not be happy about the Guard intervening, but if it occurs in the inn, the scene is open to outside intervention. (It's a public channel, after all.) If you get blown off or power gamed on, talk to an op about the situation. We will speak to responsible individual(s) and resolve the situation. If there are no ops available, save a log of the incident and email it to [email protected]. That address automatically forwards to all the channel operators.

7. The IC laws on the books concerning demons and the undead ARE NOT an excuse to start witch hunts or hound players whom you do not like. Remember that the purpose of RP is having fun, and some times, you have to let IC logic slide a bit. When possible, live and let live if a demon/undead PC isn't causing trouble and isn't drawing attention to himself/herself. If your PC is determined to removing the scourge of the undead or of demons from BDI, make it a plot, and not a personal vendetta. Talk to the muns of your potential prey, and try to work something out, and do it in your off duty time not on duty time.

8. On that note, it's always a good idea to talk to the muns of criminals your Guard may be trying to apprehend. Playing a Guard is like playing any other character, and playing out an arrest is like playing out any other scene. It works much more smoothly when both muns are on the same page. Now, some people aren't going to be cooperative, no matter how nice you are. You may be surprised how many people are willing work with you, though.

9. A guard cannot investigate any crime in which another character of their player is involved in, in anyway; the same goes for intervening in any fight in which another character of a guard player is involved in. These rules also hold true for Magistrates.

VIII. -ARRESTS-

1. If your character has arrested a criminal in the inn, please post an incident report to the Civic Guard forums ( viewforum.php?f=10 ). The report doesn't have to be long, but it should include the name of the criminal, the charges, a brief summary of what happened, and whether the criminal has been sentenced, or is awaiting trial.

2. If your character attempted to arrest a criminal and he/she escaped capture, please post an incident report to the Civic Guard Mailing List. The report doesn't have to be long, but it should include the name of the criminal, the charges, and a brief summary of what happened. The Captain or the City Council will place a bounty for the wanted individual if circumstances warrant it.

3. We don't like to let a character sit and rot in jail indefinitely, so we try to process cases with as much expediency as possible. If a Magistrate is available (Ask the ops about which characters play Magistrates), a summary trial can be conducted immediately and sentence meted out. If a magistrate is not available, you can work out the sentence with the criminal's mun privately. For most crimes, some combination of fines and flogging are acceptable punishments. If you work out a sentence with an arrested individual, just include that in the arrest report. Sentences are normally carried out at dawn on the day following the arrest, so the criminal character can appear in the inn again the next day.

4. For major crimes like murder and rape, or in cases where the criminal's mun requests a trial, you MUST inform us that a prisoner is being held at the Guardhouse awaiting trial so we can organize a trial. Please get their email address so we can contact them about setting up a trial date. These characters cannot have sentences worked out in PM with a guard member. Please note that IC trials are a huge pain in the ass to orchestrate, so we try to keep them to a minimum. As the arresting officer, your responsibility does not end until the criminal is sentenced. You remain the point of contact for the criminal about the status of their trial, since only Guards and bounty hunters can send messages to the Civic Guard forum.

IX. -INVESTIGATING CRIMES-

From the code of laws on the channel website:

Edict 23 - Concerning Investigation of Crimes, and the Interrogation of Suspects:

1. After arresting a being suspected of a crime, the Civic Guard has full authority to search the home and property of the suspect for evidence. The Civic Guard may only seize items that have a direct connection to the investigation at hand. If evidence of other criminal activity beyond that of which the suspect is already accused is discovered, it may be seized as well. 2. The Civic Guard may use magic, psionics, or similar means to aid in investigations and interrogations as long as any powers used on the suspect do not cause any permanent damage to the suspect's mind. Any use of such things must be limited strictly to the crime being investigated; if these are used to delve into unrelated matters of the suspect's life then anything gained is rendered inadmissible. 3. Torture is forbidden as a method of interrogation or punishment. 4. The Guard may not attempt to extract confessions by withholding food or water from the suspect. All suspects must receive sufficient food and drink to sustain them until the time of their trial. Injured or ill suspects must receive medical attention sufficient to sustain them until the time of their trial.

ADMISSIBLE FORMS OF EVIDENCE:

1. Eyewitness accounts. Witnesses should be interviewed independently of each other and not be given a chance to speak with each other prior to the interview whenever possible. 2. Physical evidence which can provide a definitive link to the crime/criminal. 3. Magical spells/signatures which are definitive to a particular individual. Anything applicable to more than three people is not sufficient evidence. 4. The use of dogs to track a scent to evidence or a suspect if possible. 5. Corroborated scrying and magical tracking grounded in something left behind by the criminal. 6. The planting of any false evidence will be dealt with severely. Punishment can included but not be limited to: Immediate termination from the guard, prosecution for obstruction of justice, barring from serving in any military or civilian post for the City of Drache.

    • Please note that the information of magical or psionic interrogation are not sufficient evidence to obtain a conviction alone. Some judges remain deeply suspicious of supernatural powers like magic, so the results of a magical/psionic interrogation are at best a supplement to other evidence. If a fight happened in the inn and you have logs, we can say that we have eyewitness testimony from Rantan, Dulcina, or Paetines, the channel bots.


X. -DETENTION-

1. Each Guard is issued one (1) pair of null magic shackles to use for restraining arrested individuals for transfer to the Guardhouse's dungeon. These shackles are quite heavy, and should be able to hold just about anyone with less than GodPC strength. These shackles prevent the captured individual from using magic, and also prevents others from using magic on him/her. It might be a good idea to explain the nature of the shackles in your RP posts up front, so that RandomSmirkingVillain doesn't teleport himself out of captivity with a waggle of his eyebrows.

2. The main Guardhouse is a large, fortified stone building located just down the street from the BDI. There is also a smaller garrison in the Wharf District, which serves as a base of operations for patrolling the more dangerous parts of the city. The Wharf Garrison contains cells for holding prisoners, but they are generally only used as a temporary measure. Typically, they're used to hold drunks until they sober up, or more dangerous prisoners only until they can be transferred to the more secure dungeons in the main Guardhouse.

3. A standard cell in the Guardhouse's Dungeon levels has thick stone walls, and a heavy steel door with an observation window covered by bars. A narrow slot at floor level allows the Guards to slide a tray with food and water into the cell. Cells do not have constructed beds, instead they have a slab of stone protruding from one wall of the cell, covered with a straw mattress. Each cell is also equipped with a chamber pot that drains into Drache's sewer system. Some cells are fitted with shackles on the wall to restrain particularly violent prisoners.

4. The entire Guardhouse is magically warded to prevent teleportation (or other forms of supernatural travel) into or out of the Guardhouse. Please inform criminals of this at the time of their arrest so they don't just poof out of existence. If they want to attempt an escape, they should inform us, and we'll play it out as a scene. Criminals who just escape as if the Guardhouse had a revolving front door will be dealt with by the ops.

5. For particularly nasty prisoners requiring more security than a standard cell:

Edict 22 - Concerning Extraordinary Methods of Imprisonment:

Extraordinary means may be taken in the case of criminals of an extremely dangerous nature. The Guard may, at the option of the commanding officers, enact such defensive measures as:

1. Sedation 2. Containment in cells with magically-electrified bars 3. Physical restraint with ropes, chains, or shackles 4. Containment in temporal stasis fields - This is only used in the case of criminals awaiting trial. While in the state of stasis, the subject remains frozen in a moment of time. Years of confinement may seem to take no longer than the blink of an eye. For this reason, it is not a practical punishment for convicted criminals, as it takes away the punitive effect of incarceration. 5. Use of Mage Collars and Psi Dampeners - Both of these devices are very similar in form and function, in that they prevent prisoners from using magic or psionic abilities, both take the form of reinforced metal collars. The Mage Collar is made from the same strange alloy and imbued with the same enchantments as the Guard's null-magic shackles, and like the shackles, it prevents the prisoner from using magic, and also prevents anyone else from using magic upon the prisoner. The Psi Dampener is a metal collar set with pieces of a crystalline substance mined in Ruthmarna which has the effect of shielding the mind from psionic powers, as well as preventing the wearer from using any psionic abilities. Both collars have three separate locks which must all be unlocked to remove the collar. Attempts to tamper with the collar will activate magically-implanted defenses: the collar will begin to magically constrict. If tampering attempts are not ceased very quickly, the collar may very well suffocate or decapitate its wearer. 6. Use of geas enchantments on individuals sentenced to labor to prevent them from escaping during their period of labor, is sanction but cannot exceed the length of the sentence. 7. The Guard may use whatever means they deem necessary to hold suspected criminals until their time of trial, or to incarcerate convicted criminals so long as the methods do not amount to torture. The Guard is free to devise new security measures for the keeping of prisoners as they see fit, but be prepared to be subject to review of if your new inventions violate the torture prohibition.

XI. -EQUIPMENT AND SERVICES

Guards have the following available to them:

1. Weapons/armor: When the Royal Legion disbanded several years ago, the Guard took over a substantial portion of its armory. Characters who don't have their own weapons and armor, or would like pick up some new equipment can scrounge up just about any sort of mundane military equipment. The armory may also include weapons and armor confiscated from criminals, so exotic or even magical equipment might *occasionally* be found in the armory. Anything magical or exotic from the armory must first be cleared with either the Captain of the Guard or an Op.

2. Training: While many Guards are already accomplished warriors or wizards, green recruits aren't left to fend for themselves. Arms training and basic hand-to-hand combat skills are taught by veteran Guards. If you can't find a PC mentor, there are always NPCs available. Novice spell casters can receive training through the Royal University.

3. Housing: The Guard took possession of the Royal Legion's former barracks in Drache, so free housing is available for Guards who need it. There's very little privacy in the barracks, but at least it's warm and dry.

4. Healing: There is an infirmary in the main Guardhouse with a staff of full time healers to patch up Guards who've been beaten within an inch of their lives, or any guard may go to a House of Healing for free healing provided their badge is on them.

5. The Guard has Khalar Herding Dogs available for use as attack dogs for members of the Wharf Patrol. The kennel is overseen by a woman named Paxida, who trains the dogs, and also trains Guards to work with them. Wharfers who'd like to be considered for this new program should make a request to the Captain of the Guard. While this is intended to augment the Wharf Patrol and help keep Guardsmen safe in the worst parts of the city, the dogs are not a substitute for a human partner. For more information on the Khalar herding dog, see: http://www.akc.org/breeds/belgian_sheepdog/index.cfm for information on the breed's real world counterpart. Paxida also has bloodhounds available for tracking suspects and searching out contraband, available for duty as needed.

XII. -WHO THE HELL IS IN CHARGE AROUND HERE, ANYWAY?-

1. The Captain of the Guard is the head off all Civic Guard forces in the city of Drache. He is supported by two Commanders, one at the main Guardhouse, and one at the Wharf Garrison. The current Captain of the Guard is Brutus Sithaladar The current Commander of the main Guardhouse is Forban ul-Anskar Senketh , and the Commander of the Wharf Patrol is Zesstra Riknueth.

2. In small villages, one member of the Civic Guard will be stationed as the Sheriff (Aptentrod), generally assisted by deputees from the local lord's private guards.

3. The Border Watch patrols the countryside, particularly the roads and the kingdom's borders. The Watch and the Guard cooperate when necessary, but their jurisdictions generally don't overlap much.

4. The Lord Protector oversees both the Civic Guard and the Border Watch, and has full authority over both organizations. The Lord Protector typically only takes direct command of the Civic Guard in times of crisis, after a declaration of martial law has been issued. Marnuth Elgabralk is the current Lord Protector.

5. The Captain of the Guard is appointed by the City Council of Drache and has their trust and confidence. Once a month he presents a report to the Council on the activities of the guard and crime in the city.

The Guard roster and laws of the kingdom are available on the channel website. Go to the Arangoth section, then click on the Civic Guard (CIVIC Guard) link.

XIII. -PROMOTIONS-

Advancing in rank is a fairly simple though time intensive process. There are several ways to go about it within a tier of rank, but if you want to go from one tier to another then specific requirements need to be met. Below is listed the criteria to advance in rank.

1. Be active! If you do not play the character then it is not going to advance! Written stories will also be accepted of your guards actions if that is your preference, but these stories must be more than “X did Y. The end.”

2. File your guard reports and keep them updated as a case progresses! These make a fantastic record of your character's achievements for promotions and awards, andcan provide material for you to recount around the hearth to younger newer guards.

3. Do your duty guardsmen! No matter how scary or daunting the plot menacing the city, if you become aware of it ICly then by all means join in if you can and help bring the menace to an end....and write a report. You could earn significant recognition if your deeds merit it from such things.

4. Seniority...like in real life it counts here. However, do not rely on just existing for a long period of time to get promoted. If you sit on your laurels for years, and someone newer comes along and does more then they will get promoted faster.


If you feel that your Guard has been passed over for a promotion, then complain about it either In Character (like people do at the office), or if that is not an option then speak to me and make your case.

  • Note: If a Guard is inactive for long periods of time (generally six months or more) or if a Guard resigns and wants to return to duty later, I'll generally bring them back at one rank lower than their previous rank. A former Sergeant would return to duty as a Corporal, etc.