First Division
From FiranMUX
Contents |
Overview
Firan guards are members of the Republic's First Division. They are primarily in charge of keeping order in the confines of the city walls of Anarinuell. They are a cross between Roman vigiles, praetorians and investigators. They fight fires, make arrests, man the city gates, control the jail, protect the palace and otherwise put the day-to-day face on the Republic military.
The guard is considered one of the most noble, and stable, vocations in the Firan realms, even if the guards themselves tend to think of themselves as being taken for granted. In particular, the First Division has become a sort of 'training' phase for young soldiers. And due to the influence of the Clan Council, service in the guard has become more and more a rite of passage for young nobles who intend to hold any political influence in the city. Clan Leader Taria Oshta, in particular, argues that an unwillingness on the part of any noble to serve in the defense of the city should disqualify them from any higher position or honor.
How To Become A Republic Guard
The best way to become a Guard is to go talk to a Guard. Anyone Captain and above can enlist anyone in the Guard and its fun to RP out the interview and the commitment to keeping the city safe. Send a message to a Guard today, to join!
Ranks
High General -- There is only one High General and that High General commands the entire guard, subject only to the Lord Viceroy and the Clan Council.
General -- There is usually only one First Division General, overseeing the Commanders and ensuring that things are done properly.
Commander -- The Guard is divided into Divisions, there is a Commander overseeing each one.
Captain -- Captains are the backbone of the Guard. They are the ones who command the different groups out in the field. They train and oversee the bulk of the Guards and are a most important part of the chain of command.
Centurion -- Nobles start at Centurion rank. They are responsible for training the Sentries beneath them and ensuring all the real work gets done. Centurions are the real work horse of the Guard.
Sentry -- The base rank. Most Guards start at Sentry and will stay there most or all of their lives.
Child Aide -- A newly created rank of youths working largely as errand runners and trainees along side fully enlisted officers.
Important Guard Operating Procedures
Chain of Command
- Always observe the chain of command. Viceroy/Ranivor -> High General/Minister of Protection and Enforcement -> General -> Commander -> Captain -> Centurion -> Sentry. If you require the assistance and guidance of a superior officer pass your requests up the chain of command.
- If you have confusion about the chain of command always observe the military list. Sometimes a Centurion will be assigned under another centurion who is more experienced. Even though you are equal in rank, you are expected to treat your CO as your superior and you will respect their orders.
- When responding to an emergency situation The highest ranking Guard will be in operational command of the situation. If two guards of equal rank respond to the situation the first to arrive will be in operational command unless they decide defer command to another officer, or a higher ranking guard relieves them.
- When handling an emergency situation that is under 1st Division jurisdiction unless you have /specific/ orders from the Ranivor or Viceroy under NO CIRCUMSTANCES should you defer command of the situation to an officer not of the 1st Division. Even if they are of superior rank to you. Treat them with the respect due their rank, and accept any assistance or advice they are willing to give, but maintain accountablility and responsiblity for the situation.
- When dealing with an emergency situation NEVER SHAME THE MOB!
Working Cases
- Each case is assigned a supervising officer, who should be the rank of Captain. However, a Commander can, at their discretion, assign a case to a lower ranking guard.
- The lead investigator's responsibility is to supervise the case but it is every guard's responsible to try and help work on cases. If you come across a lead for a case, investigate it as best you can and update the case file accordingly. Sometimes your CO will assign you specific cases to follow up on. If your not sure what cases you should be working on consult your CO.
- The 1st Division has the power to hold someone for up to 6 days for the purposes of questioning and building our case. This is a great asset, but is not always necessary with a cooperative and compliant perp. Save it for the dangerous and the recalcitrant. Once a prisoner has been charged, they are to be held until their bail is posted, or until their trial. Extensions can be applied for with a judge, but the decision to do so must /AlWAYS/ be made by an officer of the rank of Commander or Higher.
- Once you charge someone you stating that you are ready to go to trial. Unless over ruled or assigned to another guard by their Commander supervising officers will be responsible for either prosecuting the case or arranging for someone to do so. If the criminal has signed a prepared confession, then they will be responsible for turning over the confession and details of the case to a Republic Judge so they can assess a suitable punishment.
- Never arrest a noble without a Noble Officer of at least the rank of Captain present! Only hold them in the prison for the most violent or traitorous of crimes, otherwise turn them over to their Head of House or Clan Proxy. Sometimes a Proxy or Clan Leader may wish their noble to 'learn a lesson' in that case comply with the Clan Leader Proxy's wishes but still ensure of noble guard of sufficient rank is present.
Guard Raids
This is an OOC policy, but one the guard MUST abide by -- so review 'help policy guard raid' and the information below.
- Since the guards are the ones trying to collect evidence and possibly arrest people, the onus is on them to follow the OOC guidelines as closely as possible. If a raider is unsure, ask a wizard. It behooves the guards to do their best to keep it kosher lest they lose the arrest or the evidence.
- Generally, a raid should involve a GM as a guide. If you know you are going to raid a particular night, it is helpful to have one prepared to help ahead of time. Not all raids can be planned. If an unplanned raid occurs, be ready to wait if there is no one available to immediately assist.
- Empty houses may generally be raided without assistance. Raiders should use @fyi to let staff know where they raided, what they took and who participted in the raid.
- It is generally preferred that guards perform raids when the players are online to react. However if three days have passed without success, this can be done in a player's absence.
- A house with sleepers or PCs must have GM intervention to be raided successfully. If the guards pass all the checks for being observed, they may continue without intervention once the proper checks are made and a wizard gives the okay on the raid.
- A house with guards who are not hired by the Republic may require that the raiders sneak by them the same as a criminal might. If guards are met, it is a good idea to ask a wizard if a player is not sure.
- The staff is glad our guards are eager to do their job! That said, in a raid situation, they are the authority coming in that could greatly affect a character be it jail, death or something more. The staff expects that guards will be delicate with the situation OOCly. If there are OOC tensions, guards should feel free to call a wizard to help calm the situation rather than trying to handle it themselves.
- Remember, a raid with no RP is only fun for those who in the raid and working towards their promotions in the guard. Try to make it an experience fun for all involved. There is no Firan without storytelling!
Differences Between Republic Guards and Other Kinds of Guards
Republic Guards are a combination of police and the National Guard. This is different than any other type of guard in that their express province is maintaining the safety of the city. The only place that they have total jurisdiction is the palace district of the city as it is Republic property. The districts that belong to each of the individual clans are maintained by the clans military. What this means for a guard, is that there are extra hoops that have to be jumped through if they want to arrest someone who is in a district other than the palace district. In the past, this has meant obtaining permission from someone within the clan in question.
The most important distinction is that Republic Guards see to the defense and safety of the city as a whole but their powers don't extend into each of the other clans districts. Each of the clans have their own military that is generally responsible for such things. A Republic Guard should be more focused on the continued safety of the Republic as a whole, over any particular person or place.
Equipment Needed for Guards
The following equipment is standard:
Armor
Breastplate
Backplate
Military Skirt
Arm Guards
Greaves
Boots
Tunic
Helmet
Backpack
Weapons
Request according to your skill, this can include but may not be limited to:
Sword
Bow and Arrows
Quarterstaff
Other
Keys for the Jail
Scrolls to take Statements
Suggested Roleplaying Ideas
Many roleplaying opportunities can be had as a member of the First Division. There will likely be chase scenes, interrogations, arrests, crime-solving, and just plain harassment of the criminal element in the Old City. There has always been resentment and bad treatment by the Guard inside the Walls. Merely /living/ in the Old City tends to make one fair game for arrest, interrogation and a whole manner of other interesting RP. As a guard, you should feel more than happy to rough up an OCer if nothing else.
The justice system in the Firan Republic is *NOT* fair, it is *NOT* based on the American justice system. Old City folks tend to see this the most and you should expect that heavy beatings, interrogations, inquisitions, and all sorts of trumped-up charges are just in a days work for a guard. In the Republic, criminals are guilty until proven innocent, so as a guard you should be eager to crack down on just about anyone who raises suspicion. If you think something does looks suspicious, follow another character home. Stop and search. Get warrants, Writs and cause a fuss.
See also: Roleplaying While On Patrol -- Procedures -- Jurisdiction -- Guard Behavior -- Writs -- Guard Related News Files -- Skills by Rank -- Officer Walkthrough
Notes to Editors of This Page
This is going to need a lot of cross-linking to other reference material that has already been put on the wiki, including any survival guides or other important information for Guards and Soldiers.
