Order of the Guardians

First, a quick run down on fighting orders. Much like wizards with their mystic circles and evil cabels, a Fighting Order is a group of warriors and knights dedicated to a common cause. Often times these are rallies around a single person or common belief. The most common of these are the holy fighting order of knights that revolve around a religious structure. These warriors are dedicated to their religion and the person that most personifies their own beliefs in how to live a holy life. While these orders are usually sanctified by the church, most have their own rules and regulations that must be followed which doesn't always follow church doctrine.

There are also a few orders that do not follow a religious doctrine, but instead are rallied around a single person of incredible deed and action. These are different from mercenary companies in that the central figure is often dead and the people of the order are rallying around their memory and words. Many people confuse these orders with common mercenaries but they are closer to holy fighting orders that a mercenary. A true mercenary will do whatever their own moral code says they can do for their next job, while a fighting order acts upon a common belief structure for all members.

In all cases, a fighting order is a excellent place for a warrior to find those who have the same belief structure and are there for mutual support. Mercenary companies chase only have the next contract, while a true fighting order is founded in the bedrock of its own belief. This bond so strong it often reaches beyond death.

As I mentioned above, we are going to cover the Holy Fighting Order that I belong to — or used to be a part of until very recently. The Guardians are a holy fighting order dedicated to battle, specifically to the god Vayne in the Temple of Light. While they bring glory to the name of Vayne, the order has grown such that it has little connection remaining with the church itself. Instead, doctrine is brought down from the words of Vayne and interpreted by the master of the school where a student is taught.

This does not mean that The Guardians are a lawless bunch of warriors looking for battle. It means that we have our own code of conduct and beliefs that may not fit completely with the current laws of the Temple of Light. However, because the laws of The Guardians are so close to the Temple laws the order is still considered a part of the Temple's orders and many priests have called upon its members in times of trouble.

The training is very rough, 15 hour days in physical training for years while a beginning student — then even longer hours spent contemplating battle and studying tactical situations for both individuals and army maneuvers. For years, the existence of a future Guardian is spent doing nothing but honing the body and mind to react as one and still able to divide the necessary tasks of battle. The body must learn to operate on known muscles to accomplish its task with as little input from the mind, because the mind must spend most of its time watching the overall situation and watching for the subtle shifts of battle. This may sound easy, but many more people leave the training grounds than ever become knighted as a Guardian.

The road is long, and rare will a member of the Guardians die of old age while resting comfortably in their bed. Still, to be recognized as one of the best warriors in the world — and knowing that to be the truth is a benefit all its own.