Defenders of the Stone

The Defenders of the Stone are an elite military group of Tear. They guard the Stone of Tear, form the core of the Tairen army and act as a police force within the city of Tear. 
== Uniform, Banner and Battle Cry ==
The uniform of the Defenders consists of a black coat with padded, puffy sleeves striped black-and-gold with black cuffs, a burnished breastplate, and a rimmed helmet with a faceguard of steel bars. Ranks are identified by white and black plumes and black, white and gold cuffs (see Ranks section below).
Their battle cry is "The stone stands!". Note that this is some irony in this remaining their battle cry since the Stone fell to the Aiel and the Dragon Reborn. It has, however, been attacked and besieged over a hundred times without being taken.The World of Robert Jordan's The Wheel of Time, Tear, The Stone of Tear. Their call to arms in defence of the Stone of Tear is "Rally to the Stone".
== Military and Police Force ==
Only Tairens are accepted into the Defenders and officers are usually of noble birth though often from minor Houses or minor branches of strong Houses.Crossroads of Twilight, Glossary.
They are seen as an elite force and they are the core around which the armies of Tear are formed. 
As the name suggests, they are tasked with the defence of the Stone of Tear and seldom travel far from that city except in times of war. Only the Defenders, and of course the High Lords and other nobles, are allowed to wear armor inside the Stone. 
During the defence of the the Stone of Tear, some are armed with swords and others with spears. In Cairhien against the Shaido, a number of them were mounted.
=== Policing ===
They Defenders also act as a police force in the city of Tear and have a harsh, indeed oppressive, reputation. If a commoner accuses a noble or merchant of a crime, for example, they will take the side of the noble or merchant simply on their word. They are often thought to exist only to protect the ruling class. Thom says they are not as "gentle" as the Queen's Guard. This has changed somewhat since the arrival of the Dragon Reborn in Tear, who decreed that noblemen be punished for crimes the same way a commoner would. 
A number of their responsibilities and powers are mentioned in the books:
* Women who may be able to channel are reported to them, whereupon they are sent to the White Tower and encouraged never to return. 
* They also keep a close eye on any woman wearing a Great Serpent ring. The presence of Aes Sedai is tolerated, as long as they do not channel within the city. 
* Arresting criminals and thieves, although they often hire a thief-catcher like Juilin Sandar to track down a thief. 
* Patrolling the streets. 
* It is illegal for a commoner to carry a sword in the city and it is an arrestable offence. Foreigners are not usually bothered for having a sword unless they plan to stay long in the city.
* Putting down riots. 
* Guarding the docks of Tear, presumably against smugglers and other illicit activity.
== Actions ==
They take part in the defence of the Stone of Tear when it is taken by the Aiel and the Dragon Reborn in fulfillment of the Prophecies. The Aiel killed or captured around six hundred Defenders during the attack.
A group of around fifty are on guard in Rand's apartments, an area formerly lived in by the Kings of Tear and subsequently abandoned, when Perrin visits him. 
Some Defenders, led by a Captain of their rank, guard the Black Ajah sisters Joiya Byir and Amico Nagoyin after their capture, a task that makes them distinctly uncomfortable. 
They defend against the Shadowspawn attack in the Stone of Tear. Although they outnumbered the Trollocs, many of them were killed or injured. 
Around four hundred Defenders, out of around eight hundred Tairens, made up a force led by High Lord Weiramon Saniago during the relief of Cairhien against the Shaido under Couladin. Mat joins forces with a group of these, led by Melanril Asegora, to battle against the Aiel.
After the battle, a group of around ten Defenders dance at the campfires entertaining Tairens and Cairhienin alike.
As Rand passes through the city of Cairhien, a group of around fifty Defenders led by High Lord Meilan Mendiana clear the way through the crowds using the butts of their lances. Rand commands them to follow him instead, with the Aiel in the lead, and the crowd parts without the need for unnecessary force.
Rand berates High Lords Meilan and Aracome for their forces, including a thousand Defenders, lingering ten miles away from Cairhien when they should have been on the way back to Tear two days earlier.
== Ranks ==
Captain of the Stone: The title of the leader of the Defenders. The current Captain of the Stone is Rodrivar Tihera. The Captain of the Stone wears three short white plumes on his helmet, and on the cuffs of his coat three intertwined golden braids on a white band. 
Captain: Identified by two white plumes and a single line of golden braid on white cuffs.
Lieutenant: Identified by one white plume and a single line of black braid on white cuffs.
Under-Lieutenant: Identified by one short black plume and plain white cuffs.
Bannerman: Identified by gold-colored cuffs on their coats.
Squadman: Identified by cuffs striped black and gold. 
Category:Tear
Category:Titles
Category:Organizations
Category:Military units