Warder

Warders are the elite guard for the members of Serora's government. Bodyguards, assistants and advisers, Warders play a vital role in the day-to-day operations of Serora.

## Overview

A Warder is an elite warrior assigned to protect the members of the government. They are selected among the other military orders, usually Skirmishers or Furies, for their prowess in combat and skill at survival. Warder is also an attractive career path to those who seek to become involved with the government, as Warders receive ample opportunities to observe and participate in day-to-day running of the nation.

The most well known and obvious task of the Warders is to protect their assigned member of the government. This means that the Warder will generally accompany them when they travel, as well as during meetings or large herd gatherings. They are expected to keep their assigned official safe from harm, although during times of peace Warders often see very little combat, and usually their presence and reputation alone is enough to scare off the occasional thieves and other troublemakers.

The other duties of Warders include delivering messages to and from their official, helping them brief for meetings, assisting them with their daily duties and acting as advisers. A trusted Warder can have a lot of say in the politics of their assigned official, and as such it’s very important for them to stay up to date with what is going on around Serora.

Warders answer to the Warder Wing and their assigned official. Warders are expected to have a spotless criminal record, good moral judgement and they must show unyielding loyalty towards Serora. Literacy is counted as a bonus, but not required. They must have a good knowledge of wildlife and plants to survive emergency situations, such as evacuations, as well as keep their ward alive.

### Appointment

Existing Warders will often act as talent scouts, seeking out talented soldiers from among Skirmishers, Furies and occasionally Screamers. It's very rare for someone to become a Warder without having been a part of a different branch of the military first, although not completely unheard off. What existing Warders will look for in new recruits, besides combat prowess, is resilience, ambition, survival skills and the ability to adapt. Sometimes eager candidates will also present themselves to the selection officials directly - this is more common when the candidate has political aspirations. This selection process means that fresh Warders are older and more experienced than other fresh recruits would be; usually in their early 20s, compared to the teenage apprentices in other branches.

Warders are appointed to their rank by either the Sultan or the Warder Wing. If neither is available, Council may also appoint temporary Warders, whose position will be made official by a Sultan or Warder Wing at a later date.

### Assignment and Living Arrangements

Following officials have assigned Warders: Advocates, Council, Wings, Peacemakers (while in Sedo), foreign ambassadors (while in Sedo) and the Sultan. During peacetime, each will have a single Warder assigned to them at any time, except the Sultan, who will have two. The remaining Warders will work other duties, similar to Skirmishers - keeping peace within the settlement and responding to emergencies.  Some may also be held ‘on call’ in case an assigned Warder falls ill or is injured. If an official is expected to travel through a more dangerous area, they will take a triad of Warders, or in the Sultan’s case, two triads. The standing Warder force at any given time is about a hundred.

During times of unrest, all Warders are called into action. They will be assigned as groups of three to protect a specific official. A Warders first duty is always the safety of their charge, and as such, their combat strategy focuses on getting them to safety - Warders will usually have two members engage while the third takes the official to safety, but whenever possible, they prefer to avoid combat altogether.

Assigned Warders as well as Warder triads may be swapped out at any time if the chemistry between the triad, or the Warder and their official is not working out. Warder Wing is ultimately responsible for these assignments, although both the officials and the Warders themselves can request a different assignment.

Warders are provided housing near to where-ever their current charge lives. Most Warders can enjoy a fairly stationary lifestyle in the urban settlements of Sedo, occasionally traveling with their charge, but mostly getting to stay put in one of the major cities.

## Rank Levels

* At 25 AP |  The heart of Serora is in your hands and trusts you to guard them well. If you wish, receive **a Tier 1 Talent** early (first talent only)
* At 50 AP | Your experience and dedication have earned you fame. For your hard work and diligence, you are gifted **Two Handed Bladed Weapon** of your choice, as well as **Pauldrons.**
* At 75 AP | Your training is ruthless, driven by your need to match and encourage your fellow Warders. Add **15 SP** to your **Strength**
* At 100 AP |   You need a companion capable of both compassion and utter ruthlessness. If your Familiar Slot is empty, receive a **Level 2 Seroran familiar (except rare)** for free.