Blackwatch

The Blackwatch, or *Vigilia Obscura*, is the Turian Empire's elite counter-terrorism and espionage division. Founded in 342 BCE by Aurelion to defend his subjects from biotic and separatist terrorism, the Blackwatch continues to be Palaven's most potent weapon against any clandestine threat to its sovereignty. While the majority of the Blackwatch's operations are classified, it's generally accepted that they have the highest success rate of any turian military unit in history.

## History

### Unification War

The Blackwatch was founded during the Unification War on the orders of Aurelion, following a string of devastating attacks by biotic sleeper agents who had embedded themselves in his military forces. Aurelion tasked his second-in-command and secret lover, Markus Abrudas, with selecting seven of his most loyal soldiers - one from each of the turians' colonised worlds - to create an elite task force designed specifically to fight biotics.

Under Markus' leadership, the newly named Blackwatch successfully eliminated multiple high-value targets and thwarted countless attempts on Aurelion's life. Their greatest wartime feat was the tracking of Quinteia Arterius and her remaining forces to the stronghold of Moesia on the planet Thracia, a move which effectively ended her resistance movement. After he was named Primarch of Carthaan, Markus voluntarily stepped down from the position of First Talon, being replaced by his good friend, protégée and eventually second wife, Sevilla Narkkin. Despite this early retirement, Markus remained in close contact with the Blackwatch for the rest of his life.

### The Cabals

In the years following the Unification War, Aurelion ordered the Blackwatch to round up any individual known to possess biotic power, for safe delivery into the newly formed Cabals. While in modern times the incarceration and monitoring of biotics is a task delegated to the Dicasterum Mutarius, the Blackwatch continues to be responsible for hunting rogue biotics who manage to escape their confinement. Hunting an entire cabal of rogue biotics, while exceptionally rare, is a combat scenario which all agents are rigorously drilled and outfitted for.

This proficiency for combating dangerous biotics has earned the Blackwatch the respect and awe of the Hierarchy's citizenry. Wild stories about the heroic feats of its agents have become the subject of many forms of turian entertainment, including literature, music, and film. Such stories include the legendary Lucan Marnek, who put down several rogue cabals before finally succumbing to his wounds, and a younger Antraxes Partinax, who successfully eliminated a centuries-old krogan battlemaster in a duel which lost him half his face.

### Relay 314 Incident

The Blackwatch was almost deployed during the Relay 314 Incident, known to humans as the 'First Contact War'. After human forces successfully repelled the token garrison which had been occupying Shanxi, Primarch Fedorian gave the order for the full might of imperial forces to be deployed in retaliation, an order which extended to the Blackwatch. Before the Blackwatch's deployment could be finalised, the Citadel Council intervened, forcing Fedorian to engage in peace talks via proxy with General Williams of the Systems Alliance. The Blackwatch resumed their regular duties following the signing of the subsequent peace treaty, much to the relief of the Alliance.

### War on Taetrus

The Blackwatch was deployed during the War on Taetrus to hunt Facinus, the separatist group responsible for the premeditated murder of 138,000 people in the Vallum Blast. Working in tandem with General Valerio Partinax and his imperial forces, elite Blackwatch agents successfully tracked the remaining members of Facinus to the remote Kasatum Fortress in the Diluvian Wildlands. Even though Facinus were holding hostages in an attempt to negotiate safe passage from the planet, the Blackwatch went ahead with their plan to detonate a 6-ton thermobaric bomb over the fortress. The resulting blast was powerful enough to reduce the ancient building to rubble and instantaneously kill all of its occupants, separatists and hostages alike.

The Blackwatch was lauded by Palaven's public for their role in avenging Vallum's dead and upholding imperial rule, in addition to their successful cracking of a fortress that would have otherwise held out during a lengthy siege. Despite this, many native Taetrians, including those with no love for Facinus, continue to view them as just another tool with which Palaven ruthlessly exerts its will on its colonies.

## Structure

Like all turian institutions, the Blackwatch has a meritocratic structure, with promotion based on one's length of service, combat experience and military honours. It is led by the *Ferrum Primus* ('First Talon') who answers directly to the Primarch of Palaven. When the *Ferrum Primus* is either killed in action or retires from service, the next most senior agent is promoted to the rank as their replacement. *Ferra Prima* are exceptionally skilled assassins who possess a fanatical devotion to the empire and its founding principles.

Beneath the *Ferrum Primus* are the rank-and-file agents of the Blackwatch, known simply as *"Ferra"* ('Talons'). All agents share the same rank and are considered equals. Each agent is formally addressed by the title of *Ferrum*, followed by their family name (eg: *Ferrum* Partinax). Because such information is classified, there exists no official record of the number of Blackwatch agents. However, Human Systems Alliance intelligence estimates that there may be as many as two-hundred agents activate inside turian territory.

The operational centre of the Blackwatch is headquartered at Castellus Umbrae, an ancient fortress located in Cipritine's Martiaris District.

## Purges

If the Blackwatch becomes somehow compromised - an incredibly rare situation - every one of its agents is slaughtered by the Praetorian Guard, whose directive to kill comes directly from the Primarch of Palaven. The organisation is then repopulated with new agents.

In its lifetime the Blackwatch has only ever been purged three times: firstly by Primarch Aristeia Verrikan, following a terror attack orchestrated by biotic sleeper agents embedded in the Blackwatch; secondly by Primarch Adrien Victus, who found evidence of widespread reaper indoctrination in the Blackwatch; and thirdly by Primarch Fidellion Victus, who sought to erase any lingering corruption in the military sphere following Primarch Antraxes Mehrkuri's illegal reign.

Reversely, the Blackwatch is tasked with monitoring the Praetorian Guard for any signs of corruption. Should the Praetorian Guard become compromised, the Blackwatch will purge the Primarch's elite bodyguards on the Primarch's orders. This unique system of checks and balances has fostered a somewhat cool relationship between the two entities, with the *Ferrum Primus* and *Praetorian Prefect* constantly spying on each other.

## Known Blackwatch agents

* Antraxes Partinax
* Aurelion Abrudas
* Caherix Partinax
* Erinia Mehrkuri
* Garrus Vakarian
* Lucan Marnek
* Macen Barro
* Markus Abrudas
* Pheira Tacius
* Sairus Arterius (Victus)
* Sevilla Narkkin