Capital Guard

## Information

### Founded

By Prince Ramsay following Sergei's ConquestBy Anthony of Dyke (major reorganization)

### Locations

Greenlands (formerly)Hampshire

The **Capital Guards of Versailles** is a law-enforcement and military institution responsible for the security of the capital city of the Seven Kingdoms. Men of the Capital Guard, commonly known as "**The Cloaks**" or the "**Cole Knights**" because of the iconic light black capes they wear aback their uniforms. The Crown pays the Capital Guard salaries, but unlike other organizations in the Seven Kingdoms, these soldiers swear no allegiance, except to the king.

## Organization

The **Capital Guard of Versailles** is a strong, formally-trained and well-equipped force of guardsmen under the direct authority of the King with the Crown of Sergei. Their salary is paid by the kingdom as a whole and unlike many of the kingdom's other institutions they do not swear fealty to any lord other than the king.

Prior to the Battle of the Serpent, a major attack on Versailles had not occurred in generations (following the Sack of Greensborough by House Connington during Duke's Rebellion, the Capital was shifted to the reconstructed "**City of Versailles**" built upon the "**Ruins of the Old City of Franksputt**". The Newly constructed City only faced a proper fight during the Battle of Wode when the city was put to siege by the Mighty **Noble Houses** of Easternling, Valmont, Cowper, and Georgetown, and Houses Valmont and Cowper lay the city to waste midst the Battle when their army had already been let inside the gates, which turned more into a massacre than a battle, replaying history with the Ruthlessness showed during the Sack of Greensborough by House Connington). The Men of the Capital Guard are trained more for keeping the peace rather than battle, as was shown during the Siege of Versailles in 216 CE when many panicked and fled when the tide of the battle worsened.

The Capital Guard promotes by merit, one of the few institutions in the Seven Kingdoms not to recognize the status of birth. Its previous leader was Commander Oliver Stook, a butcher's son who rose through the ranks. Ser Oliver was dismissed by Lord Lewis Hardman and replaced as **Commander of the Capital Guard** by Ser Anton of Greenmark, a lowborn sellsword in Lord Lewis' service. After Lord Galbart Royne assumes his position as the Sheriff of the Capital, he dismisses Ser Anton from command of the Capital Guard and appoints one of the eleven Kingsmen, Ser Drake of Yellowbrook as Lord Commander of the Capital Guard.

The Leader of the Capital Guard is referred to as "**Lord Commander**" when of noble birth but simply as "Commander" due to his lack of noble birth. Following Lord Jason's arrest, Ser Oliver is appointed from the rank of the Captain of the Capital Guard to Commander of the Capital Guard, and is elevated to nobility by King Leo I following his accession to power, thus, founding the "**Noble Family** of **Stook of Greensborough**", after which, he was commonly called as the "**Lord Commander of the Capital Guard**". Ser Anton was simply referred to as "Commander", as he was not of noble birth.

All members of the Capital Guard are equipped with the same uniform, including a dark blue tunic with the emblem of Griffin, as the sigil was redesigned when the Capital Guard was reorganized in 198 CE. The Guards wear chainmail underneath the dark blue tunic, covered underneath with bronze clothing as vest to the uniform. They wore similarly colored metal dark brown and bronze wrists and shin guards. The Capital Guard helmet is patterned, covers the top of the head, has a cup covering, uniquely called a "Kettle Steel Helmet" by the known blacksmiths of the kingdom. Attached to the helmet is an aventail, latched to the cup of the helmet. The Cloaks are commonly seen with spears, while the officers were seen with longswords, though they generally do not utilize shields, as was recalled once by Ser Anthony of Dyke, "**Shields are used to hide from the enemy. I am here to re-establish the order! Here, Here, the Guards of the Capital will have no use of shields, we plunge into the open as the Defenders of the Capital**".

Though it is largely an effective peacekeeping force, the Capital Guard is notoriously prone to corruption. Ser Oliver Stook, the late commander, was particularly corrupt and tended to sell his loyalty to the highest bidder (once either by Lord Ferris Keith or Lord Artys Miller). Though they are ultimately loyal to the king or queen wearing the Crown of Sergei, many "**Cole Knights**" have other paymasters whom they serve in various ways.

## History

### Origins

Following Sergei's Conquest, Prince Ramsay on the behest of his lord father, Duke Augustus I Talmar, who was the Duke of Portlands (formerly South Vale, Greenlands, and East Hills combined), building the City of Greensborough as the **Capital of the Kingdom**. founded the "**Capital Guard**" in 102 CE as the sole protector and guardsmen of the capital city. Following the demise of the city's viceroy, Prince Ramsay in a military campaign, the new viceroy, Lord Lewis Dustin appointed Ser Desmond Rivers, a veteran knight of the conquest and loyalist of the crown as the **First Lord Commander of the Capital Guard**.

### Siege of Versailles

Following the Sack of Greensborough by House Connington during Duke's Rebellion, the Capital was shifted by Lord Regent Thaddeus Fossoway to the reconstructed "**City of Versailles**" built upon the "**Ruins of the Old City of Franksputt**". The Newly constructed City only faced a proper fight during the Battle of Wode when the city was put to siege by the Mighty **Noble Houses** of Easternling, Valmont, Cowper, and Georgetown who rebelled against the crown in the weakest moment, and Houses Valmont and Cowper lay the city to waste midst the Battle when their army had already been let inside the gates, which turned more into a massacre than a battle, replaying history with the Ruthlessness showed during the Sack of Greensborough by House Connington. The Men of the Capital Guard are trained more for keeping the peace rather than battle, as was shown during the Siege of Versailles in 216 CE when many panicked and fled when the tide of the battle worsened. The city was saved by the brave knights of Houses Marshall, Greenmark, Pinewood, Blount, and Swann.

Following the Siege, the Captain of the Capital Guard, Ser Osney Bradford fell in battle, and the position was left vacant, where the Lord of the Capital, Lord Alton Swann took command of the Capital Guard until a new captain was appointed. To overlook the position better, Lord Alton reformed the Capital Guard with the help of the Lord of Laws, Lord Olto Florent and implemented the Policy of Command in the Capital Guard, reorganizing as it was in the manner laid out by Ser Anthony of Dyke nearly two decades earlier, and the Lord Commander was re-appointed Leader of the Capital Guard, and Ser Axell Florent, nephew of the Lord of Laws was appointed Commander of the **Guard**.

### Joust of St. Patrick's

During the Third Joust of Saint Patrick's, Ser Oliver Stook fought and in the second last match against the twelfth known knight, Ser Winston, beating him in the joust, only to lose to Ser Anton of Greenmark, standing as the **Second Champion** of the Joust. Following which, Lord Alton appoints Ser Oliver as the "**Captain of the Capital Guard**", followingly, Ser Axell Florent joins the military uprising against the rebel outlaws standing a mile south of Georgetown, and Ser Axell leads the royal army of knights joined by the cavalry forces under Lord Alton Swann marching one hundred men, as the royal army is joined by Houses Blount, Padbury, and Cornfield to fight off the two hundred large army raised by mercenaries and exiled knights led by Lord Calton of House Cayne.

To Be Continued...