The Shadow Guard

The Shadow Guard is an umbrella group organizing anyone willing to who fight undead and demons. Originally, the Shadow Guard was meant to be a part of the Abyzinian military. Rosendo wanted to gather people who wanted to get away from their families, especially those who were not heirs in their family. Now it has become a separate entity from the remainder of the Abyzinian military acting as a shield protecting Abyzinia from Necromancers.

Organization

Diego

As the organization’s creators, the Timoteo brothers held the most powerful positions: Ciriaco as the Elpidio, the overall commander that operated largely from the shadows, and Rosendo as head of the Group of Twelve, an executive committee that controlled the majority of organization’s activities. Upon being appointed to a seat, each executive was given a membership badge as proof of their position. Should that badge be stolen or destroyed, that executive would lose their position.

The organization underwent a major restructuring following the war against former commander Salomon Timoteo. According to Masamori, this is spearheaded by Rafael, who forces Nura Kidoin into leading the organization, but actually conducts most of the business herself. Aside from delegating much of her power, Anselmo makes two other major changes: the three defected executives Dario, Donato Camilo, and Jorge Yago are forced to return and contribute. Also, Masamori is demoted from his executive role (at the suggestion of Teodulo Leonardo), and is now being used in an attempt to attract new, young recruits.

Night Troop

The Night Troop, otherwise known as the Shadow Guard’s Task Force, is an organization that executes its missions without anyone noticing. It is made up of mages and the most skilled warriors. This is the elite of the Shadow Guard who are better trained then the average member of the Combat Unit. It is very selective only the best get in. With mages however following the Death Rattle a mage was always trained to become a member of the Night Troop.

In recent years due to a rise in number of mages learning necromancy as a way to increase their power given the decline of magic the Night Troop had to rethink their mission becoming the commander’s of small squads to find and deal with these budding threats before they could become serious.

Combat Unit

This is the direct engagement force meeting hoards of Undead that could not be stopped by stealth with force. They form the majority of the Shadow Guard. They focus on martial skills more and more following the Death Rattle training members to use spears, long swords, maces and shields effectively both in individual combat and as units.

After finishing training they now serve to help protect Night Troop members by distracting the undead protecting these necromancers so that the Night Trooper can kill the mage. Or they will seek out Undead of their own to destroy without reliance on Night Trooper’s. One area they do excel at is conducting campaigns where their tactical skills are just as valuable as a Night Trooper’s magic or mastery of personal combat.

Celestino Hunters

The Celestino Hunters at first appeared to be a small, independent but powerful group of mages that were gradually targeting and killing various Necromancers of great power. It was later revealed that they were acting on Rosendo’s orders, partially out of spite because the Mateo had abandoned them in the past. Since the death of Rosendo, the surviving hunters had been reabsorbed into the Mateo Faction, though not by choice.

Factions

The Rosendo Faction

Recognized as the “true” Shadow Guard, the Rosendo Faction (lead largely by Rosendo Efrain) is simultaneously upholding their original purpose of fighting Necromancers, but also resisting attempts at their corruption and systematic destruction by the Mateo Faction and its mercenaries. However, between numerous assassinations and internal disputes, the faction has been largely decimated, and had to reorganize to effectively survive and fight back.

Soon after the founding of the Shadow Guard the Rosendo discovered that Mateo were attempting to use the power of the organization following the victory at the battle of Harthen Pass to seize control of the still unclaimed thrown following the battle with Drakul. And he decided that the group should remain out of politics if at all possible and staged a coup against the Mateo.

The Mateo Faction

The Mateo faction is a now forgotten part of the Shadow Guard originally they helped to formed the organization. But following the Rosendo power grab they not only did they have to fight an united Rosendo effort and having an internal split once the members discovered their leader’s plans. And unable to recover they were defeated not long after.

Shadow Guard Today

Although the World’s Death Rattle effected the organization just like with the Cult of the Black Sigil they endured much better part of this was their use of skilled warriors as well as mages and so the group had a secondary core to fall back on when mages were at their weakest. Today their members are nearly seven thousand the exact number is unknown because although they have a central leadership and are a united organization, groups of 20 to 50 will operate in the field rarely making contact with ‘field officers’ as they conduct their missions.

Well known Members

• Darkaus
• High Lord Pedro Luis de Borja
  He is the leader of the entire organization although the twelve rule equally because of his rank and accomplishments he is the undisputed leader. Although many on the council wish he would refrain from doing so he insists on taking an active role in any campaign conducted by the Shadow Guard.

Activites

The one group of Night Troops was responsible for forcing Barius to flee Abyzinia. Following this Darkarus decided to pursue him and told his friends among the group many of whom he had helped in their dealings with Necromancer’s in the past.