The Order of the Grey Guard
Pax Aeternum ~ Peace Eternal
This creed is written in the language of the Titans and serves as a reminder of the threat that the Mursaat and the Titans have imposed upon Tyria in the past, lest we forget; as well as the in the goal which we share and must remain steadfast with our daily efforts.
Founding
The Grey Guard was founded by the young Lord Thomas Palis, 8th Duke of Kessex Hills; the year was 1220 AE. With Lion’s Arch flooded and no safeguards to protect the area from the threat of Charr or Zhaitan’s undead horde, Duke Palis formulated a plan to save his land and people. Six of his finest personal Knight Commanders were summoned to train, organize and lead a local militia comprised of free citizens. The Grey Guard operated in several conflicts with the centaur and other aggressive races within the region; however, their presence was not called on to fight the Charr or legions of the Risen. The Grey Guard remained strong and stalwart for over a decade, acting as the primary line of defense for Kessex Hills and it’s border counties. In 1232 AE, following years at the helm, the Duke relinquished command of his militia to Marquess Tyrio Feyborn of Selma. Tyrio converted the small border farming village of Selma into a fortified military camp, which greatly increased the capacity of this militia. Here the Grey Guard spent its finest moments; functioning as a small, however vicious, standing army.
Change of Mandate and Current Operations
The Grey Guard remained stationed at the Marches of Kessex, seeing fewer and fewer skirmishes. As Divinity’s Reach grew and its Seraph Guard along with it, the need for the Grey Guard waned. Throughout the years the Guard deteriorated as it’s numbers diminished, its leadership passed down through the Feyborn lineage. The need for a standing army in Kessex had become completely removed, as more and more of Kryta’s jurisdiction fell under the control of the Seraph. The Guard reacted in the only way available; it began contracting itself out to The Crown. As word of their valiant yet brutally effective exploits began to circulate, more townships and counties reached out to contract the Grey Guard. Soon enough, the Guard was marching wherever the coin flowed the greatest. While some referred to them as mercenaries or sellswords, the chivalric code on which the Order of the Grey Guard was founded elevated them above this standard to most.
At present, the year 1325 AE, the numbers of the Grey Guard have reduced significantly. The current Marchioness of Selma, Nitasha Feyborn I, commands a roguish band of warriors of fortune. While the Code of the Order long past still hangs in their guild hall, the chvalric code is maintained only to continue legal operation of the guild. Truthfully, the Guard is subject to the laws of the land but not bound to its procedures. After the peace treaty with the Charr, it has been allowed to take and complete contracts for the Charr lands as well; the same with the Norr. The Wardens of the Grove still offer resistance to the mandate, but the Asuras welcome the results under a careful eye.
(( If interested, please apply at http://paxaeternum.enjin.com/ ))