Leon's Roar/Issue 1/Seraphen Interview

Feature Interview: Lisa Seraphen and the Home Guard

By Lazlo Lemont II

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Countess Lisa Seraphen looks battered as she meets with me in a York Tavern. As my liege lord, she has graciously agreed to sit with me as we await the equipping of our new recruits- mine joining my existing unit to take the fight to Silnaria, while her own find themselves replacing a unit utterly destroyed. The past week found Countess Lisa fighting three to four separate engagements against Monsters and the Undead, while simultaneously working with local government officials to improve production and support the Minas Leon war effort. In a war where many in the Legion find themselves standing guard against an enemy which never seems to appear, it almost seems like the Bureaucrats have seen the most action. After settling in and ordering an Ale, I respectfully ask Countess Lisa to describe the Home Guard and its makeup. Lisa - "The Home Guard is a small group consisting currently of Archibald, Kanuni, Spade, Stephan, Targon Valerian, and myself. Our task is to keep the regions in good shape and we are also the primary group of people who are patrolling our realm to defend it against monsters and undead while the army is at war. Our leader is Sir Kanuni Kalkandelen, but mostly our orders are to spread out and keep order. With a realm the size of Minas, that is a tall order, and often I know I feel pressured to be in many places at once." This pressure is entirely understandable. With a force size that requires one Troop Leader to work with, at minimum, three regions for maximum efficiency, the Home Guard units must be constantly on the move. Yet despite this clear case of being spread thin across the land, the Home Guard has seemingly maintained itself valiantly with very few requests for assistance. Thinking this may be a result of their humble dedication as opposed to a lack of need, I pressed Countess Lisa for ways those of us in the army could assist in the Home Guard mission. Author - "This must be especially daunting given the seemingly heightened level of Monster and undead attacks we've seen in these past few weeks. Is there anything those of us serving with the army could do to assist in your efforts to keep our homes and peasants safe?" Lisa - "It seems to me the best way to keep monsters and undead from organizing, is prevention. Many of our monster problems may be cut short through the work of the common adventurers, but they have little incentive to do that work if region bounty chests have been tapped out. I would say that the best way to help, at least for region lords, would be to keep their bounty chests full of coin. For Troop leaders, perhaps those who have a tendency to miss orders, it might not be out of line to seek a place amongst the home guard, where we are mostly out there on our own time tables, patrolling." Despite being on their own time table and well independent of each other, the Home Guard (under Sir Kanuni) has successfully maintained a good deal of Minas Ithil's territory. 86% of our regions, including the newly conquered ones, stand at core control level. The same number are, at the very least, content with their lot in life (and 71% are absolutely joyful). And of our large realm, only one region's production is slow- this all despite the rapid onslaught of monsters and undead which have terrorized the countryside, all despite the Home Guard working with one member to every three regions. While the reports from Home may appear stressful (and, in many cases, are so), one must not forget that it is the stress of a group accomplishing their tasks with gusto. Countess Lisa finished her drink and began to rise, making her apologies and insisting on overviewing the outfitting of her new unit. I begged her leave for one final question, asking for her overall thoughts regarding the general policy towards the Home Guard. She looked slightly uncomfortable, having been put on the spot to talk about her superiors, but nonetheless responded respectfully. Lisa - "Our Leaders know how to win wars. What we have to remember is that, as we grow, we will have an increasing need for realm wide maintenance. Monster slaying included. The size of the Home Guard has remained static while the realm has grown tremendously. Of course any help that can be given within the orders given by the Marshals and Generals is welcome." With that she excused herself, making her way back to the recruitment station where she would address her fresh recruits with a well-worn speech, practiced by the months of leading men against the monsters within our borders.

The views expressed in this feature are not intended as a reflection upon the Leadership of Minas Leon nor the Leadership of the Minas Leon Home Guard. All views expressed within belong solely to their authors.