Darka/Home Guard

Summary

The Home Guard army is responsible for the protection and welfare of the lands of Darka.

The army currently operates under the name of "the Northern Guard".

The army is traditionally commanded by the Darkan Arch Priest or Arch Priestess but this is not always the case.
Inexperienced troop leaders will usually be assigned to the Home Guard to gain experience before entering into active duty with the foreign army.
Landowners who need to stay near their estates and retired veterans of the foreign army are also often found in the Home Guard.

There are two types of member of the Home Guard..

Active members are soldiers (or bureaucrats) expected to perform their duties diligently.

Honourary members are, due to old age, frailty or other responsibilities, not expected to perform duties but are spared the dishonour of not belonging to a Darkan army.

Home Guard Duties

1. Defend Darka against attackers, spies, assassins, rogues, monsters, and undead.
2. Maintain Darka's regions in good order.
3. Maintain appropriate levels of militia in Darka's regions.
4. Protect trade agreements.

Mode of Operation

Members of the Home Guard are expected to perform the day-to-day duties of their army without prompting. Ideally the Marshal and Vice-Marshal should only need to give orders in exceptional circumstances such as coordinating attacks on large or multiple groups of enemies.
This freedom for members to choose how best to perform their duties is balanced by the requirement to do so and to be seen to do so. All activity should, therefore, be reported to the Home Guard army.

Defense

1. All regions where enemies have been sighted will be scouted and reported.
2. Members will not engage enemies without orders unless they have much stronger forces on their side.
3. Members will not attack nobles of any realm without explicit orders.
4. All actions will be reported to the army.

Maintenance

1. Normal police work will be undertaken in regions with lower than core control.*
2. Members will arrest rebels in regions with low loyalty.*
3. Members will not hang rebels or perform raids without explicit orders.*
4. Members who can tell tales will do so in regions with low morale or loyalty.
5. Members will not deploy militia without explicit orders.
6. All actions will be reported to the army.

* Units must designated as Police to perform these operations.