SummaryRoyal GuardServes the Queen of the Onyx KingdomVyx'aria Tor'RahelZathria At'Arel Xunari AuceusGeographyZar'ahalOut-of-character informationLink
The Rahi’Valsharess are handpicked from among the most elite and loyal members of Drow society to protect the Queen even at the cost of their own lives. Although most come from the military, they could theoretically be from any walk of life so long as the Queen deems them appropriate.
Selection for the Queensguard is an incredible honor for those who exemplify the two core pillars of its members: skill and loyalty. In a society built on blood and ash, the Queensguard serve as a bulwark to insulate the Queen from threats to her rule both foreign and domestic.
Although the core responsibility of the forty members of the Rahi'Valsharess is to serve as bodyguards, their duty does not end there, and their responsibilities are broad and multifaceted. They serve to extend the reach of the Queen by furthering her interests and speaking with the weight of her words. They may often be found acting as investigators, messengers, or enforcers of the Queen's will.
Hierarchy
As agents of the throne assigned all manner of sensitive tasks by the Queen, each Rahi'Valsharess is not only a guard prepared to sacrifice her life for the throne but an extension of the Queen's will.
At the top of the organization are its two founders Zathria At'arel who serves as the right hand of the Queen and Xunari Auceus who serves as the left hand of the Queen. Together these two women oversee the Rahi'Valsharess and its members. They work to extend the interests of the throne and undermine or destroy any who would plot against it. Below the hands are the remainder of the Queensguard. Each one is a capable and motivated individual who can be trusted with all manner of missions on behalf of the throne.
Each of the forty members of the Rahi'Valsharess, in turn, wields tremendous authority in requisitioning assets on behalf of the throne. In addition to drafting assets the Rahi’Valsharess also tend to recruit and keep their own entourage of agents, spies, assassins, and warriors that they call on to see their missions to completion. This network allows the reach of the throne to feel as if it is everywhere and it is from this pool of acolytes that many of the future Queensguard will someday rise.
Although the precise day-to-day activities and the number of guards around the Queen are variable, most commonly half of the Queensguard will be assigned to guard rotations around the Queen or close at hand should a threat arise while the other half may be traveling or addressing other sensitive issues on behalf of the throne.
Intent
The goal of this organization is to flesh out a component of the government of the Onyx Kingdom. It serves the Queen and will be a major player in the continued story of Zar'ahal, the Onyx Kingdom, and beyond.
Recruitment
Selected from those who the Queen can entrust to uphold and honor her will, those who come to the Rahi’Valsharess are already the elite in a society of violence and danger. Those who are recruited are then put through a year-long training and apprenticeship initiative where they work directly with one of the members of the guard. During this time they will act as a shadow to the member in charge of their training.
During this training period they will also undergo training classes covering a wide array of topics including combat magic, swordsmanship, infiltration, archery, tradecraft, poisons, and more. At the end of this year-long process, the initiate will be fully embraced into the Rahi'Vasharess.
