Grand Marshal

Second in command to the Lord Warden, the Grand Marshals are considered the messanger of the Lord Wardens of their region. Usually closer to the populance they serve and the Keepers in general, Grand Marshals are often held to as strict a standard of conduct as the Lord Warden. They are generally competent administrators, dealing with the administrative needs given by the regional civilian councils and guilds, and balancing the requests of the Lord Wardens and the Keepers. They are usually outstanding fighters and military leaders, managing the actual routine security tasks of guarding the kingdom, and leading the frontlines should there be war.

 

Qualifications

Grand Marshals are usually promoted from the Senschal ranks, having made significant contributions to the kingdom and usually putting their lives on the front lines previously. While not all Grand Marshals are great magic users, they are generally very experienced combat veterans, competant leaders, and generally capable managers and administrators who serve under the regional Lord Wardens.   Grand Marshals are generally appointed by the regional Lord Wardens, with formal recognition given by the Council of Flowers. The appointment duration will depend on external factors. Some Grand Marshals will retire should the Lord Warden change during their lifetime, others may be requested to serve a new Lord Warden due to their familiarity with the governing tasks of the region.   In the case of expulsion or demotion, the general punishment will be decided upon by the Council of Flowers, based on the magic power of the Grand Marshal in question, as well as the reason. Given that some Grand Marshals are also quite strong, usually a stripping of powers is necessary in the case of expulsion from the Order.

 

Duties and responsibilities

All Grand Marshals are responsible for the actual scheduling and planning of the patrols and defense duties of the smaller local regions they are responsible for. The execution of many military tasks are usually delegated to Grand Marshals. For the graduation final trials, usually the Grand Marshals also take turns to manage the test at the trial grounds, as 8 must always be present to help provide additional security should the need arise. Administrative tasks, such as promotions, nominations and demotions up to the Senschal rank is delegated to the Grand Marshals. While Grand Marshals usually report to the Lord Warden, the Grand Marshal that manages affairs in the Central Plains region including the kingdom capital Kalliste, and the holy town of Nepetanopolis, will report directly to the Grand Seer and the Council of Flowers.   Other than general tasks listed above, more detailed tasks will depend on the Lord Warden in question, while the actual structure and number of Grand Marshals will depend on the region concerned. Several regions have Grand Marshals responsible for specific special assignments. For example, the Western Reaches usually has Grand Marshals appointed for naval maritime duties, due to the border with the Sea. Grand Marshals in the Northern Reaches usually need to manage aerial troops, and search and rescue teams that patrol the colder mountain chains. For Grand Marshals in the Southern Reaches, one is usually appointed to accompany diplomatic teams and provide aid to several regions of the Rodentia kingdoms they border. Additionally, because the Southern Reaches also border the reptilian territories, they also have advanced scouting patrols. The Eastern Reaches tend to have special task forces spread along the border of the Misty Vale, with specific task forces trained to monitor and even fight within the Vale itself, with some documentation indicating combat even going into the Grimmfell. A specialist task force that monitors humans in the living world, specifically looking on the activities of the Grimmlocks is managed by a Grand Marshal that reports to the Lord Warden of the Eastern Reaches.  

 

Benefits and hazards

Grand Marshals are usually given a stipend of around 8 taels of silver Nepeta leaves per month to cover any necessary additional spending, as usually they travel quite frequently. Housing is usually provided for in the city or town that the Grand Marshal is located in, and while not elaborate, the residence is usually large enough to house a cats and humans, as its expected that Grand Marshals will have a human summoner in residence. Should a Grand Marshal manage to retire in peace, they are usually also given a small residence in a region of their choosing, with a small stipend.   How long or frequent a Grand Marshal can enjoy the comforts of the lives is another question. Being second in command to the Lord Warden usually entails a busy schedule, and the dangers of leading frontline troops should the need arise. The greatest dangers though were usually faced by the Grand Marshals who head the specialist force that monitors human activity in the living world, as not only do they often need to mingle among humans to gain intel, given their significant strength in magic, they are a prime target of the forces of the Grimmfell.

Ceremonial Colors

For more formal ceremonies, such as the Rite of Flames, Grand Marshals in human form wear a knee-length white cotton tunic, long black slacks, boots, and an olive green colored robe, with brown inner lining in reference to the colors of the catnip plant. The material may vary based on the seasons, such as lighter linen for summer and heavier velvet or fur for winter. Four catnip leaves, plated in silver, are pinned at the neck to indicate rank.   In cat form, the uniform is much simpler, involving a thicker collar that's mostly green, intertwined with threads of brown, with four silver mint leaves hung at the front.