Guardiners

Heroes have always existed since the beginning of time, brave men and women who face the darkness of their age with nothing but their wits and their loyal Florabeasts at their sides. Sometimes they banded together to take on greater threats, and that's where the seed of the Guardiners was planted.

Officially founded in France sometime in 13XX, the Guardiners have been a symbol of peace and justice ever since. Each country in Europa established its own chapter, eventually spreading outward into Asia as well. When the New World was first settled, a contingent of British and Dutch Guardiners came along for the journey, in case the new Florabeasts had a temper, or their planters. They became the first members of what was initially called the Frontier chapter, and have existed independently even after the colonies gained their independence and formed their basic government. Though they cooperate with the sheriffs and deputies of the local townships, they keep their own interests in mind first.

Membership requires applicants pass a physical fitness examination, along with basic grammar school skills of reading, writing, and arithmetic. They also need to have planted a Florabeast, which gets examined for its own vitality and fitness. Only those of a certain size and strength are suitable for the rigors of the Guardiner way of life. You're unlikely to see a member with a Pamplemouse or Spinnich, unless they also travel with something stout like an Avocadillo or Turnipig. Once an apprentice and their Florabeast pass the tests, they get promoted to journeyman and are free to take on jobs and requests.

Many members live close to a branch office and get dispatched out to wherever they're needed, while some choose a more adventurous life and travel around the Frontier, protecting the innocent and defending the weak wherever they can.

While Guardiners in other countries have adopted uniforms, the Frontier chapter has yet to. Instead, you can spot a Guardiner by the distinctive knife they carry at their belts. One side of the blade is honed to an edge, while the other is serrated like a saw. The length of it is curved upward, which makes it a fine tool for cutting, digging, or anything in between.