The Vanguard

The Vanguard is organized in somewhat traditional military heirarchical structure with squads being led by a squad leader, who reports to a sergeant which commands multiple squads. Sergeants report to a Lieutenant-Rebel who command multiple sergeants. Lieutenent-Rebels then report to Rebel Lords who command companies of Lieutenant-Rebels. Rebel Lords report to Freelords, who command divisions. Freelords report to High Freelords, who command armies, and finally the High Freelords report to The Freelord, the final and ultimate rank inside the organization. That is the militaristic arm of The Vanguard, for it is more than simply a military organization.   It is an economic, trade, smuggling, and many other business ventures organization. For they not only exist to fight against the tyrannical physically, but to uplift the needy, the weak, the helpless. They provide economic reassurance to businesses in need in exchange for goods, services, and assistance when required such as harboring agents of The Vanguard in hideaways from the law.   It is a many faced, hydra-like organization with its hands in many jars.

The culture of The Vanguard is one of 'live free or die'. Members of the organization typically outright reject The Empire and its domineering, soul crushing machine like culture and existence. Lives of grueling labor, little respite, and brutal tyrannical oversight, the lives of those that live in The Empire as its base peasants is hard. Yet some see an opportunity for a better life even if dangerous, even if illegal, even if heretical. They see an opportunity to live as The Vanguard believes all beings lived prior to Harbinger's war of domination that saw the world subjugated: free.    As such The Vanguard has no strict legal statutes or codes, no requirements of heraldry, uniform, prayers or religions. No required weaponry, languages. And certainly no contempt and bile for those of the 'unclean'. It is as such along with the Blackpath Coalition that it is no surprise that a large, large majority of the populations of these two organizations are comprised of unclean or 'suspicious' peoples. Tieflings, Aasimar, Fey, and more gather in their secret underground bases and redoubts, able of living somewhat normal lives in the shadows of The Empire.    Fanatical in their beliefs to defend their normal lives, the soldiers and people of The Vanguard are zealous to a near religious degree to protect themselves, their way of life, and each other. It is as such that the people of The Vanguard have formed and adopted a near familial love and care for one another. They were all family, trying to make it through a harsh world.

The public agenda of the Vanguard as stated by Zekal Freelord, current reigning Freelord of: Free the world of tyranny. No matter how many generations, no matter how much time it takes and how much blood must be shed, the world must be free of tyranny and return to its former, glorious state of freedom. They are dedicated to the care and protection of the weak and defenseless and as such take in exiled unclean peoples and shamed and ostracized peoples of The Empire alike, as long as they commit to the ideals of The Vanguard, all are welcome.    They stop injustice when feasible, rescuing those in need and offering them shelter, food, a warm sleeping roll by a fire for as long as they like as long as they agree to contribute.

The assets of The Vanguard are believed to actually be rather impressive. Many soldiers equipped with varying degrees of weaponry in quality, some of their elite Vanguardian Free Blade units equipped with magically enchanted armor and weaponry and wielding impressive magic in Vanguardian mages who study for years in secret to learn and understand the esoteric truths of the multiverse. Having an impressive cache of vehicles and weaponry and liquid wealth in hidden bunkers, warehouses, vaults and storage facilities rented out often times in daring places right under The Empires nose, they can bring to bear significant might.

The history of The Vanguard is steeped in mystery and confusion. No one is quite sure exactly when The Vanguard appeared, but it is known and passed down that it is believed to have emerged sometime roughly 570-590 years ago. This is rather ambiguous as to Imperial scholars, there is contention amongst when they actually made their first appearance in a raid upon an unclean slave caravan journeying north to assist in building Setrak. 100 Aasimar and Tieflings were freed in the lightning blitz attack that saw the entire Imperial caravan slaughtered to a man and woman with brutal efficiency. This attack, known as The Vanguardian First Strike occurred in 21 Rou, 590 PFE. After this first contact, debate began on the origin and nature of The Vanguard. As such it is believed there is a possibility given review of inventory logs, unusual disappearances of goods, weapons, and things that on the surface could be simple corruption, theft, or incompetence when it comes to inventory keeping methodology that could be seen as a greater concerted effort. For about 20 years these occurrences happened, meaning that for 20 years The Vanguard could have been operating under the nose of The Empire unseen. Now, they had been seen though.   A strike force comprised of Immortal Naral, member of the Bloody Ten, Immortal Setvar, Retainer to The Grand Inquisitor, Inquisitor Commander Letan Hite of the Order of the Bloodied Blades and a contingent of many soldiers would scour the Godless Peninsula for months searching for the hovel that these rebel heretics had come from. After nearly a year of searching, interrogations, and more, they had to concede that they simply had no idea where the rebels could have gone.   Years later, they would strike again, this time at an Eterium processing facility, a raid of quick and efficient nature. Masked warriors bearing the symbol of the Edrian Highland Wolf on their heraldry would make off with a dozen or so crates of refined eterium. Again, their location could not be determined. Frustrated, Immortal General Shakan ordered the creation of a task forced to oversee operation Fallen Guardian, one of now, the longest running military operations in Imperial history. Tasked with the quarantine and destruction of The Vanguard through slow and methodical search and destroy operations, the Empire and its ageless visage turns its eyes south in a manner it seeks to find and expose The Vanguard and utterly crush it.   This operation caused a drastic shift in The Vanguard's operational capability. Knowing that the Empire would not hesitate to slaughter them all, Parethal Freelord, first Freelord of The Vanguard declared that they were to be like a shadow, silent, and hardly seen. They would operate as a silent resistance, not violent, yet, as to invoke the wrath of The Empire. And so they become like wraiths, gathering supplies, for many many years for the day that the war might finally be fought in the name of freedom. They await a sign from whatever they believe will bring it to them.   Yet this complacency and new role has caused many issues for The Vanguard, and it is not a perfect organization. Corruption runs at nearly every level, even many Freelords having been accused in private of negotiating with The Empire to prevent its destruction. Recruitment numbers have plateaued and do not seem to be rising to offset member losses. Operations to free those in chains and those desperate people have slowed and there are even rumors that persist that Zekal Freelord has a direct line of contact with Immortal General Shakan himself.