Oakwood Vanguard
The Oakwood Vanguard is a private army founded by Oakwood - Town and operates throughout The West Forest and House Serrean lands within Kingdom of Alderia protecting The Oak Trade Road from bandits among other threats.
Structure
The Oakwood Vanguard operates as a decentralised guild network. Each guild hall functions as an autonomous command centre under the authority of its Vanguard Marauder. Ranks do not transfer between halls, reinforcing strict territorial command. While nominally under the Oakwood Council and the Elected Head of Oakwood, strategic and operational decisions are predominantly issued at the guild-hall level. Chain of command is rigid within each hall, but coordination across halls is informal and based on necessity rather than unified doctrine.
Ranks include, Vanguard recruit, Vanguard, Vanguard Guardian (trainers), Vanguard Marauder
Ranks include, Vanguard recruit, Vanguard, Vanguard Guardian (trainers), Vanguard Marauder
Culture
The Vanguard values discipline, reliability, and proactive defence. Members are expected to demonstrate initiative and decisiveness, particularly in frontier engagements. Loyalty is primarily hall-based rather than organisation-wide, creating a pragmatic and competitive internal culture. Recruits undergo rigorous field evaluation, where performance and obedience to local leadership are prioritised over seniority. The organisation maintains a practical military ethos with minimal ceremonial traditions, reflecting its mercenary-security origins.
Public Agenda
he Oakwood Vanguard publicly presents itself as the protector of trade, stability, and the civilian population of the Oakwood Pact. Its official mandate includes:
Securing the Oak Trade Road
Protecting Pact settlements and commercial interests
Suppressing banditry and hostile factions
Ensuring free and safe passage for commerce and travellers allied with the Pact
The Vanguard emphasises pragmatic defence and economic security rather than ideological rule.
Assets
The Oakwood Vanguard controls multiple fortified guild halls and outposts across the West Forest, typically positioned along strategic trade routes, river crossings, and resource sites. Notable assets include:
Permanent guild halls equipped for training, logistics, and deployment
Fortified field positions securing key road junctions and bridges
Armories and supply caches distributed throughout their patrol range
Contract rights to protect and tax trade passing through Pact territory
Auxillary civilian support networks in Oakwood-allied settlements, including inns, ferries, and watch posts
Armaments consist primarily of spears, crossbows, light to medium armour, and field scouting equipment.
History
Formed after the disappearance of Baroness Anne Alden and the resulting vacuum of authority in the West Forest, the Oakwood Vanguard emerged as a structured response to rising bandit activity and factional conflict. Initially established by the Oakwood Council to protect trade routes, the Vanguard expanded rapidly as neighbouring threats increased and local militias proved insufficient.
Over time, the organisation’s influence widened beyond Oakwood itself, establishing multiple guild halls and becoming the de facto enforcement and stabilisation force of the Oakwood Pact. The group has since evolved into a semi-independent military institution, balancing its contractual duties to the Council with its own strategic interests across the region.
Order Through Vigilance
Founding Date
Era of Enchantment
Capital
Training Level
Semi-trained
Veterancy Level
Trained
Ruling Organization
Government System
Stratocracy
Gazetteer
Location
Controlled Territories
Related Species
Comments