The Varangian Guard
| Motto | “We are the eternal shadows.” |
|---|---|
| Parent Faction | Order of the Mystic Dragons |
| Type | Clandestine Special Operatiosn |
| Homeworld | Sihi |
- “We are the eternal shadows.”
The Varangian Guard is a clandestine special operations sub-order of the Order of the Mystic Dragons, it is also known as the Shadows of Sihi. They will take on contracts and operations that no other orders will. While no longer their directive they search out technology and resources in pursuit of making themselves and the order better. The Varangian Guard maintains a spy network across the sector collecting data and resources in cooperation with the Crows of Maeve. They also operate as an internal investigation Division, a military-like police force tasked with investigating crimes within the order and bringing those responsible to justice.
Origin
Under the rule of Grandmaster Alexander Giaus Sethdragon of the Order of the Mystic Dragons, The Varangian Guard was established in 142 EE as autonomous scouting and raiding parties. Seeking technology and resources that could be used by the order and the greater court to improve itself.
Following the discovery of an ancient data archive containing revolutionary schematics in 142 AoQ, Grandmaster Zethrus Sethdragon rebranded The Varangian Guard as a clandestine special operations group. Currently, they are the best-trained knights in the Mystic Dragons and take on contracts that other orders may even never consider. They have also adopted the role of internal investigators, a military-like police force tasked with investigating crimes within the order and bringing those responsible to justice, though they answer to the grandmaster, if the council calls on them, they will not hesitate to answer the call.
Recruitment
The Varangian Guard utilizes several methods to recruit new Fledglings into the collective, most are scouted from other areas of the order, directly from the academy or on rare occasions they have even chosen individuals outside of the order under specific permissions from the Grandmaster themselves. To join the Varangian guard is to swear a lifetime pact. Breaking that pact will be a death sentence.
Passing the Veil
This is the test that fledglings must pass in order to be accepted within the Shadows. It tests their mental, physical and spiritual mantle, loyalty to the order, and commitment to the Order of Shadows. Those who fail often are never seen again.
The Immortal Rite
Upon proving your worth to join The Varangian Guard you forfeit your identity, and all that was your previous life, depending on how you are judged, you will be assigned a callsign and be assigned to a cell or allowed to operate as an independent agent. The Callsign you receive is obtained from a list of "retired" agents within The Tome Of Shadows. This has perpetuated a myth that those within The Varangian Guard are given the gift of immortality as a reward for their eternal sacrifice.
The DødBlitz Ritual
The ritual involves dropping a candidate onto a populated planet, they are then tasked with blending into the populous of that planet and achieving two goals. The first is to assassinate a specific target without alerting the planetary authorities and the second is to acquire an advanced piece of unique technology or valuable artifact.
Training
The training within the Sub-order is the most intense training in the entire order. Many do not leave training unscathed and some do die in the process. While systems are in place to minimize casualties, not every scenario can be accounted for. They are trained in several forms of martial arts, unarmed and armed combat, several types of hacking, covert operations and surveillance.
Internal Investigative Division
The Varangian Guard utilizes the I.I.D. to investigate crimes within the order. The group operates completely autonomously to standard hierarchy, only answering to the Grandmaster or in the event that the issues go beyond the Grandmaster, The council of Grandmasters. Their duty is to bring all those who commit crimes against the order or against the court to swift justice. They are ruthless and unforgiving and will not stop until they have captured the perpetrators. They are overzealous to a fault and have been known to make people disappear in serious cases or in the event of cover-ups. In those cases, they will utilize the skills of the DødBlitz to do so effectively.
Relationship with OSI/The Crows
The Varangian Guard has held a tenuous relationship with the Crows of Maeve and by extension OSI since their inception. They saw the crows and OSI as a threat to their autonomy and their legally questionable clandestine nature. In recent years, their relationship has gotten better, though it is still under stress at times. As a sign of good faith, OSI has been allowed to maintain a detachment on The Leviathan within Avallon City. In an effort to expand the reach of the Crows, and not spread them too thin. The Varangian Guard have developed an agreement to share their investigative data on Dominionist activity throughout the sector in addition to the data they already share with them. Due to their larger number of agents, this task has been relatively successful.
The Hidden Veil
Deep under Crystal Lake is a large complex that is home to the Varangian Guard.
The base has a quick deployment elevator that leads directly to The Burrow, which allows them to deploy units at a moment's notice. There is also an elevator that leads directly to The Dragon’s Hoard a massive vault that contains priceless artifacts, advanced technology and dangerous weapons, all of which the Varangian Guard protects and utilizes.
Notable Leaders
Grandmaster: Syr Lady Cecilia Sethdragon - Mother Of Dragons
The Wraith: Unknown
The Faceless One: Syr Vlahos - The Immortal
Shadowstress: Syr Casleigha Lowelf - The Silver Drake
Shadowstress: Syr Caelya Frost - The Wolverine
Shadowster of Fenrir’s Rangers: Syr Menlow Pardon of the Sidhe
The Twilight Archon: Hofgothi Katrine Scowcroft - Freyja’s Hand
Notable Members
- Slithermätresse Syr Saraphina “Nova” Kerrigan - The Twilight Guardian
- Slithermätresse Syr Alexia Guevara - The Striker
- Slithermätresse Syr Kaywinnet Vas Rayya - The Professor - Expert Hacker
- Slithermätresse Syr Mishka Kozlov - The Shattered Blade (deceased)
The Dusk Knights
- Syr Blair Azrael - Dusk Commander
- Syr Weyland Segura
- Syr Bradyn Rojas
- Syr Ofelia Diaz
- Syr Zahara Karim
- Syr Tahira Sanchez
- Syr Hadya Mckee
Roles
The Faceless One
The leader of The Varangian Guard, The Faceless is the arbiter of The Wraith’s commands. Much like The Wraith, no one knows who they are, as their identity is shrouded in mystery. The Figure wears a full-face mask and a hooded cloak. They are in charge of collecting contracts and leading the order, they are rarely seen off the Leviathan.
The Dusk Knights
A small selection of loyal individuals that have gained the favour of the Faceless One. These individuals are chosen as The Faceless One’s secret guard and will protect them at all costs. They also act as a council in charge of the internal investigations department.
Shadowstress/Shadowster
Off-world Overseer of Operations, representative to the rest of the Guard. They wear an accented silver dragon mask at all times and answer to the Faceless one or the Slithermeister/Slithermätresse.
Slithermeister/Slithermätresse
These individuals head each one of the active cells in the Guard or sometimes multiple in the case of larger operations. They wear black masks with sapphire accents, though their identity is not secret. The masks are simply ceremonial and cosmetic in nature.
The Twilight Archon
The overseer of the religious aspects of the order, They are followers and arbiters of the Old Norse gods, who they see as harbingers of the path and that it was they who instructed the former high king to court destiny. They lead the Vale Priests to spread their message and maintain the religious fundamentals.
The Vale Priests
In charge of enforcing the religious mandates of the Archon, Administering the tests to the Fledglings both on and off-world. Appointed by the Twilight Archon. They generally spend their time both on vessels acting as religious advisers and in the temples across The Leviathan and Sihi.
DødBlitz
Do you feel the hair on the back of your neck standing up, but nothing is around? That's probably the DødBlitz, Elite Assassins trained in bleed magic, They are invisible deadly killers with no mercy. Once chosen, a candidate will receive special training, should they survive that training, and pass the initiation ritual, they are given the title of DødBlitz, often even those within the guard are afraid of them since not much is known about them by the average operative.
Zilant (Spectres)
Those with this distinction have proven their marksmen skills and become experts in their field.
They are the masters of long-range tactical combat, they provide overwatch for combat situations as well as high-velocity long-range artillery strikes.
Fenrir’s Rangers
The Mystic Dragons arm of the Cerberus Battalion, a man-at-arms division created as a collaboration between, The Mystic Dragons and The Order Of The Fey. They are generally assigned to Varanigan guard fangs as forward attackers, allowing stealth units to move behind the lines unburdened.
Technomeister
They maintain the flow of goods and services within the Guard. Acquiring and stocking the equipment and technology required by the various cells prior to deployment or something in the field. (Both off and on-world)
Operative aka The Nameless
Those who have proved their worth and have been welcomed into the Guard, with their new life in hand and their old life left behind, their solemn duty is to uphold the oath they gave to insure the stability and sanctity of the order.
Fledgling, aka The Tested
For those who seek entrance into the hallowed halls of the shadows, to be proven worthy is a lofty goal. Many perish on this unholy path, but those who survive are given new life.
Fleets and Equipment
Fleet
The Dragoons
- These are the smaller combat-capable vessels that fly in formation with The Leviathan, due to the capital ship's size. The Dragoons are deployed to protect her; they are faster to deploy and more nimble than the Dragon Knights, though they usually only engage targets that directly threaten The Leviathan.
The Dragonflies
- These small drones are used within the ships to perform repairs or other support services in the event that the vessels in the Order are damaged in the middle of the battlefield and don’t have access to repair facilities. The drones are able to self-replicate in the event they are attacked and destroyed by utilizing a hivemind system.
The Kestrel
- These Cruiser-sized ships are usually maned by larger cells in the event of a full-scale operation. They are capable of carrying several lances of mechs as well as a full complement of fighters, along with their two-hundred-plus crew. There is a limited number of them within the fleet and as such, they tend to lead each of the fleet squadrons. The Vessels themselves are heavily armoured and contain the most powerful weapons of the fleet, but lack the speed and maneuverability of the smaller vessels.
The Noctua
- These are deathly assault crafts, silent and deadly. These vessels are incapable of FTL travel however they are very fast, stealthy and well-armoured. The ships tend to fly in groups and strike with the element of surprise. They have been known to disable a Cruiser before it even has a chance to engage its autocannons. They require the most skilled pilots of the entire fleet, many lack the nerve to fly these vessels due to their sheer speed alone.
VGS Ognabrandur
- The capital ship of The Varangian Guard, This vessel acts as a mobile HQ for long-term full-scale deployments and contains a mobile fabrication bay for creating custom gear and weapons. The Vessel is heavily armoured and armed to the teeth, along with a full complement of support fighters and repair drones. While most orders do not have multiple capital ships, it was necessary to facilitate the large operations, due to the sheer size and slow speed of The Leviathan as well as its irreplaceable status.
The Ospreys
- While larger and slower than the Raven class vessels, the Osprey is still a capable stealth ship. It does not carry as many armaments as other vessels in its size category, it however makes up for it with a heavily armoured haul that is able to withstand significant ship-based weaponry before failing. The ships are largely used for troop transport and support vessels, they are similar in size to the Mystic dragon’s Dreadnaughts.
The Ravens
- The Varangian Guard uses these specialized stealth vessels. The vessels come equipped with state-of-the-art stealth systems that allow them to blend into their environments, though they are especially effective in space. Generally, they let agents slip around without being noticed. Despite being less armoured than most vessels of their size, their weapon systems are more than capable of defending themselves.
Equipment
Armour
Darksteel Demonplate (Powered)
- Darksteel Demonplate is a variant of the Mystic dragon’s Drake Class Powered Dragonscale Plate was specially created for the Varangian guard to serve their purposes. It was created from the genetically altered metallic scales of the chameleon dragons, which are humanely harvested. The armour is capable of withstanding blows from court mono-blades, as well as small arms, though less so than any other model. To make up for this, the suit contains a sophisticated cloaking device and an optional personal energy shield. The suit is designed to enhance the stealth, manoeuvrability, dexterity, and speed of the wearer. Its central interface, codename “Lucia” is artificial intelligence, which automates basic suit functions, allowing the wearer to better focus on their tasks. The primary weapons systems are two concealed mono-blades, which can be retracted from the side of both legs. The secondary weapons are small coil emitters installed in the palms, replacing the need for a side arm. It is also equipped with a utility belt for holding grenades, knives and other necessary tools.
Spectre Class Stealth Suit
- The Spectre Class Stealth Suit, An under-armour suit weave coated in a metamaterial that nearly perfectly channels light around the wearer such that only the most observant watcher would spot any distortions in their sight. It was based originally based on the Ghost-Skin technology that was reverse-engineered. It is a standard kit for the Shadows of Sihi and is usually paired with some manner of power armour although not used at the same time..
Mechs
Ghast Class Mech
- Standing at four point five meters tall, with light armour and wrist-mounted energy blades, the Ghast class mech’s design was based loosely on the Shade class mech utilized by the Mystic dragons. The dragon integration mechanics were removed leaving the mech sleeker and more versatile. While mechs are by no means stealthy, the size and weight of the Ghast make them perfect for scouting and operations that require finesse and maneuverability. They are primarily designed for melee engagements or Long-Range sniper combat. They are designated rouge mechs.
Weapons
Melee
Mono-Blades: Modern Starlit Court swords. knives and other bladed weapons generally fall under the larger category of Mono-Blades. A Mono-Blade is an edged weapon sharpened to such a fine point that its edges could shave atoms from almost any material, the chief notable exception being Gwyrlon Power Plate, Although the Plate will fail if hit with a powerful enough cut on a thin enough location.
Wrist-mounted Engery Blades: Created for the DødBlitz, they are deadly tools in the hands of trained assassins. The blades are lightweight but it requires a fairly decent power source. The blades are capable of cutting through light armour and heavy armour with concentrated attacks. The blades can appear in any colour.
Ranged
MIR-142 Anti-Material sniper mag cannon: The standard-issue rifle assigned to The Spectres aka Zilants. With superior optics and deadly large-calibre firepower, they are designed to take down heavy armour targets from several thousand yards away. They can come in several calibres and even a Gauss variant.
Gauss Rifles: The increased size and power of gauss rifles when compared to coil guns allows for a similar increase in the stopping power they are capable of producing. Ranging from standard rifles that need several shots to pierce power-plate to sniper platforms that can put a hole through a foot of hardened steel at over a mile gauss rifles make up the majority of the person scale firepower of the Sihian military.
SXI-48 Multi-purpose wrist launcher: The SXI-48 can be configured to launch multiple types of projectiles, from darts, and min-bolts to knives and a grappling line. It can also be configured as a retractable pair of hidden blades.
Tools
Holographic Wrist mounted Omnidirectional Data Tool (Omni-Tool)
- Created to allow quick access to hacking tools, drone activation, communications, navigation and other necessary operational information while agents are in the field. The Holographic screen and its lightweight payload would allow for seamless integration into any configuration. It is used in combination with special contact lenses or cybernetic eyes, which allow the wearer to view the interface while disallowing outside observers can not.
X-58/X-78 Spider Drones
- Designed for surveillance, infiltration and counter-covert operations. The Spider Drones are designed to be easily deployed in combat zones undetected. Two models were designed within this product range.
- The X-58 is a smaller drone (Rat size) that can easily transverse small spaces. With a simple eight-camera array, embedded laser cutter, camouflage system, and remote hacking tools. It is also controllable via a remote system. The X-58 is a versatile and effective tool in any spy’s arsenal.
- The X-78 conversely is a larger (dog-size) drone, that is more combat-oriented. Containing a sixteen, three hundred and sixty-degree camera array, integrated missile launcher, mono-bladed claws, camouflage system and shielding. While not as good for infiltration, it’s counter-covert utilization is bar none.