The Militia
To Captain M. Silas, commander of the Sixth Arch, I am greatly troubled by reports of drunkenness amongst your men. Three members of your arch were held overnight in Fourthcircle Prison, one of which I understand was a sergeant! I surely do not need to remind you of the importance of discipline amongst Lalenth’s guardians. The walls may have been quiet of late but this is no reason to assume that they will remain quiet! We cannot afford to relax our guard! Need I remind you of the incident in Lakrus, when a condemned man broke into the drainage culvert at the base of the Forest Gate and succeeded in evading capture? Need I remind you of the incidents of theft from the armouries in your ward? Need I remind you of the brawl breaking out in the mess hall? Captain, I am seriously displeased with you performance to date. If you cannot maintain security on the walls and dignity amongst your men, I will be forced to find someone who can General A. Vishreon.
The Militia will tell you that they are of great importance to the running of the city. Its members guard the walls and gates, act as house guards, keep the peace within the city, guard guild houses and keep the asylums which house the more troublesome Altered. They are funded by the tithes paid by the cities inhabitants. New recruits are taken in between the ages of fourteen and thirty, from all levels of society. Young recruits will begin by working as runners, stable boys and carrying out menial tasks until the age of seventeen when martial training begins. Older recruits will either be assigned according to their skills or enter a similar training period. Once a contract has been signed, an individual is committed for three years. Breach of this contract is considered a serious offence and is punishable by imprisonment and social disgrace. At the end of each three year period the militiaman is either offered release papers or a further three year contract. Permanent retirement is at the age of 50. The pay is good at 10 silver leaves a month and there is the chance to rise in the ranks.
The militia is entirely comprised of men. General Vishreon felt that women on the battle field were “. . . a distraction that we cannot afford! Whilst I do not doubt that many ladies can handle a sword they simply do not have the endurance and toughness needed to survive attacks by Nightmares”. It is highly unlikely that this situation will change while the current general is in charge.
Tradition dictates that the militia is run by the Vishreon House. Under the general, six captains serve, each one of them responsible for security in a particular part if the city. Militiamen bear a symbol specific to the area of Lalenth in which the serve. As militiamen are assigned to particular areas, units are referred to as “arches” in reference to the gateways in the walls that divide the city’s rings.
There is a growing divide within the Militia. There are those who follow the lead of the Vishreon Family, boasting of their prowess and bravery. Others think that to serve in the militia is to be little more than a guard dog for the nobles, they say the Militia and indeed the Vishreons have forgotten what it is to face a threat. It is a fact that the duties of the militia are relatively light and are often reduced to policing the streets. Although they do stand watch on the walls of Lalenth, no serious threat has approached the city from that vector in living memory. In recent years the people of Lalenth have become increasingly vocal in their criticism of the militia and their dissatisfaction at having to pay such high taxes to support them. For their part, the militia have grown unhappy with being the butt if these taunts and are eager to prove their worth to the city. Of late there have been discussions about a major expedition into the Wastelands, with the idea of establishing a base outside the walls. From this base an offensive against the Nightmares could be conducted. So far this is only a hypothetical debate. Funding an operation of that size would be difficult and as yet the possible benefits are not great enough to warrant the risk, but there may come a time when the militia launch such a venture if only to bolster their flagging reputation.