Policing the City

The CTY-WATCH are responsible for the safety of the inhabitants of the city, and are the guards you see manning the WATCH-TOWERS and patrolling the streets. All are easily identified by their bone-tabards bearing the city's own coat-of-arms; a modified version of the duke's who lays claim on the city as part of his domain, even though the city effectively runs itself and is as free a city as one that is part of a kingdom can be. Each member of the Watch also carries a badge of office: a copper brooch pinned to their cloak, with an engraving of a sword over a shield. This badge grants them the authority to enforce council orders, keep the peace, make arrests, and search the premises of suspected felons, so long as they are not on religious grounds.

There are two types of CITY-WATCH guards: footmen and archers.

Footmen patrol the streets, assist the GATE WARDENS, and deal with trouble in the city's quarters. They wear conical helms, lamellar cuirass over padded tunics and leggings, carry round shields with their emblem, and iron-headed maces. Some carry spears as well. A patrol consists of three to five guards, depending on their patrol area, and are led by a commander. Each patrol is assigned to a particular area, more or less following the same path, and each reports to a central office. Each quarter has an office, where a sergeant issues orders, assigns patrols, and ensures his watch is working efficiently.

The Archers man the WATCH-TOWERS and work on a weekly shift, bunking down alternatively in the towers or their barracks on GREEN HILL. When not on-duty in the towers, they are training others, and keeping their archery skills honed. They dress in mail hauberks, conical helms, and the uniform tabards and badges. Skilled with the bow, they are armed with the best composite bows that the council can afford, and have short swords for close combat. These guards are the eyes of the Watch, responsible for sounding the bells for alarm, and signalling other towers as well as foot patrols when those guards are in pursuit of felons. Each tower has a compliment of six guards, with only three on duty at any time. A sergeant commands each tower, bunking with his men.

On rare occasions, as necessity demands, a patrol or tower might be assigned a Cleric of licensed Magi to assist them. All magi come from the ACADEMY, while the Clerics normally follow YELANA, AADILA, or DOKONALI, although only on special missions.

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