Flameguards

The Flameguards are an order of Flayed slayers within the Varesian Confederation, created after the last great March of the Damned alongside many others. They are one of only a few orders in the Confederation that could be considered united, undivided by loyalty to various city-states. The Flameguards take vows to serve only the Confederation, acting predominantly in the north of the country where the geography permits the undead to construct more tunnels. They are a force of heavy infantry that tend to favor polehammers and maneuverable pavise shields. They are best recognized by the design of their shields, bearing a strong chain link set aflame. The top right corner of each shield as well as the roundels of the Flameguards are decorated with the heraldry of the individual city-states they hail from, a lone decoration connecting them to their homes.

The Flameguards consist of perhaps 3,000 men, though that number was once nearly 20,000. Close ties to the Church of Ignis ensure that the order is not forgotten among convoluted Varesian politics, but they are a far cry from their glory days. A recent surge of pride among individual city states has seen recruitment at it's lowest in decades, young men and women unwilling to forsake their home to serve their nation. They are led by the once-famed Lord-Commander Amatus de Vitis