Loudwater Guard

The Loudwater Guard was the militia of the city of Loudwater in the mid-to-late 14 century DR. They were also known as the Loudwater Riders.

Organization
It comprised 300 soldiers, typically divided into patrols of up to 20. Regular members, called 'guards', were proficient warriors, while the sergeants, titled 'fists', were capable fighters. They were in turn overseen by fist captains. They were aided by mages, namely evokers and sorcerers, and clerics, typically of Helm, the Red Knight, or Torm.

The militia was ultimately commanded by the two Gauntlets of Loudwater. They were titled the Gauntlet of the Eastern Marches and the Gauntlet of the Western Marches and had the duty of defending Loudwater's territory to the east and west, respectively. In times of war, they might be joined by a third gauntlet. The gauntlets directly reported to the reigning High Lord.

A particular patrol was Thelbrimm's Nine, also known as Thelbrimm's Four. Serving under Gauntlet Thelbrimm, they were one of the units that patrolled and protected the eastern lands of Loudwater's domain.

Possessions
Warriors were equipped with chainmail, a wooden light shield, longsword, light crossbow, and bolts. They wore uniforms of electric-blue tabards emblazoned front and back with the city's three golden crescent moons, over dark-brown breeches and blouses.

The sergeants instead wore white tabards and were granted masterwork longswords and magical +1 chainmail and +1 wooden light shields, including alchemical silver bolts and potions of cure light wounds.

Activities
Typically, when there was trouble in the city, the citizens called for the Loudwater Guard, who responded within a minute with a group of up to a dozen guards led by a fist, and possibly with a spellcaster.

The Loudwater Riders ranged further afield, as far as the Grey Highlands. They would use boats to cross the River Greyflow at Celdor's Crossing.

Occasionally, the Loudwater Riders needed to clear bandits or bugbears out of the ruined Phantoms' Cloister in Southwood.

Bases of Operations
Within the city, the Loudwater Guard was divided by and based in a number of buildings known as 'armories'. These didn't just store and supply weapons, but also served as police stations for maintaining order in their respective neighborhoods. Each armory was commanded by a fist captain, who had a staff of 3 to 5 fists, who each led patrols of 5 to 10 guards. One was the Geenfunt Armory, which was located in Funt Market at the end of Geenfunt Way, and had three fists.

The Gauntlet of the Eastern Marches had their headquarters in the Eastenhall and the Gauntlet of the Western Marches had their headquarters in the Western Tower.

History
In the, a troop of Zhentarim and Zhentilar commanded by Vaalgamon invaded the main street of Loudwater to ambush the Heroes of Ascore, a band of adventurers carrying the magical statuettes of Ascore. With their manticores, they blocked the main street and patrolled side streets looking for them. However, for some reason, Lord Greysword dared not move openly against the Zhents. Making use of Loudwater's winding roads and side streets, the adventurers thinned the Zhents' numbers and routed them, and the Loudwater Guard joined them for the final fight. However, Vaalgamon escaped and burned his headquarters as he left, causing much damage in the area and necessitating rebuilding. In the tendays afterward, one guardsman declared Vaalgamon had done it to prevent the Guard seizing his plans, lest they thwart the whole Zhentish invasion. The fellow boasted he had been in the frontline and nearly struck the Zhent commander before he escaped.

During the Gray Migrations of the High Forest orcs in the, by the month of Eleasis a story was going around the Grayvale that Thelbrimm's Nine had found five families in a homestead east of Orlbar massacred by orcs and their homes destroyed, and that the orcs had taken nothing and done it for kicks. Another version said it was Thelbrimm's Four, that it was only two families killed but also all their animals, including the cats.

In late Eleasis, the Loudwater Riders reported seeing a red dragon near a place called Tangletrees.

Known Members

 * Gauntlet of the Western Marches Kalahar Twohands
 * Gauntlet of the Eastern Marches Harazos Thelbrimm
 * Gauntlet of the Western Marches Jaida Zerezeal
 * Gauntlet of the Western Marches Isyan Kiy'sisnos.
 * Fist Captain Nesrin, commander of Geenfunt Armory
 * Fist Keshel, a senior sergeant of Geenfunt Armory
 * Fist Pennet Farhill
 * Fist Korath Hospler
 * Fist Barvas Naren
 * Fist Pevil Trollhammer, right hand of Gauntlet Thelbrimm