Martian Guard

The Martian Guard are drawn from the warrior culture of Mars. Every Martian boy undergoes brutal training in the deserts and river valleys of Mars, and those who survive to their Ephebeia are granted the honor of leaving Mars to serve the Sollan Emperor. Their culture is strange and insular, with a cult-like devotion to the Emperor, whom they love as a god. The Guard is older than the first Chantry litanies, sanctums, and sacrifices, having served the Blood Imperial almost since the dawn of the Imperium. On Forum they wear crimson plate with red livery, and carry lances. Their ceremonial armor includes feathered white-and-red plumes for occasions such as Aurelian's council escort. For formal occasions such as the royal Colosso they wear formal combat armor. Commanders hold the rank of Knight-Commander and wear gilt plate with a full scarlet cape. Centurions wear armor fitted with helmet speakers and carry phalerae. Officers carry short leaf-bladed highmatter swords and lances, including plasma-edged lances for palace duty. In combat they form hoplite formations employing whistle commands and rotating ranks. Their field forces drill at military installations such as Fort Din on Gododdin, where Hadrian's docking pad sits above a bailey where Martian Guards drill. Only members of the House Imperial are served by the Martian Guard on the frontier, making the presence of Martian soldiers proof that a member of the Aventine line is nearby. On Forum, they stand guard in the Peronine Palace's mirrored halls, patrol the Cloud Gardens, live with their families in flying barracks along the Martian Way, and maintain security in the Royal Forest from repulsor-equipped aerial platforms. All crimes committed in Forum orbit fall under their jurisdiction. They are headquartered in the Arx Caelestis, which rises as a spike of white stone above the rooftops of the Eternal City -- a great square tower one hundred stories high, built to house the Martian Guard, serving as their base and barracks. Within the Arx, guards are posted at all residential doors and cameras are concealed throughout. They are described as demonstrably human, contrasting with the Knights Excubitor, with Hadrian speculating the Emperor uses the Excubitors partly to avoid the risk of the Martian Guard turning disloyal.

The Martian Guard is one of the oldest institutions in the Sollan Empire, predating even the Holy Terran Chantry. They accompany Emperor William XXIII to Perfugium on campaign. When seven Cielcin worldships attack and destroy the Imperial fleet, the Guard suffers severe losses. The survivors retreat with the Emperor into the Resonno catacombs, where they stand watch for nearly two years. Guard Captain Sir Cedric Thoras directs the evacuation under fire. Lieutenant Titus Belman and Commander Votta are killed in action. After the Emperor is rescued, Martian soldiers restrain Hadrian following his assault on the Emperor. At the Imperial Triumph on Forum, Imperial Martians march in the ceremonial procession. On Forum, the Guard exercises civil jurisdiction over orbital matters. Breathnach and Casdon are placed in Martian Guard custody. Princess Selene arrives at Forum with a century of Martian Guard. At the royal Colosso, six Martians stand in the royal box and intervene when Hadrian confronts Prince Philip. Knight-Commander Canton Kas attempts to arrest Hadrian at Porta Leonora before being assigned to head his security at the Arx Caelestis. During Hadrian and Cassandra Marlowe's four years of confinement in the Arx Caelestis, the Guard provides their security detail. Named guard Larok serves among Hadrian's Martian Guard escorts. Martian Guards are also posted at the base of the stairs outside the Sun King's Hall on the Campus Raphael. The Guard serves as bodyguards for Crown Prince Aurelian at the Emperor's Grand Council and the Latarran embassy landing ceremony. Princess Selene identifies the Martian Guard as among the factions that moved against Hadrian during his time on Forum. Martian Guards accompany Prince Matthias to Latarra as his honor guard. When Hadrian arrives at Forum again under Jaddian protection, the Arx Caelestis is visible rising above the Eternal City's rooftops, and the Imperial court gathered at the Porta Prince Arthur includes Martian Guard soldiers with red livery and lances. By the time of the war council at Fort Din on Gododdin -- with the final Cielcin campaign approaching -- Martian Guard field forces drill in the bailey below Hadrian's docking pad on the fortress's third terrace, forming part of the assembled Imperial armies.

Sir Cedric Thoras holds the rank of Knight-Captain and commands the Emperor's Martian Guard at Perfugium. Titus Belman holds the rank of Martian Lieutenant and is killed in action at Perfugium. Commander Votta commands the defense of the hippodrome gate at Perfugium and is killed in action. Canton Kas holds the rank of Knight-Commander and is assigned to Forum, initially attempting to arrest Hadrian before being assigned to head his security at the Arx Caelestis. Larok is a named Martian Guard escort assigned to Hadrian's confinement in the Arx Caelestis.