Ur'Guard

The origins of the ur'Guard can be traced back through the ages to the Vernal Wars. Their foundation can be seen clearly in the first legion that heeded the Vernal God Urlach's call back from the brink of eternal oblivion. With each soldier that embraced life after death, the power of the ur'Guard and their devotion to Urlach were increased. This manipulation of undeath began the magical school of Necromancy.

After Urlach sacrificed Himself to overcome the threat of the Soulless Gods, the ur'Guard found a new purpose. This time, they assembled their full might under the banner of the Holy Celestine Empire. In conflict after conflict, the ur'Guard stood at the forefront, serving as the Empire's shock troops.

The advent of the Taint once again brought change to the ranks of the ur'Guard as the Empire crumbled to dust. Amongst the dark towers of the Magnagora, they pledged their service to the new order, revelling in their necromantic arts. The ur'Guard now stands as the bulwark of the Engine's might, poised to enforce its will.

The ur'Guard are a class in the warrior archetype. Thus, they take Knighthood as their primary skill. However, they can specialize with blades, axes, bludgeons, or polearms upon reaching Mastery in Knighthood. Like all warriors, they take Athletics as a secondary skill. They also may take Rituals as a secondary skill, and can specialize in Necromancy along with Nihilists. Alternatively, instead of Rituals, they may choose Hunting and specialize in Tracking.

History

The ur'Guard date back to the Vernal Wars and were started by Urlach.
"About a dozen" ur'Guard soldiers accompanied the Project Cosmic Hope expedition and were fanatical supporters of Emperor Ladantine VII after he became undead as they considered the state sacred. Only six seemed to have returned from that first foray to the Astral Plane.
After the Emperor returned to the Prime Material Plane by way of the Eternal Flame, thousands of ur'Guard amassed outside Gaudiguch by using the Shallach Portals.
The ur'Guard kept the Horn of Urlach, a Vernal Artifact, and tried to deliver it to the Emperor in time for his invasion of Celest.
The formal ur'Guard guild was disbanded on the 25th of Kiani 475 CE but their identity as the warrior class of Magnagora lives on. (Events #385)
- If one combines the 542-year timespan of the Holy Celestine Empire (based on Hallifax Board minutes) to 475 years after the Coming of Estarra, we see that the ur'Guard organization existed for at least 1017 years; that is even not including the years during the Vernal Wars (precise dates from that era are scarce).

Out-of-Character Note: It is worth pointing out that the prefix ur- in English can mean "proto-" or "original". This may have been the intended interpretation behind terms like ur'dead prior to the introduction of the in-universe explanation that "ur'" means "death".
- "It was common knowledge that in the orclachi tongue ‘ur’Guard’ means the Death Guard, in honour of the Vernal God Urlach, Master of Death" - Chronicles of the Holy Celestine Empire - Part 4