The Lyreguard were Galik's elite squadron of city saviors. A member of the Lyreguard could always be discerned by their massive pauldrons and shiny armor, as well as the fact that they rode a griffon on patrol.
About[edit | edit source]
The Lyreguard tend to be revered in the city as their lives before serving were often filled with adventure or epic battle. Former soldiers, ex-heroes, and other elite adventurers made up the Lyreguard.
When on patrol, it wasn't unusual to see a lone Lyreguard on day-to-day strolls, but when patrolling at night or in other events of higher danger, Lyreguards tended to stick to groups of 3 or 4.
The Lyreguard followed the tenants of Helm the protector, and swore oaths on his holy shield to defend the City of Galik and its loyal citizens with their last breath.
5 Lyreguard members are positioned at all times to protect the High Burgher(ess) and are referred to as the "Black Ties", due to their presence at most formal city events, as well as their ability to formally kick your ass.
Headquarters[edit | edit source]
Each district of galik is home to a several-story tower (typically 4 or 5 floors) known as a "Citadel of the Griffon" where Lyreguards lived together.
Besides the Lyreguard themselves, the Citadels of the Griffon were also the lodgings for clerics and war-wizards who were often called on to serve alongside the Lyreguard.
History[edit | edit source]
The city's first Lyreguard worked out of the first Citadel of the Griffon, which was a stable for griffons, who were considered the best mount as they were very versatile and could be well trianed.
In 11 PR they were lead by Imril and had a force of 10 Griffons. It was this team of Lyreguards that the guard Gainpin Hawftry belonged to. Gainpin had been receiving prophecies which would later be part of The Prosperity Anthologies. These warnings led Gainpin to seek out Eve, a fairy and cleric in the city who he believed was incredibly important to Helm. He wasn't sure if was supposed to helping Eve or stopping her, so he and the other Lyreguard decided it would be best if she was kept in their Citadel for close-watching.
It turned out to be the best move that group could have made, as keeping Eve at the Citadel made it ground zero for The Griffon's Last Stand, where the Lyreguard partook in an operation to protect Eve (alongside some friendly clerics of Lathander) and ultimately led to the return of Pelor, the "father" of Helm and greatest protector of all.
Much later on, in the 460s PR, one particular member of the Lyreguard named Dutharr played a key role in uncovering the secrets of the Tools of the Primordial Ancients, having been present when The Crown of Empyrosis made itself known during a series of city blackouts. Unfortunately, while Dutharr helped plan the next steps on securing the Staff of the Marsh, he died along many others in an ambush on his team by the Galik Banites, who summoned an aspect of Iyachtu to kill the paladin.
Before the year 893 PR the Lyreguard would be led by Harrow Grimfold. As he grew in age though, some worried about his ability to continue leading the guard and in a soft coup he was retired and succeeded by his granddaughter Lucinda Grimfold. After serving for many years she would step down due to pressure from a few select Galik bureaucrats, who still held resentments when she forced her grandfather to retire.
In 893 PR the Lyreguard would join an operation involving many other militant organizations across Eastern Amusa to combat the return of the orange dragon Xevriss. Later the next year they would join a similar operation to destroy the Gnoll stronghold of Camp Emberclaw. In 894 PR a number of Lyreguard would secretly be poisoned and transformed into fungal monsters by the High Burgher-elect Alistair Hearthorne in an attempt to destabalize the organization.
