"If you're not on the list, you're not coming in!"
- —Anonymous Altdorf guard to the Grand Theogonist of the Cult of Sigmar at the coronation of Emperor Karl Franz I. (Apocryphal)[1a]
A Human bodyguard of the Empire protecting his frightened charge.
A guard is an individual hired to protect a person, place or thing from theft or bodily harm.
The Old World is a dangerous place, and the best way to ensure anything's safety is to post a guard. From merchants' shipments to the emperor himself, anything worth taking care of is guarded.[1a]
To an outside observer, guarding looks like a very easy profession. And for the most part it is, merely consisting of standing around keeping watch. However, a guard's reputation -- and sometimes life -- depends entirely on the brief moment when somebody tries to harm the guard's charge. Should they be compromised, any guard worth their salt will follow up on the job, pursuing their attackers.[1a]
Guard Types[]
There are many types of guards in the Old World. Some include:[1a]
- Bodyguards - Bodyguards are entrusted with protecting the lives, dignity and property of individuals, and follow them around wherever they go.[1a]
- Bouncers - Bouncers guard taverns and are the establishment's enforcers who throw drunkards and unruly customers out into the street.[1a]
- Grave Wardens - Grave Wardens stand sentry over gardens of Morr, ever vigilant against grave robbers and necromancers.[1a]
- Temple Guards - Temple Guards are guards employed by the Empire's various religious cults to protect holy sites or high-ranking priests.[1a]