Zahavan Imperial Guard

History
The Ordo Hetaeri, or Imperial guard has existed in some iteration since Verus Caspean became the first Zahavan emperor in 409 BCE. For much of its history membership into the bodyguard unit for the Emperor was drawn from among the current Primogenitor's own household, or from capable officers in the military, typically it was a mixture of both. This provided the Imperium with a core of professional well trained and well equipped troops but as time progressed and the guard realized their importance the guard would regularly use their power to gain concessions from the Primogenitor. This coupled with the fact that many members of the guard had their own personal loyalties and were not directly bound to the Primogenitor led to numerous occasions where the Primogenitor's own bodyguard were more of a threat to their life than protectors.

This changed in 1045 when Reighden the Magnus enacted an overhaul of the Imperial guard as part of his sweeping reforms to the Zahavan government, society, and military. Primogenitor Reighden scrapped the old bodyguard formations across the Imperium, officially limiting the size of bodyguard retinues other members of the nobility or Imperial government could have. Initially he hand picked young, lower ranking single soldiers with no children or land to serve as his bodyguards. These soldiers would go on to become the first officers of the newly formed Ordo Hetaeri. Many believe the name Reighden chose for his bodyguard was deliberate, the Primogenitor being seen as descendant of a demigod by Zahavan society, to be called a companion of such a being would instill a sense of immense pride into the new formation.

It was illegal to seize children or persons from Imperial citizens so Reighden issued a decree that every five years all non citizens could be subjected to aphaimassō or blood tribute. Thus every five years, the selected officers of the Ordo Hetaeri would lead contingents into regions largely inhabited by non-citizens, namely settlements of Kayan or SiWallqanqan lineage and evalute all boys aged five to sixteen. Those selected would be taken back to Arcanium, and placed in select Zahavan families to learn the language, and proper societal customs, as well as conversion to the Zahavan pantheon. After successfully adapting to Zahavan culture recruits would be sent to the Kastro Hetaeri or Citadel of the Companions where cadets would be selected for their talents in different areas to train as engineers, cavalrymen, leadership, archery etc.

In order to prevent civil unrest from the populations forced to pay the aphaimassō, cadets would begin to be paid a monthly stipend upon entry into the Kastro Hetaeri, which they could send a portion of back to their families. This stipend would increase after each cadet completed their specialty training, and upon completion of all training and swearing of an oath to the Primogenitor all members of the Ordo Hetaeri would become citizens of the Imperium, this provided a climb up the social ladder they would have otherwise been unlikely to achieve, it also permitted them to own land upon retirement from the Order. It was not uncommon for retiring guardsmen to move their relatives onto their new estates.



Members of the Ordo Hetaeri were forbidden to marry, or have children. Training was harsh, with drill and instruction daily, in addition to performing duties. Recruits lived in conditions. The training was meant to teach cadets to view the order as their home and family, with the Primogenitor as their father. The Ordo Hetaeri were initally heavy cavalry formations, distinguishable by the gold colored armor they and their mounts were adorned with or by the purple and gold capes or tunics, the only unit permitted to wear the Imperial colors. The Ordo Hetaeri would eventually serve as the elite professional core of Reighden's Imperial army that was able to defeat and conquer the Puhan Khanate in 1055 and beyond.

The Ordo Hetaeri has itself undergone numerous reforms, it is now an all volunteer force, although members are still not permitted to marry or have children

Structure
The Ordo Hetaeri is broken up into six battalions called Spatharios, made up for 300-800 guardsmen each three active and two in a reserve status and one training battalion for new recruits.

Each Spatharios has a specific detail, with the first Spatharios of the Ordo Hetaeri serving as an elite  unit under direct command of the general staff and Primogenitor and separate from the regular Imperial Army. The second and third Spatharios serve as active guards for the Primogenitor, foreign officials Imperial residences and shrines to the Imperial cult, and as a secondary police force in Arcanium while the fourth and fifth Spatharios serves in a support reserve roll, and the sixth focuses primarily on training new recruits and assisting the other Spatharios as needed.

Criteria and Training
Ordo Hetaeritraining is extremely rigorous. The attrition rate fluctuates, but averages at about 80 percent. The average candidate spends over a year in a series of formal training courses before being officially confirmed as a member of the Ordo Hetaeri.

The Basic initial criteria for entrance into the Ordo Hetaeri are as follows:
 * Be a male Zahavan citizen
 * Be on Active Duty in any branch of the Imperial armed forces and volunteer for Ordo Hetaeri training
 * Have a General Technical Score of 105 or higher
 * No physical limitations or disabilities
 * Qualify for and successfully complete Airborne and Aquatic warfare training
 * A person of good character no pending or prior criminal or military tribunal cases in the past 48 months
 * Able to attain at minimum a Secret clearance
 * Pass physical requirements

Training is broken up into various stages and candidates much complete and qualify at each stage in order to gain membership into the order. Training is divided into two tracks, one for enlisted and junior non-commissioned officers and one for senior enlisted, commissioned, and warrant officers. The latter places has additional stages focused on leadership and management skills. To maintain readiness, all four Spatharios train constantly, focusing largely on marksmanship, physical training, medical training, small unit tactics and mobility. Additionally members of the Ordo Hetaeri are typically sent to specialized schools, for things such as sniper training, pathfinding, jump school, underwater demolition and aquatic warfare, sabotage and reconnaissance, and survival and evasion training for operating behind enemy lines.

Equipment
The modern Ordo Hetaeri is a mechanized force equipped with standard weapons such as the KN-70 Rifle and operates a number of Myrmidon and Hypaspistai armored fighting vehicles and HG-82 Kytan gunship helicopters.

Historically the Ordo Hetaeri were expert archers and later crossbowmen, for melee combat they were armed with or  or axes eventually adapting to use sabers and shields. The Ordo Hetaeri were renowned for their and engineers. Those Hetaeri assigned to palace guard duty were typically armed with long shafted axes or halberds in addition to their Xiphos. Many of these melee weapons are still seen as part of Hetaeri dress, but primarily only during certain special ceremonial events

The Ordo Hetaeri were among the first military units to adopt firearms, and by the early 16th century, the Ordo Hetaeri were equipped with and skilled with muskets. Hetaeri also extensively used early and  with early pistols becoming popular sidearms.