Heron Guard

The elite guard of the Emperor himself, the royal Heron Guard combined considerable combat efficiency with magical knowledge. Each year, a hundred train to become the Heron Guard... -Heron Guard Description, Cast of Characters, Myth III Manual

Description
The Heron Guards are the elite soldiers of the Cath Bruig Empire and the personal bodyguards of the Emperors.

The Heron Guard were founded during the reign of Third Emperor Folsom. Folsom and his people were attacked by the Myrkridia when a lone warrior from the east named Ihsa'sum wielded dueling swords to fight back against the beasts. The Emperor was so marveled by the warrior's skill and bravery that he bid him to the city of Llancarfan and Ihsa'sum became the his first guardsmen

The Heron Guard are drawn from the best soldiers from all across the empire who gather during a septannual tournament. During this tournament, one hundred of the best soldiers will battle each other in a series of matches, and only five will be chosen to join the Heron Guard.

Each Heron Guard is then given a new name based on the old Cath Bruig calendar which will be their spoken name from that moment on. It is also during initiation that a ritual is performed on the new recruits which bestows upon them longevity as Heron Guards have longer life spans than lesser men.

When Muirthemne fell to Balor and the empire reduced to a desert wasteland, the Heron Guards fell into a state of penance for they were absent during the fall of the city. Returning to the ruins, they each cast away their armor and weapons and each tore down nine gold tiles from the walls, donned heavy fur coats and wielded a common man's shovel.

Journeymen
The Heron Guard were disbanded and in their place came the wandering healers, Journeymen. They would remain in this state of penance throughout the Great War, bringing their healing skills and knowledge of ancient lore to aid the forces of Light.

Heron Guard Reborn
It was sixty years after the end of the Great War that the Heron Guard would return. When Soulblighter returned with the Myrkridia at his command, King Alric ordered the recapture of Muirthemne order to recover the Ibis Crown to even the odds. The Ibis Crown was recovered and Alric was coronated as the new emperor of the Cath Bruig Empire. The Journeyman, after a hundred years of self imposed penance for their previous dishonor, threw down the gold tiles from their necks and swore fealty to the new emperor.

The Journeyman was no more and the Heron Guard was resurrected. During the coronation, Muirthemne was attacked by the Myrkridia and the Heron Guard were given their chance of redemption. They are successful in driving the beasts away from their city.

The Heron Guard proved their worth throughout the battles with Soulblighter and after the Fallen Lord's demise they returned to their ancient city. The Heron Guard then reinstated their tournament to fill out their ranks. One new addition to this ancient order was that some of the Heron Guard still wore the robes of the Journeyman in remembrance of their past.

Abilities
A Heron Guard starts a mission with one mandrake root, which are used for restoring the health of friendly units and himself. To use a mandrake root, press the Special Key (T), and then click on a unit close by. Mandrake roots can also drain the health of undead units and prevent explosions of the Wight.

Myth II
"Once every seven years warriors of renown from every corner of the empire gather to compete for the honor of joining the Heron Guard. From that multitude less than six will be chosen..."

"...Eight Pride Stalking sped across the field of battle like a bolt of lightning... his swords flashing as his foes tumbled to the ground in lifeless heaps..."

Myth III
"…The Heron Guard were founded in the time of the Third Emperor Folsom. His procession attacked by Myrkridia, a lone warrior wielding dual swords fought back the devils and personally saved the Emperor. This warrior was Ihsa'sum, who claimed to be from the East. The Emperor, so marveling at his skill and bravery, bid him to the city of Llancarfan to train his finest guardsmen…"

"…every year, a thousand of the empire's most skilled soldiers are led into the imperial arena. After days of battling and riddle-solving, all but one hundred are dismissed. These chosen move into the Great Training Hall where the greatest heroes of the Royal Order teach them the ways of combat. After a year's training, only five of the initiates are chosen to become true Heron Guards…"

"...taught to them by the Avatara, the use of Mandrake Root to heal is an ancient and complex ritual. The root must only be gathered during a full moon, and remain untouched by human hands. Each root so extracted is imbued with five drops of the maker's blood, branded with a symbol of potency, and wrapped in cloth so as not to be touched until the healing is desired..."

Heron Guard Hero

"Name an enemy we have not vanquished in battle? Name an evil that we have not overcome with the strength of our will? Name a horror that we have not purified from our soul? You must first master your mind and hone your skill. When you achieve this awareness, the battlefield will seem like a dance - where no evil can take hold of your being..."

"Why do we not fear death? All life will end, yet we seek to be immortal. There are but two ways to achieve this. The first is through vile necromancies, whose evil is a blight upon the world. The second is the route which we labor. Why should we fear our death when we can live immortal among the great deeds of men..."

Notable Individuals:

 * Damas: Captain of the Imperial Heron Guard of Emperor Leitrim, later became the Fallen Lord known as Soulblighter.
 * Eight Pride Stalking: Heron Guard, served during the Second War.
 * Four Flint Motion Sun: Heron Guard Hero.
 * Ihsa'sum: The first Heron Guard.
 * Nine Skull Crocodile: Served during the Second War, friend of the Narrator.
 * One Elk Standing Rain: Head of the Council of Muirthemne.
 * Ten Soaring White Eagle: Heron Guard Hero.

Common Names
Myth II: Eight Flint Deer, Twelve Eagle Falling Sun, Six Motion Bloody Jaguar, Five Heron Waiting Cactus, Eight Pride Stalking Rabbit, Three Vulture Drum, Ten Stone Reed, Four Serpent Seeking Shadow, Seven Lizard Tongue, Nine Eagle Red Skull, One Flint Puma, Twelve Serpent Falling Eagle, Seven Wind Lizard, Nine Serpent Rising Puma, Seven Crocodile Rain, Six Coyote Flower, Thirteen Bloody Crocodile, Five Rabbit Fleeing Jaguar, Three Moon Jeweled Fan, Seven Jaguar White Flower, Five Obsidian Heron, One Serpent Green Talon, Seven Devil Puma, Five Monkey Bloody Stone, Six Vulture Dog Star, One Deer Burning Skull, Nine Serpent Bloody Sun, Eleven Vulture Fire Serpent, Ten Eagle Burning Stone, Seven Eagle Jaguar Claw, Twelve Flint Sun Collar, Twelve Devil Burning Wind, Thirteen Rain Jeweled Fan, Thirteen Wind Moon Stone, Fourteen Flint Moon Eagle

Myth III: Eight Flint Deer Pride, Eight Motion Still Flame, Eight Wind Deer Foot, Eighteen Wolf Howl, Eleven Flint Raging Puma, Eleven Lizard Flint Tail, Eleven Moon Devil Bane, Eleven Petal Flower Thorn, Eleven Spider Spinning Web, Fifteen Savage Serpent Tongue, Five Dancing Silver Edge, Five Sneering Coyote Tooth, Five Strike Shadow Hunter, Four Fluttering Raven Wing, Four Stinging Scorpion Tail, Four Stone Viper, Four Sun Scratching Bear, Fourteen Leaping Sun Spider, Fourteen Palm Wound Healer, Nine Action Coyote Skull, Nine Action Red Blade, Nine Fold Path Finder, Nine Jaguar Stalking Prey, Nine Screaming Eagle, Nine Tower Shadow, Nine Wind Soaring Leaf, Nineteen Sky Vulture Friend, One Action Bear Cub, One Lizard Swift Run, Seven Action Fleeing Prey, Seven Flaming Iron Blade, Seven Moon Black Sky, Seven Shift Crashing Wave, Seven Waiting Monkey, Seventeen Action Rage Skull, Six Feather Soaring Hawk, Six Pride Lion Drum, Six Rising Prey Hunter, Six Stone Monkey, Sixteen Shift Devil Rain, Ten Bloody Jaguar Paw, Ten Cloud Moon Shadow, Ten Laughing Sword, Ten Silent Walking Serpent, Thirteen Bloody Flower, Thirteen Rain Falling Star, Thirteen Stone Eagle, Three Ivory Tooth, Three Obsidian Spear, Three Serpent Smoke, Twelve Blur Green Jade, Twelve Heron Singing Cry, Twelve Howling Jade Fang, Twelve Swift Raven Talon, Two Floating Vulture Feather, Two Stalking Night Moon