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These are the guards, watchmen and other armed employees of Melza's public law enforcement or the private security payed for by the wealthier citizens of the city and the Barony.

Work in progress.

See also: Main article on the City Watch

The City Watch of Melza is the main opponent to thieves and other local criminals in situations where the risk of run-ins with the police is increased. Criminal activities in the city streets or at public institutions and buildings are the main magnet for the City Watch employees, ranging from average patrolling policemen and guards to various officers, detectives and investigators, and even some specialised units trained for more extensive crime-fighting police operations.

a.) City Watch ranks

The head figure of the City Watch is the “Chief-o'-the-Watch”, also known colloquially as the “Chieftain” or simply the “Chief”. He is subordinate to the Lord Mayor and all members of the City Watch are in turn subordinate to him. However, the Chieftain doesn't have command of the Frontiersmen Corps, which is a separate law enforcement organisation to The Watch and is also subordinate to the Mayor. The Chieftain can merely turn to the Mayor to request Frontiersmen backup for Watch employees in case of great need and emergencies.

For individual policemen, there are three basic sets of ranks within The Watch. Regardless of which of the seven branches of The Watch an individual policeman serves, he or she holds a rank from either of these three sets. Each set has differing rank names, given the different focus of service duties they represent. A male or female Watch member is awarded a rank based on whether he or she conducts street duty (patrolling), guarding duty (guarding/protection) or investigates (detective work). An overview of ranks (1 = lowest, 5 = highest):

For instance, a Sergeant working for the Transport and Traffic Bureau is a “Traffic Sergeant”, a Watchmaster working for the Municipal Patrol and Security Bureau is a “Security Watchmaster” or “MPCB Watchmaster”, a Senior Detective working for the Homicide Investigation Bureau is a “Senior Homicide Detective” or “Senior Homicide Investigator”.

The number of policemen holding a particular rank depends on how much the rank is used or relevant in one of the seven branches of the Watch, and the specific departments of each branch.

A single uniformed member of the Watch is called a watchman (plural watchmen). A single plainclothes member is called an investigator (plural investigators). Both watchmen and investigators can be armed, but the latter tend to be either only very lightly or not at all. Watchmen fulfill the usual roles of armed policemen. Watchmen and investigators generally have the same degree of legal powers for arresting suspects.

The bulk of The Watch is concentrated in Melza, but there are small affiliated CW detachments in the nine other settlements of the Barony as well. The two smaller towns have what amounts to their own tiny police forces and the seven villages each have from two to three watchmen (depending on the population of the village).

b.) Common policemen NPC types

Note that the equipment lists for these NPC character archetypes describes the whole range of what they might be equipped with, but not what they will always be equipped with. The exact equipment of every single Watchman can vary. The nature of law enforcement in Melza isn't entirely standardised as we understand it in the modern world. Policemen of the Watch have a certain range of equipment considered standard issue for various duties, but there isn't just one type of tool or weapon for a given duty.

Melee Watchman
Service: Street duty
Bureaus: Municipal Patrol and Security, Transport and Traffic Bureau
Rank range: Patrolman, Sergeant
Clothing and armour: TBA.
Melee weaponry: Blackjack, wooden baton, wooden club, dagger, arming sword, police falchion, backsword.
Ranged weaponry: Random thrown objects, pistol crossbow, dartgun, wheel-lock pistol, flintlock pistol, palm pistol.
Tools and equipment: TBA.

Ranged Watchman
Service: Street duty, Guard duty
Bureaus: Municipal Patrol and Security, Transport and Traffic Bureau
Rank range: Patrolman, Sergeant, Sentry
Clothing and armour: TBA.
Melee weaponry: Police falchion, dagger, blackjack or wooden club.
Ranged weaponry: Wooden short bow (self bow), composite short bow, wheel-lock carbine, flintlock carbine.
Tools and equipment: TBA.

Watch Officer
Service: Street duty
Bureaus: Municipal Patrol and Security, Transport and Traffic Bureau
Rank range: Officer
Clothing and armour: TBA.
Melee weaponry: TBA.
Ranged weaponry: TBA.
Tools and equipment: TBA.

Watch Captain
Service: Street duty
Bureaus: Municipal Patrol and Security, Transport and Traffic Bureau
Rank range: Captain
Clothing and armour: TBA.
Melee weaponry: TBA.
Ranged weaponry: TBA.
Tools and equipment: TBA.

Armoured Melee Watchman
Service: Guard duty
Bureaus: TBA.
Rank range: Sentry, Guard, Sergeant
Clothing and armour: TBA.
Melee weaponry: TBA.
Ranged weaponry: TBA.
Tools and equipment: TBA.

Armoured Ranged Watchman
Service: Guard duty
Bureaus: TBA.
Rank range: Sentry, Guard
Clothing and armour: TBA.
Melee weaponry: TBA.
Ranged weaponry: TBA.
Tools and equipment: TBA.

Watchmaster
Service: Guard duty
Bureaus: Municipal Patrol and Security, Transport and Traffic Bureau
Rank range: Watchmaster
Clothing and armour: TBA.
Melee weaponry: TBA.
Ranged weaponry: TBA.
Tools and equipment: TBA.

Overseer
Service: Guard duty
Bureaus: Municipal Patrol and Security, Transport and Traffic Bureau
Rank range: Overseer
Clothing and armour: TBA.
Melee weaponry: TBA.
Ranged weaponry: TBA.
Tools and equipment: TBA.

Flying Squad Enforcer
Service: Street duty, Guard duty
Bureaus: The Watch Specials - Flying Squad department
Rank range: Sergeant, Guard
Clothing and armour: TBA.
Melee weaponry: TBA.
Ranged weaponry: TBA.
Tools and equipment: TBA.

Flying Squad Supportman
Service: Street duty, Guard duty
Bureaus: The Watch Specials - Flying Squad department
Rank range: Patrolman, Sentry
Clothing and armour: TBA.
Melee weaponry: TBA.
Ranged weaponry: TBA.
Tools and equipment: TBA.

Flying Squad Pointman
Service: Street duty, Guard duty
Bureaus: The Watch Specials - Flying Squad department
Rank range: Officer, Watchmaster
Clothing and armour: TBA.
Melee weaponry: TBA.
Ranged weaponry: TBA.
Tools and equipment: TBA.

Unrest Queller
Service: Street duty, Guard duty
Bureaus: The Watch Specials - Unrest Quelling department
Rank range: Patrolman, Sergeant, Sentry, Guard
Clothing and armour: TBA.
Melee weaponry: TBA.
Ranged weaponry: TBA.
Tools and equipment: TBA.

Unrest Queller Officer
Service: Street duty, Guard duty
Bureaus: The Watch Specials - Unrest Quelling department
Rank range: Officer, Watchmaster
Clothing and armour: TBA.
Melee weaponry: TBA.
Ranged weaponry: TBA.
Tools and equipment: TBA.

Dog Handler
Service: Street duty, Guard duty
Bureaus: The Watch Specials - Animal Troops department
Rank range: Sergeant, Guard, Officer, Watchmaster
Clothing and armour: TBA.
Melee weaponry: TBA.
Ranged weaponry: TBA.
Tools and equipment: TBA.

Watch Falconer
Service: Street duty, Guard duty
Bureaus: The Watch Specials - Animal Troops department
Rank range: Sergeant, Guard, Officer, Watchmaster
Clothing and armour: TBA.
Melee weaponry: TBA.
Ranged weaponry: TBA.
Tools and equipment: Falcons themselves (kestrels, sparrowhawks, marlyons), falconry gauntlets, falconry hoods, falconry bells and jesses, etc.

Watch Detective
Service: Investigation duty
Bureaus: TBA.
Rank range: Detective, Senior Detective
Clothing and armour: TBA.
Melee weaponry: TBA.
Ranged weaponry: TBA.
Tools and equipment: TBA.

Watch Coroner
Service: Investigation duty
Bureaus: TBA.
Rank range: Senior Detective, Inspector
Clothing and armour: TBA.
Melee weaponry: TBA.
Ranged weaponry: TBA.
Tools and equipment: TBA.

Watch Clacker
Service: Investigation duty
Bureaus: TBA.
Rank range: Detective, Senior Detective
Clothing and armour: TBA.
Melee weaponry: TBA.
Ranged weaponry: TBA.
Tools and equipment: TBA.

Watch Inspector
Service: Investigation duty
Bureaus: TBA.
Rank range: Inspector, Senior Inspector
Clothing and armour: TBA.
Melee weaponry: TBA.
Ranged weaponry: TBA.
Tools and equipment: TBA.

c.) Stock phrases of City Watch personnel

“Watch ! What's going on here ?! / What are you doing there ?!”
“In the name of the Law and the Barony, surrender !”
“You there ! Hands in the air, arms to the ground, now !”
“Halt, cease and desist, this instant !”
“Hold it right there, criminal scum !”
“By office of The Watch, you are under arrest !”
“Stop and surrender, or face the consequences.”
“You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can piss us off.”
“Don't make this harder than it already is ! Disobeying an officer's orders will only make it worse for you.”
“Thief, thief ! / Thieves, thieves ! Sound the alarm, bring backup !”
“Don't fret, citizen, the Watch's already on it !”
“Stand back and cease in disruptive activities. Now !”
“Don't attempt to flee. No one evades The Watch.”
“Just try to stab me and hit me, and it'll make your sentence even worse !”
“Citizens, stand aside and don't be alarmed. Here comes… The Flying Squad !”
“Don't make us use deadly force !”
“This is a final warning ! Immediately give up ! We shoot to kill.”

While the City Watch might be the main official adversary to thieves and other local criminals, the true primary opponent to them in most situations are privately-hired security guards. In Melza (and elsewhere), there are always plenty of traders, businessmen or just all-around wealthy citizens willing to hire people skilled in combat, for the purpose of guarding their property. These hired guards have no fixed organisational pattern to them, as their recruitment might range from solitary sellswords to actual security companies offering their services to a well-paying bidder. Similarly, based on a hired guard's background and training, his degree of aptitude in guarding can vary a lot. Nevertheless, as it's often hard to gather exact intel on how professional a given business or household owner's guards are, thieves are advised to not bet on the notion that private security personnel will have inferior training compared to members of professional law enforcement.

a.) Common private security NPC types

Household Servant
Clothing and armour: No armour. Various civilian clothing, often work clothing for cooking, cleaning up, doing maintenance in the household.
Melee weaponry: Usually none. Can grab whatever is at hand. Probable more dangerous weapons could include a knife, cleaver, billhook, hatchet, axe, staff, rod, pitchfork, etc. taken up by the servant in defence.
Ranged weaponry: Usually none. Can grab whatever is at hand and throw it. Probable more dangerous weapons could include a crossbow or firearm taken up by the servant in defence.
Tools and equipment: Whatever a servant happens to be carrying at the moment. Usually small household tools or gardening tools, and at night time, sources of light (candles, lanterns, etc.). Some will often have keyrings or keys on their belts or in their pockets, and purses on their pockets aren't out of the question either.

Melee Private Guard
Clothing and armour: TBA.
Melee weaponry: Arming sword, longsword, bardiche, poleaxe, glaive, halberd, bill, voulge.
Ranged weaponry: Usually none. Some might throw knives or daggers, or use random objects as throwing weapons (e.g. stones, smaller furniture, etc.).
Tools and equipment: Some will be carrying keyrings or individual keys, often on their belts. At night time, some private guards might patrol the premises with sources of light, usually lanterns. (This makes them a tricky adversary to deal with, as lanterns are shrouded and are hard to put out without raising suspicion almost immediately.) It is not out of the question that some better-equipped guards might also have a trick bomb or two at the ready, in case they'd run into a burglar or other thieving intruder.

Ranged Private Guard
Clothing and armour: TBA.
Melee weaponry: Katzbalger, falchion, messer, dagger, hunting dagger, dirk, stilleto.
Ranged weaponry: Wooden short bow, composite short bow, composite crossbow (commonly), wooden longbow, wooden flatbow, steel crossbow, a matchlock, wheel-lock or flintlock pistol (more rarely).
Tools and equipment: Some will be carrying keyrings or individual keys, often on their belts. At fortified properties or facilities in particular, ranged guards will often be seen guarding or patrolling at heightened lookout points, such as guardhouses, towers, bastions, ramparts, etc. It is not out of the question that some better-equipped guards might also have a trick bomb or two at the ready, in case they'd run into a burglar or other thieving intruder.

Melee Mercenary
Clothing and armour: Depends greatly on the specific hired mercenaries. Some individuals or groups will be equipped equally well with sturdy and quality armour, but most wear cheaper and lower quality armour. Occassionally, some mercenaries might wear little armour at all. Melee mercenaries will usually wear heavier armour, such as lamellar and mail, more rarely light plate armour on top of mail.
Melee weaponry: Falchion, messer, arming sword, longsword, long messer, battleaxe, goedendag, polehammer, various spears and warscythes.
Ranged weaponry: Usually none. Some might throw knives or daggers, or use random objects as throwing weapons (e.g. stones, smaller furniture, etc.).
Tools and equipment: Various.

Ranged Mercenary
Clothing and armour: Depends greatly on the specific hired mercenaries. Some individuals or groups will be equipped equally well with sturdy and quality armour, but most wear cheaper and lower quality armour. Occassionally, some mercenaries might wear little armour at all. Ranged mercenaries will usually wear lighter armour (for better mobility), such as leather armour or lamellar armour, more rarely brigandines and mail.
Melee weaponry: Falchion, messer, dagger, hunting dagger, baselard, poignard, stilleto, plançon, fokoš, etc.
Ranged weaponry: Wooden short bow, composite short bow, composite crossbow (commonly), wooden longbow, wooden flatbow, steel crossbow, a matchlock, wheel-lock or flintlock pistol or long gun (more rarely).
Tools and equipment: Various.

Private Guard Officer
Clothing and armour: Generally the same clothing and armour as their underlings, or a somewhat higher quality version of it. Clothing and armour can differ based on whether the officer is a guard focused on melee combat or ranged combat. Some officers (especially melee-focused ones) might wear hardier helmets and neck armour that makes them effectivelly immune to physical knockouts.
Melee weaponry: Most officers of private security guards are equipped in the same basic way as the melee-focused guards, or have a generally similar loadout.
Ranged weaponry: Officers focused on ranged weaponry are much rarer than ones focused on melee combat, but you can run into them from time to time. Their weaponry is either the same as that of the ranged guards, or they have a generally similar loadout. Some of the melee-focused officers might have knives or daggers to throw, or use random objects as throwing weapons.
Tools and equipment: Various.
Note: Officers generally tend to be more professional, thorough and fearless than their underlings. This is because most of them are veterans of private security duties and know their stuff.

b.) Stock phrases of private security personnel

“Eurgh, I hate these night shifts.”
“I swear, one a'these days, I'll quit this and get a better job.”
“Maybe a'should've listened to me' mum and old man, and studied better.”
“Pay's not so bad, but wish I wasn' bored out of my skull so often.”
“Huh-huh, the new servant maid's a cutie, should get her something…“
“Me ? Boozin' on the job ? Me ?! Yeah, right… They don't know me.”
“Guard, keep your shirt tucked in, guard, don't slack off, guard, what am I payin' ya for, blablabla… Pshaw ! That boss and his bitchin'…“
“Got a lousy dinner again, as always. And are they really payin' me enough ?”
“What ? Hm, sounded like a noise. Maybe I've been drinkin' too much lately…“
“Coulda swore I heard something or other. In… the corner, maybe ? Hm.”
“Must've been mice, or rats. Or sumthin'. Meh.”
“All 'dem weird noises that you hear in the night… Messes with ya.”
“Maybe it's just me' imag… ima… hm… image-nation ? That's what the boffins call it. Sumthin' like that acting up, sure.”
“Bet some bungler ground up some ergot into the flour, I ate the bread, and now I'm seein' n' hearin' things that aren't.”
“These nights, these nights… I tell ya, I must be getting bats in my belfry and eels in my privy.”
“Either some moon ray comin' in, or some other light I mistook. Yeah, gotta be that.”
“W-wait. Was… Was that sumthin' movin' over there ?”
“Hey. Anybody… Anybody snoopin' around here ?”
“If there's anyone here, come out. Come into the light, at once. Quick like.”
“Now, don't you worry. If you come out now, I won' hurtcha. (…) Much.”
“Enough a'the tricks ! I hear you, show yourself ! I'm armed, you know.”
“What in the… I saw that ! Don't think I haven't spotted you.”
“Ho, ho, there you are ! T'least I'll have some fun tonight !”
“Sword's sharp n' ready. Should I try it out on you ? I'm eager.”
“Have a bow/crossbow/gun. I could use some target practice. Once I find you…“
“Don't be shy, burglar. Come ouuuut, come, come…“
“Where are you, ya shaggy little rat ?!”
“I'm not just any guard, ohhh no. Cream a'the crop, burglars beware ! Give up NOW !”
“Gone ! But it was here just a moment ago ! Oh, someone's really askin' for trouble 'ere.”

See also: Main article on the Frontiersmen Corps

The Frontiersmen Corps is a gendarmerie unconnected to the City Watch, and has its own set of distinct ranks, which are of a more military styling. This reflects the role of the gendarmerie as countryside law enforcement and paramilitary border guards of the Melzan state. Part of the Corps also serves the role of the primary customs officers within the territory of the tiny country. (However, they often work closely with the Commerce Inspection and Smuggling Prevention Bureau of The Watch.) Though the Corps uses mounted law enforcement members on a common basis, they are not really cavalrymen, but rather mounted infantry.

a.) Frontiersmen Corps ranks

There is an incredibly low probability that a thief like you will encounter them in person in any great capacity. Nevertheless, here is some information on the gendarmerie's ranks, just for completeness' sake:

A single gendarme is a frontiersman. Several gendarmes are dubbed frontiersmen. The head of the Corps is the Frontiersman-in-Chief, sometimes also known as “Chief of the Corps” or “Chief of the Frontier”.

b.) Common gendarme NPC types

Foot Frontiersman
Service: Foot
Rank range: Woodsman, Spotter, Ranger, Vanguard
Clothing and armour: TBA.
Melee weaponry: Hanger, boar spear, bear spear, glaive, various hunting knife or dagger sidearms, blackjack, wooden club.
Ranged weaponry: Wooden short bow, wooden flatbow, composite short bow, latchet crossbow, composite crossbow, wheel-lock musket, flintlock musket (first three ranks), wheel-lock pistol, flintlock pistol (Vanguard rank).
Tools and equipment: TBA.

Mounted Frontiersman
Service: Mounted
Rank range: Horseman, Scout, Outrider, Trooper
Clothing and armour: TBA.
Melee weaponry: Ridersword (cavalry sidesword), backsword, sabre, cavalry rapier, lance, various dagger sidearms, long-hafted wooden club.
Ranged weaponry: Latchet crossbow, horseman's crossbow, wheel-lock carbine, flintlock carbine (first three ranks), wheel-lock rider pistol, flintlock pistol (Trooper rank).
Tools and equipment: TBA.

Frontiersman Officer
Service: Foot / Mounted
Rank range: Captain, Marshal
Clothing and armour: TBA.
Melee weaponry: Sidesword (infantry or cavalry), rapier (infantry or cavalry), backsword, sabre, hanger, various hunting knife or dagger sidearms, blackjack.
Ranged weaponry: Pistol crossbow, latchet crossbow, horseman's crossbow, wheel-lock pistol, flintlock pistol, revolver.
Tools and equipment: TBA.

Setting: Aporue

Setting: Law Enforcement in The City

Overviews: Civilian NPCs of The City

Overviews: NPCs of The City's Thieving Scene

Overviews: NPCs of The City's Criminal Underworld

Overviews: NPCs of the Aporuean Continent

Thick as Thieves RP Overviews

Thick as Thieves