Sure you could always play the ‘one’ who ran away but it is a little lame after the seventh or so runaway. Could there be another valid and legitimate way get more mileage out of Stoneheart Guardians?

In my game, I already have a Dindavaran peasant sorcerer-priest attuned to Way of the Wood. Way of the Wood magic is perfect for the soft, warm flower magic of Congma worship and Bee Cults. I simply just created some new spells like Seamless Herbal Mend, Great Long Bloom, Heady Perfume Cloud, Hardy Season, and Sky Galloping Shoots, to give the sorcerer some Dindavaran flavour.

I needed something nifty. Something the cold, taciturn, and stoic Stonehearts would be perfect for. Then it hit me. There’s a solid reason why lots of them would leave the monasteries and wander the countryside (True and Orderly Dindavara) and sometimes foreign landscape (Occupied and Barbaric Dindavara) in search of adventure, they’re the perfect policemen!

THE LAWFUL GUARDIANS
The Dindavaran police and criminal investigators are a complex lot. Most mundane law enforcement is handled by ad hoc peasant law or occasional the odd, appointed and mostly bored minor noblemen. Cutting across both are the Stoneheart Guardians. Not all Stoneheart Guardians are suited for the monastic life and those see fit to volunteer to serve Dindakuan in a true legalistic interpretation of faith and religious law.

The Stoneheart Guardians are perfect for wandering and administering justice: they’re not prone to hedonistic excess and greed and other sins of the flesh and mind; they’re unlikely to have their judgement clouded by strong emotions; there’s little that can sway them apart a good legal argument slash religious debate; they are trained to naturally assume the role of servants; and they never, ever sleep. Most of what they lack in physical requirements, they manifest with magic. Technically they only need a simple shelter and food for their services (perhaps some hand-me-down items to replace the ones too-worn-out).

Known simply as Lawful Guardians or guardians, they stroll around Dindavara from village to village, investigating the Proper Crimes of Treason and Tax Fraud and adjudicating justice for petty offences such as murder, torture, theft, rape, etc, etc.

Sometimes they are summoned before a lord who asks them to investigate possible crimes beyond True Dindavara. Since the Hai Riyan is closest to Dindakuan than any person on the World, his word is law then obedience to the law is obedience to Dindakuan. Outside of their monasteries the Guardians are unwavering, devout legalists.

Those that have the authority act as migrant officers and judges to peasants. They have also been occasionally appointed as dedicated bodyguards to interests in the Lands Outside their homeland. Their use in espionage is limited since they are troublingly honest when questioned by a noble of notable rank. Their hardiness to pleasures of the flesh makes them ideally suited for privation. Their lack of sleep means their vigilance and endurance is superior to normal people.

Unlike their fellows at the monasteries, the Guardians are permitted to handle money to pay for shelter if need be. A common but unofficial custom is for the monks to write where they see the Riyan’s laws been broken in Dindavaran shorthand since they are only able to witness the crime but are unable to enforce the law (barbarians and wild animals do not deserve proper justice, just brutal punishment).

Just like the monastic Stoneheart Guardians in Supplement #2, the wandering Lawful Guardians require at least Student of Law 2 as well [specialised to their Province, of course]. Since Dindavara’s religious and legal systems are pretty much the same thing, the differences lie in interpretation and precedent, which is enough to warrant separate skills.

Of course, some weapon skills are good to have too. A great many learn to sing when travelling in groups as they pass the time singing hymns to each other. Many imperfectly attuned Stonehearts go wandering as a form of penance for being partially rejected by Dindakuan, striving to worship him in a much more practical fashion.

SKILLS AND WEAPONS
Parry and Fight are good. Endurance and Vigor make up for a lack of sociable pleasantry. A few ranks of a Weapon skill in spear or staff are essential since actual swords are forbidden unless the guardian is a noble. The Peasant Staff Martial Path is particularly suited to this. Apart from the staff or spear (the actual spear-tip can be removed), a utility knife or two are great back ups. Some farmers in thick-growth areas use pangas or machetes so those are helpful. Some have leather armour but most rely on sorcery.

Note: The panga or machete is a type of industrial short-sword. It has a squat, curved blade with a bulbous weighted tip and is notoriously fragile: not only is it subject to normal breaking rules but if one of its Attack or Parry waste dice is a 1, it snaps. They’re designed to hack through soft foliage.

PREFERRED SPELLS of the LAWFUL STONEHEART GUARDIANS

Restorative Contemplation
Not only does Restorative Contemplation a great way to sort out those pesky Shock damage boxes, it can be cast more than once per 24 hour period. Not too many, maybe one every eight hours.

Obdurate Cable
A sash belt or roll of twine or a rope ladder unfurled becomes a staff or spear, a means of climbing houses or making stable tents in thunderstorms.

Marble Endures
I’ll just flop down in the rain, sleet, or snow and sleep. Since they don’t need sleep, lawful guardians welcome this spell as a means of reducing distracting discomforts when on watch or jogging through burning buildings. Since they don’t sleep, potions (Charms of Marble Endures) can actually sell for double their intended worth.

Granite Defence
Bathrobe +1 for two or three hours, enough said.

Weariness
Not only does this make Stealth a lot easier, it makes treating the wounded a lot easier.

I am Stone
Can’t see me seeing you? Excellent! Stealth R us. 

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