Royal Imperial Guard, red-armored protectors of the Emperor, these servants are specially-trained stormtroopers who met certain physical and emotional characteristics. No one has ever discovered exactly how many guards made up the Royal Guard. They were trained on the barren world of Yinchorr, where they learned that deadly art of Echani and often fought to the death against their fellow trainees in order to prove their loyalty to Emperor Palpatine. Their red armor is based on two unique designs: that of the Mandalorian Death Watch and the Thyrsus Sun Guards.


Sovereign Protectors, highest-ranking Imperial Royal Guards, the Sovereign Protectors are a highly trained and motivated group of elite guards. Individuals are chosen for their fitness, stamina, and strength, as well as their loyalty to the Emperor. They are tutored by the Dark Side Adepts in the use of the Force, but they have control of only the most elementary abilities.

History - The mysterious yet deadly Royal Guard are among the best warriors in the Galaxy. Potential Guardsmen are hand picked from a dozen of the Empire's top squads and were deemed the best of the best. Troopers selected as potential Guardsmen were screened for their intelligence, strength, dexterity and in particular their loyalty. Training for the Royal Guard took one year of gruelling, painful work. Trainees battled each other in countless matches, perfecting their skills. By working alone and in pairs, they learned how to rely on themselves and on a team mate to achieve victory. Failure in training often meant death. By seeing the strengths in their training partner, they had learned to build those strengths in themselves. And by seeing their partner's weaknesses, they had learned to overcome their own. The trainees battled it out over an arena known as "The Squall". Of more than forty students in a given training year, only a handful survived for their final test before the Emperor himself. And the test proved the ultimate loyalty to their Emperor, by battling against one's training partner to the death.

Master Ved Kennede was the head of the Imperial Guard training facility on Yinchorr. A former Guardsman himself, he was considered by the Emperor to be one of his best, most loyal warriors and was bestowed the honour of becoming Master Instructor of his Royal Guard. Royal Guardsmen were only known to each other and to the Emperor himself. And also they only answered to the Emperor. No one outside or inside the Galactic Empire knew their secrets. The Royal Guard's unknown nature allowed their mere presence to be a weapon. Their main weapons were two metre force pikes which looked deceptively harmless, but in the hands of a Royal Guard they were almost as lethal as the heavy blaster pistols concealed beneath their robes. Their loyalty to the Emperor is unquestioned. They are fanatically loyal to the Emperor and his ideals. A Royal Guardsman never seeks special privileges. Their goal in life and their desire in death is to serve the Emperor and his New Order.

Royal Guardsmen were used by the Emperor mainly for personal tasks, often serving as fighters or bodyguards. They stopped assassins, performed covert assaults and assassinations for the Emperor. Some were assigned to special missions by the Emperor. While others were rotated into Stormtrooper units to keep them in fighting trim. The Royal Guard were typically scattered throughout the Empire doing the work for their Emperor. They guarded the palaces and monasteries used by the Emperor as well as the Emperor's clone vats on Byss. Only the Emperor knew of their various missions. The Emperor was rarely seen without his Guardsmen close at hand. Where ever the Emperor went at least two of them were within earshot of their master at all times. Always on guard, they were ready to die for the glory of the Emperor. They wear flowing crimson robes, helmets and full body armour.

Their armour partially based on the Mandalore System's Death Watch and the Sun Guards of the Thyrsus System, both units famous for their ferocity in battle. Armour was designed to be both ceremonial and fully functional in battle. It is rumoured that not one single Royal Guard was ever killed in battle. Few know exactly how many of these Guards existed since they never fought together as a unit. Occasionally, Guardsmen would be found stationed with other high-ranking officials within the Empire, such a Grand Moff or one of the twelve Grand Admirals, but only at the request of the Emperor himself.




Sovereign Protectors - The Imperial Sovereign Protectors are experts at armed and unarmed combat. Their armour is lightweight and elaborately ceremonial. They are armed with unique and exotic weapons. These figures are given the most important duty in the entire New Order and have an incredible responsibility. Sovereign Protectors are the highest order yet for the Royal Guards. One reason the Emperor created the Sovereign Protectors was that he thought limiting the aspirations of his followers was unwise. By setting nearly unattainable goals, he could keep his personnel under better control while they struggle to achieve those goals. And also by creating higher and higher circles of elite status, it motivates them all to push themselves constantly.

No other troops in the entire Galaxy is as highly trained or motivated. The training and testing procedure that each Sovereign Protector ensues is elaborate and time consuming. It may take years to qualify and the waiting list is quite large. Once the potential Protectors have exemplary achievements in the fields of stamina, strength, dexterity, pain endurance, mental acuity, reaction time, loyalty and intelligence then they are trained in the ways of the Dark Side of the Force. Senior Dark Side Adepts teach the Sovereign Protectors only in elementary skills, so that the must always be subservient.

Their unthinking loyalty is so rigid that it is said that they can't even perceive anything that might corrupt them from their service. Others say that would commit suicide if the Emperor gave the order. Although these rumours have yet to be proven correct. Those Sovereign Protectors who distinguish themselves with their unthinking loyalty are sometimes selected to become Dark Jedi themselves. However like other Royal Guards, the Protectors serve as the Emperor's personal body guards.