Gânn'rêht

The Gânn'rêht (lit. Law Guild) was the omni-organization ruling Gânia. They were responsible for virtually every aspect of Gânian society, including economy, foreign politics and warfare. Their most prominent role was, however, acting as the representatives of the One Law. Their members were trained in many aspects, including law-study, strategies and tactics, and personal combat.

Founding
The Gânn'rêht predates Gânia itself. It was founded by members of the Ishilian Royal Court, as an institution which was to judge criminals according to the laws written by the royal family. The leader at the time it was founded was also the leader of the Royal Guard (and thus, the army) and prime advisor to the King. His name was Hâbet Mârnr, and he was named Gânn'aînr of Gânia in 3E78.

Organization
The Gânn'rêht was organized in a strict hierarchy. The hierarchy (actually named "The Hierarchy") was lead by four (later eight) Gânn'âr, who gave their orders to twenty (later fifty) Ahîrin. The Gânn'âr were not, however, the absolute leaders of the organization. They were led by the Gânn'aînr, who was the best individual in the ranks of the Gânn'rêht. They were chosen based on their knowledge of the Law, prowess in combat, grasp of strategy, as well as their skills in managing the many aspects the Gânn'rêht was responsible for. They were chosen for life, and could only be stripped of their position by death, or an unanimous vote by the Gânn'âr. The latter never occurred.

The ranks in the Hierarchy were divided in two main groups; the Înrâ and the Khâet. The Înrâ consisted of the Gânn'âr and the Ahîrin. They were responsible for governing the regions of Gânia, leading their armies to war, and studying - as well as improving - the Law (and several other tasks). Although Law-study was mandatory to every member of the Gânn'rêht, only the Înrâ were allowed to change it, and even then, only by suggesting the change to the Gânn'aînr. The Khâet, which made up the bulk of the Gânn'rêht, had less tasks, and they were mostly limited to personal orders from their superiors. The Abîr-Sêrim (A'sêrim), however, were also charged with managing day-to-day affairs of Gânian cities and large towns.

When it came to advancement through the Hierarchy, this was acomplished based on the personal achievements of the Hêrê'sîrin, as well as their ability to work for the Law, rather than themselves. In addition, the ranks of the Înrâ were limited. To advance from the rank of A'sêrim to Ahîrin, the aspiring A'sêrim had to defeat an Ahîrin in single combat and best it in a written test. If the A'sêrim succeeded, the two would swap places, and the Ahîrin be demoted to A'sêrim.

The Minéthay Guardians
The Minéthay Guardians, or simply the Guardians, was a sub-order of the Gânn'rêht. Due to Minéthay's unique position in Gânia, they were excluded from becoming Hêrê'sîrin. However, they did have an iconic presence in the organization, represented by the silent, elite Guardians. The Guardians were recruited from the most able-bodied children in Minéthay at an age of six Yôr. They underwent a rigorous training program for another six Yôr, which culiminated in their Silencing - a ritual-like removing of their tongue. They were trained to obey orders without question, and fight with a single-minded devotion. When they had completed their Silencing, they were assigned to a post, either stationary or to serve a Hêrê'sîrin, and duty-bound to serve until death.

In combat, Guardians were almost without equal, and only the exceptionally skilled could hope to stand on equal ground with them. They fought with large, tri-bladed halberds, forked in a manner which made them excel at breaking lesser weapons. This did not mean that they fought to disarm: Guardians fought until their opponent was killed unless told otherwise, and would never stop fighting until they were killed themselves. There were examples of Guardians who had been mortally wounded, i.e. had their bowels cut open or torso impaled, yet continued to fight to the last, often taking their killer down with them.