Far Madding's Wall Guards protect against intrusion from without; as such, they are well-armed and armored: "... barred faceguards of their helmets ... men in square-scaled armor with a golden sword worked on the left shoulder. Some wore swords at their waists and others carried long spears and crossbows." <WH: 23, 463, To Lose the Sun> An officer is marked by a yellow plume on his helmet <WH: 23, 463, To Lose the Sun>.

Street guards, in contrast, do not expect to face sword nor spear, and do not carry them. Jordan portrays "One of the steel-capped Street Guards in a leather coat sewn with overlapping metal plates with a Golden Hand on the left shoulder ..." <WH: 22, 433, Out of Thin Air> At least one had "... a rattle [hanging] from his belt. One ... hefted his long cudgel, while the other lifted a catchpole ... The forked end was fashioned to catch and hold an arm or a leg or a neck, and the pole itself was belted with iron, proof against any sword or axe." <WH: 22, 437, Out of Thin Air> The cudgels and rattles both are common to the Street Guards, hanging from hooks on their belts <WH: 22, 438-440, Out of Thin Air>, as are "... catchpoles and quarterstaffs jutting up like pikes... < WH: 34, 619, The Hummingbird's Secret>; we see a quarterstaff used even to carry a sack-bound prisoner < WH: 22, 441, Out of Thin Air>.

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Costuming of the Wheel of Time

** Far Madding Guards **

Far Madding Guards