Vanguards

The Vanguards (of the East) are a mysterious organization of Awakened Beings and rogue Claymores meddling with the affairs of Staff and the Abyssal ones. The Vanguards have a lack of detectable aura due to Messire combining their yoki with their souls. The female Vanguards have a silver tint to their eyes, similar to a claymore yet retain their original eye color. The Vanguards appear to have all met Blanc but couldn't beat him, sending in one of their strongest members, Harold, to kill him. The Vanguards generally see themselves as evolved and higher than other awakened and much higher than yoma and humans. The Vanguards fight against Blanc for reasons yet to be revealed.

The leader of the Vanguards is Messire or the Lord of the East. He has 10 male and female awakened at his immediate command. When on missions they are usually paired together, one male and one female. There are exceptions to this rule (Vega and Vanity) but the teams are made between the most compatible individuals. Each of the top 10 Vanguards can be considered Abyssal ones since thanks to some technique (probably a technique similar to THUMA) by Messire they could season at a much faster pace than normally possible. The actual difference in speed is unknown but estimates vary. It could be over twice as fast since Michelle and Sullivan are around 500 years old but have around 1000 years of seasoning (although Sullivan joined less than 300 years ago), but could be even closer to three times or more since Vega is around 300 years old yet possesses 800 years of seasoning (It should be noted that the time they joined the Vanguards is unknown). For theory on this, see here.

The top 10 Vanguards are ranked on how much seasoning they have, Vanguard 10 having 100 years of seasoning and Vanguard 1 having 1000 years of seasoning. Some Vanguards also chose what their awakened appearance would look like with Messire's help.

Messire makes unbreakable contracts with his vanguards which will be completed, even if death or awakening needs to be reversed. Messire helps his subordinates achieve their dreams on the condition that they give him their "Hearts" and many wish to help him achieve his dream as well.

Faith theorized that the Vanguards are named after the star constellation "The Vanguard". (c59) If her hunch is correct we still haven't seen two characters of it: Jean and Luce. This appears to be a false assumption although they may be representative of Michelle and Sullivan, the two members not included in the Vanguard constellation.

The Vanguards have a strict code of conduct and morality every member adheres to. They care deeply for each other in the organization and protect each other. They don't harm children, because they're the future. They don't harm innocent women since they will give birth to this vision of the future and they don't kill just for pleasure. However, many see humans as vermin and are not hesitant to strike down or eat a human if given the choice. Additionally, some members seem to ignore this rule entirely (Helios, Luna, depending on interpretation, Brook, Nixie, likely, Sullivan).

The Vanguards also have normal troops, which are either supporting one of their higher ups in missions, recruiting Claymores to their cause or are working independently on various missions like seen in Pieta where they worked from bodyguards to scouts etc. These troops/recruits are personally trained by Nina.

The Vanguards utilized the Apex's extensive network to conduct their recruitments and tears in secrecy. Apex would be paid in gold for any captured Claymores, and would be given Vanguard tears and Tears of fear for testing. Recently, the Vanguards have agreed to temporarily stop using the Apex due to their inefficiency, and the large loss of apex bandits to tears testing.

Each top 10 Vanguard can pick their own "Praetorian" to act as direct subordinates. One such example is Armand's pack.

The Vanguards can communicate telepathically with Messire, speaking a Latin chant to invoke a connection. Although Vega is the communications expert, Icolde handles many of the connections herself. This method of communication is sometimes forgone for a more common approach, the use of carrier pigeons to deliver messages and orders.

The vanguards go on a variety of missions:
 * Recruitment missions - usually done by trained recruiters but can be done by higher-ranking members as well. Involves the recruiting of beneficial awakened, usually of a high level of skill (but not abyssal ones). They seem to also recruit claymores un-selectively from hunting parties, traditionally leaving either the claymores of the recruiter dead.
 * Experimental testing - Test conducted on humans and occasionally, other beings. Usually involve improving the Vanguard tears/Tears of fear but also include attempts to make humans directly into awakened beings.
 * Human relations - Missions that deal with humans and negotiating with them.  They involve meddling with the fellowship and dealing with the apex, paying them for catching claymores, giving them Vanguard tears, and ordering them around to do unfavorable or extremely dangerous (for an awakened) work (catching Eliah).
 * Assorted missions - missions that benefit the vanguards in some way. Ex. Stealing back Baron Van Donnegon's drawings from The Organization, Operation Red Sea

Vanguards appear to have a great deal of free time often, and spend it freely by doing as they please.

High Commanding Officers: Known Female Vanguards:
 * Icolde Right Hand of Messire and Commander of the female Vanguards
 * Harold Left hand of Messire and commander of the male Vanguards
 * Michelle No 1
 * Vega No 3
 * Vanity No 4
 * Nina No 5
 * Luna No 7
 * Nixie No 9

Known Male Vanguards:
 * Sullivan No 2
 * Brook No 6
 * Helios No 8
 * Armand No 10

Known common troops and Praetorians:
 * Trish
 * Syl
 * Lorelei
 * Bones
 * Wyk
 * Dech
 * Trevor
 * Allen
 * Centipede Awakened