"So back in the day, when I was a riverwarden, Big Willi came round to tell me I had to leave a certain shipment alone. He said I should just let it through and everything would be alright. Of course, I was young, wasn't I? I told the ship's master all about it. And was I rewarded for my honesty? Nah, Big Willi came round and beat me up, and the next day I was drummed out of the river patrol. They were all in it together, weren't they?"
- —Nikki Schnelling, ex-riverwarden[3a]
Riverwarden
A clarion call across the murky waters of the Reik can only mean one thing: Riverwardens, also known as the Imperial River Patrol.[1a][2a][3a]In addition to the Roadwardens, the Empire makes use of a specialised force that operates fast-moving boats to patrol the Empire’s waterways. Where Roadwardens fight outlaws and brigands, the River Patrols combat pirates and smugglers. Though slavery is nominally illegal in the Empire, there are some disreputable merchants who buy Bretonnian Peasants and smuggle them into the country to work in their fields or factories. The River Patrol tends to operate on the River Reik near the larger cities, and leaving the stretches between all the more dangerous.[1a][2a]
These strong-backed lawmen must harass even innocent vessels when checking for smuggled goods, and are thus commonly perceived as little more than thugs.[2a] However, without the Riverwardens, the waters of the Empire would be ruled by worse criminals, so they are usually treated with some amount of respect. For example, many riverside villages and inns have moorings set aside for patrol vessels.[3a]
The over-worked patrols, which toil through month-long shifts at a time, are responsible for waters too large to be effectively controlled. They spend most of their time concentrating on the worst law-breakers, including pirates, murderers, and barge thieves, and allow most petty misdemeanours to slip by with spot-fines. They are a common sight on the rivers, and their patrols extend as far as Kislev.[2a][3a]
Some Riverwardens rarely step on board a vessel, instead garrisoning fortifications overlooking strategic stretches of river. Others pilot small, agile interceptors and partake in anti-smuggling operations. Some larger trade routes are patrolled by larger boats manned by Shipswords, soldiers of the River Patrol trained to deal with larger threats, such as bands of Greenskins or River Trolls.[3a]