LEAD GUARDSMAN Age Range: Late 30s to Early 50s Voice Type: Bass-Baritone to Bass

CHARACTER ESSENCE: A career city guard who's risen through the ranks through a mixture of competence, political savvy, and carefully managed corruption. His voice should carry the weight of authority tinged with world-weary cynicism. There's an underlying craftiness beneath his official demeanor - someone who knows exactly how much pressure to apply in any given situation.

VOCAL QUALITIES:

• Official, authoritative tone that can shift between public and private faces
• Ability to convey threat through implication rather than volume
• Natural command presence with undertones of calculation
• Controlled delivery that suggests someone used to weighing their words

PERFORMANCE NOTES: The role demands a voice that can project both legitimate authority and subtle menace. The Lead Guardsman should sound like someone who's mastered the art of working within the system while bending it to his advantage. His interactions should suggest years of experience in knowing exactly how far rules can be stretched.

Key traits to convey:

• Official authority that masks personal ambition
• Calculated manipulation behind professional courtesy
• Ability to shift between public servant and private enforcer
• Comfortable wielding both legitimate and illegitimate power

Voice should suggest someone who's learned to use their position as both shield and weapon, equally at home delivering official pronouncements or veiled threats.

AGE NOTES: Should sound experienced enough to have earned their position but vital enough to maintain their authority through presence rather than just rank.