Shattered Kingdoms

Since when have the halberds that the peacekeepers use become reaching weapons?

When weren't they? Halberds are polearms, which are reaching weapons.

wow then I really dodged the crap out of them 100% for a long time, hmm.

Or.. the peacekeepers didn't have enough money to afford weapons maybe?
They've had them for as long as I can remember, just like the North has pikes.

Peacekeepers have been reaching since 1999. Great year.

Pro-tip: Most, if not all, of the taslamaran guards have tanso steel weapons.

another question I look north and I see

A Peacekeeper is nearby north from here.
A street sweeper is not too far off north from here.
A Peacekeeper cadet and a freeman of Exile are a long ways off north from here.

I walk into the room and I see....

A Peacekeeper templar is here, his stern face watchful.
A Peacekeeper templar is here, his stern face watchful.
A Peacekeeper templar is here, his stern face watchful.
A Peacekeeper is here, patrolling the city.

What is the reason I couldn't see them before, are they invisible until I walk into the room. Are the Bounty NPCs?

Yes, templars are bounty NPCs. They have a chance of spawning as you move throughout a country you are a recorded criminal in.

Why can I summon them, then?

At least, I think I could, last time I checked.

you probably could if you are really patient

especially when a game hasn't been reset and there's been multiple templars spawning and respawning in different areas

so for example c summon 10.templar up to high amounts like 60.templar

the summon code summons NPCs by their short description keywords so it's potentially possible to get like any templar in the game