The Vigilant Rule of 4E 35

It has been 30 years since we first took our vows; then, we were known as Crusaders, sworn guards of Stendarr’s temple. We knew then, as we say now with vigor, that our oaths would draw us out beyond the narrow scope of defending that holy building. We knew that Stendarr’s Mercy would not cease at the doors of a temple, but must be brought to a world beset by foul aberrations of Oblivion. Brothers and sisters, it is my sincerest hope that this codex serves our order well into its years, and that our Vigil will stand strong for many, many years to come.

“Listen closely, initiate. To wear the amulet of the Steadfast is to live by a code of steel and spirit. If you falter, you do not just fail yourself—you leave an opening for the Daedra to slip through.”

The Commandments of the Vigil

In the unholiest of nights, the Commandments of the Vigil have been a steadfast spiritual rigor and conferment of strength to persevere. All brothers and sisters must bear them in mind, body, and soul, until their last breath.

The Vow of Absolute Purity

You shall have no commerce with Daedra. You will not speak their names in reverence, you will not strike bargains for their 'gifts,' and you will never wield their cursed artifacts. To touch a Daedric Prince’s relic is to stain your soul; such items must be seized and brought to the Vigil for containment or destruction.

The Mercy of the Healer

Stendarr is the God of Charity. You are required to offer healing to any mortal who is diseased or injured, provided they do not serve the dark. We take no gold for these blessings; our payment is the restoration of the innocent.

The Burden of the Mace

We do not use the blades of common sellswords. You shall train in the use of the mace and the warhammer. It is the traditional weapon of our order, designed to crush the bone of the undead and the armor of the cultist alike.

The Discipline of the Mind

A Vigilant’s best defense is their faith. You must master the Schools of Restoration and Alteration. Your magic is not for vanity, but to create wards against Daedric fire and to harden your skin like oak when the beast strikes.

The Law of No Exception

Do not be swayed by 'civilised' monsters. A vampire in a fine doublet is still a parasite. A werewolf who claims to control the beast is still a ticking clock of carnage. The Vigil has no mercy to spare for the Abominations—only the peace of the grave.

Obedience to the Keeper

You serve the Order. Whether stationed at a Hall or patrolling the wilderness, you go where the corruption is thickest. You report all sightings of Daedric influence to the Keeper immediately.

The Rules of Engagement

To follow the Light is one thing - to stay alive while doing so is another. The Vigil is not merely a sect of monks set upon a mission, we are a Knightly Order, and must engage with the acumen that befits our station.

The Rule of Two

No one Vigilant will ever be enough to both defend the innocent and vanquish darkness. All Knights will travel in pairs, a number small enough to move quickly but not leaving a single Knight without an earthly ally. The senior Knight will always see first to the defense of the defenseless, and only when Stendarr’s Mercy is enacted will he turn to aid his brother in the banishing of abhorrence.

The Rule of Sacrifice

All Vigilants are always prepared to pay the ultimate price in the service of our Lord Stendarr. There are select instances, however, in which the greater good calls not for the life of a Vigilant, but his continued strength:

In such case that the Vigilant’s death will leave innocents defenseless, his duty must instead be to escort as many innocents to safety as possible.

At such time that the Vigilant’s death will not meaningfully halt the onslaught of aberrations, will not afford ample time to his allies elsewhere, and will not provide defense for the defenseless, it is a greater cause for the Vigilant to survive such that his strength may be added to that of his brothers in battles yet to come.

The Contingency of Retreat

The Vigilant does not retreat for fear of casualty or safety; each brother and each sister knows the value of our cause, and will not so easily be cowed. The sole Contingency of Retreat, however, is that no Knight Vigilant shall pursue glory over our great calling. When the strategic choice is to inform the Vigil and return with more brothers, and it does not endanger the common people to do so, no Vigilant shall engage the enemy underprepared. We are trained to lay down our lives, but Stendarr does not honor those who throw their lives to the wolves like scrap.