The Dawnguard is an order of vampire hunters founded in the First Era. Its roots lie in Fort Dawnguard, a fortress in the Rift of Skyrim originally built by the Jarl of Riften to contain his own son, who had been turned into a vampire. After the son’s death, the keep remained dedicated to the hunting and destruction of vampires.
Over centuries, the Dawnguard waxed and waned. Sometimes it stood as Skyrim’s shield against nocturnal predators; at other times, it lapsed into obscurity, its halls abandoned. By the late Third Era, the order had all but vanished, remembered only in legend.
The Dawnguard are devoted to one cause: the eradication of vampires and the protection of mortals from their predations. Unlike the Vigilants of Stendarr, who battle Daedra broadly, the Dawnguard specialize in the vampire threat.
Core tenets:
Defense of the Innocent: Guard mortals against the corruption of vampirism.
Relentless Hunt: Pursue vampires wherever they lurk, from caverns to courts.
Mastery of Arms: Employ weapons, crossbows, and enchantments tailored to destroy the undead.
Neutrality: Serve Skyrim’s people, not jarls or politics.
Their identity is one of militant guardianship — grim, relentless, but not fanatical.
The Dawnguard is more warband than bureaucracy, organized around strong leadership and discipline:
Leader: In the Fourth Era, the Dawnguard was reborn under Isran, a former Vigilant of Stendarr disillusioned with their laxity.
Captains and Veterans: Experienced hunters who command patrols and train recruits.
Recruits: Adventurers, mercenaries, and common folk who take up arms against vampires.
Allies: Blacksmiths, crossbow-makers, and even tamed trolls, all contributing to the order’s arsenal.
Unlike other factions, membership is defined by commitment, not birth or creed. Anyone willing to fight the undead is welcomed.
The heart of the order is Fort Dawnguard, a sprawling fortress hidden in the Rift’s valleys. Once derelict, Isran restored it as bastion against the rising vampire threat in 4E 201.
The fort houses forges, barracks, libraries, and training yards. Its walls bristle with ballistae, while its armories produce unique weapons like the famed Dawnguard crossbow. It stands as beacon of resistance against the night.
By 4E 201, Skyrim faced unprecedented vampire resurgence under Lord Harkon of the Volkihar Clan. Seeking to fulfill the Prophecy of the Tyranny of the Sun, Harkon sought to use Auriel’s Bow to blot out the sun itself.
Isran reformed the Dawnguard in direct response, rallying warriors to confront this existential threat. The Last Dragonborn became central to their struggle, tipping balance against Harkon’s clan.
The Dawnguard’s rebirth restored order of vampire hunters to prominence after centuries of decline.
The Dawnguard employ both conventional arms and specialized tools designed to counter vampires:
Crossbows: Signature weapon, piercing vampire defenses with bolts of steel and silver.
Sunhallowed Arrows: Blessed munitions crafted for Auriel’s Bow, devastating to undead.
Warhammers and Axes: Heavy arms favored for crushing vampire abominations.
Armored Trolls: Tamed beasts fitted with barding, unleashed in sieges against vampire lairs.
Magic: Some Dawnguard employ Restoration and sun-magic, though the order prioritizes steel over sorcery.
Their methods are ruthless but effective: daylight raids, ambushes at lairs, and siege warfare against vampire strongholds.
Vigilants of Stendarr: Share similar goals, but Isran sees them as naïve zealots unprepared for true war. The Dawnguard’s discipline contrasts with the Vigilants’ fanaticism.
The Empire and Stormcloaks: The Dawnguard remain neutral, uninterested in Skyrim’s civil war. Both sides tolerate them as necessary evil against vampires.
College of Winterhold: Occasional allies for magical research, though the Dawnguard distrust overreliance on sorcery.
Volkihar Clan: Mortal enemies, embodying everything the Dawnguard exist to destroy.
The Dawnguard foster a culture of discipline, vigilance, and sacrifice.
Brotherhood: Members call each other brothers and sisters in arms.
Austerity: Mead and feasts are rare; theirs is life of watchfulness, not revelry.
Symbolism: Their banners bear the rising sun, symbol of light against darkness.
Pragmatism: Though devoted to justice, they lack zealotry. Their hatred is for vampires, not for magic, gods, or politics.
This ethos makes them respected, even by those who mistrust militant orders.
To common folk, the Dawnguard are heroes. Tales of vampire hunters inspire gratitude and awe, though also fear of their severity. Some whisper they are little better than mercenaries, but most see them as last defense against creatures of the night.
Among Nords, their independence from both Empire and Stormcloaks bolsters their reputation as protectors of Skyrim itself.
The Dawnguard are testament to endurance. Founded in grief, abandoned for centuries, they rose again when Skyrim needed them most. Where others faltered, they adapted, embracing new weapons and methods.
By 4E 201, their renewed war against vampires defines them. Whether Harkon’s clan is destroyed or not, the Dawnguard stand as living reminder that Skyrim’s people are not defenseless.
Their legacy is vigilance: the belief that no matter how deep the night, there will always be watchers on the wall, armed with steel and sun, to drive it back.