Video Game / Vigilant

Child of Stendarr, kneel before me and obey!

— Molag Bal

Vigilant is a well-known Game Mod for The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim (also for Special Edition) by Vicn. It allows the player to join the Vigilants of Stendarr and complete various tasks called upon by the people of Skyrim. However, being a Vigilant of Stendarr is far from easy as Molag Bal will always try to interfere with your work.

The original version of the mod was released in June 2015. Vicn has since then frequently expanded on it, and a fully voiced-acted edition was eventually released in 2017.

Vigilant is the first part of a trilogy, followed by the mods Unslaad and Glenmoril, inspired by Dark Souls' Painted World of Ariamis and Bloodborne, respectively.

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This mod provides examples of:

• Affably Evil: The Anatomancer locked in the Temple of Stendarr's dungeon and Coldharbour. They're part of a group whose entire specialty is killing people for their innards and using them for various gruesome rituals, but is nothing but polite to you. Should you ask for his assistance in leaving Coldharbour, he's upfront about the cost of doing so by his methods, and refusing him has him genuinely compliment you for your determination and strength of character.
• Alas, Poor Villain: Molag Bal, of all people, gets this. With his realm ravaged by Greymarch and himself going through the effects of a Dragon Break, all he can do is sadly muse on the nature of the world and both your identity and his before facing you one last time.
  Molag Bal: Every dream comes to an end. Even dreams that no longer need their dreamer cannot escape this fate. Well, let us finish this. Tell me who I am, who you are.
• Anyone Can Die: Hoo boy. Several characters die throughout the mod, possibly including dozens of Vigilants at the hands of Altano. Some time after, the player can die as a martyr in a fire.
• Big Bad: Molag Bal serves as this.
• Burn the Witch!: In one of the endings, the player witnesses Lamae being burned after she is raped by Molag Bal. As everyone knows, it doesn't work.
• The Corrupter: Molag Bal tries to corrupt the player and successfully corrupts Altano.
• Crapsack World: Coldharbour, Molag Bal's realm.
• Deadpan Snarker: Pepe, a former Marukhati inquisitor and your guide through Coldharbour. He's been down there so long that all he has left to do is cynically snark at everything.
• Demythification: In Elder Scrolls lore, Morihaus is described as a "winged bull man" and his son, Belharza, as one of the first minotaurs. The mod depicts them both as human, with the idea of Morihaus being a minotaur coming from the fact that he never took off his armor, which was fashioned to look like a minotaur, in front of people. Belharza even scoffs at the notion that Alessia would "open her legs for a beast", and suggests the myth was Ayleid propaganda to smear his family. This having been said, Morihaus is still depicted as a demi-god with the power of the thu'um and strong enough to lift a giant with one hand, and both he and Belharza tower over other humans. Except in Belharza's case, it's all lies. Due to later members of the Alessian Order aspiring to remove all traces of the Elven and Beast races from Tamriel, the Alessians had the real Belharza replaced with a fake made from enchanting his removed horn, and made a curse that prevented anyone from remembering him as anything but an ordinary man until after his death.
• Evil Cannot Comprehend Good: A major component in why Molag Bal's plan falls apart in any ending that isn't the Worst Ending. He needs the Dragonborn to indulge in their worst vices (in gameplay terms, achieve less than 50 karma) so that he can use them as an Unwitting Pawn to escape to Aetherius and to some extent seems to expect it due to the Dragonborn's dragon soul. Obviously, this doesn't happen in any ending that isn't the Worst Ending. This especially bites him in the True Ending, where the Bard is able to let go of Lamae after her death, shocking Molag Bal who can only say he does not understand.
• Evil Versus Evil: Jyggalag is invading Coldharbour right as the Dragonborn arrives.
• For Want Of A Nail: A Dragon Break is in effect, so multiple timelines have come together. This is shown through the branching paths. Bal and Altano are both the Bard, Bal from a timeline where he remained a slave of Molag Bal and Altano from one where he broke free at the cost of his memories.
• Genre Shift: The four parts have notable differences in term of game design.
  • The first and second parts feel like classic Skyrim gameplay, respectively consisting in a series of bounty hunting quests (kill X, go back to the quest giver, kill Y, etc.) mostly entirely set in Skyrim's overworld, and a Dungeon Crawling sequence in a single, large dungeon.
  • The third part is a survival game set in a closed place and occasionally featuring unkillable monsters you must flee from, Amnesia style.
  • The fourth part is a Dark Souls-esque Metroidvania with only optional objective markers and no diary quests.
• Grand Finale: Obviously not to Skyrim or The Elder Scrolls^note the mod can be started as soon as the player gets to the inn at Dawnstar, and it's removed from the main questline, but rather, the mod as a whole is meant to act as a finale to the conflict between Molag Bal and the Dragonborn - while it's not required, it's highly recommended that you complete Molag's Daedric Quest, the entire Dawnguard DLC, and any other mods you have that involve Molag^note The Grey Cowl of Nocturnal and Rigmor of Cyrodiil being 2 prominent examples that feature Molag before tackling this quest. Although given that the mod is insanely difficult, it's recommended that you at least be level 40 before attempting it, so it's not uncommon for players to tackle the mod after beating the main quest.
• Grand Inquisitor Scene: Mary's memory, which you get to experience after defeating her in the Prison Tower sewers, is lifted almost wholesale from The Brothers Karamazov. If you make her interrupt Pepe's rant at any time, she is executed by burning, which is historically what happened. If however, you have her just glare silently at Pepe, he gets fed up and releases her.
• Handicapped Badass: Pelinal has a broken arm. This doesn't stop him from wielding a two-hander at all.
• Haunted House: Act 3 takes place in the Bruiant Mansion, where you are called on to investigate what has happened there.
• Heroes Prefer Swords: The player can use the special Vigilant sword after buying it from Gwyneth. As well, many of the better unique weapons in the mod are classed as swords.
• Hunter of His Own Kind: Varla, the son of Umaril who was adopted by Emperor Belharza and used to genocide his own kind.
• Identity Amnesia: From reading his journal, you find out that Altano was found by Jacob after having lost his memory. He even forgot his own name and had to be named Altano.
• Infinity +1 Sword: Act 4 gives the Moonlight Greatsword of Jode, a two-handed sword with excellent stats, a power tied to the blade that acts like the Bloodskal Sword's beam but stronger, an effect that makes the sword better the higher your Alteration skill, and damage that ignores armor. Unusually for this trope, the sword can be accessed very early in Act 4 by any player diligent in their explorations, allowing the Moonsword to see a fair bit of use.
• Karma Meter: The karma meter is dependent on the player's choices throughout the mod. The amount of karma obtained by the end of the game heavily factors into the player's ending.
• Maybe Magic, Maybe Mundane: Though the real Belharza is indeed a minotaur, Morihaus's true identity seems a bit more ambiguous. Belharza admits he has precious few memories of his father and notes that what he can remember almost seems to change at a whim, implying Morihaus could have been a winged man bull in some incarnations. On the other hand, Belharza also points out Morihaus had minotaurs, giants, and other non-human soldiers serving under him during Alessia's slave rebellion, voicing the idea that the traditional man bull description could have come from many of these soldiers' exploits coming to be attributed to him centuries later.
• Mercy Kill: Several times in Act IV, The Dragonborn is given the opportunity to frame their killing of several bosses and characters as this. Considering that otherwise the characters in question would be stuck in Coldharbour to lament their life choices forever, it's hard not to argue The Dragonborn who makes this argument is right, or at least sincere. Considering these dialogue choices tend to give karma and other rewards, the narrative itself certainly agrees.
• Multiple Endings: The game serves these, depending on your Karma Meter value and your choices in the game.
  • True Ending (finish with 50 karma, agree to consider a better ending when Lamae asks, and use the Lute after Lamae leaves): As detailed in Evil Cannot Comprehend Good above, the bard lets go of Lamae after her death, and Molag cannot accept this.
  • Madness Ending: (finish with 50 karma, use the Spawn after Lamae leaves, choose "Still..." when speaking with Sheogorath): Sheogorath confronts the player, who is seeing things from the perspective of Molag Bal, and taunts him for his current predicament.
  • Altano Ending (finish with 50 karma, use the Spawn after Lamae leaves, choose "Enough" when speaking with Sheogorath): Shows how Altano was first found by Jacob, blacking out in a snowstorm.
  • Bitter Ending (finish with 50 karma, insist on the original ending when Lamae asks, and use the Lute after Lamae Leaves): Shows Altano immediately reacting to the funeral of Lamae.
  • Worst Ending (reach Molag with less than 50 Karma): The Bad Guy Wins. Molag Bal abandons the realm of Coldharbor to Jyggalag, and Molag proceeds to wreak havoc upon Aetherius.
• No Name Given: The Bard is never given a name, having been forgotten by history due to his impact in Lamae Beolfag's rape being overshadowed by Molag Bal's involvement, as ultimately The Bard was little more than a conduit for Molag Bal to work through in this situation. Even in the Golden Ending, giving Molag a name to remember when he asks is less establishing who The Bard is and more giving them a way to be remembered, even if indirectly through either The Dragonborn or Stendarr. The closest we ever get to an original name for him is Altano, and that was given to him by Jacob.
• Rape as Drama: The story features Lamae Beolfag, who became the first vampire after being raped by Molag Bal.
• Retired Monster: Jhunal had become this later in his life as the Dragonborn can learn firsthand in Coldharbour. It's clear Jhunal never truly regretted his attrocious experiments, nor the destruction his Arcanes caused. He just simply ceased to perform them as they became unnecessary in his eyes. It's very apparent both from speaking to him and the events of Unslaad and Glenmoril that he only came to regret that his actions had consequences that affected himself negatively. The part of him that isn't trapped in Coldharbour is still up to his tricks.
• Roaring Rampage of Revenge: Laza. The dude sold his soul to Jyggalag, betrayed him, tore through Marukhati selectives and both Daedric armies, and finally takes on the player character. All for a shot at Molag Bal, the one who created the vampire who killed his people.
• Sequel Hook: As of 1.6, there is now an epilogue that serves to connect the mod to Vicn's other two quest mods, Glenmoril and Unslaad, through this manner. As well, a few of the new Radiant Quests introduce an organization that plays a major role in Glenmoril.
• Sequence Breaking: There's several ways to skip major parts of the story and enter Coldharbour early instead of playing the whole story.
  • At the end of Act One, the dialogue with Molag Bal allows you to submit to him.
  • Choosing in Act Two to submit to Lamae Bal and Molag Bal has the same result.
  • In Dawnstar's inn, ignoring/declining Altano and speaking with Orland the Knowledgeable, skips all three of the first Acts.
• Shout-Out: The mod is basically one big homage to FromSoftware's earlier Action RPGs: King's Field, Demon's Souls and Dark Souls. There are also Amnesia: The Dark Descent and Silent Hill vibes in Act 3.
  • The Laza of Order's armor is almost identical to that of a certain Berserker, the only difference being the paint job is white instead of black. And that can be rectified at an Anvil of Zenithar, provided you have the necessary materials
  • The Stone Pursuer's Greatsword is a longer version of the fully evolved Excellector from King's Field III.
  • The Moonlight Greatsword of Jode is the Dark Souls iteration of The Moonlight Greatsword, complete with a mechanic to have it scale its damage off of a magic stat and a skill that shoots a powerful beam of light as a ranged attack.
  • Beating Morihaus gives you a greatsword that's the Dragonslayer in everything but name. However, as the Dragonborn, you can actually let it live up to its name.
  • When asked about his armor, Ritho mentions it to be mithril, and proceeds to describe said material near exactly as it was described in Lord of the Rings.
  • In Pelinal's flashback, one of the barriers you need to lower is guarded by a trio of Aurorans named Gaia, Ortega, and Mash.
• Sole Survivor:
  • The first example is slightly played with. After Altano kills several Vigilants, only you and Gwyneth are left alive. On the other hand, managing to kill Altano at the altar of Molag Bal results in Jacob taking most of the Vigilants with him to seal the altar off, an act that apparently kills them. A Hold Guard later notes the sudden drop in population.
  • The second example involves Windhelm's investigation into its underground dungeons. As it turns out, Vigilants and some others investigated the strange statue in the dungeons and almost all were killed and/or turned into vampires, except for Jacob. He later took the documents of the event and placed them at the Vigilants' main base. Except he also died. You even find his body. He sold his wife's soul to Molag Bal to escape this fate, to his eternal regret.
• Story Branching: Happens often, as is the case in Skyrim. The mod also features major story branches at the very end of the game.
• Stealth Pun: A doozy. The flashbacks in Act IV are essentially what the various characters are constantly living through while in Coldharbour, with the implication that, without the Dragonborn's influence, they keep making the same mistake over and over again yet hoping it goes differently this time, which ties their souls to Coldharbour through regret. In almost every one of these flashbacks, Sheogorath, Daedric Prince of Madness, can be found somewhere. It's only fitting really, since these flashbacks are pretty much the definition of insanity.
• Supporting Protagonist: The Dragonborn is ultimately this. While they are the player character, the story is really about the Bard/Altano/Bal and his/their relationship to Lamae, the Alessian Order, and how Molag Bal interfered with both.
• Thanatos Gambit: Pepe ultimately leads you to kill Maruhk and break the barrier stopping Greymarch from entering, so that everyone in Coldharbor can just die already.
• Underground City: The player must travel through one underneath Windhelm, as Jacob's investigation team once tried to 20 years before.
• Unwitting Pawn:
  • The Bard made a deal with Molag Bal hoping to win Lamae. Molag Bal simply used him as a vessel to rape her and create the first vampire.
  • The Alessian Order were tricked into Daedric worship with the Ada-Bal.
• Villain Respect: The Golden Ending has you earn Molag Bal's respect after you successfully get the Bard to let go of Lamae after her death.
• Wham Line: In Act IV, upon getting to the Barrier Tower of Bala, two Alessian Guards take a defensive stance upon seeing the Dragonborn... Only for a far older figure decide it's his turn instead. A figure so old and legendary that it shows the player this plot goes back far farther than previously thought.
  Morihaus: Fus Ro Dah!
• What Could Have Been: In-Universe, this is what the good outcomes of Act IV's flashbacks work as. Since the souls these flashbacks belong to are long dead, the best you can do is show them what might have happened had they not fallen under Molag Bal's influence. This allows them to move on, which thematically is why these flashbacks grant positive karma.

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