### **Basic Information** - **Name:** The Undercroft Vigil - **Alias/Nicknames:** The Vigil, The Watchers Below, Shadow Wardens - **Type:** Protective Society/Intelligence Network/Security Force - **Symbol/Emblem:** A hooded lantern over crossed keys on a dark gray field - **Headquarters/Base of Operations:** The Undercroft, a network of reinforced tunnels beneath [[Stromhaven]] - **Scale & Reach:** Local to [[Stromhaven]] with informant connections throughout [[Rivermarch]] ### **Purpose & Goals** - **Primary Objective:** Protect [[Stromhaven]] and its citizens from threats within and without, particularly those that operate in the shadows - **Core Ideology:** Vigilance against hidden dangers; protection through intelligence and preparation; the best defense is knowing your enemy - **Methods & Operations:** Information gathering, surveillance of suspicious activities, maintenance of the undercity, and discreet neutralization of threats - **Notable Activities:** - Maintaining a network of informants throughout the city - Patrolling the undercity tunnels to prevent criminal activity - Monitoring visitors and recent arrivals to the city - Preparing contingency plans for various threats - Securing the city's underground infrastructure ### **Structure & Leadership** - **Leader(s):** ???? - **Hierarchy & Ranks:** - Vigil Master - Overall leader and strategist - Lantern Bearers - Senior officers who manage specific aspects of the Vigil - Keyholders - Trusted agents with access to sensitive areas and information - Shadows - Regular members who patrol and gather information - Eyes and Ears - Informants and part-time associates - **Recruitment & Membership:** - Selective recruitment based on recommendation from existing members - Preference for those with useful skills: former thieves, rangers, scouts, and those good at remaining unnoticed - Many members come from the Ysoki community, though all races are represented - **Key Figures:** - [[Tybalt Rattigan]]: Founder and leader, master of information and subterfuge - [[Grev Lockewarren]]: Chief of tunnel operations and maintenance - [[Fizzle]]: Master of disguise and infiltration - [[Nib]]: Communications specialist coordinating informant networks ### **Influence & Power** - **Allies & Affiliations:** - [[House Rattigan]]: Family connections provide resources and support - [[Rivermarch's Leadership]]: Operates with the tacit approval of [[Brinn Whitewood]] - Select merchants and innkeepers who serve as information sources - [[Maximus]]: Coordinator of above-ground security who works in tandem with the Vigil - **Enemies & Rivalries:** - Criminal elements attempting to establish themselves in Stromhaven - Spies from rival powers, particularly [[Pitax]] and hostile River Kingdoms - [[Mosswater Syndicate]]: Competing for control of underground activities - [[Whispering Blades]]: Assassins guild that occasionally targets Rivermarch interests - **Reputation & Public Perception:** - Most common citizens are only vaguely aware of their existence - Those "in the know" see them as a necessary safeguard - Some view them with suspicion as potential secret police - Criminals fear them as omnipresent watchers - **Military/Magical Strength:** - Around 30-40 full members, plus a network of informants - Specialized in stealth, subterfuge, and guerrilla tactics rather than direct confrontation - Limited magical resources focused on divination, illusion, and communication - Designed to delay and alert rather than defeat large forces ### **History & Lore** - **Founding & Origins:** Established shortly after the founding of Rivermarch - **Major Historical Events:** - The uncovering of Pitaxian spies during Rivermarch's first year - The Tunnel Expansion that connected key points throughout Stromhaven - Successful prevention of several assassination attempts against city leaders - The integration of refugee [[Ysoki]] into the organizational structure - **Scandals & Secrets:** - Some members have been known to use their position for personal gain - The full extent of the tunnel network is known only to Tybalt and select Lantern Bearers - Maintains a secret prison for high-value captives - Has contingency plans to eliminate certain individuals if they prove dangerous to Rivermarch - **Current Struggles:** - Balancing security with privacy rights of citizens - Expanding operations to match the growth of Stromhaven - Tension with more traditional military forces over jurisdiction - Infiltration attempts by agents of [[Castruccio Irovetti]] ### **Culture & Traditions** - **Core Values & Ethics:** - "Knowledge before action" - Intelligence gathering is prioritized - "The shadows protect the light" - Working unseen to maintain peace - Loyalty to Rivermarch above personal interests - Pragmatism in addressing threats - **Rituals & Initiations:** - The Night of Lanterns - formal induction requiring a night spent in the deepest tunnels - The Exchange of Secrets - trust-building exercise among members - Regular password changes based on coded references to current events - Ritual maintenance of personal equipment seen as a form of meditation - **Notable Sayings/Mottos:** - "Eyes open, shadows close" - "What lurks below shapes what stands above" - "In darkness, we are the light" - **Symbols of Authority:** - Specially crafted lanterns that mark rank and role - Unique keys that access restricted areas of the Undercroft - Signal whistles with distinctive tones for various alerts - Tokens bearing the Vigil's symbol used for identification ### **Additional Notes** - **Vibe & Inspirations:** - Secret police meets neighborhood watch - Renaissance Venetian intelligence networks - Urban fantasy underground guardians - Blend of necessity-driven vigilance and potential for overreach - **Adventure Hooks:** - Recruitment into the Vigil for specialized missions - Investigation of a breach in the tunnel system - Uncovering a double agent within the organization - Using the Undercroft as a secret passage during city emergencies - Training new recruits in the arts of information gathering and stealth