Accords of the Last Vigil

Forged in the aftermath of the Great Riftspawn War, the Accords of the Last Vigil are a network of treaties that define the place of the Rift Wardens in the world. Where the Edicts Arcanum regulate the use of magic, the Accords regulate the use of the Vigil: they grant the Wardens authority to act across borders against Rift threats, set hard limits on that authority, and bind kingdoms, churches, and underrealms to shared obligations whenever the Rift stirs.   Their primary aims are to recognize the Wardens as a neutral, supra-national order; ensure that no single crown can fully control or suppress them; guarantee them passage and support against Riftspawn; and place legal, moral, and political checks on their most controversial power—the Right of Calling. Like the Edicts, the Accords are not supernaturally binding; they rely on mutual fear, necessity, and the memory of what happens when the world faces a Riftspawn War without a standing Vigil.

I. ARTICLES OF SOVEREIGNTY

The Articles of Sovereignty define the legal existence of the Rift Wardens. They acknowledge that no single nation, church, or guild can both fight the Rift and own the Vigil without risking catastrophe.   Recognition of the Order. The Rift Wardens are recognized as a sovereign martial and mystical order, independent of all crowns and councils. They may not hold territory as a nation or levy taxes, but they possess internal law, ranks, and command structures not subject to ordinary chains of command.   Neutral Strongholds. Warden citadels, fortresses, outposts, and watchtowers named in the Accords are declared neutral ground. Within their walls, Warden law and the Accords take precedence over local law; beyond their gates, the host realm’s authority resumes. No army may besiege or occupy a recognized Warden site except by unanimous agreement of the signatories.   Internal Governance. The Accords affirm the Wardens’ right to discipline, promote, and—if necessary—execute their own under the Code of the Vigil. External courts may request inquiry or joint tribunals in extreme cases, but cannot directly command internal Warden justice.

II. ARTICLES OF PASSAGE

The Articles of Passage grant the Wardens the minimum freedom of movement required to respond to Rift threats before they become wars.   Right of Passage. Warden forces are entitled to cross borders, traverse roads, rivers, seas, and Underrealm routes within signatory realms when acting against Rift-related threats. They are expected to present their writs and intentions to local authorities, but their movement cannot be lawfully barred without formal protest to the Accords.   Operational Courtesy. Wherever time and distance permit, Wardens must notify or coordinate with local rulers, commanders, or councils. In return, those authorities are obligated to provide reasonable aid—guides, quartering, supplies at fair rate—or formally record their refusal.   Limits of Action. The Right of Passage extends only to actions directly tied to the Rift: Breachpoints, Rift Stone, Shadow Plague, Riftspawn, and cults or entities clearly serving these. Use of Warden authority in purely mortal disputes is a breach of the Accords and grounds for censure or collective reprisal.

III. ARTICLES OF THE VIGIL

These articles define the mandate and neutrality of the Wardens: what they are for, and what they are forbidden to become.   Mandate Against the Rift. The Wardens are charged to monitor, contain, and, where possible, seal manifestations of the Rift, and to hunt and destroy creatures, cults, and structures directly empowered by it. They are not empowered to police ordinary crime, heresy, or politics except where such matters intersect with Rift activity.   Political Neutrality. The Accords forbid the Wardens from endorsing claimants, holding crowns, or lending their full strength to any side in wars not touched by the Rift. Individual Wardens may hold private beliefs, but the order may not become a kingmaker.   Obligation to Withdraw. Once a breach is sealed and major Rift threats in a region are neutralized, Warden forces are expected to stand down and withdraw from civil governance, leaving rule to local authorities. Prolonged occupation must be justified before the signatories.

IV. ARTICLES OF CALLING

The most feared and necessary pieces of the Accords are the Articles of Calling, which enshrine the Right of Calling as an emergency measure when a Riftspawn War looms.   Rift Emergency. A Rift Emergency may be declared by the High Warden with assent from a quorum of Praetor Wardens and at least one recognized arcane or religious authority (typically the Order of Magi or Church of the All-Father). Once declared, it must be circulated to all signatories.   Right of Calling. During a declared Rift Emergency, regional Warden leaders may demand candidates for the Rite of Tempering from signatory realms. Candidates may include:

• Willing volunteers of any station.
• Condemned criminals whose sentences may be commuted upon survival.
• Disgraced soldiers or exiles offered a final chance at redemption.

Terms of Service. Survival of the Rite erases prior secular crimes and debts and severs previous fealties. A Tempered Warden’s sole allegiance becomes the Vigil. Realms may not recall a Tempered or demand their return without Warden consent.   Safeguards and Abuse. The Accords forbid using the Calling to dispose of inconvenient rivals, protected personages, or entire communities. Complaints of abuse may trigger Accords tribunals wherein other signatories investigate and, if necessary, sanction the offending realm or Warden commander.

V. ARTICLES OF CONCORD

The Articles of Concord bind the Accords to other great compacts of the age, particularly the Edicts Arcanum and the authority of major faiths.   Coordination with the Order of Magi. The Accords acknowledge the Edicts Arcanum and grant the Order of Magi standing as primary arcane advisors in Rift matters. Mages who join the Wardens may, by later amendment, receive exemptions from certain Edicts obligations, recognizing the unique demands of Tempered service. In return, the Wardens commit to basic compliance with arcane law and to joint oversight of high-risk magic.   Cooperation with the Church and Orders. The Church of the All-Father and the Order of the Sacred Flame are recognized as natural allies against the Rift. The Accords encourage joint operations, divided authority, and shared tribunals when Warden actions intersect strongly with religious mandates. Neither church nor Wardens may unilaterally declare the other heretical without convening an Accords council.   Shared Burdens. Signatories agree to provide defined contributions—supplies, safe harbor, troops, coin—when called upon for major Rift campaigns, in proportion to their means and proximity to the threat. Refusal is recorded and may affect future aid.

VI. ARTICLES OF REVISION AND REMEMBRANCE

Finally, the Accords recognize that treaties drafted in one age must flex in another—so long as the Vigil endures.   Council of the Last Vigil. Periodic convocations at The Citadel of the Rift, or another neutral site, allow signatories to propose amendments, air grievances, and review Warden conduct. Major changes to the Accords require broad consensus from crowns, underrealms, Magi, and churches.   Record and Witness. Each signatory realm maintains a sealed copy of the Accords. The Wardens, Order of Magi, and Church each keep their own annotated versions, recording precedents, infractions, and judgments. These chronicles form the legal memory of how the Vigil has been wielded.   Enduring Purpose. All versions of the Accords end on the same premise: the Wardens exist so that no single nation must face the Rift alone, and so that no single nation can ever wholly own the power to answer it. The treaties put a sword in the world’s hand—and then bind that hand, as best they can, from turning the blade anywhere but the breach.