| Golden Crescent | |
|---|---|
 | |
General Information
| |
| Races | Any |
| Alignment | Neutral |
| Key Members | Unknown |
| Leaders | The Abbot |
| Adversaries | Law enforcement organisations across Tamriel |
Historical Information
| |
| Founder(s) | Unknown |
| Founding | Unknown |
Other Information
| |
| System | Monastic order |
| Years Active | Unknown |
| Demonym | Monk of the Golden Crescent |
The Golden Crescent is a monastic order that trains and conditions its monks into highly disciplined assassins. They offer their expertise to Tamriel's nobility and whoever else can afford it. In this manner, they are similar to the Dark Brotherhood, although they do not adhere to any specific religious practices.
Overview[]
Little to nothing is known about the history of the Golden Crescent. They keep no archives of their deeds and no one is allowed inside their monastery but their own members, meaning that the records that exist about them are subject to speculation and are based on hearsay. Their first appearances, and likely their founding, can be traced back to about the second century of the Third Era, when their monastery was first discovered in the Blackwood of Cyrodiil near the border with Black Marsh, shortly after the first assassinations on high-ranking Imperial officials. Seeing as they offer their services exclusively in a mercenary manner, it can be led to believe that there was a wealthy benefactor involved in their founding, since they could never have started their business if no one knew of them.
The Golden Crescent is reputed to be responsible for many assassinations in the highest spheres of Tamriel's society. For instance, one former member claimed to have assassinated the lord of Farrun, which allegedly was one of his more menial tasks. However, there is no proof to support any of these rumours, as no monk has ever left a trace of the Golden Crescent's involvement.
Tenets[]
As is becoming of a monastic order, the Golden Crescent's monks live by strict tenets that they are conditioned to abide at all times. These tenets, while not religious in nature, quite clearly draw on spiritual principles that focus on inner balance and discipline. There are a great many tenets that the Golden Crescent live by, which describe how they are to behave at any given time, but the following are the three core ones.
- Abide your seniors: The first rule initiates learn upon being inducted into the Golden Crescent is that they must at all times follow the orders of those with more authority. The Golden Crescent enforces this tenet very harshly, as they respect authority in an almost religious manner.
- Respect your peers, do not sustain them: While monks are supposed to treat their fellow monks with respect and brotherhood, they are not allowed to help them if they fail to accomplish their tasks. This is because one becomes lazy and weak if one can rely on the aid of others.
- Always maintain discipline: Monks of the Golden Crescent believe they can find boundless strength through perfect inner balance. They seek to achieve this balance by maintaining pure discipline at all times.
Organisation[]
The Golden Crescent's monastery
The Golden Crescent maintains a simple yet very strict hierarchy, one that defines the way of life for the order's monks. At the bottom are the novices, which are the children they abduct into the order at the age of five. These children remain novices for ten years, a period in which they learn the skills and abilities they need as monks and are conditioned to follow the tenets and obey their superiors without question.
Friars form the majority of the Crescent's monks. They are the order's field agents, equipped with the complete skillset that gives the Crescent its infamous reputation. They are usually entirely indoctrinated into the Crescent's tenets (although there is one notable exception: Vespus Theronian).
The Seniors function as the Crescent's overseers. They ensure order among the monks, always searching for slacking or break in discipline. They are also responsible for educating the initiates, employing their many years of experience and dedication in service of the next generation of monks.
All of the above are being watched over by the gaze of the Abbot. The Abbot is the head of the Golden Crescent, and serves in this position from the day he is elected from the ranks of the Seniors until his body becomes too frail to carry on. He appears to be the only one who is aware of the truth about the Crescent's mercenary purposes, and therefore can be presumed to be the one Tamriel's nobles come into contact with if they seek the Crescent's services. The Abbot is the only monk not subject to the order's indoctrination, as he is aware of the Crescent's true purpose.