The Grey Ledger

The First Watch

(The wind howls across the high battlements, biting through your tunic. A dwarf with a beard the color of iron stands beside you. He does not look at you; his eyes are fixed on the darkness of the valley below. He hands you a heavy, rough-spun grey cloak.)

"Put it on. You're shivering, and a shivering dwarf can't hold a crossbow steady.

"You're looking at the Great Hall down in the city. I can hear the songs from here. The Vanguard is feasting. They are toasting a victory, and they deserve it. They are the Fist. They strike, they break, and they return to glory.

"But we? We are not the Fist. We are the Skin. We are the Wall.

"We don't get the songs, lad. We get the wind. We get the rain. We get the silence. While they sleep, we watch. While they feast, we watch. When the mountain crumbles, we are the ones holding it together.

"Your father stood on this stone. See that groove under your boots? That’s where his boots wore the granite down. And his father before him. You aren't just taking a job. You are stepping into their footprints.

"This is The Grey Ledger. It contains the rules of the quiet life. Read it. Then take your place. The sun is setting, and the mountain never sleeps."

The Grey Ledger: Manual of the Stonewatch

Motto: The Mountain Never Sleeps.

I. The Philosophy of the Wall

We are the unblinking eye of the mountain. We do not seek the "Forge-Deed" or personal glory.

• The Faceless Wall: We serve the city, not our own names. You are known by your post—"West Gate," "Spire Watch"—not your lineage.

• The Anvil: The Vanguard is the hammer; we are the anvil. We hold the line so they can strike.

• The Choice: We are autonomous. If a Vanguard officer gives you an order, it is counsel, not command. You hold your post until our Captain relieves you.

II. The Uniform of Vigilance

You will not shine. A reflection on the wall is a beacon to the enemy.

• The Grey Cloak: Woven from highland wool and treated with rock-oil. It is windproof, water-resistant, and camouflaged against the granite. A weathered, stained cloak is a badge of honor; a clean one is the mark of a raw recruit.

• The Iron Clasp: You wear a single, unadorned iron clasp. It is a mark of duty, not rank.

• The Armor: Do not polish your plate. We treat our metal with dulling agents. We blend with the stone.

III. The Hierarchy of Stone

We report only to the Defense Commander.

• Watchman: The base soldier. You are the eyes.

• Stone-Sergeant: Commander of a specific wall section or tower.

• Watch-Lieutenant: Commander of a full battlement (e.g., South High Wall).

• Captain of the Watch: The single commander of our order.

IV. The Sacred Marks

The wall remembers those who stood before you. Respect the marks of the vigil.

• The Worn Path: The channel in the stone behind the crenellations is carved by the boots of your ancestors. Walk in it.

• The Cup Stone: If you find a small depression on a merlon, do not fill it with mortar. That is where 600 years of Watchmen have set their ale mugs. It is a shared inheritance.

• The Bowman’s Notch: The groove in the stone where bows have leaned for generations. It is a mark of readiness.

V. The Oath of the Sentinel

At sunset, place your hand on the raw, living stone of the battlement and speak the words:

"I am the eyes that do not close. I am the skin that feels the storm. I am the stone that does not move. While the mountain stands, I stand."

VI. Protocols and Relations

The Vanguard ("Glory Hounds") They will call you "Gargoyle." You will call them "Pretty Shield." It is the way of things. Respect their strength, but pity their need for applause. We know the truth: The wall is still here when they get back.

The Common Folk They will not cheer for you. But the smith will leave you water, and the baker will hand you bread. Nod to them. That silence is their thanks.

VII. The Endless Watch

We do not seek the "glorious death" of the charge. We seek the endurance of the mountain. If you fall, you will be remembered not in a song, but in the silence of the sunrise that finds the city still safe.

Take your post, Watchman.

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