Dawnguard ( Faction ) The Dawnguard are a joinable faction in . They are an ancient order of vampire hunters , once retired but have recently been revived by Isran , a former Vigilant of Stendarr , now dedicated to eradicating Vampires throughout Skyrim . Fort Dawnguard serves as their headquarters and can only be accessed via Dayspring Canyon located in the snowy mists , east of Riften , near Stendarr ' s Beacon . History . The history of the Dawnguard is vague and is surrounded by rumors and hearsay . What little is known , however , is that the group was formed in the Second Era by the Jarl of Riften at that time . The Jarl ' s son , through his overly confident and adventurous pursuits , contracted vampirism one day . The Jarl refused to kill his own son , so instead he commissioned the construction of a fort and hired a large mercenary force , later branded the " Dawnguard , " to keep his son quarantined . Some say the Dawnguard had to put the Jarl ' s son down and were banished from the hold . The Dawnguard , however , continued their work as vampire hunters until they broke up , due to the fact people increasingly disregarded the threat of vampires , weakening the power and respect of the Dawnguard . Others claim that the Dawnguard , upon seeing the immense power of a vampire , decided to become vampires themselves . They were said to have preyed on the Rift until they were hunted down . Even more rumors say that the Dawnguard were disliked because of their abuse of power as they went on nightly raids and pillaged small villages without any probable cause . Interactions . Random vampire encounters . Hostile vampires begin to appear in cities at night at around level 7 – 8 , and rumors of a group of vampire hunters called the Dawnguard can be heard at level 10 , thus opening the Dawnguard questline . Alternately , Fort Dawnguard ( and the questline ) is accessible at level 1 right after the Dragonborn ' s escape from Helgen . Visit Dayspring Canyon , the entrance to which is located just off the road , near the eastern edge of Skyrim and almost directly east of Riften , downhill to the north - northwest from Stendarr ' s Beacon . Guild perks . The unique benefits of joining the Dawnguard include full access to Fort Dawnguard , various new weapons , armor , and spells to help fight vampires , such as crossbows , Dawnguard armor , and faction - specific spells such as Sun Damage and Vampire ' s Bane . Furthermore , Dawnguard members can also hire Armored Troll s for 500 apiece , which serve as temporary followers . If caught as a vampire after joining the Dawnguard Isran will direct the player to Falion in Morthal to cure the Vampirism . If deciding to become a vampire after joining the Dawnguard it is best to do so after finishing the questline as they will refuse any further communication or cooperation . Members . Other . Generic Dawnguard members can be randomly encountered in the world if Harkon ' s court is joined . Each wears pieces of the Dawnguard Armor set . They are hostile towards members of the Volkihar Clan . Equipment . Crossbows are the trademark weapons of the Dawnguard . Members of the order typically wear Dawnguard Armor that is available in both heavy and light armor variants .