User blog comment:Sicknote45/The Elder Scrolls V: Dawnguard: Vampire Lord or Dawguard Defender/@comment-5220961-20120624082038/@comment-24.228.111.45-20120624191140

The crossbows might just be like bows on your followers, you can see it, but you can't take it after they die. They could just say its blessed by Stendarr or Meridia so it melts your arms off for touching it. Their armor might be the same thing as the Brotherhood and Thieves Guild too. Since it would make no sense for Beth to make two factions you can join, and then let you have everything just by killing the other guy.