Preachings of the Shadow.

Watching from atop the altar toward the entrance of the hall, the hooded figure counted only a handful of undead enter the chapel. Leaning toward his companion he muttered "I was expecting more.."
Standing at ease, the commander Lightslayer merely nods as he analyses each of the individuals that enter the dank and dimly lit room. As what seemed to be the last few entering and seating themselves, the Shadowpope cleared his throat before addressing his audience.

"I bid you all welcome." His voice echoes through the chapel.
"We of the Forgotten Shadow are here to share our knowledge and insight with those who would care to listen. The Forgotten Shadow is the embodiment of order within the world. It is the Balance of Light and Darkness. It is the monitoring of Holiness and Evil within Azeroth, and it is our duty and purpose ensure this delicate balance is not upset. 'Why?' you ask, 'Why do you think you sit in-between? Are you not Forsaken, a creature of Darkness?'. It is true that we are unholy beings, abominations reanimated from the grave to serve a darker purpose. It was in this manner that makes us of the Darkness, but it does not mean we are evil."

While speaking in a softer tone he begins to slowly pace back and forth."We broke free of the Lich King's grasp thanks to our beloved Dark Lady, and we have regained our free will. We were once good people, brought back from death by evil means. If you have the willpower and mentality to throw away the shackles of hatred and jealousy, if you are capable of thinking with a clear mind then you will see wisdom in my words. As Forsaken, we have seen both sides of the Balance; we have seen that blind faith to the Light did not provide salvation. under rule of the Lich King we have seen the horrors of frenzied slavery of evilness. It is our belief that neither of the two views should overcome the other, and born from this notion do we of the Forgotten Shadow exist. Shadow, for all intents and purposes is a dark art. It is also a means to an end, The Light has forsaken us and so we turn to Shadow. It is from the power of Shadow do we draw our power to fulfil the order of Balance."
The robed figure ceases to pace, watching the congregation with a careful eye from the corner his hood. "Shadow is not without its temptations, the power it provides will try and consume you and you will be blinded by your own lust for it. It takes a stable mind and the willpower to harness the Shadow without being consumed by its hateful energy. It is through this power that we may make the decisions required for Balance. To be restricted by morals and values is to think irrationally, trying to solve the issue without confronting it directly. We do what must be done."

Approaching the podium once more he rests both hands upon the wooden surface, speaking in a deep and sombre voice."Through the power of Shadow, and through the four tenets of the Forgotten Shadow, do we begin our path toward Balance. Listen carefully, for without following these tenets you will fall astray, like many of our kind."

The Shadowpope turns to face the Lightslayer commander, nodding simultaneously before addressing his listeners. "Tenacity: Through our unwavering devotion to the Shadow does one begin their path toward balance. To be tenacious is to be adamant in ones will to shape the world around you. Striving for balance, not only in ones self but in the world around them, no matter the circumstances is the beginning of the individuals path of Shadow. Everything should be questioned; Why are things the way they are? How did they become this way? How will these events affect the future? A great deal of decision-making falls upon the shoulders of those who follow the Forgotten Shadow, we must remain tenacious in our cause or become nothing but mindless undead as we were under the rule of the Lich King."

"Respect: To have respect goes far beyond the common ideal of looking up to an idol. An acolyte of the Forgotten Shadow must learn to understand the workings of the universe and the balance, and in so doing he will learn to respect the sheer gravity of his position. Respect is, within itself, a tool of balance. One must give part of oneself in order to receive something in turn, this goes as far as the workings of the Shadow, by devoting ones will, learning the intricacies of the balance you will be rewarded by the Shadow in kind. Though to respect and be respected are vital in the path toward balance on the physical plain as well. Without showing respect, both toward foe and ally alike, You will underestimate their power and could result in dire consequences. A lack of respect means you shall not be respected and in turn this means your words and actions hold little to no sway on your path toward Balance. To respect the enemy is to understand they have achieved power in their own way, and thus to be wary, whilst being respected by them shows you display power of your own, proving further that the Forgotten Shadow grants power to those that can wield it." He trails off for a moment, listening to the murmur of undead that are sitting before him. Clearing his throat, he speaks over the noise.

"Compassion: Compassion is one of the hardest tenets to understand. This tenet will be the deciding factor on your path toward true balance. To gauge the threats of the world, to decide whom is deemed an enemy of the balance is a complicated one. Each side of the alignment scale has their place on Azeroth, and deciding who tips the scales too far in their favour requires thorough forethought. The burden placed upon the shoulders of the Forsaken is a heavy one, we were robbed of our life and sentenced to this cursed state. The hate we feel for what has happened to us runs deep within our souls, and feel the burning desire for vengeance. I too hated the living in my early days, being hunted by them as though i were still Scourge. However, I have come to terms with the fact that the hate I feel does nothing but cloud judgement and consume the mind. Even if I were to kill hundreds upon hundreds of the living with my bare hands, it will not change the outcome of my fate that has been cursed upon me. As a member of the forgotten shadow the enemy is not the living, it is not those of a certain race, it is not those who place themselves in petty wars over sovereignty or racial hate. Those who disturb the balance of light and darkness, those who try to overwhelm the other, are our enemies." As he finishes speaking the murmuring begins again, this time with sounds of mixed emotion. he holds up a gloved hand to signal for silence before continuing.

"Finally; Power. One of the most important tenets to master, as well as being the most difficult.. Though the most rewarding of all. The Acolyte must strive to attain the power necessary in order to preserve the balance, without power you will be quickly overwhelmed by the forces that work against you, holy and unholy alike. Practising the tenets mentioned here will grant you the power to defend the balance, and cut out those who would attempt to upset it. Through both my living and undead days I've seen the corruption that follows for those whom seek it. Through our devotion to the Forgotten Shadow, we learn to harness unimaginable power. Though be warned, In the path toward Balance it is of utmost importance to learn when to restrain your taste for power, as grasping more than what you are mentally capable of will lead to your downfall. Through the other tenets will your power grow, for without tenacity your will remain weak, without respect you will lack understanding and perish to those who are more powerful than you. Without compassion you will lose all restraint of your power, your judgement clouded and be consumed by hate, and you will become nothing more than the instrument you are sworn to defend against."

"So go now, dwell upon what has been said this day and relinquish the hate that you harbour. Think with a clear mind about how you perceive this world and what we as the Forgotten Shadow may offer."


The Shadowpope slowly shook his head as he watched the hall empty out."I can see many not truly understand." He said warily to the Lightslayer, keeping his sullen eyes on the exit."I fear our kind slipping deeper into hate and madness day by day."
Following his companion's gaze before looking back at him, he nods in conclusion. "There was no uproar this time however. To say the very least, their tolerance is rising."
"You may be right." sighed the robe figure. Collecting his parchments from the podium he signals for them leave, the halls echoing with their footsteps.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

((OOC: Forgotten Shadow is a break-away faction from the Cult of Shadow. As depicted above, we are trying to establish a neutral aligned undead RP guild. I would have posted this much sooner but i was called away by work unexpectedly.

This wasn't RP'ed out ingame, and as such anyone can claim they attended if they wish. ))

Absolutely wonderful and I even got chills!! I swear you icky undead never cease to creep me out

Very.. interesting.. very interesting indeed!

I loved the sermon just to add for obvious reasons

Well written, Tik, only unfortunate that it is horrible, horrible blasphemy.

*Bows* Thank you for your kind words, though all imbalances of Azeroth will be purged.

Testify brother, testify!

Really nicely written and very creative.

(( Well written, enjoyed reading it If it is fine, Rasonal attended. ))

Rasonal walked towards the Podium, the cultists next to him protesting. “Ve, I, vill respond to this. Nov, you may sstand by my side and be quite, or get losst!” He snapped at the Cultist, who muttered a curse and followed.

Rasonal observed the Gathered, and nodded. “Brrothers and Sissters of the Forsaken Nation, Yes, Brotherss and Sisters- He had never named you ssuch. Perhapss, he believes he iss above you, Above the Forrsaken Nation, Above the vill of the Shadov?! Perhaps, he claims to knov the Shadov’s Vill- his sso called balance.”

Rasonal hesitated for a moment, and then spoke again. “His sso called balance. Thiss balance, he place above everything. vill he allov the Living of the Allaince to roam in our Homelands, In the name of his balance? Sso it seems. Perhaps, to create hiss balance, he vill destroy his fellov Forrssaken Brrotherss and Sissters, and aid the Living- perhaps not even the Living of the Horrde, but the Living of the Allaince?!”

He walked through the crowd, and back to the Podium, nodding as if to convince himself. “Balance is needed. Balance, betveen the Shadov and the Light- of vich yet, the Light is sstrrongerr and bigger! Musst be balanced. Pover- we must not seek too much too earrly- Must be Balanced. Death- ve must kill for our survival , and yet, not blindly, for ve are not the scourge- Must be balanced.”

“But the Balance, is a tool vithin the Shadov, a tool of the Forrssaken nation- the only nation who can ascend, and truly follow the Shadov- And not the Goal. Ve must not allov the Living to slaughter uss, in the name of -his- Balance! Ve musst protect our nation. Ve must protect the Homelands. Ve must follov the Virtues, if we seek the Ascend. But ve must keep our free vill, and understand that this Forsaken seeks nothing but -his- Balance! His vievs! Hiss poverr!”

“Brrotherrs and Sissters, I do not ask you to do a thing, but to use your free vill, vich vas not given back to you, but only truly gained after death, and ssee, that this Forrsaken, is ass blind as the Living. Blind as the Light follovers. Pover to the Forrsaken! And d- may the Shadov, guide your path.” He bowed, and took his place among the crowd once more, waiting to see if anyone will decide to speak up. The Cultist sat next to him. “Brother, this will not end so well. I warned you.” he whispered.

(( My writing level is extremely low, I know- so I am sorry for any spelling or grammer mistakes and I hope some of you enjoyed it. Once again, lovely written Tikbalang- inspired me to try nevertheless ))

Thenkar sat in his small tent near Venomspite, when a messenger bursted in. "Your excellence! Something has happened in the homelands!" he bellowed before collapsing into a bow. "Truly, you must see this."
Thenkar took and opened the sealed report, dismissing the messenger with a look. Then he slowly read the document, his expression unchanging.
"Well, well... Looks like someone's benefitted of our absence," he pondered. With the report was the spy's recommendation of the proper cleaning actions. After some thinking, he dismissed them with a shrug. "There's always commotion, they'll quiet down... And if they won't, we'll just poke the Inquisitors towards their direction."
His meditation was suddenly cut as a raging orc came through the tent wall, shouting something some cultist had done and in how many pieces he should be cut.
Never a moments rest...

((In other words, excellent writing! It's a solid background for your guild idea. See ya IG, when I get my PC fixed.

Also, for those who haven't read the first post properly: I also tend to call myself Da Shadowpope, but he's not my posting alt or anything. It's Tikbalang, if I'm not mistaken.
The nick might cause some confusion, so pointing this out just in case.))

((I did not intend to use somebody else's title, its what Tik is referred to since the very beginning, my char name is not that IC-friendly and as such it does not exist ICly. Apologies for the confusion. ))

((Might I suggest using the signature function then, Tik? It'll ensure, at the very least, that nobody makes mistakes because you could put your character name in it))

((''New contact!'' ''It isn't one of ours take it out''))

(( Lovely, more Forsaken organizations to dispatch while purging Lordaeron. I'd like to say I enjoyed the reading and hope, that we'd be able to plan and organize events in the future. ))

((Really enjoyed the read, Tik. One of the main things I found bland about forsaken RP, during my brief stint as one, was the pre-written backstory, the forced opinion. It seemed to me that you had no choice but to hate the living, the alliance and even the Horde in your undeniable bitterness. Perhaps naive of me to think such, but to properly embrace this philosophy as I unfortunately didn't, seems an interesting and simply personally a more enjoyable concept. If I wasn't quitting, you may have tempted me. ^_^ ))

((Thanks for that Nygarth, that's exactly what myself and Vantic are trying to do here. A pity you are leaving if you're interested in what has been said ICly here!

Rasonal, i was expecting more of a response such as Thenkar's where the story isn't altered, since the story concluded with no incident. however I shall respond this time only (with Vantic's input). The rest can be handled In-game ))

A growl emits from the darker corner of the room behind the Shadowpope. Stepping into the light of the moon, seen through the broken rafters, the lightslayer commander's eyes emit a sickish yellow glow from beneath his hood.

"Rasanol..." the figure harshly mutters, "I thought I recognised those dulcet tones of yours"

Stepping fully into the light, the Undead assassin garbed in light leather and cloth lowers his hood revealing his scarred features. "You contradict yourself yet again Rasonal."

Shifting his stance staring down from the podium at his quarrel. "Why would you spare the living of the horde then?.. Hm?.. Do they not fear and hate you as much as the alliance?"
Stepping forward slowly to the edge of the congregation the Lightslayer Commander speaks again "We will stop all those who attempt to disrupt the Balance of Shadow. Living or Undead, Good or Evil. We are above such... Distinctions.

We are Forsaken.

The fulcrum in the balance between the Light and Dark." stopping his approach a hand rests on the pommel of his blade.
"And I advise you not to be the one to stand in our way...."

Taking his staff in hand, the Shadowpope idly sways the end of it to block Vantic's advancement while looking directly at Rasonal. "I lend my aid to no one other than those who seek Balance, Rasonal." he utters in a low and gutteral tone. "Whether their heart beats or not."

Returning the staff to its resting place beside the podium, the Shadowpope eyes Rasonal intently before speaking. "The Forgotten Shadow may have been born from the Forsaken, and our kind know the extent to which balance must be preserved more than any other, but who are we to deny those who wish to seek balancement within this world? I have tried to educate you, i have tried to persuade you short of burning the words to the inside of your skull.." he trails of, sighing deeply.

"Fellow Forsaken," he addresses the hall "This is a prime example of what i speak of. This individual, filled with hate and loathing of that which is not his race.. He wishes not for the survival of our kind, he wishes for the decimation of the living! But i digress.. "
Composing himself, he speaks anew "As i have said, the Forgotten Shadow extends beyond that of racial hate and sovereignty. Those who seek balance, those who shed themselves of the confines of rage and closed-mindedness will be granted power. You are free to believe what you will, Rasonal. If you stand in the way of balance however, your decisions will have consequences."

Gazing around the hall once more at his listeners he decides to conclude the sermon, watching the hall empty out slowly as they talk between themselves.

(( I see this devolping in many ways Again, lovely written. Will be interesting. ))

((I've always had an interest in your characters' thoughts on the Shadow, Tik, and this was a fine read. Very intriguing, and argh, almost makes me itch to play Forsaken... :p ))

Aniane wrote:((I've always had an interest in your characters' thoughts on the Shadow, Tik, and this was a fine read. Very intriguing, and argh, almost makes me itch to play Forsaken... :p ))

((*reminds Annie that her slots are almost full and that there are ways to enjoy the Shadow other than being a Forsaken*

Nice read by the way ))

((Luckily you're right, and I happen to have a nice little Shadow follower of my own. It's just not to easy to go play with the Forsaken :'( ))

((It|s not always as exotic or thrilling to go play with the corpses as it may sound, trust me >_> ))

Mandui wrote:((It|s not always as exotic or thrilling to go play with the corpses as it may sound, trust me >_> ))

((*Recalls throwing Mandui out of the Chapel* ...hehehe..))

((I totally approve of these preachings, as would Soren. He would be proud, and touched to see such a movement take shape within the shrivelled heart of the forsaken community. He would also totally support it in any way he could. - Keep walking the path of true balance, brother! Magnificently written, and uplifting))