Death Prediction Fortune Telling
All journeys come to an end. Discover the grim fate that lies in store for your character as one of the members of the Cult Of Forgotten Shadow untangles the threads of fate to read you your doom.
From 9pm until…. ???
See you at Dance Of The Dead 2022.
To the members of the Nexus and the clergy and faithful of the Cult of Forgotten Shadow,
It has come to my attention that the Church of Light has yet again overstepped its bounds and sent out a viciously worded letter to its allies within the Alliance – one calling for a crusade upon our people and the destruction of our kingdom based on the assumptions and misunderstandings of their own leadership. It is unlikely they will negotiate the points of it overmuch; they are as blinded as ever by their own supposed righteousness and will not see the truth of the situation.
For some time now – too long, some may say – I have been a proponent of a distant and cold respect for our enemies, a cautious sizing-up of their capabilities and talents rather than rushing in and assaulting the Church full force. I wished, with this approach, only to protect more of us from their grasp, and I admit this may have been too cautious. In the time I have had a memory, I have witnessed nothing but a callous disregard for our people from the so-called Church of Holy Light. While they preach a kindness for all creatures and a measured, disciplined approach to their followers in Stormwind and Ironforge, I have seen nothing of the sort in their actions.
They call for our eradication. They invade our lands. They kidnap us. They torture us without mercy simply because we exist. More than one of our kin has been sent back to us as nothing more than a bag of ashes with no explanations whatsoever. Even now, I have it on authority they flood the streets of the Violet City in an attempt to poison the neutral forces of Dalaran against us. They have, yet again, declared the very people who need their compassion the most anathema and fair game for murder based on nothing more than their own assumptions.
As such, I am informing you all that it is in your interest as faithful Cult followers or as loyal citizens of the Undercity to begin in earnest an increase in your personal power – start your combat training as soon as you can, if you have not already. Better your armor, better your weapons. Learn more powerful spells to shut down their casters. Become better at stealth, that you can flay them from the shadows. Learn how to destroy our enemies utterly.
We will be ready. We will march.
Perhaps they will finally learn that their ill-considered words and brutal acts of violence against us have consequences, and that although they consider us deceased, we are more tenacious than they know. Perhaps they will not. They will be taught to respect us in kind, however, even if it must be bludgeoned into them one lost life at a time.
I intend to take to the front lines personally, and I hope to see every one of you there as well. For the glory of the Forsaken.
Shadow Protect,
Sister Serata MacDermott
Forum post: http://undercityrp.boards.net/thread/648/letter-undercity-nexus?page=1#ixzz3cZXVl587
This parchment bears no recognizable house markings; the sealing wax is black and bears an image of two ravens facing each other with their beaks crossed. Inside, the script is an exact mirror of Meriahm Lausten’s handwriting. It is soon clear, however, the writing is not the Minister’s at all.
“To the offices of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Magus Senate of Dalaran as a whole,
It has come to our attention through a proxy that a law has recently been passed which would allow for the inclusion of a properly supported faith-base within your esteemed Violet City’s walls, albeit with some understandable restrictions to the activities of the faithful. We commend your openness to the proper teaching and caretaking of the faithful as a whole, and congratulate you on your inclusion of a method by which those who would assault a peaceable member of a faith simply because of their disagreements with the faith’s tenets may be properly brought to justice under city laws themselves.
While we do not agree entirely with the wording of the bill (specifically the assumptions made regarding feelings of the religious as a whole towards magi), the fact that we were not consulted during the formation of said bill, nor the fact that we were not directly notified of laws that would impact our people and their worship in such ways as this bill may, we of the Shadow understand the need for such restrictions and thus support this bill in the entirety – especially its guarantee of safe worship within Dalaran proper.
That having been said, I, Sister Serata MacDermott of the Cult of Forgotten Shadow, wish to claim for our faith a safe space and center of worship within Dalaran itself as defined by your most kind proclamation. I hereby put forth the name of one Elder Nadaelius Longpath as our sole and true representative to your city; he shall hereinafter be considered the Cult of Forgotten Shadow’s Bishop to Dalaran. We will send him to you without a retinue of guardians, aside from those you may wish to provide him, as a gesture of good will towards the people of Dalaran, and he shall henceforth make himself available unto you and your fair city’s residents and visitors for the purposes of religious education, edification, and services.
Please ensure he receives a fair and decent welcome, and that he and our other worshipers remain safe and secure whilst staying amongst your people. If there is anything the followers of the Shadow can do to aid in this bill’s painless enforcement, please do not hesitate to make it known.
Shadow Protect,
Sister Serata MacDermott”
Embrace of the True Shadow: The Revelations of Sister Serata MacDermott
Having spent much time in contemplation on the subject of our rather limited mortality and the nature of that which binds us together and to this very world, I have come to a series of rather simple conclusions that are things which must be shared with the community of so-called Forsaken at large in order to strengthen and better us as a people; revelations which will succeed in spreading our influence and power base out from Lordaeron.
Firstly, it should be considered a universal truth among us that we are creatures of the Shadow. We are born from it upon our ressurections; drawn from the very void itself and thrust to our somewhat rotted shells once again. The Light that once loved us when we were mortals shows no care for our existence anymore, offering little more than burns and agony at its touch and oppression at the hands of those who still wield it. The Shadow, however, is different. The great coalesced darkness embraces us wholly and infuses every aspect of our being – it offers healing and succor where we receive none, grants us the ability to stay hidden from our enemies when we require it, and to those who show it they are worthy? The Shadow offers us far more power and ability than we ever had when we had the Light on our side.
The Light, for all its talk of granting strength, never once offered the kinds of boons Shadow now holds out for us. Yes, there were healing magics and some strengthening ones, but with the Shadow coursing through us in our new lives, we are unkillable beings of unimaginable power. We are capable of shrugging off far more damage and pain than we ever could under the so-called protection of the Light; I have witnessed members of our kind lose limbs and continue fighting like the demons our foes think we are until their enemies are little more than pulp. I have seen the enemies of our people flee in sudden horror based on nothing more than the mental suggestion they do so, placed in their heads by a quiet Shadow-whisper. Those strong in faith of the Shadow horrify and terrorize their foes because their foes are aware of the true power of the Shadow, on a base and fundamental level. In their minds, they know we are stronger than they are. That the Shadow is greater than the Light. That our true power, when harnessed correctly, will allow us to destroy that which they hold dear, if we simply choose to.
The Church of Light has stated the Light reaches everywhere; this is not true. There is always darkness, there is always Shadow. It is there before the Light touches anything, and it is there when the Light inevitably leaves again. The Shadow is waiting, the Shadow embraces all of us, and the Shadow is our path to true survival and thriving in our new lives. To deny this would be to deny what we are within.
Secondly, there is a path to true and unimaginable power granted to us as a people by the Shadow itself. This power is attainable by any among us who work for it – the Shadow does not merely grant great power to those who are unable to take it for themselves, or to those who would be unable to control themselves with it. The Shadow is far more fickle than the Light, which is a desperate element that grants it’s so-called power to any who ask for it. This is why things such as the Scarlet Crusade exist; the Light has no wisdom or consideration for who should use it. It simply doles out power to any who ask, even if they are clearly ill suited and easily destroyed by it.
True power within the Shadow requires a honed mind, a razor’s edge of raw thought and brutality, to weild properly. It is not, as the Light is, a blunt force instrument – it is precision strikes, targeted deadliness and the ability to turn a foe’s mind against him. Without self-control, without respect for the power itself, without tenacity in the form of study and continued practice of these other ideals, a so-called Forsaken is more likely to obliterate themselves than their enemies.
I know this from personal experience.
I began my calling as a novice under the Forgotten Shadow with no memory, no proper mind to back up my power. As a result, my faith was strong but my connection to the Shadow was weak – I could easily produce effects with the basic power afforded me, yes, but there was no direction to them, and enemies of the Cult would frequently escape our grasp if I was involved. Until I regained strength of mind and purpose, I was unable to direct the Shadow and it was of little use. It was only when I was healed in mind – by the good grace of the Shadow, I might add – that my abilities began to show true, directed power and the Shadow became what it could truly be: My guiding force and a font of proper power in the service of our people.
Thirdly, there already exists a way for all of us to attain a stronger connection to the Shadow itself than we are already born with: Faith in the tenets provided by the Cult of Forgotten Shadow and practice of their ways. Admittedly, this is quite a lot to take in; while the concepts put forth by our Cult forefathers seem simple on the surface, there is much to be considered on each point they gave us and even more to do in order to live by their examples.
The basics are thus: Respect, a matter of knowing your place in the ranks and holding yourself in check around those who deserve it and not denegrating the universe-creation that they provide us through their collective wills. Tenacity, the will to survive and push yourself forward in the face of things that would destroy your enemies and to shape the universe to your will rather than theirs. Power, the accumulation of your personal strength and prestige, balanced so that others do not destroy you in jealousy or because of your foolishness.
There are underlying facets that must be delved into in all three of these tenets, as well as two other less frequently taught ones – a respect for the power of death and the correct and timely application of it to deserving targets, and compassion for your brothers and sisters among the Forsaken. The compassion is essential; none of us have another outside our own who truly understands what it is to be among our kind and we are anathema to many of them. We must be strong together or we will all fall as lone entities.
When these things are in place and properly and one is in harmony with the Shadow, it’s power will be fully unlocked – the Forsaken will ascend beyond their body and become what we are meant to be: Shadow Ascendant.
Fourthly is that very thing – ascendancy. Given proper following of faith, strength of will and belief, and the exercise of personal power upon the world, it is possible for us to become what we were meant to be: Beings of pure, concentrated, unending and eternal Shadow.
A Forsaken’s body is, as most of us are aware, a replaceable shell that not a one of us is attached to anymore. We routinely replace limbs and skin, blood and bone as we are required to in order to hold our physical bodies. Many of us accepted long ago that our bodies were things that we would not be keeping, and thus things that we were willing to shed at a moment’s notice. Few of us consider, though, that this was the plan the Shadow had for us when we were brought back.
As it turns out, with a deeper connection to the Shadow it is possible to force the disconnection of mind and body, and allow a Forsaken to become a creature of void and indistinct form. As a butterfly leaves a cocoon and spreads its wings, so a Forsaken may shed their skin and become a being of pure power and a beacon of what we are capable of if we simply exert our wills.
This is the true power of the Cult of Forgotten Shadow, and what we are most feared for: When we realize what we really are, we become unstoppable forces unto ourselves.
Shadow protect.
Sermon Five
“Life And Existing” by Priestess Silaine
When: Sept 8th, 213 @ 8pm server.
Greetings to you all, it has been some time since I have stood before you and I welcome each face- new and old to tonight’s lecture. As always this evening will become an open forum- each of you may speak freely and ask of me or each other what you will. I only request that all questions or comments are held until the lectures close at which point you will all be better equipped with an understanding of the topic.
At my previous lectures I have spoken of a personal power. To quickly reiterate, the general concept I have been driving forward is that each individual is responsible for their own existence. Each person is responsible for their desires, their failures and their achievements. Each person may possess the power to shape their life in the image they desire. The tenacity to accomplish such goals must stem from the ultimate truth that our existence is meaningless- the only purpose we serve in this plane is the purpose one assigns to oneself and the will they exert to see that purpose fulfilled.
This evening I wish to speak of the nature of existence- to open our eyes to the reality of the world and to inspire those who are lost to find grounds to continue with a purpose and seize their life for their own. Before I continue any further I wish to make an important distinction between life and the act of ‘being alive’- Life as I refer to it, is a state of ones existence, a phrase that plainly means that they do exist whether living or Forsaken.
The reality of this world is that all who exist within it are sure to die. Not one person may outrun this fate, no matter how great they think to be, death will always recognize us. What I speak is true for all races- all beings within this universe. My brethren of the Forsaken, we are not spared from this fate. Although we have experienced death we still possess a life, we still exist within this world. We cannot outrun the clock of death anymore than any other being- it will catch us just as it catches them and we too will cease to exist.
For this reason we must each recognize the significance of time and learn to balance ourselves within it so we may lead a life worth living. We must realize that our life is long and for that we are blessed- we possess a sufficient amount of time to exist and to experience what other beings would not. Our life is so generous that if we were to focus ourselves on our greatest desires we would surely be gifted with achievement.
We must not be consumed by luxuries and carelessness or our life shall pass before we are aware it has passed. We must invest time within ourselves for the betterment of our existence, we must remain faithful to our purpose and strive to achieve that which is important. We cannot be wasteful of our lives, we cannot allow ourselves to be consumed by the despair of this world- we must accept the responsibility of our life and acknowledge that we have the power to shape it.
Many follow no fixed aim, constantly shifting what they believe to be meaningful- what they believe to be purposeful. They are forever thrown into new plans and allow themselves to be whisked away in the nature of others ambitions or in their own confusion. These individuals become dissatisfied with life as they realize that only a small part of their existence has been spent living while a great deal was spent simply existing. Leaving them no closer to their goals then they found themselves years ago.
We must lay a claim to ourselves and not allow our time to be wasted upon another. Worse than wasting your own time upon the silliness of indecision is the act of wasting time on another. Preoccupying yourself with the nature of anothers ambition, allowing yourself to become so consumed by another’s pursuit that you have adopted the others sleep schedule, walked by their pace and obeyed their orders. Allowing yourself to love and hate as they do with no mind to your own perceptions.
If you wish to know how short your lives are then reflect how small a portion is really your own.
Invest time within yourselves, set clear goals- define your purpose for existing and work towards those goals. Allow yourself to become inspired by life rather than consumed by it. Learn to live rather than to exist.
Sermon Four
Virtues of the Shadow, By Silane
Greetings to all on this warm summer’s eve. This sermon will focus solely on the virtues of the Cult and while I would normally welcome an open forum at the lectures close, I must regretfully say that I simply do not possess the time this evening. Of course, all of you are welcome to seek me out if you have unanswered questions or wish to discuss the faith more personally.
Now then, if I may have everyone’s attention I believe I will begin.
The Cult has five virtues opposed to the three of the Light; these five virtues are divided between primary and secondary virtues. The primary virtues are those that are believed to be the most important to the success of the individual while the secondary virtues are those that are most important to the longevity of the individual.
The primary virtues consist of respect, tenacity and power.
Respect; one must view our reality as a manifestation of each others will. Things form and occur because of the power of someone or something else. It is vital to not only recognize this power but to respect it. Exerting one’s will upon the universe without first examining the strength of those around you puts one in a dangerous position; therefore, it is important to be constantly aware of your situation and your fellows. Seeking power and results too quickly can mean potential conflict with those of higher power than yourself. Only a foolish follower seeks to challenge his superiors right away. Showing respect ensures a measure of self-protection which ensures potential results.
Tenacity; one must not lose themselves in the face of the great despair. It is vital to the success of the individual to possess the tenacity to endure the struggles of existence in order to achieve their goals. When faced with the existential despair one must always remember that they are responsible for their own results and achievements in life. All situations have the power to change in the favor of the individual but only if the individual is committed to making the changes.
With great persistence everything is achievable.
Power; one must be patient when seeking power. As it has been spoken there is a constant struggle of power within the universe and one must always be aware that there will always be someone or something possessing more power than yourself. Power may be obtained at a steady pace, this method ensures that the individual is achieving a desired goal but not alerting potential threats. Learning patience while acquiring power leads to a greater success of your potential goal as it decreases the amount of threat you will receive on your journey.
It is important to speak of the great despair when speaking of the virtue of Power. The great despair is an existential break through that occurs when an individual realizes that the foundations of their identity have the potential to or have crumbled; therefore leaving the individual with nothing of what defines or drives their existence. One must then realize that existence is in a perpetual state of despair as their is nothing concrete to base one’s identity on within this universe. One must create a purpose for their own existence; those who do not seek this power have no reason to exist. Forsaken who do not seek to better themselves might as well still be a part of the Scourge.
The pursuit of power- to a purpose of existence requires one to not only be patient but cautious and subtle.
Now I will briefly discuss the secondary virtues, those that are most important to the longevity of the individual; death and compassion.
Death; one would reach the pinnacle of power when one has mastered death. It is vital to understand the importance of taking life as well as preserving it. A Forsaken must not kill indiscriminately, nor can they withhold death from the weak. To kill without reason only escalates the Forsaken’s risk of encountering a power too great to overcome. One who slays without cause may find themselves exhausted and therefore defenseless in the face of a true adversary. Likewise, a Forsaken who shows mercy to the weak and forgoes regular exercise of their power may gain a reputation for weakness, therefore drawing predators.
A balance must be met and an individual must learn to read situations in order to best use the power of death for their own betterment.
Compassion; a follower of the faith must always remember the hardships of the Forsaken people. We must never forget the struggles that we each face- while we do seek individual gains we must always recognize the importance of community and the survival of our kin. By showing compassion to your fellows you are increasing your own potential to achieve your goals. In dire times, such as these, we are all only as strong as those we surround ourselves with.
“Another session of Shadow Sermons, which has increasingly attracted non-forsaken who are eager to learn more about the Shadow. During the sermons an unknown messenger approached with a letter of warning, that a spy has been attending the rebel meetings and surrendering our names and details over to the Kor’Kron loyalists. It seems the loyalists are preparing to stage a bloody counter strike… -B”
The sermons have attracted other races, curious about the power of Shadow.
The gatherings are growing in size. with the Kor’Kron hostility, it might be wise to host them elsewhere.
“Another Sermon was hosted, and the turn out was impressive. Many attending knew not of the Shadow and learned quiet a bit. Many of us ponder the weaponization of Shadow against the Light.-U”
There’s a lack of Paladins in the audience….
Undercity Nexus - MG Horde RP Guild 
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