Deathwalkers
The War of the Undying extracted a heavy toll from all nations of the world. Untold numbers of nobles, soldiers, commoners, men, women, and children were felled and risen across one hundred grueling years. Many mourned for the loss of their livelihoods, their homes, towns, and cities. Most importantly, they mourned their loss of resolve.
The scar of death the Awakened gouged across the world was deep. Though the Awakened today have been relegated to the most secluded places of the world, threats of attacks by isolated groups still linger and are far and few between. Blood magic is the Awakened's favored type of dark arts—a type of magic that heralded the transition of dark shamanism to necromancy millennia ago.
Alongside Hephsut, Mortaris was among one of the few proteges sired and taught by Vauldis during his rise to power at the height of the Nidean Magocricy's descent into corruption. When Vauldis became the first lich in history and doomed the entire Kalkaross peninsula during the Sinking of Sekkar , Mortaris and Hephsut were among the few to survive the calamity.
While Hephsut endeavored to become a greater lich than his master, Mortaris fled into hiding, secretly plotting against his former master from the shadows; he had seen the horrors of true lichdom, and the damage it could do to an entire nation. Control and balance needed to be maintained. Though he extended his life to pursue his goals, he never gave in to temptation. For centuries he worked alone, feigning loyalty to Vauldis while holding a dagger to the lich's back.
Both entities grew powerful and fundamentally opposed each other in philosophy. Vauldis sought to continue his work, even after Kalkaross had sunk to the bottom of the now-called Nidean Sea, seeking ways to up-end the oppressive, cyclic, and pre-deterministic system of life and death. Mortaris opposed his ideals, seeing the cycle as a necessary balance that must be maintained. Distrust brewed between the two as Vauldis gathered a following he called the 'Awakened'.
Mortaris saw the threat of the Awakened for what it was: an ever-expanding, ever-hungering threat to life in the world, and for every man, woman and child slain, their ranks grew. During the decades of the great War of the Undying, Mortaris saw that necromancy outclassed all other magic, as its source of power was life itself. Knowing this, Mortaris submitted himself to the Awakened under the guise of servitude and was granted this power by Vauldis, for what he saw in his student was an incomplete ascension—Mortaris possessed the long life, but not the glorious form to accompany it.
Mortaris sacrificed his humanity that day, and his soul was branded in the process, granting him both immortality and the visage of a wraith.
Mortaris betrayed Vauldis at the Battle for Ruin's Peak , mortally wounding, but not killing the lich. After Vauldis' defeat, Mortaris turned his newfound powers against the Awakened. After the victory over Vauldis, he gathered a following of like-minded radicals who had suffered at the hands of the Awakened—who had sacrificed everything to gain similar power.
It is believed that Lord Mortaris Dredge lives even until this day, but his whereabouts are unknown.
Initiates are Deathwalkers who have been recently recruited by veteran members. Initiates will very rarely seek out Deathwalkers, as they will have little knowledge of their existence beforehand. An initiate is typically an individual who is lost and has little else to lose in their life because of the actions of the Awakened. Initiates are as rare as Awakened attacks, and an Awakened attack will usually result in one or two initiates being recruited and radicalized.
Wardens are personally assigned to oversee the development and training of a new initiate. They are strict teachers by nature, acting as mentors and guides, helping to develop the skills and abilities of any new initiates.
Shadowguards are the hand of the Deathwalkers. They utilize their shadowy abilities and venture out into the world to take the fight to the Awakened. Shadowguard fighting styles vary, but will typically use either slashing or piercing weaponry to take out their foes from afar, or up close. Shadowguards will usually prefer to stay close to the shadows, striking only when the time is right. Shadowguards will usually function as scouts and information gatherers.
Deathguards are the iron-clad fist of the Deathwalkers, utilizing death magic to ward off attacks while wearing heavy armor made of either plate or bone. Deathguards will most often be found on the front lines of battle or protecting higher-ranking Deathwalkers.
Most Soulguards tend to be Necromancers or weavers of dark magic. They study the forbidden divine or arcane arts to study the inner workings of death. Archivists of lost knowledge deemed illicit by wider societies, Soulguards are some of the highest-ranking Deathwalkers. One of the primary goals of many Soulguards is to seek out and destroy the three black books of the Infinus Apocryphum.
Mortaris Dredge
It was through this magic that the Awakened once destroyed all that stood before them during the War. Desperation clutched the hearts of those left behind to witness the ruins of their former lives. One such individual was Mortaris Dredge. His origins and the tragedy that befell him remain mostly unknown except to the few close to him.Vengeful Radicals
The followers of Mortaris became the Deathwalkers—the disciples of Lord Mortaris Dredge and his philosophy. They uphold a dark legacy, one that frightens their allies and enemies alike. The Deathwalkers tread the line between life and death, embracing necromancy and other dark magics—energies that threatened the world—believing them necessary to challenge the remnants of the Awakened. Their necromantic magics take on the cold hue of ice as opposed to the blood-red hue of blood magic. They stalk the shadows, hunting those that once hunted the living, be it by spell or by the blade. Deathwalkers follow in the footsteps of their master, branding their souls and extending their lifespans in exchange for the ability to repurpose the bodies of the dead in new ways, constructing monstrous amalgamations of bone and sinew, or to see through the eyes of the dead and walk in their wake. These enhanced abilities, combined with their endless, morbid creativity and magical prowess, makes Deathwalkers unpredictable adversaries.Ranks & Structure
The hierarchy of Deathwalkers is loose, primarily because of how few Deathwalkers are in number. Deathwalkers tend to form around decentralized enclaves of small groups, as such a structure makes it easier to attack Awakened hideouts in small strike teams and disappear without a trace. Regardless of the group, a loose hierarchy is usually adhered to.Ideals & Rituals
Deathwalkers are seekers of balance by any means necessary. It is their mission and single overarching goal to completely eradicate adherents to the Awakened's philosophies. They see the cycle of life and death not as something to be usurped, but as a necessary system to be maintained. To a Deathwalker, undeath is not something to aspire to or be encouraged. Deathwalkers channel dark powers to command and control that which once tormented them. Such an act is seen as a form of self-empowerment. However, a Deathwalker must remain vigilant and resist the addictions brought on by the taint of Necromancy. To fall to those temptations for one's own gain is seen as a betrayal of Mortaris' ideals of self-sacrifice and self-control. Tantamount to this is the complete rejection of lichdom, as Deathwalkers believe the transformation to not only be much too corrupting to one's soul, but also to the balance of life and death itself. Public life and private life are to be kept separate at all times, and many Deathwalkers might live ordinary lives as blacksmiths or priests, but when their enclaves call for aid, these otherwise ordinary people will don their regalia. Deathwalkers will typically wear varying uniforms of black and blue, signifying their adherence to death and shadow magic, specifically soul magic. Above all, a Deathwalker's mask is a necessary part of their regalia, and one should not be seen without it, except while around other Deathwalkers to maintain their anonymity. The Ironsgate Accords. Deathwalkers reject the Ironsgate Accords. To a Deathwalker, the Accords are merely words written on pieces of paper by naive and lazy kings, queens, lords, and ladies. Actions speak louder than words, and one does not need a piece of paper to show respect to the dead. Deathwalkers follow their own creed, and give respect to the dead in their own ways. Animating the Dead. One principle core to a Deathwalker's philosophy is that the soul has free will, and the body is the possession of that soul. A body whose spirit has long ventured beyond the Gate of Mortality is merely a tool to be used. When raising the more recently dead, a Deathwalker will usually bargain with the spirit beforehand, typically by offering the soul a second chance at vengeance or to resolve unfinished business. Should the soul accept, the Deathwalker will guide it back to the Materium wherein the soul will possess the corpse or simply emerge without a body and fight alongside the Deathwalker of its own volition. Should the soul refuse, a Deathwalker will abide by the decision and will leave the body alone. Soul Branding. Deathwalkers tend to follow an ascetic lifestyle, as one must sacrifice all worldly bonds and possessions to fully follow in Mortaris' footsteps. A Deathwalker initiate must also sacrifice their mortality in a ritual called 'Soul Branding'. While Soul Branding does not necessarily grant immortality in the truest sense of the word, it significantly increases an initiate's lifespan by at least five centuries. Soul Branding 'cauterizes' the soul and binds it to one's body, preventing it from leaving its mortal shell upon death unless the one wills it to; the pull of the Gate of Mortality is strong, but Soul Branding significantly lessens its strength. One side effect of Soul Branding is the necromantic corruption that comes with it, causing those that have been Soul Branded to appear pale with sunken features. Another effect seen especially with Deathwalkers in combat is their ability to billow ghostly black mist from their bodies like wraiths.A Secret War
Very few, if any, know of the existence of the Deathwalkers and the Awakened remnants. A secret war rages between these factions, and though all who know of both are quick to scorn the Awakened for their genocidal tendencies, many also take umbrage with the Deathwakers, either by their nature or their methods. They are a divisive collective of radicals. To some, they are the harbingers of a new era of darkness; a changing of the proverbial crown of death and sorrow. To others, their goals are considered noble, but their means are distasteful or abhorrent. Many criticize their unwillingness to abide by the Ironsgate Accord, decrying the decision as reckless and destructive. A common point espoused by their detractors is the idea that Deathwalkers have become the very monsters they seek to eradicate. Regardless, Deathwalkers are divisive but hellbent on the destruction of the Awakened remnants by any means necessary.
Founding Date
NC. 80
Type
Secret, Occult
Training Level
Elite
Veterancy Level
Veteran
Leader
Leader Title
Comments