CaptnBluebeard
Lord of Altera
For those who know not of the story of our Lady, I shall tell you of her beginning. During the dawning age of the Gods, it was a time in which creation grew for the first time, within the hands of Shalherana, the Goddess of Life. However, that was what could exist back then, only life, no reign on what happens after it, so the mortal creations of her doing grew old over time, passing on beyond the mortal plane, as their souls ascended, there was no control over them, no way to help guide them, and so, they became boundless in a void, forever lost. This pained Shalherana to see her own makings suffer, and upon her grief, she shed a single tear, letting it fall to the void with them.
Over time, this very tear would flow aimless, slowly forming into something anew, for this too was a creation of the life-goddess, having been imbued with the thoughts of sadness and the new reality of death. Eventually, a tear of loss would change into a pale woman of order, seeking out the souls of Shalherana’s creation to help guide them, easing their suffering, and allowing them to accept their death and pass on, such a being reigning over death, would forever be known as the Grey Lady to us mortals.
Death...yes, when we hear of it, most find sorrow in that word, a negative expression, why should that be? Why fall into despair when we see loved ones and friends come and go, leaving only their memories and what they left behind in life? It is quite a natural way to act indeed, but there should be no fear in death, it is inevitable for all life, and even so, those that expire do not end their journey, for all souls, whose vessels of flesh and blood fall to time and calamity, converge upon our judge eternal, The Grey Lady.
It is through her, that all paths set forth by the Gods diverge amongst the afterlife, through every paradise and purgatory, The Lady guides the souls set before her to their spiritual destination, in accordance to what they had done in their past life. In life, there are those who believe they can sin without consequence, foul deeds hidden from society unnoticed, but nay, nothing shall ever escape the watchful and benevolent will of The Lady, for our actions are etched into our very souls like stone, never to be erased, but always to be revealed upon our mortal departure. Even so with the concern of damnation, our own morality is like a scale, and whilst you live, there is always the hope that one can repent for previous crimes and actions, and thus you may even find The Lady is as merciful as she is just to such lowly sinners.
Those among you may rejoice, knowing well that the deceased are in responsible hands, that those once lost to you are fortunate enough to still find happiness, after such a cold process that is death, they can still find peace in a realm beyond life, and you should too.
However, such roaming souls that seek to be embraced and judged by our Grey Lady, find some of the most terrible obstacles, for there is the prying eyes of greed that can be found after death too. A most vile creature, a demon that rose from the muck of decay at the dawn of creation, looks upon our Lady with jealousy, an abomination playing God, that would steal souls gathering to her as if it were currency, such a thing is Skraag, the filth of the Afterlife. The souls it seeks out to steal with its whoring desires, are brought upon with a near eternity of suffering, displaced back into this mortal plane, to be imprisoned in the vessels of the deceased, disturbing the dead and bringing about a plaguing threat the likes of which can never be truly rivaled, for this evil alone brought about the end of the Northern Kingdoms, a reason that has brought us all here today, so very far from our memorable homes, our very place of birth.
Although we were brought low upon our banishment by Skraag, having to go against the violent seas and savage beasts above and below, we have endured, and we have rebuilt. For some, the will to succeed and prosper drove them, but for me, I have been driven by revenge, my holy mission is to wipe out any hope for such another disaster, such a reasonable goal should be something others can take upon, no? It is quite possible that there are those still among us in these new lands, this new, pure opportunity, that still align with Skraag, seeking to repeat the horrifying events that transpired so long ago. People who found joy in seeing men, women, and children getting devoured by the rotting hordes. Individuals who seek to dabble in the art of allowing the dead to rise for such a trivial thing as ‘the pursuit of knowledge’, should we stand idly by while desecrators plot in the shadows, should we allow another undead scourge to come into fruition because of fickle bureaucracy and differences between all of us?
There is glory to be found in this land indeed, a new beginning, for all men of faith. But with new horizons comes change, a new era has come upon us, one that should never have to face the terrors of the last one. In the past, we granted people the blessing of our Lady, to delay judgment, but now, to the sinners afar, know well, we shall delay mercy to you.
The dead that walked upon the North, came by the hundreds, thousands even, like mindless armies, they had spread the tainted hand of Skraag throughout every city and township, every church and grave dedicated to all of their Gods were left defenseless, and one by one, their sanctity raped by their very gathering! But such an affront to the pantheon, would be answered by men such as I, with the unity of humanity, they can be broken, no matter the number, through a combined effort, I helped to fight them with many brave men and women, until Skraag’s army fell and blotted out the earth, and we walked upon their defeated who had piled like mountains, freeing them from their pain and sending them to the Lady’s comfort.
The Grey Lady is like a force of nature, it cannot be truly denied, it cannot be escaped from, and those foolish enough to try, will know that there shall be a divine will within men always and forever, to shatter their sinful, mortal coil. May we embrace death as it comes akin to fate, and with such acceptance, may the lady delay your judgment so you may spread your good will amongst the masses.
Malek Tarren
High Priest of the Grey Lady
Last edited:
