Codex of Oblivion
From Atlantic Roleplay Wiki
Title: Codex of Oblivion
Author: Izrem Verin'Vlos
Preface:
Long has my study of Oblivion, Entropy and the Convergence consumed my time and my focus. I have completed and pursued many projects either directly, tangentally or univolved with Oblivion, yet my drive has always been to document that power that was, is and will be until even it is no more. It is my hope that those who read these words will come to understand Oblivion as I have and see the necessity in taking its precepts to the ends of the universe and time, until all are swallowed in the peaceful void that is Oblivion.
-Izrem Verin'Vlos
Codex of Oblivion
as studied and written by Izrem Verin'Vlos
A primer on the nature of Oblivion, Entropy and the Convergence.
Table of Contents: pg:
I) Introduction 7
II) Oblivion 22
III) Entropy 56
IV) Convergence 118
V) Epilogue 168
Introduction-------
"All that has a beginning has an end. All that is will one day be not. That is the natural order of reality." -Lich Lord Azalin
The precepts of the
"worship" of Oblivion are
teleological ones. That is
to say, concepts and
ideas that lead to a final
end as the result of the
causes that come before
it. Cause and effect,
where the effect is
already known, so the
causes merely align
properly to see that
effect occurs. At its
most basic level, this is
the scholars understanding
of Oblivion. All things
that have a beginning, will
have an end. Even those
things which we consider
immortal or ageless, on a
long enough time scale,
decay and die. Because we
understand this
end/effect, we can see
the "causes" for what
they are. Little acts of
construction and decay
that lead, ultimately, to
an end. This is Entropy.
Entropy prepares the way
for Oblivion. Cause and
effect.
Yet if that were all that was to be said on the matter, than an organization such as the Order of the Ebon Skull would not need to exist, nor would its scholars within the Scholomance or its dark artificers in the Necromancer Sect. The truth of the matter is that while few may contest this natural truth (though some still try) many do not see the need to revere and accept it in their everyday understandings of life. They see Oblivion and Entropy as unfortunate things that should be overcome and finally surrendered too when inevitability has its way. This need not be the case. By coming to an understanding of the precepts of Oblivion, we can learn to embrace it for both its truth and its liberation.
In this collection of notes, research and discussion we shall delve into the concepts known as Oblivion, Entropy and the Convergence. Each section shall be divided into three parts. First shall come a section on the arcane aspect. This is, simply put, the "scientific" element of the concept being looked at. What it looks like in reality and what few principles of alchemy we can attach to its nature.
Second shall be a look at the theology of the concept. Arcane theory without relavance to reality serves no purpose to those who are not magi or scholars, nor does it enrich the lives of those who observe it but do not see its value.
Third shall be a view of the spiritual relevance of the concept to a person's own life. To understand arcane theory and theology is wonderful, yes. But it is only in how you see how that concept flows in your own life that you come to understand your grand purpose in the scheme of existence. Specifically, it shall take the lessons of theology and apply them to the lives of the faithful.
Oblivion----------
"As we stare long into the void, the void stares long into us." -Lich Lord Admoreth Nazduin
Oblivion. A word filled
with so much
misconception in both
modern and ancient
politics that it has come
to mean something so
erroneous that few can
know where to start
when picking fact from
fiction in discerning the
truth.
Oblivion, in its most basic understanding, is nothingness. The absence of reality, whether that be in the form of matter or mana. Yet it is from this basic premise that the scholars and necromancers of the Ebon Skull have pulled so much meaning. Let us observe.
1) Arcane Element--------
Oblivion itself defies most attempts to quantify it as it is essentially impossible to measure. Attempting to parse out its elements cannot be done by any mortal means as it sits on the other side of existence and therefore cannot be reached by any normal method of study.
However, there are certain things that can be understood from observation. It lacks substance or mana in any form that we would understand. There is a barrier that exists between reality and Oblivion known to the scholars of the Ebon Skull as "the Convergence". Passing beyond this barrier is impossible, as reality, by definition, cannot exist in a place where matter and mana do not exist. The process of passing through this barrier shall be looked at further in the section on The Convergence. Further information of Oblivion itself cannot be granted as its very existence seems paradoxical.
2) Theology---------------
While information on the arcane nature of Oblivion may go only so far, the theological understandings of the concept can go far deeper.
As it came to be understood as early as the rule of Nizar, Oblivion was the natural state of things that passed beyond the bounds of reality. Lives ended, never to be reformed, beyond even the call of spells as powerful as Ressurection.
Destruction of lands and places that would never rise again. Even the eradication of ideas and concepts, now forgetten entirely to mortal minds, as they passed beyond the boundries of our ability to remember and perceive them.
The end of all things that exist is to pass beyond the veil and enter a place of absolute serenity. And this is the first understanding of Oblivion.
Oblivion is peace. But peace itself is an overused word. Oblivion does not offer that ephemeral (short lived) "peace" that is thrown around in the polical world. A thing to be shattered by the whimsy of tomorrow. It is eternal and ever lasting.
That which passes beyond the veil of reality need never again be endangered by the quibbles and unrighteous nature of those that cling to existence. All that passes into the blissful waters of Oblivion rest easily besides all those that have come before them. Which brings us to the second understanding. Obliivon is equal.
The faithful and the irreligious alike pass into non-existence all the same. Just as reality came into existence and shall one day end, so too shall all the souls of those who have come before and shall come eventually finish at the shoals of Oblivion. It is this understanding which has lead the Order of the Ebon Skull, in many of its iterations, to seek to bring its knowledge of Oblivion to others, that they need not sit under the yoke of oppression and inquity that so many suffer in this debased era.
-Continued in Volume 2-
Finally, Oblivion is
freedom. Freedom from
yesterday and the fears
of tomorrow. The
understanding that the
very nature of reality is
to free us from our
lives of warfare and
suffering. Where our
births may have born us
into shackles we could
not understand, Oblivion
grants us release from
that which was forced
upon us.
3) Spiritual--------------
Peace, Equality and Freedom are the elements of Oblivion that guide and focus the Order of the Ebon Skull. So too must these same understandings guide and focus the faithful themselves.
Peace, true peace, is the absence of struggle. The faithful are not called to bring "peace" to Sosoria the way most mortals view it. As described earlier, such mortal peace is easily broken and shattered. True peace exists only in Oblivion.
The faithful are reminded that they are called to bring Peace to reality. A stillness that can only be formed by a lack of struggle. A struggle brought on by the ignorant and self-absorbed desires of many a man and woman. Only through acceptance of Oblivion as the final end and an effort to emulate that peace, surrendering your mortal wants to the needs of Oblivion, do you receive the quiet within your soul that lets you live and die with the assurance that you served a purpose greater than your own and fought for a cause destined to win, bringing repose to all of creation.
Equality is granted by passing through the veil, yes. But it is also attained while one continues on in the material realm. Whether human or elf, living or undead, demon or celestial, all have their place in assuring the natural order of reality continues on its right path. Mortals and planars alike need not bend on knee before the whims of other narrow-minded and self serving individuals. Oblivion is the natural end and accepts all as they are.
So too must the faithful accept that all have their place in the teleology of existence. A recognition that all serve a purpose in the greater scheme of things.
The freedom that Oblivion brings is a release from the bonds and pain of yesterday. It is the gripes of petty mortals that seek vengeance for perceived slights and insults of times past, regardless of their validity. They are slaves to their own anger and foolish need for redress, failing to note that all things end and become nothing by the nature of Oblivion. The faithful acolyte remembers that they are called to something more than the frailties of material existence and steps beyond such low-minded ideas and embraces the liberating precepts of Oblivion that they may never again suffer the pains of bitterness or the fear of failure. Such is the way of Oblivion.
---------Entropy---------
"I am the thorn in the foot, I am the blur in the sight; I am the worm in the root, I am the thief in the night; I am the rat in the wall, the leper that leers at the gate; I am the ghost in the hall, the herald of horror and hate. I am the rust on the corn, I am the smut on the wheat, Laughing man's labor to scorn, weaving a web for his feet. I am the canker and mildew and blight, danger and death and decay; The rot of the rain by night, the blast of the sun by day. I warp and wither with drought, I work in the swamp's foul yeast; I bring the black plague from the south, And leprosy in from the east. I am the shrill cold spirit that chills the darkness you feel after dark. I am the chaos that tears stars apart. You cannot escape me. You cannot defeat me. You can only embrace me." -Entropic Chant
If you have ever watched the life of a plant, the form of a structure or the history of a nation; over time you have seen the work of Entropy. Entropy is the decay that takes what exists now and slowly breaks it down to nothingness.
Yet entropy too is an often misunderstood precept of the Ebon Skull. Often seen as a tool of wanton chaos and destruction, it is wrongfully viewed as an "evil" force in existence. Again we shall have to look at the word in its most basic understanding. Often referred to by Alchemists and those who practice Chymistry, Entropy is the tendency of matter towards a lower state of energy. That is to say, breaking things down to simpler components. And that is Entropy at its basic level. No anger to it. No hate or malfeasance. It is simply the natural process by which complex things that require maintenance tend towards simpler less complex states.
Let us not fool ourselves into believing that anything of mortal construct does not require maintenance in some form. Whether it be ideas that require someone to apply and pass them on, to societies that must be regulated, to even the simplest of trinkets that much be handled and cleaned lest they clog up or fall apart. Entropy affects all things of mortal construct and a patient eye can note that is affects all things in nature as well. While life certainly has a capacity for regeneration and passing on to the "next generation", it is a cycle that ultimately is claimed by entropy in each round, never to defy the process. And it is the astute acolyte that remembers the lessons of precept Oblivion in regards to the inevitability of all things. Passing on knowledge and lore is fine. Attempting to cheat Entropy by "starting again" is a wasteful effort.
1) Arcane Element--------
Unlike Oblivion which is, by its nature, non-existent (yet still present) Entropy is an active and pervasive force that can be measured, researched and wielded. Qualitatively, the power of Entropy if seen in ways as noted in the Entropic Chant. The decay of matter, the act of the parasite, the smut of disease are all types of Entropy. Entropy, as a force, is capable of breaking down the various forms of matter and reducing them to their root essence. This can go as far as reducing matter to mana, though such a process often requires purposeful effort on the part of a mortal to achieve.
The energy released by the decay of an object can be both contained and harnessed, though its purposes can normally only be applied to additionally chaotic ends. The force to break down reality is rarely easily manipulated to turn around and construct it. Be that as it may, many a wizard of the Ebon Skull have used this power as their central draw; the place from which a mage collects their arcane power. Through patience and careful control, the pathway of the normally chaotic and disruptive forces of Entropy can be channeled to a number of purposes.
While use in offensive spells is most commonly known, it has been used to form a number of barriers and fields for various applications in both Caina and the Stygian Grove. It should be noted that if there is one thing that is constant about the force that is raw chaos, it is that it is unpredictable. Many an experiment has consumed the life and existence of an unprepared, unworthy or simply unlucky arcanist, as the presumed controlled stream of energy ripped free of its bounds and overcame the one who desired to employ it.
-Continued in Volume 3-
Chaos knows no
boundries in the realm of
existence and can affect
anything it touches. While
some objects, principles
or beings may be more
resistant to its touch,
none are immune.
Additionally, while Oblivion
is a concept that exists
perfectly and set apart
from reality as a
non-entity, Entropy itself
has formed an avatar,
known as Morgaz. Morgaz
is postulated to have no
particular intelligence, yet
he/she/it is capable of
speaking quite capably
through her prophets and
heralds. Furthermore, she
is capable of empowering
her servants with gifts
of chaos and an
understanding of things
cast to the tides of
Entropy and thus within
her domain.
It is believed this is how her prophets and how the Mirror of Morgaz function. Oracles to both the the very existence that drowns in the well of Entropy, as well as home to a land of infinite possibilities, opening the minds of her prophets to endless passages through time, though the price is often insanity.
2) Theology-------------
Whereas Oblivion was the "effect" and final end of reality, Entropy is the "cause" that will see the result come. Entropy is that which does away with the old and makes way for the new. It is what takes the new and turns it to the old, before restarting the process again. Yet entropy is not an endless cycle of repetion. It does not merely reset the stage and allow the same act to play out. It is the worker that casts the wheat husk into the consuming fire that is Oblivion. It is the endless process of cleaning out the old and rotting that we might be free of the taint of the past. Without this we would be slaves to the stagnant governments of old, weak in their understandings and bloated with their own paltry mortal concepts of wisdom and knowledge.
Entropy is cleansing. It strips away that which is unnecessary and leaves only that which is needed on the path to true enlightenment. Those pieces that are resistant are valuable for furthering the work of Oblivion. Even those that do not yet serve Oblivion and Entropy directly do its work as a matter of course. The stagnation and rot which seeks only to clutter up space is done away with, producing the rock solid foundation of purity that can drive forward and finish the work begun when the stars first began to burn in the sky. Entropy is also fluid. It is chaotic and open to fits of whimsy, but it is capable of shifting to meet each new challenge.
It is the endless tide that erodes the rocks, through constant and endless force, as well as through constant shifting and turning aside. It is not stubborn and intent on forcing it way in obsolete methods. It knows that nothing can stand against its relentless tide so it does not saddle itself with unnecessary baggage of pride and self-absorption.
Finally, Entropy is purposeful. It is prone to bouts of whimsy, as befits such a chaotic force. Yet it still has an aim and a drive. While its methods may vary and sometimes be inscrutable, its goal is its namesake, Entropy. It breaks down reality because it must. That is its purpose and pursuit. It does not forget itself, even when it the midst of its frivolity or insanity. This element makes its goal to cleanse and fluid nature all the more fearful and insurmountable. A building can be firmly built and constantly repaired, preventing its fall and rebuffing each and every strategy to bring it down.
But such preparations are temporary at best. Entropy, never abandonings it drive, cannot be beaten. It cannot be stopped. It can only be accepted.
3) Spiritual--------------
Cleansing, Fluidity and Purpose are the understandings of Entropy. The faithful commit to acts of cleansing, both for themselves and the world. As Entropy strips and purifies the world of its dross, so too must a servant of Oblivion seek to cut away the rot and filth in their soul. We lack the perfect and enligtening peace of Oblivion, and cannot gain it until we pass through the veil, so we must ever look within ourselves that we may know what can be thrown away. The meaningless consumption of food and drink, when aimed only to slake our gluttony and drunkeness.
That we purge ourselves of our weakness, so too do we seek to cleanse the world of its filth. There are so many that attempt to hold back the tide of Entropy. Seeking to inforce their small-minded concept of order and law on those around them, often vainly claiming it for the "good of Sosoria/Ilshenar/Malas etc." Yet theirs is corruption and self-satisfaction for the sake of their own purposes. Nothing greater. Even those who pursue the "Virtues" chain themselves to rules and laws of an errant king whose own concept of compassion and justice was to abandon first the land under the Feluccan moon and then the entirety of Sosaria.
The Ebon Skull has long sought to cleanse the world of those parts that weaken and chain it.
This is a duty most sacred and the call to all faithful that they spread the truth of Oblivion to every land and every shore.
Yet it is only through emulation of the fluidity of Entropy that any servant can hope to succeed. The stagnation that inhibits understanding of Oblivion is the same stagnation the drives us to fail again and again in ways we know do not work. Time and time again we have seen empires and their human components run into the same walls as if the whole of the breed suffer some severe mental defect.
Variation is the currency of success in the realm of life and strangely enough carries fair weight in the life extended beyond the normal limits of flesh. The ability to change and adapt. To accept a failure and morph it into a step to victory is needed. Do not allow a stumble to shake you from the path. Flow with the tides of change and embrace the ingenuity that tears down the firmaments of old. Finally, a proper acolyte of Entropy must always remember their Purpose. Whether bathed in the fires of destruction or speaking at the table of nobility, a true servant never forgets what it is they serve.
They serve the tireless fore of inevitability. It needs not rest and nor do its faithful. This is not, however, a call for the scions of Oblivion to literally work themselves to death. It is a reminder that they are part of something greater than themselves. An order that has existed since the time of "the Shattering" formed the shards It has been cleansed and purged by the fires of the power it serves, all for the sake of completing the task given to it. And though the will of its adherents have wavered, it has never fallen.
Never ceased. It cannot. For it is a reflection of the eternal character of Oblivion. It is a testament to the enduring and powerfully focused elements of Entropy. A proper acolyte would always remember that their sacrifices, of themselves and of others, is all part of planned and purposeful struggle. A struggle whose ending is already decided. And there is no stopping it. Just like there is no stopping us.
-Continued in Volume 4-
The Convergence-----
"I am what came before and what shall come. I stand at the point where all passes through and in my wake flows the endless sea of Oblivion." -Lich Lord Darrien Church
If Entropy is the rising
action of the story that
is reality and Oblivion is
the resolution and final
scene, the Convergence is
the climax. It is that
most sacred and holy
moment where reality
crosses over into
non-existence and all that
is imperfect and prone to
stagnation is forever
purged of its weakness
and cast into the endless
ocean of purity. The
Convergence is the focus
of the Order of the
Ebon Skull and its
primary drive. It is the
last breath of an ending
life, the final flicker of
a dying light. It is the
moment of translation
from the rough and
regrettable taint of
failure in life, to the
enduring peace of Oblivion.
There is no moment more
blissful or divine than the
passing. That perfect
moment of release.
1) Arcane Element--------
The Convergence is not a process or a state of being so much as a sudden and distinctive moment of time. As the final work of Entropy breaks down the last of a substance to its final form and flings it into Oblivion's embrace it reaches a sudden moment of Unmaking the unweaves the very fabric of reality and dispels it into nothingness as it enters into the Void. Yet this final unmaking is not a mild nor inauspicious event. The release of energy from the final destruction of matter is nigh incalculable as the substance experiences its last fleeting moment of actuality. And it is from this power that so much of the strength of the Ebon Skull is pulled. While it is certainly a prevailing artifact of chaos, more than anything else, the Ebon Skull represents that cross over and can channel that impossibly massive power to the ends of those who wield it.
Unlike the directed and chaotic power of Entropy, the energy released by the Convergence is not aspected towards a particular end. It has no focus, as its purpose is already finished. Therefore it can be wielded in any number of ways to great affect, though there is a theoretical limit. Again, the Convergence is a moment of time, not a state of existence. As of such, that power remains only with the moment before it is swallowed by Oblivion and is no more. Therefore using it to maintain fields or wards becomes extremely difficult as that wisp of incredible power soon passes away as quickly as it came.
While there are some methods to channel each new spark of energy released in each Convergent action, such projects require an immense undertaking of skill, resource and time that can tie up the wealth of even the most developed of nations. Be that as it may, many a mage within the Order turn to the Covergence as their Central Draw. The casting of spells requires only a moments focus and the limitless power provided never fails to grant the petioner their due.
However, the ability to even perceive this power falls behind mortal comprehension. Indeed it often requires interaction with an incredibly powerful scion or artifact of Oblivion in order to have ones eyes opened. Indeed it was by baptism in the stygian flame of the Ebon Skull that some of the Order have received the seed of understanding required to wield the power of the Convergence.
Perhaps one of the most interesting facets of this moment of release are the messages sent into reality by Oblivion. Like every sudden release of energy their is a shockwave. The "boom" from an Explosion spell or the revolt of the earth beneath ones foot in the Earthquake incantation are examples of this shockwave. Yet to those trained to listen there is more to the moment of Convergence than a simple release of energy. There is a message. It is hypothesized that it is through these "messages" that Oblivion chooses its Lich Lord and communicates through the Ebon Skull. The echoes of that which is cast into the Convergence is more than the the deathknell of the subject.
It is Oblivion's moment to speak with those who know how to hear it. There is no sound within Oblivion itself, but there are moments of understanding present in that instant where existence ceases to be and nothingness takes hold. It often fell to the eldritch capacity of the "Nameless One" to hear such calls, though his or her mortal senses were shattered. In time, other forms of prophets have emerged. And it is through these moments and these prophets, lich lords and artifacts that the Order holds a connection to Oblivion. A connection that binds us to its will and to completing the work begun at the beginning.
2) Theology---------------
The Convergence is that perfect moment of cleansing that takes the stuff of our souls and transforms it into a flame that burns hotter than any time before. Where Entropy is existence and Oblivion is the hope for tomorrow, the Convergence is the moment where the cleansing, fluidity and purpose of Entropy gives way to the eternal peace, equality and freedom of Oblivion. It is a sudden and instant change that cannot be compared to anything ever experienced in the mere and limited scope of mortality. Whereas the unmaking of Entropy seeks to constantly tear down the firmaments produced by mortal hands the Convergence is an act of unmaking that permanently and irrevocably ends that which is brought into its moment.
It must do so as there can be no return from that which does not exist. The Convergence is as far reaching as Entropy and as certain as Oblivion on both a cosmic as well as personal level. It is the natural Order that all things be sent to Oblivion in time. And it is only through the Convergence that reality can pass into nothingness. We would be fools as to believe that this process could be halted or undone.
It was a divergence, of sorts, that brought about the shards and Sosoria. It is the Convergence that shall unify it all once more. And into that role steps the Order of the Ebon Skull. Purveyors of unity, that seek to shepherd all into their place in the proper order of things. Not for the sake of personal gain or pride, but to grant all their much deserved rest from the otherwise neverending cycle of pain that existence offers. The Convergence is release. The gate that all pass through on their way to Oblivion's Peace. It is that moment that frees you and the moment that washes away all the iniquity of a life now gone.
Furthermore, the Convergence is necessary. It is a moment of keen understanding that prepares the mind and soul to accept what is to come next. What Oblivion has to offer is far too much for mortal discernment to grasp a hold of. It is only by reaching this moment that many can come to see the necessity of Oblivion. It is the servants of the Ebon Skull that have been given this realization before their time to pass through the veil has come.
Though it is an imperfect knowledge, it is a working knowledge. Last, the Convergence is final. There is no stepping back from what has been learned. There is no undoing what has been seen. Forevermore does knowledge change us. So too are we forever changed by our understanding of the Convergence. Because we understand this finality, we approach it with reverence and willingness to accept what is to come.
-Continued in Volume 5-
Rather than fight unnecessary battles and waste our time on the petty elements of existence, we focus ourselves on our task, knowing that its results are forever and our sacrifices never in vain.
3) Spiritual--------------
As before we take the lessons of theology that we may apply them to ourselves. The Convergence is release, it is necessary and it is final. The release it grants is from both mortal constraint and mortal understanding of life. Instead of accepting the restraint of your flesh and the rules designed only to conform you to the whims of self-absorbed dictators, you are to view yourself as free of their influence. Old treaties and bindings that compelled your obedience to lesser entities are void as you step into a new life and new understanding of reality.
The reason such release is allowed, is because it is necessary. No greater sin would be to teach one of the truth of Oblivion then to demand they remain chained to whatever minor destiny they believed they had to follow. It is one thing to say reality is "unfair". It is an entirely different matter to expect one to toil in places they need not. To bring one to the point of understanding and then encouraging them to follow through is paramount to all other matters. Because without these understandings and the power to pursue those understandings they are lost.
Last and a key reminder to all who hear the words of the prophets and whispers of Oblivion, is that the Convergence is final. There is no turning back from what one has learned. One must choose to follow or to deny. And those that deny must accept their inevitability that is their failure. Those that take the step of acceptance recognize that there is no turning back and instead choose to move forward, that they may attain the enlightenment and understanding of one who truly sees things for how they are.
Epilogue---------
"I didn't think it would end like this. And I was right... it didn't." -Magus Azunda Thaumiel
Oblivion, Entropy and the
Convergence are three
distinct elements of
existence. Yet none of
them exist apart. As
they are unified in the
work of the Order of
the Ebon Skull, so too
are they unified in their
natural purposes. Entropy
does not exist merely
unto itself. It is the
river that carries the
mountains, bit by bit, into
the sea of Oblivion.
Oblivion could not be added to were Entropy not there to tear down the old and cast it to the consuming flame. They are all a part of one great process. It was once explained to me thusly:
Take a bowl and fill it with water. All that is outside of the bowl represents non-existence. All that is within the bowl represents that which does exist. If reality were contained like this, then there would be no motion. The water within would not move; stagnant and unchanging.
Yet if a hole were made in the bottom of the bowl, then the water would leak out and motion would begin, expelling the stagnation of the sitting water.
The counter-clockwise swirl of the water represents the flow of Entropy. All that is within the bowl of reality flows with the current of Entropy. Oblivion is what is reached when the water leaves the bowl and enters the realm of non-existence. Yet it is that hole that represents the Convergence. The moment where that which was escapes the confines of the bowl and is released from its corrupted and unmoving existence.
In this way we can see the process of the natural flow towards Oblivion. Entropy grants motion and change to the world. The Convergence is the opening through which the world passes. And Oblivion is the final release which grants those stuck within the confines of a dirty and unforgiving world a true age of freedom.
To those who read these words, bear witness to the truths that lie herein, for they are the words and collected understandings of both the ancient and present eras.
To read these words is the understand that glorious work of the Order of the Ebon Skull. To recognize what has been done in the name of progress and healing. There will always be detractors who declare our intentions impure or selfish and indeed there may be those amonst us whose intents are truly that. But to the learned acolyte, it can be seen that we stand to be more than those who seek material gain.
Conquering lands and uniting people in the name of some sort of ephemeral "freedom", "peace" or "protection" is but the boasts of deluded tyrants who think only of themselves. Stand tall, servants of the Ebon Skull of every age. The balances of power may shift in this world, as they often do; but just as those who maintained the watch those many years ago, so too will you stand upon the world stage and proclaim the ever rising tide of Oblivion. You cannot fail as victory was determined at the creation of reality.
Our Order is ancient as is our creed and it has weathered many storms. From the fall of Caina, to the destruction of the original Ebon Skull, to even our present wars, we have endured. Not for a reason as pitiful as "we must". But because we simply always will. All who read these words, whether they bow to our work or not, have unwittingly pronounced the work of Oblivion. You cannot forget what you have learned here and reality itself will constantly remind you of its truth.
Do not attempt to take these teachings apart, using only the bits you like. Teach at whatever rate you desire, but do not leave the teaching undone. To do so is to invite uncertainty and corruption into the minds of those who hear. The Entropic Chant is perhaps the most brilliantly produced litany of any age. All of it speaks volumes to the truth of the world around us. But it is the last stanza that you, dear reader, must remember:
"You cannot escape me. You cannot defeat me. You can only embrace me."
Etheng.
Keruilath la mornvas.
Walk in Darkness.
--The entropic image, the Mark of Thorns, takes up this page--