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 Posted: Thu Oct 27, 2011 11:31 am
In the late summer after the great festival of Lughnasadh, the Sunflare Herd's warriors and Burning Sun Clan came to an agreement that it was high time the Shadow Herd was defeated for good. They attacked, and while they did win a bloodless victory over the Shadow Herd, the survivors of the Shadow Herd were scattered to the four winds. Lord Moloch's granddaughter, Blodeuwedd sought out those who survived the attack and gathered them to her, intending to refound the Shadow Herd. However, being arguably the most ambitious and darkest of Moloch's get, Blodeuwedd did not intend to reforge the Shadow as a perfect copy, for Moloch only ever really terrorized the Sunflare Herd. Blodeuwedd has felt this insufficient for the might of the Shadow Herd, and has taken it into her head to rebuild the Shadow as a court of powerful evildoers and mischief-makers at her beck and call.
Beware this new Shadow...for Blodeuwedd intends to use it to spell out the doom of the rest of the Fallen Stars....
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Posted: Thu Oct 27, 2011 11:35 am
Navigation
I. Intro
II. Navigation
III. News
IV. Origins/Backstory
V. Those in Charge
VI. Rituals
VII. The Court of Shadows (ranks, etc)
VIII. Bios of the Founders/Founding Lineages
IX. Those Who Are Lost
X. Joining/Membership
XI - XIV. Reserved
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Posted: Thu Oct 27, 2011 11:36 am
News
November 26th 2011 - Ruadh, Osteocyte, and Anand join the Shadow
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Posted: Thu Oct 27, 2011 11:44 am
In the Beginning Was the Darkness...
The original Shadow Herd was founded by a group of highly ambitious and cruel Stars who dreamed of one day ruling the world and trampling everyone who got in the way. Not a nice bunch of Stars, and while they did their best to wreak havoc, they quickly developed an enemy in the Ard-Righ of the Sunflare Herd, and his herd members later disbanded the Shadow Herd in a surprise attack. They became eventually only the enemies of the Sunflare, largely because Shadow King Moloch and Sun King Lughnasadh were bitter rivals and enemies...and no one else wanted to live anywhere near the conflict zone. After the disbanding, Moloch's granddaughter, Blodeuwedd, gathered those of the Shadow she could find to rebuild it.
However, she is critically different from Moloch. Moloch was smart enough not to piss off anyone who could kill him and the Shadow with barely a second thought. Blodeuwedd thinks that was a bit soft and has some ideas of how to spread the evil and chaos beyond their traditional enemies, including the formation of an evil cult that demands blood sacrifices. And Blodeuwedd gets to pick the sacrificial victims....
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Posted: Thu Oct 27, 2011 12:12 pm
Those in Charge
In gathering to her side those she could find of the original Shadow, Blod offered them power if they would follow her. She did succeed in finding a fair few, and there are accounts below of those she has found, and may find others of the original Shadow. As she finds them, she will rehabilitate them as the mighty leaders in what she calls the Court of Shadows.
Blodeuwedd
Blodeuwedd is the Queen of the new Shadow. She is an ambitious, bloodthirsty, clever little dictator who feels that if you want something done right, you had better fekking do it yourself. She inherited her grandfather's hatred and disgust of Lughnasadh and the Sunflare Herd, and with the disbanding of the original Shadow, has sworn revenge AND true world domination. She has unlimited powers in the new Shadow, having instated herself as the priestess-queen. Think the evil queen from the gorier fairy tale or the more inhuman faery queen.
Plamen
Plamen has become the Shadow's great trickster, in the grand tradition of the Norse god Loki. He is known as Fire Duke Plamen von Hoelle, the Trickster Lord. Brilliant and a famed womanizer who is also masochistically attracted to Retinadeath, he was the one most likely to question Blodeuwedd's takeover of the Shadow Herd. However, she gave him the offices of Spymaster, Trickster Lord, and Father of the Mind. She also has made it perfectly clear that if he does not toe the line, she will geld him and offer up the cut off body parts as part of the next blood sacrifice. Since gelding does not appeal to Plamen, he toes the line...especially since he watched her geld a small animal with Retinadeath's help not long after.
Retinadeath
Retinadeath supports Blodeuwedd most likely because Blodeuwedd offered her the job of the Death General and is even more committed to her goals than her grandfather Moloch. She is an insecure one, deep down, which Blodeuwedd played to, and intolerant, which Blodeuwedd finds a good trait in her general. However, Blodeuwedd seems to have found some kind of material to keep Retinadeath permanently on her side. Possibly fear, threats, or blackmail, it's not certain what. Possibly also the job of holding Plamen down if Plamen ever gets gelded. The Death General is to be utterly feared.
Ambrosia
Little is known at present about Ambrosia's role in the new Shadow Herd, but it is virtually certain that Ambrosia holds high office in the Court of Shadows. After all, she is the firstborn child of the Death General and the Trickster Lord. She is beholden to the Death General, being her loyal minion.
Feral
Feral der Mardertod, Ambrosia's full brother and the firstborn son of the Death General and the Trickster Lord, is very much the minion of the Trickster Lord, having been raised to break hearts. Much to the Trickster Lord's initial dismay, Feral der Mardertod bats for the other team. He also hates absolutely everything, which Blodeuwedd finds absolutely adorable, in a sick and twisted way. She has PLANS so that this kid wreaks havoc in acceptable directions.
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Posted: Thu Oct 27, 2011 12:24 pm
Rituals
In reforming the Shadow, Blodeuwedd performed a total overhaul. The original Shadow Herd was a classic Dark Lord/Evil Empire scheme; the new Shadow Herd more closely resembles the Unseelie Court of Scottish faery lore. Be afraid. Be very afraid.
In this new structure, every member of the Shadow is a courtier of some type, however, chaos is highly encouraged. Provided they don't rebel or disrupt anything Blodeuwedd commands, chaos is the order of the day. To keep the chaotic elements under control, Blodeuwedd has begun to introduce a highly ritualized cult to the Shadow. It originates in shop-wide legend and is maintained by blood sacrifices, which Blodeuwedd performs. Just in case anyone has any thoughts of trying to pull off a coup d'etat or revolt or something.
The basic idea is simple: Ophiuchus was the greatest of the Signs and was outright snubbed because of his great might. Every other cutesy little Star needs to be made to show proper respect to the greatest Sign of all...and his descendants. Shadow King Moloch is a direct descendant of Lord Ophiuchus and was right to seek domination of the Fallen Stars. Blodeuwedd, as Shadow King Moloch's granddaughter, is to unite all Fallen Stars in worship of Lord Ophiuchus and paying for ancient sins against the Ophiuchan lineage through blood sacrifices of various kinds. Blodeuwedd performs the rituals and chooses the sacrifices. Really, you don't want to know the rest. Suffice it to say, it's NASTY.
The truth of the matter is that Ophiuchus does not have any known descendants whatsoever, it is inconclusive as to whether he was snubbed or left out by accident, and he was merely one of the greater of the Signs, but not the greatest. Trying to preach any of this is heresy and a good way to get yourself elevated to Next Blood Sacrifice.
The Teind
There is one regular mid-level ritual Blodeuwedd intends to instate, called the Teind, "teind" being an old word for "tithe," "tithe" being the term for a special tax, usually religious. A small one will happen every year on what the Sunflare Herd calls Samhain to ensure victories for the Shadow in the coming year. This is rumored to be a fire-based ritual, hopefully merely the burning of something insignificant...rather than a living Star. While lesser sacrifices don't have mandatory, the Teind and the Great Teind have a mandatory herd-wide attendance policy.
The Great Teind
The Great Teind is the huuuge ritual Blodeuwedd plans to hold once every seven years. It's just like the annual Teind, including the date on which it's set and the manner of sacrifice. Hopefully, Blodeuwedd can be dissuaded from making the Great Teind from actually being required to sacrifice a living Star. This is supposedly to ensure general good luck for the entire Shadow Herd for the next seven years.
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Posted: Fri Oct 28, 2011 9:28 am
The Court of Shadows
Here follows a description of the hierarchy of the new Shadow Herd. Yes, there is a hierarchy, largely to keep chaos directed outside of the herd, or at any rate, not aimed at Blodeuwedd.
The Shadow Lineage are those who are direct descendants of Shadow King Moloch. Not mates, nephews, nieces, cousins, in-laws, etc, but those who call Moloch some stripe of biological daddy, whether it be father, grandfather, great-grandfather, etc.
Below is the hierarchical structure of the new Shadow Herd, from highest to lowest. Blodeuwedd may not always enforce it, but she does enforce everyone playing their part....
Shadow King and/or Queen
The Shadow Monarch is the one who rules the Shadow Herd as king/queen regnant and as high priest(ess). Their word is law. The single requirement is to be the most badass linear descendant of Shadow King Moloch and therefore of Lord Ophiuchus. Getting the rank is such a complicated process of making the rest of your relations in the Shadow Lineage look too weak to be the next Shadow Monarch. Getting the rank of Shadow Monarch is a lifetime job, meaning the other descendants can band together and backstab you...provided they stop slugging it out for power. The heir(ess) is not announced until the Shadow Monarch is about to die. The Mate of the Shadow Monarch is a periodic job, depending on the Shadow Monarch's views on lifemating. The Mate of the Shadow Monarch has only social powers and are only being kept as a baby machine. They have no religious, military, or political powers whatsoever, to prevent them from ever attempting to revolt against their mate. If their mate dies, even if they become the lifemate of another Shadow Monarch, they permanently lose power and the title of the Mate of the Shadow Monarch. Sucks, doesn't it?
Current Shadow Queen: Blodeuwedd
Current Shadow King: None; Blodeuwedd refuses to share power with her lifemate
Royal Consort
The Royal Consort is the Shadow Monarch's lifemate should the monarch choose not to share power with their mate. The Consort has only as much power as their mate gives them, which is usually very little (otherwise they'd be a king/queen!). As with a mate declared monarch, if a consort's mate dies, they permanently lose rank, even if they lifemate the new monarch.
Current Royal Consort: Tepey R'Pat
Royal Horror
The Shadow Monarch's personal pet and weapon of terror. Usually another star, always absolutely fearsome. The Royal Horror has no sociopolitical power, and is largely outside of the herd hierarchy, but is considered high-ranking because it answers to the monarch and the monarch alone.
Current Royal Horror: Triginta Tres
Death General
The Death General is acknowledged as the greatest knight of the Shadow Herd and the leader of all the other knights. He/she stands as the right hoof of the Shadow Monarch, loyally carrying out their bidding. This is for someone who's lawfully evil, since the Death General is expected to keep their forces strictly obedient to them and to the Shadow Monarch. Ruthlessness and a violent temper are considered major pluses. Having children should not be an issue, provided that raising foals does not interfere with military duties. The Death General loses power either when the current Shadow Monarch is killed (if by a herd member) or when killed. As this is the case, the Death General also acts as the Shadow Monarch's bodyguard. The Death General is always someone outside the Shadow Lineage.
Current Death General: Retinadeath
Dukes of Chaos
The Dukes (and/or Duchesses) of Chaos are the clever politicians who advise the Shadow Monarch. Like the Death General, who sits in council with the Shadow Monarch and the Dukes of Chaos, the Dukes of Chaos are to be loyal to the Shadow Monarch, owe their job to the current Shadow Monarch, and are always from outside the Shadow Lineage. The number of Dukes of Chaos varies, and titles are awarded for proof of loyal service and exemplary displays of evil and chaos. There is traditionally a High Duke of Chaos who truly has the Shadow Monarch's ear, so chaos amongst the Dukes of Chaos is encouraged. Each Duke of Chaos is associated with a specific phenomenon that causes chaos or is strongly associated with chaos, such as Fire Duke Plamen von Hoelle, the Trickster Lord, who is expected to be the first High Duke of Chaos. Dukes of Chaos usually hold power for life, though there are no guarantees. Treason gets you kicked out of the herd, if not sacrificed as the next blood sacrifice.
Current Dukes of Chaos: Fire Duke Plamen von Hoelle
Shadow Princes and Princesses
Yeah, that's right, the princes and princesses rank lower than the Dukes of Chaos and the Death General. Why? Because they are traditionally expected to backstab the living daylights out of the other princes and princesses before being officially named the next Shadow Monarch on the deathbed of the old Shadow Monarch. As a result, theirs is a shaky position. They are expected to assist the Dukes of Chaos, the Death General, and the Shadow Monarch, but have little more than social power until they take control as Shadow Monarch. Aside from that, their only other duties are to support the Shadow Herd as best they can. It's not an awesome job. You only get it from birth to death/promotion, and you're basically considered part of a group of bloodthirsty, catty royal brats. By this token, you're also considered the evillest members of the herd, aside from the Shadow Monarch, who rules this mess.
Current Shadow Princes and Princesses: Belenus
Death Knights
The Death Knights are the elite knights serving the Death General directly. One of their number always becomes the Death General on the death of the old one. It's a lot like being the Death General, really, except that you don't have all the responsibilities and you have no real political power; just a lot of social and military power. The Death General determines who is part of this elite unit and how many are in this unit. They also may serve as the Death General's bodyguard.
Current Death Knights: Ruadh, Azura
Dark Knights
The Dark Knights are all the other knights who purely fight for the Shadow Herd. Personality types and powers vary, but they're generally good fighters. While the Death Knights are smart, strong, and fast, they generally participate in very little personal training, as they train the Dark Knights. The Dark Knights, in reciprocation, traditionally duke it out amongst themselves on various levels to be selected as a Death Knight. Chaos is expected to be kept to a dull roar, with the Death Knights expected to keep the Dark Knights under control and the Death General expected to keep an eye on the Death Knights and the Dark Knights.
Current Dark Knights: Osteocyte, Anand, Frost Bite, Saltic, Cranium, Simionce, Cataracta, Wolfbane, Stormlight, Irishstorm
Dark Courtiers
The Dark Courtiers are the majority of the herd. They're everybody without high office who's not a knight or of the Shadow Lineage. They're purely expected to be evil, wreak havoc, not mess up the Shadow Herd, recruit/give birth to new members...not much, really, but all the important stuff. Sometimes, a Dark Courtier is elevated to the rank of Duke of Chaos, but this is at the Shadow Monarch's discretion.
Current Dark Courtiers: Feral der Martertod, Tonestue, Anopticyte, Cometary, Khnum, Keratoconus, Akane, Helias, Melitta, Hyperopia, Epiphora, Loxosceles, Haruto
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Posted: Thu Nov 10, 2011 8:11 pm
Bios of the Founders/Founding Lineages
There are currently considered to be three founding lineages, but anyone else who rejoins from the original Shadow Herd and swears allegiance to Blodeuwedd will be counted as a Founder.
The Founders lived under Moloch. Be very afraid of the ones that make this post.
The Shadow Lineage
The Shadow Lineage are the descendants of Moloch, the founder of the original Shadow Herd. Though most of Moloch’s family have disappeared, his line was continued through his granddaughter, Queen Blodeweudd. The family is notoriously tricky and dangerously savvy in matters political and psychological. The white eyes common to the lineage originated in Moloch’s mate, Avantasia; the bone mask is Moloch’s. Through Blodeweudd’s brief affair with one of Lughnasadh’s great-granddaughters, her line is connected to Sunflare’s Royal Sun Clan.
The Retina Lineage
The Retina Lineage are descendants (biological or adopted) of Retinadeath, the first Death General. Retinadeath’s family is even more dysfunctional than the Shadow Lineage. Half of her family absolutely loves her; the other half utterly despise her. She’s not too fond of all of her descendants, either, and plays heavy favoritism. Her family has a tendency towards extremely bright colors, especially reds and oranges. Flame markings and spiked sunglasses abound. Many members of the lineage are also members of the Trickster Lineage due to the long-time relationship between Retinadeath and Plamen. Many members of the family are knights, but a surprising number of them are courtiers.
The Trickster Lineage
The Trickster Lineage are descendants of Plamen von Hoelle, the first Duke of Chaos. They tend to be sneaky and manipulative. Orange, green, and pinstripes are the hallmark of this lineage. Most members of the Trickster Lineage end up as Dark Courtiers, working behind the scenes to grab all of the power they can get their hooves on. Many members of this lineage are also descendants of Retinadeath; most of them, however, ignore her influence in favor of Plamen’s.
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Posted: Thu Nov 10, 2011 8:18 pm
Those Who Are Lost
Below follows a list of potential Founders who are not accounted for:
Moloch
Avantasia
Kalida Kaushal
Vidar
Calypso
Pandora
Evander
Hemlock
Evander's three siblings
If you know a Star that was originally part of the old Shadow Herd that isn't on this list, please post.
If you own a Star on the above list that you wish to transfer into the new Shadow Herd, please post the form for entering the Shadow Herd. Blod will know you. Promise.
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Posted: Thu Nov 10, 2011 8:32 pm
Joining/Membership
So you want to actually join this seething mass of darkness? Well, far be it for me to try to dissuade you....
When picking a rank, if the Star is a fighter, start them as a Dark Knight; I swear they'll improve with plotting/RP. If they're not a fighter, start them as a Dark Courtier of some sort; I swear they'll improve with plotting/RP. You can request a higher rank with a new Star, but be aware, you had better darn well prove to Blodeuwedd, Plamen, and Retinadeath that you can take the job, and that WILL involve plotting/RP. If you do not specify a rank, the star is assumed to be a Dark Courtier.
If the Star is one of the Founders (see above), they are entitled to become a Death Knight, a Duke/Duchess of Chaos, or part of the Shadow Royals, depending on their abilities and familial connections. Why do they get it so good? Blodeuwedd is trying to keep those who might try to depose her from having definite reason to war with her. Oh, she will take action against those below her if necessary, in the form of sacrifice, but it's preferable not to spill excessive Shadow Founding blood over this. Joining:[size=18]My Star will swear Fealty to the Shadow~[/size]
[b]Username:[/b]
[b]Star Name:[/b]
[b]Star Cert:[/b] Link, please
[b]Star Uncert:[/b] Link, please, if you have it
[b]Requested Rank:[/b] If asking for a higher rank and not a Founder, please poke for plots/RP
[b]Reasons for Joining:[/b] Founders, just post that you're a Founder; everyone else, REASONS, PLEASE~!
[b]Personality/History:[/b] Changing Rank (Because it can happen):[size=18][color=red]My Dark Star is Badass~[/color][/size]
[b]Username:[/b]
[b]Star Name:[/b]
[b]New Rank:[/b] Leaving (Heaven help you!):[size=18][color=green]RUN AWAY, RUN AWAY, RUN AWAY~[/color][/size]
[b]Username:[/b]
[b]Star Name:[/b]
[b]Reasons for Leaving:[/b] Have a good reason for fleeing. Having pissed off Blod counts, being originally a spy against the Shadow...might...count. It really depends.
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Posted: Thu Nov 10, 2011 8:37 pm
Post XI of XIV.
Herd plots may live here.
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Posted: Thu Nov 10, 2011 8:38 pm
Post XII of XIV.
Relationships with other herds may live here.
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Posted: Thu Nov 10, 2011 8:39 pm
Post XIII of XIV.
Herd plot and RP requests may live here.
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Posted: Thu Nov 10, 2011 8:40 pm
Post XIV of XIV.
Herd arts (Blod calls it devotional works to their priestess-queen) may live here. Pardon her egotism. *Sacrificed in the next ritual*
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