Darka/School of Obedience

Welcome

So you have chosen me, Vatticus Rexx Vashmere, to be your Mentor and guide into your new life as a Mercenary of Darka. Let me introduce myself to you before we continue with your lessons. I am a machine of Darka, a living, breathing, roaring automaton of Darka. I live to serve the King, the realm and you. I am unlike most teachers you had the chance to choose before choosing me in that I do not have much interest in titles, politeness or semantics of ediquett when it comes to making you the sharpest sword you can ever be. My only goal here is to see that when I dispatch you into the free world, that you are able to do the following with no hesitation or moment of thought when the proper time has come..

• Kill for Darka
• War for Darka
• Die for Darka

This school is unlike all others. It will tolerate less mouth, less weakness and it will never be known as anything less then truly "brutal" and "heartless" in the face of your education. You chose me for a reason; You wanted to suffer the worst to become the best.

Once you are fit to be left to your own actions without a mentor, you will have the right to say you passed the lessons of a man who demands nothing less then brutality and perfection in his students. I am known throughout Darka as a man who bathes in violence and blood, but also obeys the Crown and Law above all motivating thoughts within my own mind and body. Nothing matters more then you becoming a razor sharp enough to slice through any army. You are now in the hands of a man who openly calls himself, and those who teaches, “Dogs of Darka”.

I welcome you with open arms and hope you are strong enough to survive the most brutal of courses in Mercenary tactics, philosophies and practices. You will bleed here, you will feel pain here, you will wish me dead and destroyed before we are done. But on the day you are released from my care, I will feel honored to have served you as your loyal servant and teacher.

I thank you for the chance to educate you on the solid ways of Darka and its populace of mercenaries. Before long, you will be showered with gold, and knee deep in the skulls and blood of your fallen enemies. And…when you finally die at the hands of another warrior, you will die knowing that warrior was damn good at what he was doing, because NO MORTAL kills a Darkan easy.

Lastly…and this is very serious. I do NOT tolerate words of respect such as “my lord, Sir, captain, Teacher, etc”. I am a Dog of Darka. I bark like a Dog of Darka. I bite like a Dog of Darka. I kill like a Dog of Darka. You will call me “Dog” or simply by my name, Vatticus (Vatt will do fine as well). This has been my way since my arrival here, and you are to never call another man or woman a Dog but me, and those who adopt this title with honor.

With this said, lets begin your education in death, gold and war.

The Mercenary Way

The Merceny way is seldom understood outside of Darka. You are new to Darka, and in being so it is important you understand a few things that separate our way of life from ALL OTHER realms in Atamara and the rest of the world. These ideals are imperitave to our future and in keeping us one of the strongest, and most profitable, realms in the world. Study these ideals intensly and keep them forever close to your heart and mind, for forgetting a single one can result in your untimely death or removal from our steel-strong realm.

• You are a Merc. Meaning, unlike most Nobles of this world you do not make choices based on morals, free will or emotion. You are here to kill for, and support Darka. Darka tolerates no lazy man or woman, and will never allow orders to go unfollowed due to personal feelings on "right or wrong". Darka takes no stance on politics of morality when it comes to war. We are the ONLY realm that goes to war for one reason...gold...and lots of it. We do not care if the war is right, justified or fair...we only care if it brings profit to Darka and those who fight for it. We are perfectly happy going to war against those who can not defend themselvs, just as we are happy marching into a war where we are outnumbered or outclassed...if the Contract is signed by our King, we march...and we do not hesitate one moment in doing so.

• Most realms have qualms with our way of war. We are often called pigs or savages for the way we operate in war. many realms have nothing but hatred or digust for the fact that gold is our only motivation for war...but almost ALL realms have called on our services at one time or another. meaning one thing: We are piggish savages only when you do not need us. When a realm calls on Darka for our help in war, we only ask two things; that the gold be good and the contract be signed by the proper officials.

• Sometimes (often) Darka's warriors will have to sit and wait on frontlines with little or no action for weeks. Long periods of time may pass where you are simply instructed to sit and wait for further orders. Not all of our information on attack will be openly shared with you. As a Merc you will be expected to follow orders and do so without complaint. If you get bored sitting in a trench for weeks on end, without a single clue to as if you will be actually attacking or simply sitting there as a form of "intimidation with no real chance of entering war", then please be a perfect Merc and allow the time to pass without complaint. We are Mercs...we wait, we war, we follow commands, nothing more.

• In Darka a powerful heart, body and mind are all equally considered valuable to our way of life. Unlike most realms that rest on fake images of soft-handed Noble-talk, and fancy pants aristocratic tomfoolery...we are Darkans!!! We roar when we wish, we bark louder then a dog in war, and we hate, love, and laugh with passion. We do not strive to be like any other realm...for we are the only mercenary-realm to exist in the realms of man. We are proud and we live or die with pride.

Vashmere 01:02, 19 August 2007 (CEST)

Tenets of Conduct

New to Darka, and under the guidance of your new Mentor, you should be aware of the following tenets. Being newly introduced to the Darkan way, you will be allowed the grace of a few mistakes, but fail to obey or acknowledge these tenets and it can greatly alter your future in this realm. Please observe the following-

Tenet 1: Do not hesitate in asking about any subject you are confused on. No matter how simple, or how complex, I am here to guide you to understanding of all things “Darkan”. As a Mentor I will never command you or belittle you in a way that points to your inability to understand new ideas and details of Darka. You will never be punished or be made to feel embarrassed over any questions you may have.

OOC:Simply go to your message center to the left of your screen and click it

Tenet 2: Feel free to introduce yourself to the realm. Your scribes are very trained in getting your messages to others and the more you interact with others, the more they will know you are part of the mercenary family. If you are silent or not one to make a big hubbub about your actions or conversations, then feel free to remain that way. But if you do take the time to get to know the realm, you will find your future filled with many Mercenaries who will gladly take a step out of the way, or a sword to the face, just to help you. Those who learn to befriend the realm’s populace, find it easier to walk among us knowing there are those around them who honor you as their sister or brother.

Tenet 3: Respect and follow orders of your superiors. Those above you in the chain of command are placed there to keep you, and all of us, alive and heavy with gold. Refusing to accept or follow orders is a fast way towards banishment or death by Darkan Law. Mercenaries can not afford to have one weak link in our chain of strength. It is your duty to insure you are never that weak link.

OOC: Battlemaster is a game that allows you to play as little or as much as you wish. If you miss a day or two (or more) do not worry. The players are all understanding of the real-world and its demands. None of us want to see you lose interest or fun in this great game because some jerk is making demands of your game-time. You are here to have fun, relax and just lose yourself in a wonderful world that is protected and loved by its creator, players and programmers alike. If any player EVER makes demands on your time (saying you log on too little, or scolds you for missing a turn, etc) then they are in direct conflict with the rules of Battlemaster.

Tenet 4: You are free to choose your line of work. No one can ever order you to choose a class. If you want to be a Knight, be one. If you want a life of trading and selling, then the class of Trader would be right up your alley. You are free to be anything you wish with only one acception. The realm MUST approve your choice to be a Bureaucrat.

OOC: You must have the approval of the Arch Priestess and/or the King’s council to choose the class of Bureaucrat. All other choices are protected under your official rights of a player.

Be aware that choosing which class to play as is one of a noble's inalienable rights in Battlemaster. Anyone who gives you orders about choosing which class to play as should be reported to the Titans or Magistrates.

Tenet 5 Trust in your mentor. I will never guide you in the wrong direction. It is my goal to perfect you as a weapon and warrior. My ways of teaching are unique even within Darka. I will see to it that when you graduate, all within Darka will know you have earned the true title of a true Mercenary, and above all; you will be a perfect machine built to kill with skill and polished tactics.