Melhed/History/Age of Betrayal/Undead/Undead Politics

Politics and Government

Though the Shadowlands are fascinating in and of themselves the purpose of this text is the study of the specific realm of the undead and it's structure, known to men of learning as the Abyss.

The Abyss is our home. It is what we named "our" domain in the shadowlands. Much like you name your "realms" so to speak. It is in the shadows my friend, there is no better way to explain it or put it, but it exists deep inside this world...it can only be accessed by the gates that we control--well, the gates we had a monopoly on. As you can see, our control is temporarily jeopardized...so long as the humans get their acts together and help us.

I have been in the Abyss for most of my life. I have attained the rank of General, and am not next in line for the position. I do not know if anyone that was around the original "creation" of living and undead is still alive. The only one that has such collective knowledge is the Summoner. His knowledge is infinitely infinite...considering that another merely picks up where the prior left of, as if nothing had happened. However, I know not whom my master serves. Only he does. That said I gained this rank through endless victories against those that dare to challenge our authority. Many great wars are fought in a number of places, ever notice long draughts, volcanic eruptions, earthquakes and such? Those are usually a direct result of warfare in the shadows...things spill over...unfortunately.

Not much, the Shadowlands* are dark, and fire illuminates our areas of control. Who truly knows what goes bump in the night, but we have fought some pretty vicious sects of evil, and gradually, we press on, hoping to someday be the truly unquestioned champions of the shadowlands. But we suspect that may not be possible, as we only control the largest portion, but no where near the majority of what we have come to know exists. Imagine how much else exists that we have not sent scouts to? Infinite possibilities. It is a rather dark and dangerous frontier, but we do what we can. ~General Sarge, Ancestor Legion

The Abyss, kingdom of the dead, abode of shades, land of the restless Ancestors. Within the shadows the undead make their home, and it is within the Abyss that their home is found. It is here that their cities are built, their toils undertaken and their enemy's warred against, with far reaching effects for all humans it would seem. It is a land of harsh wilderness and unknown danger, a small beacon of civilization in a great mass of barbarism.

The Summoner is an inherited rank. Should one perish in battle, another is ready to assume his place...I know this makes little sense, but that is the way it is. Only through a temporary death is the Summoner "replaced." In essence, he is recycled, really, each one enters the "next in line."

Through age. All commanders, are in essence, virtually equal. However, the oldest one becomes Summoner when the current Summoner passes...so each undead commander/summoner older than myself, moves up a notch closer to a potential destiny. As for the rest that do not lead, well, they remember very little of their past lives as it serves them no purpose in this one. But a good warrior then, is a great warrior undead as well. A crappy one, or a twisted soul, is pathetic in the afterlife as well. So, be good...and try to be your best, or you'll regret it when you die. ~General Sarge, Ancestor Legion

I have always been at the right hand side of The One, and always will be. ~Hierarch Summoner, Abyss Overlord

Leading the Abyss is the Summoner, supreme Hierarch of the Ancestors who answers only to the enigmatic One. Below him all commanders of the dead order themselves by the length of their unlives in a strict hierarchy all the way down to the lowliest peasant. Oddly enough, though the hierarchy is determined by the infamous, "dead men's pointy boots"* system, there is surprisingly little political infighting and efforts to advance one self. It is speculated that since the state of undeath, as explained in the book The Undead State: Life After Death, has no Life, they may have a limited ability to work in opposition to the orders of their superiors. It has been speculated that should the Summoner be captured it might in fact result in the total collapse of the Abyss, an assumption later proven by the imprisonment of The One. It also suggests that the dragon-spawn have access to the entire knowledge of the Summoner, which, if the Ancestors are correct, stretches back to the mysts of time. Who knows what they could do with such information.

The One proves to be a complex enigma to all scholars. The Old Gods priests hold that it is but the Ancestor's name for the Dark Mistress, goddess, and the term is used loosly, of fire, death and shadows. The Factorium and Guardians of the Flame are hesitant to accept this idea, despite how fitting it is, on the grounds that Gods should not be so easily imprisoned. The counter argument being that the Dark Mistress was chained to her throne by the Ice Queen herself long ago for aiding humanity and thus it might not have been nearly so difficult to capture her. Speculation will continue until more information can be acquired, but all agree that to restore the Ancestors, The One must be rescued.

Despite this ridged hierarchy there is however defection.

The rouge undead, ever hear of defectors? Even the undead suffer from the spirits of defectors. The Undead have never worked with the monsters in a direct manner, nor aided them. Defectors, perhaps, but I hope you will them all anyway. The undead defectors upon leaving act out as humans do...looting and pillaging your regions, etc. They no longer follow our orders, and begin to "think for themselves" as you would put it. ~General Sarge, Ancestor Legion

How this happens and why remains a considerable mystery, which until recent times, has been left on the back burner in favour of more promising gate research. However with the recent capture of The One some are starting to wonder if it might be time to look more closely at this problem.

There is much, unusual speculation about the Ancestors being slaves to the dragon-spawn, and naturally it seemed best to clarify this odd idea. The undead are not terribly pleased with the ignorance of humanity, but provide no real answer. There is a theory in the works that explains the unusual takes of each faction on the timeline, below the comments of the dead is the secular version of the theory for those who might become uncomfortable.*

Us slaves? That is pure comedy. It could be that those that desert us and cause problems in your land, are influenced by the Daimons, or even controlled by them. Point is, those that defect leave the chain of command, and we know not why, nor how to be honest. You know what I mean, surely. ~General Sarge, Ancestor Legion

And that is the problem. You are all still thinking of this as an invasion, when in reality it is a chess game. One so old that we do not even remember starting the game, one who's rules are so complex none of the sides truly know what is the final goal.

Long ago men were free, but then came the dark gods, or Betrayers, for lack of a better term. Their servants were the daimons, a word which means an intermediary between the gods and man, and they enslaved humanity for their own ends.

However some of these beings refused to follow this darker road and one of them, the One, as the undead call them, granted a portion of their power on what would become the Summoner. Freed from the bonds of the daimons the dead sought aid from those humans still beyond the shackles of the Betrayers. Together our two peoples defeated the daimons, slew the dragon-king, lord of the daimons, and stole his five artefacts of power, along with his head. A head that Marquis Rasputin has unfortunately burned it would seem. Using the artefacts the Summoner was able to fashion defences to defend against the daimons, shielding humans from their touch.

Sadly it was not enough. The Betrayers managed to defeat the rebellious humans before the wards were complete and the undead could do nothing without exposing themselves. Those beings who were opposed to the daimons and their masters were exiled to stop their meddling. Time wore on and the world forgot.

Here however, the rebellion has started anew. In this land the masters of the daimons have little power, all human nations are rebelling against their rule without knowing. And so when the adventurers stole the artefacts from the dead the daimons were freed to return and seek their revenge on the dead and the humans that had so wronged them. The daimons seek to destroy the rebellion, reclaim their artefacts and possibly restore their king. The undead, work to rebuild the wards, and stop this.

In closing the Abyss claims to be charged with the protection of the gates and dead souls. However other passages explain how little of the shadowlands the Ancestors really had claim to and their limited understanding of the gate construction. A more likely situation is that they are self-appointed to the task, though for what reason is probably only known by the Summoner.

We are to ensure the gates are not used by powers that would interfere with mankind in a negative manner--i.e. we are the ones that make sure humans evolve, and become better than they are. Most of those were sanctioned...we make certain that humans evolve, and sometimes, they need a harsh challenge to bring out the best in them. If the quality of warriors were to not diminish so much, generation after generation, we'd never have to oversee "spankings" on the human race. ~General Sarge, Ancestor Legion

"I am not so foolish as to believe our amicable relations will be so forever. What will you do when victory has been achieved?"

Punish those that remain alive that did not aid us (few, if any, exceptions will be made), and then leave until we are needed here again. Humans will never fully understand our role. Sometimes we may have to come, kill a few weaklings, to get you all riled up...there seems to be a natural process of "stagnation" human beings take. When that happens, we sorta "clear the gunk" so that progress can continue. We rely on your successes and strengths at all times, and nothing brings about more of it, than conflict. Wouldn't you agree? ~General Sarge, Ancestor Legion

The state of the Abyss during this time of dragon-spawn control is uncertain at best. With the Hierarchy broken and the Ancestors enslaved it is uncertain just what will happen in the future. However the Summoner seems, cautiously optimistic, as only an immortal can.

You are a brave soul, Aldo. Someday, the Undead will be a power again, and someday Humanity will be as well...but that day is not today. Too many Human realms are corrupt, and weak. It is over for us, and a beginning for you...time will show us a new beginning so long as others with your spirits repopulate this world... ~Hierarch Summoner, Abyss Overlord

• See Shadowlands for more
• Dead Men's Point Boots: A system by which the position above you can be gained by the sudden and unfortunate death of the present holder. Causing said death is technically optional.
• The religious toned, and considerably more robust theory is located in History from the Black Library