Shunned

The Compact

Motivations and goals of the Coven.

The primary purpose of the Coven of the Shunned is the acquisition of that knowledge forbidden to mortals. Its members seek to rediscover the arts by which the Alatharya wrought The Sundering, the primal incantations which set Avendar ablaze in The War of Fire, the magics which rent the Silver Veil at the end of The War of Night, and all such deplorable roads to power. Any knowledge which allows them to challenge the natural order of the world is avidly pursued. Many of the Coven believe that the ancient Alatharya had acted rightly; those with the power and will to do so can justly challenge the gods for supremacy of Avendar. Most, however, also believe that the methods of the Alatharya were fatally flawed; where the Alatharya sought to openly confront the gods, members of the Coven seek to subvert the will of the gods through secret machinations.

The Coven engages in its activities under the auspices of the dark gods of Avendar, and owes much of its power to pacts and allegiances with numerous demonic entities. Covenites like to think that these dependencies are a necessary inconvenience in their ascendence to power, which may, in the end, be set aside when enough knowledge and power has been gained to enslave both Avendar and the demons lords which are currently served. However the reality may be far different; there is no doubt that the Coven of the Shunned was brought into being by the machinations of the dark gods, and that it serves some unknown purpose in their master plan.

While every member of the Coven will have their own agenda, and their own reasons for seeking infernal power, they all share a common philosophy: a group of mortals who possess sufficient knowledge and cohesion of will can achieve divine feats. Such a group transcends the moral codes of lesser mortals, and even transcendes the strictures placed on mortal-kind by the gods.

The primary divine patron of the Coven of the Shunned is Serachel, who brought its existence into being soon after his release from imprisonment. However, like Serachel, the Coven professes primary allegiance to Ashur, Tzet-Askhari the Void Wyrm. The Coven also shares a strong alliance with the void city of Logor, and utilizes the demons of that city in many of its rituals. Its relationship with mortal organizations varies with the political climate, although it prefers to make use of such organizations under the pretense of alliance than to subjugate them by force. The exception to this is the Champions of Avendar, with whom the Coven fights a perpetual war.

The Sects of the Coven

The Sect of the Silver Pentagram - this order of spell casters and lore masters pursue the Coven's primary objective of the acquisition of forbidden knowledge. Member of the Sect are demonologists one and all, and weave infernal power into their elemental magics, druidic incantations, songs, or psionic powers. The Sect draws much of its knowledge from the Scrolls of Logor, and from the denizens of the city itself. In this way, they are as much a priesthood of Logor as they are an arcane order.

The Black Vanguard, or the Ravens of War - the martial sect and right hand of the Coven, these are warlords and assassins who make pacts with infernal powers to aid them in their quest for dominion of their foes. The Black Vanguard is charged with the primary defence of the Halls, and responsible for leading the Coven in any martial confrontations, and for those assassinations not executed by the Scorpion. It is believed that the Ravens of War share a strange bond with one of the great demon houses, and that induction into the Vanguard corresponds to induction into this house. The powers granted by this induction are well-known, but the final price has never been determined.

The Council of Five

The mortal leadership of the Coven.

The Dragon Seat: The High Priest[[/Priestess]] of Tzet-Askhari, leader of Shunned

The Keeper's Seat: The Keeper of the Scrolls of Logor, Master of the Silver Pentagram

The Raven Seat: The Lieutenant of the Black Vaguard, The Raven

The Siren's Seat: The Siren of the Shunned, Song of Pain, The Voice of the Coven

The Scorpion Seat: The Shadow Scorpion, Eyes, Ears and Sting of the Coven

House Powers

The powers unique to the Black Vanguard are:

• Soul Reaver: After making a weapon with their own hands in the forge, a Vanguardsman scores it with fell runes, creating a reaver of souls. When the Vanguardsman kills someone, they may sacrifice the soul of their victim into the weapon, garnering +1/+1 to it. It rots upon death, and a new one must be created.

• Mantle of Fear: A frightful aura settles about the Vanguardsman, causing all those in the same room as he or she to lose 5% to all of their skills.

• Enslave: Takes a mob hostage after a certain number of echoes. It is easily saved against with most mobs, but can be quite useful. Its success is dependent on the mob's hp, so mobs that have been beaten around for a time submit far more easily than those who have not.

The powers unique to the Silver Pentagram are:

• Coven: Channels mana into the person being covened to. Mostly an RP tool, as far as I can tell.

• Shroud of Nyogthua: Sets a few rooms from a certain radius to uberdark. This can be countered by the ST "radiance" spell. It was nerfed a while back, so that the shroud widens with number of casters.

• Rune of Eyes: Sets a rune of eyes in a room, through which the caster can see as if they were there. Great for sneaky-evil-ness. Caster types 'eye' to see through the rune. Any input while looking through the rune will return perspective to the caster.

The powers that are shared by the two are:

• Tide of Bahhaoth: Requires three or more casters. Creates a mob (vnum 44) who is controlled by all the members who particpated in the spell's casting. It's big and unwieldy and allegedly crashes the mud.

• Consumption of the Silver Veil: Requires three or more members and a sacrifice. Removes the silver veil, sucking the land into the void for a time. Demons run rampant, water and spirit magics fail, and the number of people who cast it increases the number of affects it puts on the land, and its duration. Each caster calls upon the name of a greater demons lord, randomly set. Fun times for all!

Members and Former Members

• Beythssn the Raven of War, Scion of Kyez-Ralin; srryn FT, Raven, motherfucker, serious badass
• Aelisa
• Kruhljan
• Myriniana
• Wynliean, Shunned - inducted 7/15/2003
• Ialaenel, Shunned - inducted 7/22/2003
• Raelira, Shunned - inducted 7/28/2003
• Rehvenes, Shunned - inducted 7/28/2003
• Iluya
• Vaelas - inducted, removed, re-inducted
• Shrinna
• Iljodiya - inducted 9/6/2004