LEVELS OF SERVITUDE IN NERULL'S NAME
Note: These are titles only.
All servants begin the same way: in search of the Truth.
1. Skeleton. He has devotion to the Truth, but no understanding of it. He is only suited for manual labor.
2. Zombie. When the body is strong and the spirit is humbled, he can become a soldier and perform the Deed; though he has no real understanding yet of the Truth, he knows his devotion to it as well as his heartbeat.
3. Ghoul. He begins to understand the Truth, and is hungry for more learning. He will tirelessly seek the Truth in books and scrolls and draw upon the wisdom of his masters. His mind will begin its readiness to grasp the Truth.
Now the path diverges depending on whether the servant wishes to serve the Truth in Word or Deed.
First, the way of the Deed:
4A. Ghast. He is ever-hungry for the Deed, and must learn to be patient. He is effective in group missions to eliminate enemies of the faith, but only those that require no finesse.
5A. Wight. He is no longer insatiable, for he now controls the power that the Deed provides. He can plan and wait for the best opportunity to fulfill his missions. He is sent away for many years to observe and perform the Deed.
6A. Mummy. Home from the missions of a wight and now a master of the Deed, he can now train ghouls. He is called upon to protect his temple and its secrets. He continues his education in the faith and learns how the Word and Deed work together.
7A. Vampire. He becomes a lord of a temple or fortress in service to Nerull, sometimes in conjunction with a Ghost. The goals of the temple are set forth by those schooled in the Word, for the vampire does not know the Word, but he is the one who must decide how to achieve them.
Second, the way of the Word:
4B. Shadow. He is as hungry for knowledge as the Ghast is for blood, but he has not learned that power in the Word only comes from an understanding of everything that has gone before. His only purpose is to study at the feet of his masters.
5B. Wraith. His openness to knowledge in all forms will lead him to a greater understanding of the Word as it relates to all things. He will be a spy, going out into the world to learn and to slyly impart the Word to others.
6B. Spectre. After learning about the world outside, he will return to the temple to protect it and create a library for others to more fully understand the Word.
7B. Ghost. His studies as a spectre provided new understanding of the Word. Often in conjunction with a vampire he will establish his own temple for armies of the Word and Deed. Though based in the material world, he is able to navigate through other realities.
8. Lichdom is the highest rank of either servants of the Word or the Deed. The lich understands Death totally, sees how Word and Deed are inseparable. He has probably risen through the ranks of the Word, but is a master of both. He does not teach, explain, compete, or explore; he does, however, command the ranks and punish failure. He exists solely in doctrine, and acts rarely.
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