The Shore

[UnBaed 8910]

Spoiler

 

 

[!] This text may be openly read by anyone, the author evidently went through a great deal of effort to ensure many copies were produced and shared around.

 

Lost souls wandering into the soulstream to be delivered to their fate

Art by Cathy Inaba

 

T  H  E   S  H  O  R  E

✧ ༝ ┉┉ ┉┉┉˚* ❋ ֎ ❋ *˚┉┉┉ ┉┉ ༝ ✧

[[Original concept by: Kalehart]]

 

 ҉   ✼　 ҉ 　✼　 ҉ 　✼　 ҉ 　✼　 ҉ 　✼　 ҉ 　✼　 ҉ 　✼　 ҉ 　✼　 ҉ 　✼　 ҉ 　✼　 ҉ 　✼　 ҉ 　✼　 ҉ 　✼　 ҉ 　✼　 ҉ 　✼   ҉ 

 

Overview:

The purpose of a Shorewalker is to reduce the infectious growth of chaos and discord from spreading over both the realm of the living and the dead.  Instability leads many down a path that ends in ruin, whether it be discovered in life or in death; a soul grows entangled with the griefs found in life, wound up into a knot of trauma, hate, ignorance, or sin.  The duty of a Shorewalker is to disentangle a soul from their miseries, and guide them toward a path of redemption where they may repent and grow from their past errors.  Yet they alone cannot save a soul; for a soul cannot change if it is unwilling.  In the minds of Shorewalkers, every soul is worthy of a second chance of improvement.  Those whose souls are irredeemable and naturally wicked are to be imprisoned, so that their messy fates do not further entangle others.

 

The ULTIMATE GOAL of a Shorewalker is to see harmony achieved; balance maintained through the realms of mortals - primarily in The Material Realm and Ebrietaes.

 

The Material Realm:

Mindfulness is encouraged in life by Shorewalkers, their primary desire is to prevent widespread death and corruption of the living for such sown discord will only condemn more to the swelling sea of Ebrietaes.  Peaceful and diplomatic approaches are favored in reducing conflict, yet if a threat proves to be too great to the balance of the afterlife - a Shorewalker may be forced to decide the lesser evil between two, in order to keep the greater evil from wreaking havoc.  Decisiveness, critical thinking, and astute judgment are highly regarded.  The mercy of a Shorewalker is not to be considered a weakness to abuse.

 

Yet there are other threats beyond war, such as ignorance and fear produced from the unknown; and anguish of a soul, left to fester and transform into chaotic intent.  A great misunderstanding has persisted in society, which has brewed fear and contempt to the spectral dead; the souls of the passed who’ve not yet found the will to move on are mistaken for wicked creatures intended to be purged through aurum and salt.  Yet many of these familiar souls are lost in their fate, requiring guidance and deft hands to undo the knots which entrap them between the veil; to be treated with initial force is only to worsen their trauma and transform them, truly, into the monsters many often mistake spirits to initially be.

 

It is advised that much precaution is taken, still, when attempting to interact with phantoms and geists.  For although they possess echoes of memory and their humanity, their minds can be addled and warped in death that leaves them in confusion, fear, and even wrought with a maddening grief and trauma.  Much negativity clinging to them is usually amplified while they’re in this lost state.  If approached poorly, these fickle souls could turn dangerous and harm the ill-prepared.  It is the duty of a Shorewalker to first approach a lost soul with the intent to soothe and offer clarity; yet if it is rejected and the spirit proves to be too unwieldy, or perhaps even wicked - the soul would then be approached differently for handling.

 

Living or not, every soul is varying shades woven into the same tapestry.  Each one is different, either prone to more malice or mercy–hardly any situation is the same as the other.

Two Shorewalkers meeting an apparition in battle

Art by Ami Thompson

 

The Damned Realm of Ebrietaes:

The dead sea, a spanless ocean of forsaken souls; those deemed corrupted and imperfect in the eyes of Aeriel are condemned to this realm to exist in endless suffering.  It is a dark and wretched fate, one that many more are sentenced to than we realize.  The realm is nothing but swelling misery, anguishing souls swirling everywhere in turbulent waves.  It is the definition of festering chaos, and it is the greatest flaw of Aeriel and the Soulstream.  Although she sought to control the afterlife to maintain order and stability, seeking to be our guardian - she stands now only as a tyrant with what Ebrietaes has been transformed into.

 

Every soul is worthy of a chance at redemption; to repent for their sins.  To be shown love, mercy, and understanding for their mistakes–guidance to rise above these faults that we are all destined to commit.  No system is just if every crime is treated with a single, severe punishment–intended to be final.  Such a black and white sentencing is no true justice, brings no order, no balance.  You would consider your neighbor to be rather foolish, if he thinks the mess of a meal is cleaned up by merely brushing the crumbs off the table.  A problem out of sight remains a problem, wounds do not heal if they are only ignored and untended.  When matters as these are only casted aside to be forgotten, they shall eventually overflow and weaken the veil between the world of the living and the dead.

 

This is a prominent reason as to why many lost souls linger in The Material Realm, or find their way back into it.  The more souls that are condemned to those Wastes, the more the veil becomes strained, and those festering knots grow to be more entangled.  A responsibility lies on us, to ensure further corruption is not had within Ebrietaes; those deemed foul and wicked should not be treated with executions, but imprisonment instead–unless it is known that their souls would be sent elsewhere from Ebrietaes through pacts with deific beings or the influence of otherworldly powers that would alter their natural fates.

 

Although Ebrietaes is where the irredeemable truly belong, to set them on the path for that afterlife now would only empower them and transform their souls to be more monstrous spirits, contributing to the veil’s strain, and their risk to return to The Material Realm.

 

The Dream to be Made Real:

To walk the path of The Shore, much faith is to be had in the concept.  An ideal, held close and guarded dearly.  Although Aeriel commits a great injustice in the harsh judgment of souls, Shorewalkers do not seek to meet her with force; to risk instability in the order of the Soulstream would be a grave mistake and lead to catastrophic turmoil across the entirety of the cosmos.  There are far more cruel and chaotic beings that would seek claim to the Soulstream, should Aeriel be weakened or be usurped.

 

Aenguls and Daemons are named after what it is they represent and exist for; they aren’t prone to shift in views based on whims or else their own nature of existence would be put to question.  They remain firm in this belief of their existence and we accept it as fact and permit ourselves to fall in line with their ideals as if they are facts of our existence.  But they are not.  These laws placed upon us are subject to change, yet only if we find the faith and will ourselves.  The desire is for more voices to cry together, of the flawed judgment of Aeriel–to reject her beliefs on our condemnation and push for this desired change of salvation and redemption.

 

These higher powers of all sorts are furtive, distant - yet remain invested in our realm, spreading their beliefs through proxies so that we as descendents may follow along with their plans.  For us to turn away from Aeriel’s influence, and instead speak to spread our message together can be what begins to mend the wounds and quell the chaos of the afterlife.

 

A depiction of a lost soul breaking free from the dead sea to find salvation.

Art by Erin Vest

 

Symbols of The Shore:

 The Scallop Shell

These paw shells are a symbol of strength and hope, often worn by Shorewalkers in necklaces or other accessories to display their devotion to The Shore’s ideals.  A token of their pilgrimage to see redemption offered to all.

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The Albatross

The symbol of the Albatross is highly regarded, for it represents a positive shift in the winds of one’s life that might free them from their stagnation and set them on the right path of good-doing.

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The Conch Shell

 A symbol of resilience and purity, warding one from evil influence and purifying their surroundings–as well as themselves.  The conch shell serves to remind the self of the soul’s durability and quality, that no stain upon it is permanent.

 

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The Lighthouse

 The true symbol of navigation and guidance, a sign of security and hope in the light.  Shorewalker’s serve only as shepherds and aids for those around them; the only way a soul may seek redemption is through the will of itself.  Change cannot be accepted if it is not desired.

 

        . _  .    .__  .  .  __,--'

              (_)    ' /__\ __,--'

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                       | :|             `--.__

                       |  |                   `--.__

 

 ҉   ✼　 ҉ 　✼　 ҉ 　✼　 ҉ 　✼　 ҉ 　✼　 ҉ 　✼　 ҉ 　✼　 ҉ 　✼　 ҉ 　✼　 ҉ 　✼　 ҉ 　✼　 ҉ 　✼　 ҉ 　✼　 ҉ 　✼　 ҉ 　✼   ҉ 

 

In the darkness of winter cold

Rest is found and growth of soul

Out of the darkness arise, unfold

Renew what was and speak stories untold

Under the snow, a seed is sown

Awake from slumber and be now known. . .

 

╭₪₪₪₪₪₪₪₪₪₪₪╮

   Ilaria Des'Nox       

╰₪₪₪₪₪₪₪₪₪₪₪╯

[The King Of The Moon 5119]

Spoiler

 

Barrowlord Azazel scrutinises the publication. It whispers a lone word of disdainful acknowledgement:

 

"Kowabunga." 

[HurferDurfer1 2584]

Gambole walks The Shore

[amongus 337]

Veluc perused through the work with a soft smile, reassured and ready to walk the path of The Shore.