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The Black Trials

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King_Kunuk

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This post is considered IRP knowledge and pertains to the culture surrounding The Black Doctrine and how it inducts new members to the order.

 

 

 

 

 

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The Black Trials

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⸍ᚽᛁ ި⸌⸝ᛍᛍ ⸍◟╮ו ╵ᚽᛁ⸜ᛁ╵ ˎ⸜ וˎ╵ᛁ ╮ᚽˎ ᛍ◟⸝╵ި ᛁ⸍

 

Three Truths

⸍ᚽ◟ᛁᛁ ⸍◟╮ו╵

Three Chants

⸍ᚽ◟ᛁᛁ ᛍᚽ⸝⸜⸍╵

Threefold is the dance

⸍ᚽ◟ᛁᛁᛙˎ⸌⸍ ᛁ╵ וᛁ ⸍⸝⸜ᛍᛁ

Life, Death, and Eternity

⸌ᛁᛙᛁ, ⸍⸝ו, ⸝⸜⸍ ᛁ⸍ᛁ◟⸜ᛁ⸍ᛁ

The Black Doctrine

 

The Black Scribes are an order which prides itself upon its ability to coax understanding from those who would seek to follow it. To them, the Black Doctrine is life and death; something to strive for. To this end, modern followers of the Black Doctrine have come forward with tests referred to in their shadowy crypts as The Black Trials; a profession of all that acolytes need to show and have in order to join the brotherhood of the Black Scribes.

 

Those who undertake the trials are referred to as Acolytes; Brothers to be in the Order of the Scribes that must reach forward with grasping hands- living or dead- to conjoin the Truths within the core of their being. Each trial given to the Acolyte is unique to the aspirant, for the Black Scribes believe that the interpretation of the  Black Truth is a deeply personal thing; with interpretations that vary considered to be a strength, rather than a weakness. To ensure that all trials are met with the fairness that comes with eternity of study; three Black Scribes are summoned forth to oversee the trials of the Acolyte; with one of the judges often being the direct overseer to the study of the aspects which must be mastered- although this is not always the case.

 

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The Trial of Knowledge

 

“I am a Witness

⸝⠃ ╮ᛁ⸍⸜ᛁ╵╵

A Witness to The One

⸝ ╮ᛁ⸍⸜ᛁ╵╵ ⸍ˎ ⸍ᚽᛁ ˎ⸜ᛁ

The One shall Witness me”

⸍ᚽᛁ ˎ⸜ᛁ ╵ᚽ⸝⸌⸌ ╮ᛁ⸍⸜ᛁ╵╵ ⠃ᛁ

The Black Doctrine

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The first of the Black trials, the Trial of Knowledge, is a simple but deep test of an Acolyte’s desire to learn of the Black Truth. Each Acolyte is given access to the scripts of the Black Doctrine, and are commanded to study and learn them. To express the deeper meanings of what the Truths hold not only to the Order but to them personally. Though considered the easiest of the three trials; Acolytes often find their first and second attempts at the Trial of Knowledge rejected by accepted brothers of the order; often citing that the Acolyte is merely repeating what the Truth says, and not delving beyond what has been stated.

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╮ᚽᛁ⸜ ⸍⸝╮⸜ ⸍ᛁᛁ╵, ⸝⸜ ᛁᛁᛁ ╵ᚽ⸝⸌⸌ ˎިᛁ⸜ ᛁ⸜ וᛁ ⸝ިᛁ╵╵. ⸝⸌⸌ ⸌ᛁᛁ╵ ╮ᛁ⸌⸌ ި╮◟⸜ ᛁ⸜ ᛁ⸍╵ ᛍ⸝╵ᛁ.

 

The Trial of Faith

 

“The Bright Lie casts a Shadow

⸍ᚽᛁ ި◟ᛁᛍᚽ⸍ ⸌ᛁᛁ ᛍ⸝╵⸍╵ ╵ᚽ⸝⸍ˎ╮

The shadow coils me in Darkness

⸍ᚽᛁ ╵ᚽ⸝⸍ˎ╮ ᛍˎᛁ⸌╵ ⠃ᛁ ᛁ⸜ ⸍⸝◟ᛍ⸜ᛁ╵╵

Within the Shadows of the Lie do I find Truth

╮ᛁוᛁ⸜ וᛁ ╵ᚽ⸝⸍ˎ╮╵ ˎᛙ וᛁ ⸌ᛁᛁ ⸍ˎ ᛁ ᛙᛁ⸜⸍ ⸍◟╮

The Black Doctrine

 

The second trial Acolytes must undertake is the Trial of Faith. This is a demonstration of how those who wish to follow the Black Doctrine would show it to their soon to be Brothers. Faith takes many forms, and can be expressed in many ways. It is the choice of the Acolyte then to show just how much the Black Doctrine truly matters to them; and if they can truly see past the blinding light of the Bright Lie and delve into the shadows of the Black Truth. How this comes about is considered a deeply personal matter, for the very idea of “Truth” is something which is both constant and in flux to the self and others around them. Yet once Faith is confirmed, the Acolyte may move onto the final trial.

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╮ᚽᛁ⸜ ⸍⸝╮⸜ ⸍ᛁᛁ╵, ⸝⸜ ᛁᛁᛁ ╵ᚽ⸝⸌⸌ ˎިᛁ⸜ ᛁ⸜ וᛁ ⸝ިᛁ╵╵. ⸝⸌⸌ ⸌ᛁᛁ╵ ╮ᛁ⸌⸌ ި╮◟⸜ ᛁ⸜ ᛁ⸍╵ ᛍ⸝╵ᛁ.

 

The Trial of Sacrifice

 

“In the Ashes I find Nothing

ᛁ⸜ וᛁ ⸝╵ᚽᛁ╵ ᛙᛁ⸜⸍ ⸜ˎוᛁ

In Silence do I Mourn

ᛁ⸜ ╵ᛁ⸌ᛁ⸜ᛍᛁ ⸍ˎ ⠃ˎ╮◟⸜

Yet in both I Remember

ᛁᛁ⸍ ᛁ⸜ ިˎו ◟ᛁ⠃ᛁ⠃ިᛁ⡄

 

The Black Doctrine


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The final and most serious of all the Black trials - that of Sacrifice. To become a Black Scribe isn’t to just be of rejection of the Bright Lie, nor express one's knowledge on the meaning of the Black Doctrines; but to fully dedicate one to the shadows which coil around the heart of the blasphemies these wicked heretics to the world profess. Thus the Acolyte is called forth to give up something that would forever damn them onto the path as a Black Scribe. It is at this final trial that Acolytes often fail; for the demands of the Black Scribes to elevate an Acolyte to their Dark Brotherhood is both deep and extreme. Failure to bring forth a suitable sacrifice which is determined by the Acolyte themselves or the three Brothers overseeing the trial, can result in exile from the conclave or even execution should the sacrifice be deemed one to be insulting to the ideals of the Black Truth.

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╮ᚽᛁ⸜ ⸍⸝╮⸜ ⸍ᛁᛁ╵, ⸝⸜ ᛁᛁᛁ ╵ᚽ⸝⸌⸌ ˎިᛁ⸜ ᛁ⸜ וᛁ ⸝ިᛁ╵╵. ⸝⸌⸌ ⸌ᛁᛁ╵ ╮ᛁ⸌⸌ ި╮◟⸜ ᛁ⸜ ᛁ⸍╵ ᛍ⸝╵ᛁ.

 

Success or Failure

 

Should an Acolyte succeed in all three trials; a ritual ceremony is given, often through the Trial of Sacrifice, to anoint the Acolyte in a substance referred to as ‘The Blood of the Abyss’; a ritual brew made up of Life Force, Ectoplasm, and other narcotics to induce a state of sublime euphoria and dreams. The Brotherhood believes that during this state, the Acolyte’s soul is washed clean of the remaining Shine of the Bright Light; in where once they awaken from this epileptic dream, the Brother is smothered by the darkness and truly reborn; now a fully fledged Brother of the Order of Black Scribes. No longer a student serving masters; but an equal among peers who welcome the newly arisen with open arms and whatever grim joy can be felt by those who subject themselves to the darkest pits of knowledge.

 

Failure however is seen as a mere route on the many paths and Acolyte might walk; and often results in death. The Brotherhood mourns the failed Acolyte in equal measure as they would rejoice in their success; but failure is not the end of the road for this lost soul. Often the brotherhood makes use of failed Acolytes as beloved servants, raised as Ghouls to work within the Order to a lesser capacity; and eventually to be given a second chance at rising into the ranks of the brotherhood as one of the Ascended Undead; either as a Dark Scholar, Eternal Scheneshal, or truly join as a Brother-Scribe again should they prove worthy in the service they owe; now made Eternal and Everlastingly beautiful through undeath.

 

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Written by Kunuk

Edited and formatted by Mestvin

 

 

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