Mai'kulls Rite of Resolve (1st Trial)

[Maikull]

“Peace through annihilation…”

This is the mandate that The Grim all serve. There is a slightly deeper definition, destruction of the Alliance and all who threaten the Horde, at all cost. But I have heard and followed empty words of valor before. “Glory of the Sin’Dorei” “For the Sunwell”. Men will use any words, forge any meaning, and construct any purpose to make those follow them. I’m not about to make the same mistake again.

To understand this Mandate, I need to evaluate everyone within the Grim. From the highest ranking, to the lowest supplicant such as myself; to see if the teachings falter, the meanings waiver, or devotion dissipates. The Leader of the Grim is a Tauren Paladin by the name of Awatu. I have yet to speak with this leader, and have not seen him present at the Inquisitions, however he does command much respect from his followers. I had to find out more for myself.

I ended up heading his call to battle in Neltharion’s Lair, together with a band of combatants from the Grim we ventured deep into Highmountain, and faced many obstacles. But Awatu stood fast, spoke very softly and carried quite the large stick. When we finally reached the pit where the Underking took refuge, we battled hard and fierce, but every one of us fell to the Underking and his minions, all but Awatu. As I laid there, barely conscious, I could see him taking on Dargrul and his minions singlehandedly. It was quite an impressive feat, which has earned my respect and admiration for his battle prowess. At least I can rest assured that the Leader of the Grim is not some loud-mouthed aristocrat, but a seasoned veteran who can hold his own.

Coming down the pyramid of power leads me to the High Inquisitor Khorvis, of whom my own Inquisitor answers too. I spoke with him in Dalaran for a brief moment, attempting to get his personal views on things. I was half expecting a sales pitch, but was pleasantly surprised on how informal the conversation was. To him the mandate was a dream of release, where one day he could lay down his blades and rest from the endless fighting within the world. I could understand this mentality, as the futility of war can often shatter a man’s will and determination. The mandate is his reason to go on, to continue without surrendering to the reality that war will never change.

I next spoke with the Irredeemable known as Lupinum, the Deathless, or the Drunk as casually referred by many within the Grim. Leader of the Grim’s Battlefront forces against the Alliance, Lupinum sees the Mandate as an ideal in which the Grim itself is the physical embodiment of, to carry out its will of annihilation where ever threats may arise. His resolve for the destruction of our enemies were borderline along the likings of Professor Putricide, as he expressed the desire to “to cut a Plagued Swath through the alliance”, a notion I could fully support.

Following this pleasantly enlightened conversation, I sat among two other Supplicants in a small bar in Ogrimmar, where we spoke with IrredeemableAnaie, the Insane. Professionally, I could find nothing but respect for the Forsaken woman. She was leader of the Grim’s Raiding Forces against Worldly Threats to the Horde, and has served as one of the Oldest members among the Grim. Narrowing the Mandate to a simple philosophy of “killing all alliance until none are left and we may live in peace.” To her, “Time served in the Mandate means little, compared to the Action of the Mandate.” Personally, however I could see the correlation between her and her given title ‘Insane’ as her “possessed stuffed animal” collection put on quite the show.

Dedication and devotion to the cause, I expected nothing less from the ones who pull the strings. But hearing the glamorous story from the ones who write it was not going to give me the answers I seek. I needed to evaluate more. I decided to turn direction and look under the rock that was the Grim. There were several Supplicants among the Grim, some far older than I. I decided to seek out their personal views, to see through their eyes what the Mandate and the Grim were all about.

I spoke with an Orc Shaman, a supplicant by the name of Margott. Still fresh in his Inquisition, I sought to understand what he felt the Mandate was, through his interactions and inquisition. He told me “The Mandate is an undeniable truth that simply solidifies a deeper feeling within those who already felt it, as if it has been around long before we knew it existed.” Thinking spiritual for the moment (As I was dealing with a shaman) I could somewhat understand his views.

I then later spoke with another Supplicant, a Sin’Dorei Hunter by the name of Kainnis. He had far more experience in dealing with the Grim, and interestingly enough had not only left the Grim, but willingly returned. Already poised to complete his final trial for the Inquisition, Kainnis explained to me that his understanding of the mandate was “It is either us or them, its Survival. Dedication of mind and body to destroying our enemies, otherwise they would destroy us.” Kainnis had served as a sell-sword for a while, and served under other banners, but returned to the Grim after realizing “the Grim was the only way, the only truth, the only one willing to do what was necessary.”

A very basic…yet solid understanding of this mandate. It coincided with the leaders had told me, yet it was those very leaders who directly shaped the minds of the supplicants. It’s them who hold the hoop and direct us to jump as to achieve acceptance. To finalize my understanding, I had to find ones who were accepted, yet no longer under the heel of the shapers of these words. I wanted to see how such simplicity of Supplicants could grow to ideals of granger that formed in the minds of these leaders, I had to fill the gap in this puzzle.

In the middle ground of the Grim, I conversed via letter with a Reaper known asAnderlee, a Troll Shadow priest and Witchdoctor. By this time, I had begun my own advancement into the Broken Isles, as had he, but still found the time to respond via written correspondence. He wrote to me stating that the Mandate was “a rally together behind a common goal of peace, using our combined efforts to secure it. Every Grim can fulfil the mandate in their own personal way, and the beauty of the inquisition digs deep and discovers the means within supplicants.” He later reiterates that “The mandate is just an idea, but the Grim is the tool which the mandate needs to accomplish what we all dream of: peace.”

I spoke with another Magister, an Adherent I had heard some stories about, by the name of Lesara. We met in the Mages Hall underneath Dalaran and spoke for some time. To her the Mandate is Security, “Knowing she is not alone and her enemies will always face defeat.” She has served the Grim since just before the Legion Invasions into Azaroth, and thus has offered her knowledge of the Arcane arts to those who needed it, being one of the only active Mages within the Guild up until now. She continues to Fight along-side The Insane Anaie and remains within the Grim “Because the Grim are the Strongest, the best. They have been around since Thrall formed the new Horde.”

“Peace through annihilation…”

A Dream…An Ideal…A Truth…A Rally. So many definitions for something so simplistic. If history has taught us anything it is that peace is a lie. Even among the Old Gods and Titans, when all was new, conflict arose. We lesser mortals can do no better. I once thought that Killing Kael’thas and restoring the Sun Well would solve all my problems…but after all those years, all the devotion I poured into that cause, I was wrong. I thought sacrificing myself to the Forsaken and furthering its cause for immortality would find me peace, but even that has not filled the hole within my existence.

The dream of peace keeps us going, gives us renewed hope when we know good damn well it will never end. Even if we eradicated the Alliance, and all within, another faction would rise to take its place, to threaten our peace. Hell even the members of the Horde can’t always get along. Why try?

But look what our quest for peace has lead us…a better world? No. But I have seen more of this world and worlds beyond, faced Deities and Demons alike. I may not have been the tipping point of the scale, but I damn sure put my weight down. Fighting for peace has made me strong, opened my eyes to the truths around me, something I could not boast had I sat at home, reading a book.

I fight for peace, with the desire to annihilate my enemies, but the true annihilation will come with my end. Not cowering in fear, but face to face on the battlefield, my choice, my terms. The Mandate is the energy in which keeps the cogs of life turning, moving, advancing, and I am the spark that powers that energy.

I will fight for the complete destruction of the Alliance. I will Kill and Pillage and turn the weapons of the enemy against itself and any and all threats to this world, old or new. I will overcome any obstacle. I choose to live by this, I choose to die by this, I choose to accept this truth…

I will find my peace…through annihilation.

[Maikull]

Discovering the Mandate and what it stands for was truly only one step in my rite of resolve. I was tasked by my Inquisitor to also seek out others within the community to which The Grim are associated with and understand its place amongst the world. (A true outsider’s opinion one may say).

I was given a choice of looking into the Guilds, The Jeweled Blood, Rutilus Luna, Borrowed Time, and Sanctuary. Obviously I was not going to settle for less, so I chose to look into all of them. But to first understand the other factions I am to compare the Grim too, I had to evaluate the Grim itself. The Philosophical Side already accounted for, I had to look at the Physical Aspect.

As Lady Sylvanas Windrunner now Warcheif, many official manuscripts were being shipped to the Undercity. I spoke with Royal Overseer Bauhaus, who was charged of tracking the Undercity Census. Poor man was flooded with the new paperwork coming in for filing, I took the opportunity to assist him and locate the information I was looking for.

((Most information gathered was from the WoW Armory Guild Pages, AKA Public knowledge. As Guild Achievement system was revamped/introduced in 2010, not ALL information was accessible. I also used Guild Websites where applicable, which are also public knowledge, however you had to know where to look))

Documents of the Grim I could find go back to the end of the Northrend Offensive. Undoubtedly with Warcheif Thrall stepping down, and Garrosh Hellscream taking over, many older documents were scattered to the wind. But it gave me the basis I needed. Registered members listed on official documents place the Grim’s soldier count at 214 members, with the highest density of classes being Mages (11%), Death Knights (10%) and Rogues (9%). These figures show the marginal error of activity present in the information to me, as my own personal views of the Grim can attest to mostly Priests and Paladins, with the number of Mages (myself included) counted on one hand. With that said, I reviewed the Achievement Progression off the Grim and found it to be at a high 2465 points, with 64% War Achievements (PvP) and 88% of Campaign Achievements (PvE) completed. A most impressive rating compared to the others.

The first Guild I decided to investigate was The Jeweled Blood. However, in my weeks of searching, I was not able to find a represented to speak to about the clan, so I had to rely purely on research and sound judgement to feel it out. The Jeweled Blood is an aristocratic arcane society, whom believe they piss the nectar of the gods. Under the delusion they share a bloodline with some fanatical royalty of whom I could find no trace or evidence of, it is my understanding they are all simply delusional. However I grew up in Silvermoon, and this could be said of many of the “High Class” society members. The Guild itself prizes itself as a Crafting Guild, but also aids on the warfront as well. Census records show The Jeweled Blood to have 169 members, with the highest concentration of classes being that of Hunters and Mages (11% Each), Death Knights, Monks, Warriors, and Warlocks (9% each). The Achievement Progression of The Jeweled Blood is at 1980 points, (The Grim, Leading the Jeweled Blood in total advancement by 485 points.) Their War Achievements was at a meager 53% (11% Lower than The Grim) and their Campaign Achievements held at 70% (18% Lower than The Grim).

It is safe to assume, that with their nature, and rounded achievements, that The Jeweled Blood may look down to The Grim at times, they cannot deny our might when push came to shove, and thus appear to “Tolerate” us to maintain their self-delusional image.

I did manage to access their communications network. It was not difficult to procure, as some idiot left the synchronization patterns written down.

(((Ventrilo: Hostname/IP:sulfate.typefrag.com Port: 6140))

The Next Guild under my Investigation was Borrowed Time. This guild, formed shortly after the Northrend Campaign. I spoke with one of its members, Xaraphyne, who boasts that Borrowed Time was a “Family Oriented Mercenary Guild” who dabbles in just about anything they can get their hands into. From this discussion, it was revealed that Borrowed Time does what it can to stay on the Grim’s good side and remain neutral in the bickering between The Grim and Sanctuary, though not fully agreeing with the level of degree The Grim are willing to go to achieve a goal, Borrowed Time understands the need for such measures, and the people willing to take them. Borrowed Time is based out of the Eastern Port in the Twilight Highlands, making it the closest allied force to the Grim in the Eastern Kingdoms.

According to their Census records, Borrowed Time holds 180 members (Grim Outnumbering them by 34 soldiers). The primary class among their forces is Paladins (13%) and Hunters (11%). Reviewing Borrowed Times documents, it was found to have an Achievement Progression of 1155 points (A clear 1310-point lead for the Grim). Borrowed time has a 35% War Achievement (29% Less than the Grim) and a 39% Campaign Achievement (The Grim leading well over 49%) Understanding these figures, it is no wonder Borrowed Time seeks to remain on The Grim’s “Good Side”.

I then turned my attention to the Guild previously mentioned by Xaraphyne, the Guild known as Sanctuary. The Guild boasts that it has been around almost as long as the Grim, but documents clearly show a revival within its ranks during the Iron Horde Campaign. I spoke with Member “Rennal” who informed me that “Sanctuary is more of a peaceful guild, they do not engage in killing Alliance, unless provoked by attack. They stand for an alternative way of dealing with conflict.” After choking back vomit, he continued to describe the relationship between the Two Guilds as “state of ‘Cold War’” and “sees the Grim as ‘their evil counterparts’” citing that Sanctuary feel “the Grim use too much force, and cruelty in their dealings” Clearly this guild is operated by individuals who have never seen combat outside of a pillow fight in an orphanage for blind children, but I digress…

I reviewed the census data, to find that Sanctuary has registered 116 girl scouts,(Making the Grim almost able to outnumber them 2 to 1) which primarily consist of Hunters (14%). Sanctuary’s Achievement records are lower than Borrowed Time at a total scoring of 970 with 35% for War Achievements, and 32% for Campaign Achievements. (Clear winner here folks…) My only conclusion of why we haven’t wiped them off the face of the planet, is due to the fact we are busy on the battlefield whilst they are out picking flowers and hugging trees. Clearly their “Cold War” Against the Grim is one sided.

Finally I investigated the Final Guild presented to me, Rutilus Luna. I spoke with the Member “Ranadarus” to find that Rutilus Luna is more of an official Mercenary Guild, with a strong sense of brotherhood. “They performs tasks for the Horde, from regular gopher stuff to attacks on enemy strongholds, or whatever else is needed” and “Will work together with anyone who helps benefit these goals.” I remember reading in a few documents that a pact was signed by both leaders of the Grim and Leaders of Rutilus Luna in Thunder bluff. Ranadarus stated that the Guild as a whole does not have an official opinion and it “varies depending on the members, but there are some very “Grim-like” members amongst their ranks”

Reviewing the census files out of their base camp in Frostfire Garrison, Rutilus Luna manages an impressive 331 members, (117 more than the Grim!). Their classes are fairly balanced, with a slight favor towards Warriors and Druids (9%), Shaman – Mages – Hunters (8%). However, even with more members Rutilus Luna’s Achievements are standing at 1885 (580 points lower than The Grim). Their War Achievements stand at 46% (18% less than the Grim) and their Campaign Achievements stand at 65% (23% less than The Grim). Still stacked amongst the other Guilds, Rutilus Luna is the most impressive and respectable ally to have on the battlefield, even if not as motivated as the Grim.

As a token of good faith among allies, I was granted access to Rutilus Luna’s Communications, to share amongst our ranks, and ours alone:

((TeamSpeak: ptg.teamspeak3.com Port:3323))

It is clear to me through these investigations, that the Grim is looked upon by Outsiders, with Fear and Respect. And rightfully so given the data. They may not agree with our methods, but they cannot argue the proof that the Mandate brings to the Battlefield. The Grim is by far the superior choice, a boast not made by fanatical mouth breathing, but by pure undeniable fact.

PEACE THROUGH ANNILIATION!

[Khorvis]

[[ Very well written, Maikull.

Clearly this guild is operated by individuals who have never seen combat outside of a pillow fight in an orphanage for blind children, but I digress…

I laughed out loud at this!

Your Inquisitor, Lilliana, will give a proper response. I'm assuming this is a letter / report of some kind? ]]

[Neevah]

((Holy hell what an awesome read. Good job!))

[Lilliana]

((I'll respond when I'm not so delirious as I am today. This was AWESOME. You are my hero, Maikull <3))