Words - the old world

[Varik Keldun]

Just a thread to try and pull apart / discuss this specific poem.

Words

The Old World

Remember, from where you came.
Brutal degradation, a torrent of never-ending pain.
Remember, the day you were created.
Hatred, malice, and slavery you were fated.

Remember, your mortal life so long ago.
Injustice, corruption, and unending woe.
Remember, the institutions you embrace.
The futile hope, witness their fall from grace.

Remember, the reason you are here.
Persistence, focus, give them fear.
Remember, what they did was wrong.
The Old World has made you strong.

~3:33 – Words
Ngaztak, The Leader of the Black Right Hand,
Malleus Odium and Revenant Poet

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So who is the poem about / for?
on a quick pass one may draw the conclusion that it is for all undead.
This line shows that it is not for the banshees - "Remember, your mortal life so long ago."
so this message is not for all the undead

wights are a good second choice baased off these two lines -
"Remember, the day you were created.
Hatred, malice, and slavery you were fated."

but I don't think this poem is about wights.
I think this is a poem of self reflection for N'gaztak himself.

"Remember, from where you came.
Brutal degradation, a torrent of never-ending pain."

from the class description we get
"Only the most grievous injustice, deepest betrayal, or greatest loss can foment the sheer hatred from which a revenant is born."
the first bit fits the bill for brutal degradation.
"But for those that choose to keep clawing, keep thrashing, keep suffering no matter what comes against them, their souls are kindled with preternatural rage"
this fits the second half.

"Remember, the day you were created.
Hatred, malice, and slavery you were fated."
Revenants self create themselves out of hatred and malice.
the slavery bit could be metaphoric to mean a slave of his own rage, or in this specific case a slave to serve the Fetid Prince.

"Remember, your mortal life so long ago.
Injustice, corruption, and unending woe.
Remember, the institutions you embrace.
The futile hope, witness their fall from grace."

It was pointed out to me that N'gaztak in his human days was not part of the Thacein empire. He was a Templar in the Ustillien empire.
He was a Templar when he was Human and had at least 1 confrontation with Lord Zorin while he was a live. Lord Zorin loved to kill Ustillien templars.
The fall from grace itself could be referencing the 7 suns in twilight game between the fetid prince and the leper. The leper did fall out of grace with its elder god. In life while he was human he did have the dream of the two playing the game.

"Remember, the reason you are here.
Persistence, focus, give them fear.
Remember, what they did was wrong.
The Old World has made you strong."

Who is Them that we need to give fear to?
Who was it that did the wrong?

it is NOT the humans - it has been stated many times that humans are like ants to us. so it has to be something higher or more powerful. Undead were around before deadhaus N'gaztak just brought a majority of them together to form the haus. My best guess is the gods who are playing with us in Anu Maht.

 

[Varik Keldun]

just an addendum - The old world could possibly mean from before Keeva announced the rule change.

“That which you see as yet to pass, already has,” Keeva spoke, her every word echoed by faint whispers, “There is no future. No past. No present. There only is.”

“Then tell us what is, Keeva,” the prince said.

Keeva’s black eyes locked onto the board, and the leper craned his neck toward her. For a moment, no one spoke, and then the banshee gave her omen. “Black stars cast across a lake of blood… a leper king rises… men chant his name as twin suns sink into dusk… I see the Crimson Sign… I see death.” Hearing this, the leper’s imitation of a smile returned, and a rattling sigh of satisfaction sounded in his throat. The banshee’s eyes left the board and stared ahead once more.

“What do you see of death?” the prince asked.

Keeva said nothing, but returned her gaze to the board. Her hair and robes began to flow faster, rising as if caught in a great current. “I see…” she began. Her face knit with strain, and her boundaries thrashed in a vortex that wasn’t there. “The white knight rises, now stained deepest black. A mighty house is built on hatred’s back. Death undone will ride against the Crimson Sign. And by its darkness shall the stars align.”

“The banshee lies!!” the leper shrieked, viscous spittle flying from his mouth. Keeva’s head snapped to face her accuser. Her body began to lift from the floor, and she pointed at the leper as her mouth stretched into a grimace wide enough to swallow a man’s head. A horrid shriek poured from her gaping maw, a voice that was not her own. It was a deafening wail, full of anguish, and its reverberations distorted the air of the chamber so that every solid surface seemed to tremble and waver, a temple built of many waters. In the presence of the otherworldly voice, the Fetid Prince knelt, and the leper staggered backwards, reeling as if suddenly struck. Keeva’s body buckled under the force of the shriek, bursting into wisps of white and black smoke that swirled
away with the fading echoes of the terrible wail, and the temple returned to solid form.

“What a shame,” the prince smirked, standing tall once more. “It seems your lord has little more use for you… or perhaps it simply sees less than you thought.”

“It sees more than you know!” the leper spat.“ It knew you would break the rules.”

“The rules have been rewritten.”

The leper was going to try and come to power could be the WRONG talked about.