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Did you ever hear the tragedy of Akesh the Poisoner? It's not a story the Red Blades would tell you. It's a Legion legend. A Legiond.

Akesh the Poisoner was a warlock of Clan Redblade, so powerful and so demonic that he could use fel blood to influence the orcs around him to create strife.

He had such a knowledge of the dark arts he could even keep the ones he hated most from living. And so he killed Grenth Stonebrow and delivered Clan Redblade into the Shadow Pact. The blood of demons are a pathway to many abilities some consider to be unnatural.

Yet he became so powerful, the only thing he was afraid of was losing his power, which eventually, of course he did. Unfortunately, he had made many enemies inside and outside the Clan, then he was slain in battle... by an orcish arrow. Ironic. He could bring others to death, but then died himself.

Is it possible to learn this power? Not from a Thur'ruk.

[Wisdumb of the Ancestors - 40 Sage Sayings of Sadok]

Wisdumb of the Ancestors - 40 Sage Sayings of Sadok

I. The Code of Honor was handed down to Reggar Redblade. He'd have objected, but Reggars can't be choosers.

II. War doesn't determine who's right. War determines who's left.

III. A blood bond brings two orcs closer together. Handcuffs bring them closer forever.

IV. Respect your elders, no matter how hard it may be. Don't worry, they'll die of old age soon.

V. Respect your betters. Respect yourself. You are the best.

VI. Respect your butters. They're a great source of nutrition.

VII. Some say that less is more. I disagree. More is by definition more.

VIII. Nothing ventured, nothing gained. But venturing is hard and I'm lazy.

IX. Always be prepared to back your words up. Unless you're a fast runner.

X. You know who says victory or death? Dead orcs.

XI. I'd give my blood willingly to the Horde but I'm allergic to pointy objects.

XII. Be careful lest dishonor fall upon you. Dishonor has put on weight, it's not a pleasant experience.

XIII. Demons are bad. Been there, done that. No touchy the demons.

XIV. Don't harm the young. Unless they had it coming.

XV. Once they come of age, beat the shit out of them. That'll teach them.

XVI. Lay the pelts of your enemies at the foot of your Chieftain. Unless they're bald, in which case back hair will do.

XVII. Witness me now, oh brothers and sisters. Witnesses are crucial for a good alibi.

XVIII. Use every part of a slain beast. Every. Part. I have a fetching scarf made out of wolf rectum.

XIX: Don't eat each other. It's weird and gross. I don't care how delicious they look, stop it.

XX: ''Tis better to have loved and lost, than never to have loved at all. As long as you porked them.

XXI. Path of Wisdom? Path of Strength? I prefer the Path of Conquest.

XXII. Wear Gul'dan's robes or a replica Garrosh pauldron. Whine every time someone comments on your lack of awareness.

XXIII. Fight your enemies to their very end. Punch them in the ass.

XXIV. Bigger is better. Carry a weapon so large you can barely use it in battle. Or why not two?

XXV. Akesh the Poisoner did nothing wrong. Except for the poison thing.

XXVI. Do not brandish your weapon idly. Keep that thing in its sheath, you pervert.

XXVII. Everyone has a wolf mask. Impress your peers, wear a draenei mask.

XXVIII. Don't think of it as exile. Think of it as an extended vacation until you die alone, unloved and unmourned.

XXIX. The fire tastes like burning.

XXX. Why are they called peons if you get in trouble for urinating on them?

XXXI.  Don't ask where the Packweavers went. Unless you want to join them.

XXXII. Be hospitable to your enemies. Send them to the hospital.

XXXIII. Keep your words soft and sweet, lest you have to later eat them. Cake is a good word.

XXXIV. It takes a lot of nails to build an orcling's crib, but just one screw to fill it.

XXXV. The Rite of Cleansing is reserved for warlocks, Death Knights and bad cases of body odor.

XXXVI. Respect your alliances. Except for that Alliance. You know the one I mean.

XXXVII. A good cuirass can make the difference between victory and defeat, life and death. But sometimes you just have to free the nipple.

XXXVIII. Orcs that live in glass houses mustn't stow thrones. Dressing in the basement is optional.

XXXIX. Do not commit a serious crime in the face of the spirits. Do it behind their back.

XL. The history of Clan Redblade is much like your den mother. As vast as it is old.

Hi! We now have our tenth member, the inestimable Hellbrew, and can now move forward with our proper launch strategy.

Guild heraldry! We now have a sexy guild tabard inspired by the WoW OotRB design, and every member has been mailed 2,000 gold (the price of one tabard) and instructions for how to purchase it. Wear it, love it, become one with it. The design is simple right now, as befitting a fledgling mercenary band.

Guild bank! We now have a 500 space depository for recipes, crafting materials and useful items, and everyone can both deposit and withdraw from it. I'll be adding 75+ recipes this evening (I totally did not accidentally put them in the wrong guild's bank). I'd request that if you withdraw from the g-bank, that you donate the vendor price of whatever item you remove -- this is usually a very minimal amount. Any funds donated will go towards future guild purchases, such as an IC guild base.

Roleplay! I'll be hosting a brainstorm session on the guild's in-character backstory sometime likely within the next week. The details of said brainstorm are still TBA, but may involve a small voice chat with selected members and a larger text discussion with all feedback accepted and welcome. When we officially begin our guild's storyline, events will likely be done on a casual, commitment-free basis once weekly -- it'll be an exciting chance to write the first chapter for your character and the guild itself.

Update 17! On Monday, the new patch drops: it features an outfit system (transmog), special rewards for every level earned (ranging from mounts, pets and bag space upgrades to Crown Crates and exclusive furniture), and for subscribed members two new dungeons. All of the game's base content is free to play for anyone that's bought the game, and there's a ton to do from questing and exploration to PvP and PvE.

Thanks and enjoy!

I have a copy, it takes a few days to download from here though xD

We'd certainly appreciate it.

[one]

I'd just like to remind everyone that we're just one member away from unlocking important features for the guild, including tabards and guild bank storage.

At this stage we'd be looking for anyone with a copy of ESO to help us out, even if they have no current intention to play. It would be much appreciated! Thanks.

Hmm I think I'll buy it too (but I will wait a bit to see which edition to buy to get the most of the game).

Edit: Are you all orcs or different races?

The RP concept isn't hammered down yet but I want it to be flexible and inclusive, so probably a mercenary group with all races and factions among it. You can do pretty much anything in ESO in terms of quest and group content irrespective of faction and there's no communication barrier.

We have five members now in our ESO affiliate! Myself, Kargnar, Vraxxar, Regorn and Arkail. All fine people.

Five more and we unlock the power of sexy tabards and guild bank powah.

[ORDER OF THE RED BLADE]

Announcing ORDER OF THE RED BLADE, OotRB's ESO affiliate!

The Elder Scrolls: Online is an F2P MMO set in the world of Skyrim, Morrowind and more. Do you want to try something new in addition to WoW, but don't want to make new friends? Are you an established player looking for a close-knit community? We offer a casual social experience and hope to eventually begin group dungeons, PvP and RP.

We have no activity requirements -- indeed, we appreciate that WoW and that pesky real-life are your primary commitments. But if you own ESO or plan to give it a try, we hope that OotRB's familiar names and faces will help you take your first or your next step in the world of Tamriel. You can join up to five guilds at once, including trading, RP and raiding guilds, so OotRB membership won't preclude you making new friends either!

Our initial goal is ten members so we can unlock tabard design and guild bank storage. We'd appreciate your help in getting us there if you have ESO installed on your computer, even if you have no current plans to play.

We play on ESO's EU PC/Mac megaserver. Simply message @scnovikov or any other online member in-game for an invite, or ask in our dedicated Discord sub-channel or this very thread. Thanks!

WHY CANT SADOK EVER BE HAPPY. EVEN IN DEATH HE IS MISERABLE.

*Flips tables*

It's a universal constant. It's even in his name, the guy isn't Joydok.

When the meteor hit, the ceiling exploded in pale green flame. The force and fire strained frame and charred wooden beams; the clay walls were crumbling, riven with cracks and fractures. The simple hut surely would have collapsed within moments if not for the Scepter of the Shaman King, hidden there for years until this moment of reckoning. When the walls held firm in defiance of logic, when the choking ashen smog turned to clear and breathable air, I was astonished until I saw the ancient weapon in my hands, my unbidden fingers tightening around it as if commanded by some greater power.

The Scepter was consecrated in another age by Mruthgor the Shaman-King, a feared Spirit-Walker of old who wrenched the Chiefdom of Clan Redblade by intrigue and menace. In life Mruthgor sought to traverse the bounds between the mortal realm and the Eternal Plains of the afterlife, and in death this ambition endured. Mruthgor had proven a meddler in the affairs of the tribe, with vainglorious demands for tribute or merely recognition -- that among the pantheon of ancestors he had not been forgotten.

His voice first called to me all those years ago to reclaim his Scepter, to wrest it from the hands of those who would pervert and corrupt its power. I saw his cult first hand in an arduous Vision Quest, from the terracotta votives burnt in his honor to the lengthy boasts etched proudly in alabaster -- "THE SHAMAN-KING WHO RULES WITH THE SUPPORT OF THE MIGHTY SPIRIT-GODS; THE GREAT FLOOD THAT NONE CAN OPPOSE; HE WHO TREADS ON THE NECK OF HIS ENEMIES, TRAMPLES DOWN ALL FOES, AND SHATTERS THEIR ARMIES."

Was it now he whose will trampled on my own? A powerful hunger was growing within me as the Scepter's bright blue energies surged through my veins and held back the hut from collapse. Everything was happening very quickly now and as my pulse raced I became dimly aware of someone shouting at me. I gnashed my teeth and strained muscles, my breath hitching as I tried to let go of the weapon. I did not want this ancient power, nor to stand among the embers of this doomed place until oblivion took me. I wanted to run far away, headlong into the arms of those I love.

I felt very weak and tired now, and realised almost too late that the Scepter had almost completely drained me as though I were simply a battery. Sweat was rolling down my face and soaking my clothes. My limbs were tense and as still as a statue. There was a loud buzzing and growing numbness in my head, and I knew this was it. With my last thought I tried to reach out to Rhonya through the mental link we shared, with the only words I could think of, the only three that had ever mattered to me. I chanted them like a desperate prayer for salvation, with every last fiber of my being.

I love you. I love you. I love you, I love you, I love you I love you I love you iloveyouiloveyouiloveyouILOVEYOUILOVEYOUI--

As unconsciousness took me, the Scepter's power ceased. Thatch aflame, ripped leather and crumbling stone came tumbling down atop me. A heavy wooden beam landed atop me, crushing my body and snuffing out what lifeforce remained. Sadok Sharptongue would live, laugh and love no more.

IIII IIII IIII IIII IIII IIII

I paused a moment at the mouth of the cave, catching my breath. Whether any of this was truly real in either a metaphysical or epistemological sense, it should be noted that I was no fitter in the afterlife -- a long sprint over uneven terrain left me gasping and sucking wind. The cool shady stone was soothing against my skin, and I took a few moments to spread aching limbs and simply relax in this safe haven. The Eternal Plains were an orcish afterlife, so it made sense that it would be a fair-tempered yet hardy land of wild beasts where the thrill of the hunt might be forever indulged.

This was no paradise for me, but then neither was the mortal realm, where in a desert of despair I drank deeply from the oases of those I loved to slake my thirst. I smacked my dry lips as my eyes wandered the shadowy depths of the cave. Here I felt ever thirsty. But where were the loved ones that had gone on before me to the spirit realms? Where were the hallowed ancestors of the Horde, toasting their honor in mighty greathalls and sharing tales of valor? Why hadn't I encountered orcish hunters on the field, or warbands riding the roads? Where -was- everyone?

Maybe none of this was real. Maybe it was a dream or vision and I'd just wake up in my hut again, like none of this had happened. My eyes focused harder on the cave wall, honing in on the specks and grooves of the rock. These felt real at least, their patterns stable rather than the gradual formless change of a dream. My hand moved to my side, unsheathing the trusty serrated spellblade that had made the journey from life to death with me. Shuffling closer to the cave wall, I brought the blade to bear upon the stone, scraping it downwards. One line for each sunrise in this place would make sure time didn't lose all meaning, and from there perhaps I might ascertain what was truly real here.

IIII IIII IIII IIII IIII IIII

There were now some sixty marks on the wall of the cave, where I had now taken up permanent residence. I slept in the fur of a sabrecat I had slain on day three, lit the cave with torches from wood I had gathered on day eight, and drank from a leather skin I had fashioned on day fourteen. On days sixteen, seventeen, nineteen and twenty, I gazed into a nearby pool and tried to commune with the material world. I wanted to talk to someone, anyone... but especially Rhonya. I may have died but I was still here, still breathing and eating and drinking and sleeping. I wasn't gone, not completely -- and I was lonely, very lonely. I hadn't seen any other orcs, and hunting alone was very tiring. Perhaps next time I ought to track something furrier. The nights were growing colder now, and my bed still felt empty.

IIII IIII IIII IIII IIII IIII

It was on day seventy-six that my constant meditation finally yielded results. Surveying my reflection in the pool, I saw the water begin to ripple and form familiar shapes. Floating islands, mighty waterfalls, a great mountain of white -- yes, Nagrand! The Land of the Winds had long been favoured for communing with the deceased, and with the formation of Outland the bounds between mortal and spirit realms had further weakened. I focused on the one face I wanted to see, imagined her gentle features, soft hair and brilliant blue eyes... and she appeared before me, an image in the waters!

She was not happy to see me. I will not recount the specifics of what transpired, for even to think on that makes my heart heavy. She was trying her hardest to fulfil her last promise to me, to be strong -- and for that she had to conquer her grief, move on and leave me in the past. A pang of self-loathing formed in my stomach. What was I really hoping to achieve, reaching out to her? Didn't I care that I would hurt her by reopening freshly-sealed wounds, and force her to confront what she had lost? Was I truly so insecure, so egocentric, so desperate for things to be the way they were?

Well, yes.

IIII IIII IIII IIII IIII IIII

Day one hundred came as somewhat of a milestone. I had spent so much of the intervening time crouched over the pool, not reaching out directly to any one orc but instead scrying upon the tribe's coming and going throughout the world. I lived vicariously through them, rejoicing in their victories, agonising over their setbacks and mourning their losses. How great the menace of the Burning Legion seemed before them, how new and exciting the Broken Isles seemed, how eerie and yet beguiling the renegade Demon Hunters were. I wished with all my heart that I could be there beside them, not watching from far away but really -there-. That night as I curled up in my furs, I allowed myself some selfish tears imagining all the glory, honor and sheer fun I was missing out on.

On day one hundred and one I decided to stop looking into the pool. What had started as simple escapism had become an obsession, and was consuming my every thought. I didn't have to forget, but I had to move on and be strong. Like Rhonya.

IIII IIII IIII IIII IIII IIII

Day one hundred and twenty one. Four months. I haven't seen any orcs at all. It's just me and an infinite number of bloodthirsty beasts. I'm lonely. I'm very lonely. Is the Eternal Plains a paradise or everlasting damnation? If this is the Eternal Plains. I knew that the souls of the damned, warlocks and other unfortunates might simply cease to be after death, or be entrapped in the hellish depths of the Twisting Nether. Is that where I am now? I gaze at the blue cloudy sky, craggy brown soil and the pool I had sworn off staring into. It all looked pleasant enough. I don't understand.

IIII IIII IIII IIII IIII IIII

When you spend a long time alone (some one hundred and forty days now), a good memory is invaluable. You can never be bored when you think back on better days and let them play over and over in your mind. I reflect on all that has happened to me, and one memory edges into focus. Vashnarz is naked, piggybacking on top of him. Both are laughing and smiling. She exclaims that she's a bird. The others gathered around the campfire are laughing and smiling. I am not. I remember the last time I saw her naked, long ago. I remember the last time I made her laugh and smile, which seems just as long.

Later that night I find out that they're courting. He's taking two mates, for one would simply not do for an orc of his stature. He's taking the orc that once breathlessly exclaimed her love to me, that she would stand by my side for as long as her legs would carry her. I'm here. I'm still here. I haven't gone away. But I'm undead, my soul wrenched into another body as the result of some freakish experiment. When she looks at me she doesn't see the one she once loved. He died long ago, and she moved on. To him.

I once loved Vashnarz with all my heart and soul. She broke my heart. I once loved Kyrazha just as much, for taking a broken orc and teaching him to trust and love again. I broke her heart. I had loved Rhonya all along but accepted that we were not to be, until the dreams and visions of forbidden desire eroded my willpower. She grew to love me truly, not as a blood brother but as a lover. I believed... I believe she is my soulmate. But I died and it's been so long since I've saw her now, as a vision or in the flesh. Sometimes it's hard to remember what she even looked like.

It's hard to keep thinking on this subject but it's harder to let go. An orc can love many others in one life, but I had loved precious few in two lives, though with a great intensity. An intensity bordering on obsession that had seldom been healthy for me. And yet I needed it. I need it.

IIII IIII IIII IIII IIII IIII

I spend a lot of my time wondering, now that I've stopped gazing into the waters. Sometimes I spend so long wondering that I forget to eat, and soon I'm too weak to hunt for my food. So I just wonder  some more. I know it's bad for me and the pain sometimes gets too much to bear, but you surely can't die in the afterlife. Maybe if I die here, I'll be reincarnated in the land of the living. Maybe if I die here, I'd just stop existing. Would that really be so bad a thing?

IIII IIII IIII IIII IIII IIII

Sometimes I wonder about Luk. A close friend once upon a time, whose dangerous research drove a wedge between us. Choosing exile over facing justice, he lost his sanity and was consumed by hate. He chose to exact revenge upon me, and eventually the entire tribe. His reward was to be entombed within the soulblade of Caruk Blackblade, where if his essence still endures at all, he must surely be in constant despair, left with nothing but memories and regret. Huh.

IIII IIII IIII IIII IIII IIII

Day one hundred and... or two hundred and... there are a lot of lines in the cave wall now. It's hard to count them all.

IIII IIII IIII IIII IIII IIII

I decided to stop wondering and start wandering. I still feel weak and hungry though, so by the time I reached the pool (which I've decided to stop gazing into) I took a break to rest my weary limbs. It was starting to get dark and I didn't want to lose my cave and my markings, so I spent the evening crawling back. These plains may be eternal but my world has shrunk considerably. When nothing matters anymore, why even leave the cave? Here I can lay down in the cool and mark down the days that have passed.

IIII IIII IIII IIII IIII IIII

I've decided to stop gazing into the pool.

IIII IIII IIII IIII IIII IIII

I wish I could see her again. It wouldn't have to be a long conversation. It could be three words. Just three words.

IIII IIII IIII IIII IIII IIII

If I could be brought back, would I? I'd just die again and end up here again.

IIII IIII IIII IIII IIII IIII

After much deliberation, I'm no longer gazing into the waters. I feel like it's for the best.

IIII IIII IIII IIII IIII IIII

I feel lonely.

IIII IIII IIII IIII IIII I

I feel very lonely.

The paperclip maximizer is a thought experiment on artificial intelligence that could result in our doom because of lack of compatible morality.

A paperclip maximizer is an artificial general intelligence (AGI) whose goal is to maximize the number of paperclips in its collection. If it has been constructed with a roughly human level of general intelligence, the AGI might collect paperclips, earn money to buy paperclips, or begin to manufacture paperclips. [..]

It would work to improve its own intelligence, where "intelligence" is understood in the sense of optimization power, the ability to maximize a reward/utility functionâ€"in this case, the number of paperclips. [..]

It would innovate better and better techniques to maximize the number of paperclips. At some point, it might convert most of the matter in the solar system into paperclips. This may seem more like super-stupidity than super-intelligence. For humans, it would indeed be stupidity, as it would constitute failure to fulfill many of our important terminal values, such as life, love, and variety.

The AGI won't revise or otherwise change its goals, since changing its goals would result in fewer paperclips being made in the future

A super awesome belated birthday gift from Belthran/Claudine. I've never looked so good!

WRESTLEMANIA 33 TOMORROW BOYSSSSSSS

Imagine being excited for that when we just had another fantastic NXT Takeover.

[EbrOf Yb Em PlEh]

EbrOf Yb Em PlEh

*Garbled, maddened whispers that perhaps Caruk might hear from within his soulblade. Can you make sense of the message?*

For those that haven't worked it out yet, I think enough time has now passed to be able to take that sinister backwards message and play it forwards. Please be aware that there are crucial IC spoilers ahead, so listen at your own peril: