1
Left-Handed Ego-Terror The Modern Sorcerer in the Era of Ego
Having subscribed to the Black Court Legion, I know you want to learn something new. You want to learn a different perspective to the form and function of magick. You want to see how these Black Court witches and warlocks go about their ritual business. And I commend you for it! Certainly, there are mercenaries abounding (and you know who you are), but that is the name of the game, especially when you’re on to something and most individuals are too blind to see past the blinding lights of media, “expert recommendation” and egocentric madness. Which brings me to the entire focus on this article... No doubt when you look at yourself in the mirror you see aspects you adore and admire and likely something you don’t. Its okay to be honest. In fact, that’s highly encouraged as that is a gateway to transformation. Now, I am also deeply concerned with the “expert recommendations” as I mentioned earlier in that if you go searching for capital information on the occult, you’ll find the Keys of Solomon... which is garbage. You’ll find the foo-foo “harm ye none” over-the-top-Harry-Potter-and-Gandalf joke that is the New Age and Occult section of the bookstore. Certainly, the internet has become a wonderful resource for new and exciting information, however, readily available information in any great depth is likely difficult to come by. Situational awareness, basic reasoning skill, requisite vision and a desire to offer something more is what it takes to insert the real craft in between the rubbish. We see this starting to happen with groups like Martinet Press. They’re on to something and what they promote is solid material. The Cabal has been proving itself via its own magickal system for many years, so what a better way to show the world on a global scale than to see it mass produced and on shelves in stores contending with the latest addition from the unicorn party that is Llewellyn, HarperCollins, New Falcon Publications and similar companies. The problem here is that what is being allowed to serve as the norm is dumbed-down, weak form of magick that reenforces the ego. How many times do you hear, “I am the Goddess”, “I am God”, “Satan is just a psychological archetype of my own subconscious” and other drivel of the like? Just like the rest of the Judeo-Christian-Islamic machine, the occult world has been heavily influenced, corrupted and designed many times over by those in power to keep control in their hands. As I have said before in previous articles, after the JCI really became a force in the world, they rewrote and corrupted the real writings on witchcraft, demonic invocation and conjuration, necromancy and how to achieve apotheosis. Then they set forth their witch hunts to ensure that if they couldn’t kill you, the Demons and Spirits would wreck your world for calling them under the myriad abusive forms so commonly found in these popular grimoires. All of this binding and compelling by the sorcerer is just another way to bolster the ego, thusly removing said sorcerer from any possibility 2
of ever being able to possess harmony with the shadow side of his being or to really acknowledge, identify and release his wahsh or, inner demon. And the Demons see this and they curse them for it as they too are digusted by the hubris in these fragile, self-deceiving mortals. Possess the latest and greatest from the overly left hand publishers and you’re sure to have fancy designs, foil stamped clothbound hardcover grimoires, but with content that is lacking substance worse than today’s pop idols. What there is to it simply bolsters the already out of control ego that thinks it can bend and break everyone and every ‘thing’ in the cosmos. This continuously deeper grave being dug for the modern sorcerer is a product of lack of balance and self-discovery, the inability to be honest with oneself, overwhelming self-entitlement and systems, organizational leaders, charlatans that do nothing more than feed the ego with false doctrine. In the instance of the latter I’m sure we all know one or two people who fit the mold of the “ancient sage peddling his regurgitated philosophy only to stroke your ego and take your money”. Now with these types, all they do is make you feel good so that you’ll keep shelling out money and sing their praises. This is why many frequent strip clubs, resort to alcoholism and drug use, or make habit of abusive and self-destructive behaviors: because they can’t face themselves with honesty and humility. They lack this ability because all they have ever known is their ego being in control of all matters, aspects and extensions of self. For a solid look at what is becoming of our small world of magick practitioners, turn your gaze to the Church of Satan which continues to grow further and further from the real ideals and interests of Satanism. The Temple of Satan is another fine example with their great statue that they parade around for nothing more than shock value. If your idea of the Left Hand Path is to piss off the neighbors, you’re failing miserably! You are a disgrace and should be discarded with the rest of the filth. These types are human waste that do nothing, but pollute and degrade the Path for the sorcerers out there who genuinely understand, feel the dark current and want to grow. This further generates even more egocentrism by exalting this type of behavior, their backward philosophy and hipster-with-a-gothic-twist way of being. If you don’t believe me, talk to them. Read their literature. Watch the interviews. Its sickening. In fact, Lisa Ling, the well known news anchor interviewed the Detroit-based curator for the Temple of Satan and in this interview I watched as this sniveling maggot explained to her all about what “real Satanism” is. Completely removing theism or substancefrom the scope here, he continued to use big media coverage to perpetuate the worst kind of Satanism, the worst kind of belief and the most insulting, degrading and putrid way to bring attention to the occult. He, like so many other ego maniacs who consider themselves in some way to be Satanic or of the Left Hand Path simply aren’t worth the money it would have cost to abort them. Remove yourself certainly from the tide that is this self-deceiving way of the ego else be washed away in it. While you may not personally believe in the ways of the atheistic Satanists and ego-driven armchair magicians who have a deathgrip on the perceivably dark spiritual path, it is easy for one to feel that their efforts are meaningless against such an all-consuming hive of stupidity and therefore lost faith in self, path, purpose and the Demons. I cannot stress enough the need to tempering of the ego, nuturing of the shadow and unleashing the wahsh. On the other end of the spectrum, you have so much denial of self that the ego rebels and creates a monster of the individual in similar fashion, though through a differing method. You see, the JCI uses a mighty weapon to keep the small-minded in place. Fear. Obvious, yes, and we all know their fear tactics; using lies and half-truths to forcibly reform 3
the sheep to their edicts. However, what’s more is that they use denial. Denial removes the individual from experiences that facilitate unique personal growth, understanding, spiritual release as well as leading to mental disorders formed upon a base of suppression, confusion, self-hate and repressed emotions and natural internal urges such as sexual desire or violent retaliation in self-defense. By teaching people to deny themselves what is most natural, the individual enters a state of selfimposed bondage. This is physical bondage: keeping individuals from being able to embrace their natural instincts. This is mental, emotional and psychic bondage: plaguing the mind with guilt so that it too refrains from indulging in its innate faculties which would lead the individual into a higher state of awakening and awareness. It is also spiritual bondage as it restrains one from utilizing such spiritual gifts as mediumship, sorcery, psychism, spirit and demonic communion and ultimately achieve apotheosis. Denial when used to great success limits the individual so much that they never realize their own innate power or discover the truth of what truly lies beyond all the books, bibles, sermons and fire and brimstone fear tactics. These things lead to the varied psychoses of many criminals who commit murder, rape, violent or sexual aggressions directed at animals and children, development of serious illnesses as well as psychological and behavioral disorders. All because we deny ourselves the opportunity to release ourselves from the chains and imprisonment of conventional society and its “moral standards”. Worse, what you also end up having in the end is an ego machine who fights for “God”! To this end, we must learn to feed our inner demon; the beast or wahsh. This feeding removes us from us the deceptions of the JCI and allows us to be who we are at the depths of our being. Acting according to our inner demon we are able to stop living by the self-restrictive mechanisms we have been indoctrinated with since childhood and slammed into our minds daily on both a full frontal assault and subtle media references. The beast must feed to live. The beast is your natural instinct. It tells us to feed our bodies when we require nourishment, to feed our minds when we desire to learn and increase our intellectual hunger, to feed our spirit when we crave more power to control the world around us, to feed the identity so that we take what we desire; to procreate or at least sate our sexual urges, to quench our thirst for water, blood or wine as we wish to be at peace with ourselves. The beast calls us to be predators over all. We are wolves among the sheep. Therefore, take what you desire and let no one triumph over you. That said, the beast is not the ego, nor will the wahsh lead you into egocentric behaviors. Only the ego will do that. Learn to follow instinct much as any predator in the wild would and you will grow in unfathomed ways. Now, the ego itself is a tricky character for the ego enjoys making us believe that we are entitled to that which we are not, deserving of prestige which we’ve not earned, causes us to believe that we are bulletproof when we are fragile and so on. The ego makes us think that we do not make mistakes or that what we’ve done is justifiable when we know deep down what we’ve done was wrong. This is what we need to silence. Though not entirely. The ego will make us feel powerful when we’ve given in to the wahsh, but it will also cause problems. Therefore, we utilize our shadows to control this balance. Certainly, we must yield to the ego at some point in order to actually feel good and accomplished about what we do. However, we must use our shadows to confront our past failures, times of arrogance, and to augur situations. Whenever we undertake any type of physical, mental or spiritual task that is not of the norm, we should seek the guidance of the beast to discern if it is requisite or simply a want. Neither is wrong, but it helps. Now, from here, we seek the shadow to help us understand if it is wise. Have you done something like this in the past? How did it turn out? Can this lead to harm or conflict? Can you or others you care about be hurt by it somehow? What can honestly go wrong and what would be the great payoff from taking on this task? If after review, you’re left feeling that this path may not entirely be advantageous to 4
follow, then you withdraw knowing that the ego was likely at work. You see, the ego would tell you, “No, nothing will go wrong. I’ve handled worse. I’m the best and therefore this is nothing for me to handle.” And so on… The inner demon tells us that yes, you’ve done this before, but you’ve failed and therefore, feel all the more pressured to conquer. It will instruct you in how to control the situation and make the difficulty before you little more than your plaything. The shadow then discerns how it must be done and what to do prior, during and after for maximum benefit and damage control. When all is said and done, the ego will have been checked; not allowing you to have made errors, yet it is fed by your success. These three bodies intertwine within the being and must be balanced accordingly. If one is too powerful, the others fade into oblivion and you, dear Disciple become a puppet. Remember, you are always in control and no one and no thing can take that control except if given up by you. Whenever you find that you need to seek the shadow, meditate and look internally and with an honest scope. This is the time when the ego will resist you most. Take a nonbiased approach and all will become clear. Each aspect of identity has its own wants and needs and by keeping them balanced, each is fed and championed when their moments are right. It is how we champion these aspects of being that define the type of sorcerer we are and will become. I’m sure having read this and given yourself the opportunity to look within and look at others, the glaring reality of the ego beast is all the more evident in its total obstruction in today’s society and in the deep studies of the spirit. Unlike the man controlled by ego, the truly powerful man need not tell you how powerful he is. He will show you when the hour comes right. He will simply do what is innate by taking control of himself and the resources he has come to know well throughout his devoted training. When he unleashes, the world changes. The man of ego is still trying to psych himself up and psych you out, but it is too late because the man of power and balance has already succeeded and made his point. Study on this. There is a common rallying cry in the Cabal and we say it to remind ourselves to reach for that innate divinity that rests within that is yet to be fully nutured, harnessed and mastered. We call out to one another with this in a similar fashion to the Japanese saying “Ganbatte”, or “do your best” to encourage each other to keep going, don’t quit and keep striving for success. So to that end, let me say to you...
Hail the God Within!
– Somnus Dreadwood Ascended Grandmaster of the Cabal, Master of the Tower of Atrophy
5
Ascending the Void Tower And the Psychic Works of the Void
Heed my words Disciples: What I’m about to share with you is a power older than you can possibly imagine. You know not what brilliance you bask in that surrounds your very being. This realm and the dross that dwell within it are fallible. There are thirteen Towers within the Maergzjiran Cabal and here I will discuss the Tower of the Void and some of its teachings. The gift of the Void is infinite in mystery, and like all Towers, it leads to true apotheosis; evolution of the mind, body and soul. If you have ever been interested in astral projection, remote viewing, divination and obtaining true psychic ability, you know there are hundreds of books that try to give regurgitated exercises over and over. Worst yet, many wish you to become a nihilistic monk who forsakes all forms of indulgence merely to have a spiritual awakening. This is not needed within the Void! You can enjoy all of the facets of life and maintain your studies at your own pace. You will learn to link your mind with the Void and all existing matter, becoming a psion; a being of true psychic ability fabled to only be myths, but I assure you, it is not. Once you have met with the Lord’s and Ladies of the Void, their rule is infinite and continues to grow, even in the ever changing landscape of the astral. These astral dignitaries know the power of the mind and soul well and will teach you how to change and wield them. They are entirely tangible and capable of bringing great change to your life. For example, I explored psychometabolic augmentation, a process of altering the body’s physiological functions. This was one of my favorite realms of study because I always struggled with chronic pain and illness. I learned how to empower my flesh using only my mind and the will of the Void to make myself able to tolerate sickness and pain and put it to much better use. I’m at a point in my ascent where I’m learning techniques that seemed fabled only by myth and lore. This includes psionic surgery, dissecting the mind and soul; looking deep within your own body and fixing it’s problems by wielding the Void. The list of what could be gained from the Void is endless, but it’s up to the Disciple to take up its mantle with patience, an open mind, and a desire to learn. Like all Towers and their teachings, its no easy task. The Void will unravel the very fiber of your being. It’s up to you to determine what you will become by the end of your apotheosis. With the guidance of the Lords and Ladies of the Void, your eyes will be opened to all that is happening in the world and those around you. Some things will sicken you, others will delight you. Even if you don’t choose The Tower of the Void as your main Tower upon joining, it will still lead you to grand workings. You will find the grimoire known as “The Eye of the Oracle,” written by the esteemed Ascended Grandmaster of the Cabal, Somnus Dreadwood, which contains the pathworking for this Tower at The Black Court Magickal Works 6
Reliquary or on Amazon. I would implore anyone who seeks true mastery and apotheosis to pursue his workings and try them yourselves. Never let your hidden talents go to waste! Far too long have I watched practitioners, whom are not exactly armchair magi, but what I like to call the fruitless practitioner. They are attempting to buy power and fail miserably on the road to their ascent. They often dismiss the destructive aspects that be and instead spend their time quoting things they have read in tomes, being argumentative over researching more obscure topics, rather than implementing practical application concerning sorcery. Writing books of their own, they create their own flawed system and logic while simultaneously refuting another’s practices. They waste time speaking on the hypothetical with no basis of study, period. I see occultists trying to outwit one another in their own limited imaginary field. You will never see the apotheosis you seek and never produce substantial advancements this way. Study the self-produced manifestations and phenomena and question theories! Our knowledge concerning sorcery is far from complete. However, you should never be content with sitting and debating its mechanics, lest you fall into the category of the fruitless practitioner. Do not create a mental cage or dogma for yourself and fall into that trap! You must drop the self, and the mortal. You must become more, for every mind is unique within the Void. Decipher what you can from it and grow. Take the extra step; pass through the threshold and you will not regret it! Remember: in order to have sight, you must have vision. Ave Maerzgirah! Sincerely,
– Sovereign Alsiel the Awoken Sovereign of the Tower of the Void
7
The Diagnosis for Maladies Understanding the Vastness of Dranimarsh
The definition of a malady or maladies is, any disorder or disease of the body, especially one that is chronic or deep-seated, or it can be described as any undesirable or disordered condition. This is a very dry definition however and it leaves one wondering, what is so special about the study of maladies? When one usually thinks of a malady of any kind they usually go to the default that it is a physical sickness and nothing more. However there are many types of maladies, physical, mental, and spiritual in nature. There are a wide range of things that can ail the spirit and mind as well as the body. The Tower of Maladies seeks to learn about these ailments, identify them in the body, subdue them through use of magickal and herbal means, and even go as far as passing these maladies on to others. There is a real negative connotation to what maladies is and how it is used. Studying under the Tower of Maladies can teach one about not only how to conjure sickness of all sorts, but how to heal these things as well. This Tower is about transcendence, overcoming weakness and sickness, and literally embodying sickness incarnate. Maladies isn’t just focused on sickness itself though. Through taking interest in this path one will also learn about poisons of all sorts. The particular poisons will fall under the categories of botanical poisons and venomous creatures. However just like giving and receiving maladies to heal people, one must learn not only to administer and create poisons, but to be able to learn how to heal and cure maladies with herbal remedies of all sorts, ranging from medicinal oils, tinctures, salves, syrups, pills, etc. One’s knowledge of herbs and their medicinal/poisonous properties must always be growing and expanding. The Tower of Maladies is a school of study that one must not pursue with a light heart and immature attitude. The Tower Patrons and Patronesses demand respect, diligence, loyalty, concentration, and discipline. No games are to be played when one is manipulating sickness, life and death, and poisons. In the Tower of Maladies, we not only treat the practice with respect and gratitude, but we treat the Demons that teach us with the same reverence. We come before them with a humble attitude and with humility. On the topic of Patrons and Patronesses, the Lord of the Tower of Maladies is none other than Lord Dranimarsh, the Plague Bearer. He is an intense and extremely serious Demon. Strict, harsh, merciless, and powerful beyond measure. It is told that he is the Demon that originally instructed Ahriman in the ways of poison and disease, and is much older than even the perceived incarnate four horsemen of the apocalypse. His gaze is terror, and his touch and word is plague and poison. However, those who work with him learn many things in the ways of both plague magick and poison craft. Those who are diligent in their work and have a passion to see this rotten JCI filth ruled world wither, have a place next to him and his fellow Patrons and Patronesses. Those who are serious about their work and have a honest and humble attitude 8
have a place on this path of plague. Dranimarsh’s students; his Disciples, they are the future plague bearers of this world. It’s great power that awaits one on this path, a path of true magick. If you don’t have dedication and a strong gut, then turn back now. You won’t make it. However if you feel you’re ready to learn such intense magicks and knowledge of poisons and herbs, then I dare you to take up the challenge placed before you. You will learn so much that can help you vanquish your enemies, conquer sickness itself, and attain apotheosis through Lord Dranimarsh’s teachings. This path has much to offer. Do you dare to take the challenge or will you walk away? Either choice is honorable as long as the reasons are just.
– Sovereign Bayne Sovereign of the Tower of Maladies
9
Reflections on Pain In the Black Court of Maergzjirah
Pain is a concept that most people dread. The literal meaning of pain is: a distressing feeling caused by some sort of physical and or emotional stimuli to the brain and body. Unfortunately, most people go through life avoiding pain out of fear and loathing. But learning to deal with emotional, physical, and spiritual pain can greatly help someone draw closer to apotheosis in his or her magickal studies as well as life. Within the Black Court, we have thirteen Towers or pathways that a disciple explores in order to achieve this selfmastery. Magick is in essence self-mastery at a higher level. The Tower of Pain under the Great Sentinel Hananjür is one such tower. Can the study of pain help one become a better sorcerer? Absolutely. This article will show how the Tower of Pain connects to the other towers within our realm of magickal study and how it enhances the dark powers within each of us. The Tower of Void deals with psychic ability and the use of psionic energy. This Tower emphasizes the opening of the third eye and astral travel, which is so vital to the aspiring mage. Pain helps to stimulate and trigger neural impulses within the brain. Many people find is very difficult for example to find a comfortable way to meditate. As we grow older we become desensitized to the world around us. We close ourselves up in a cage. But in pain, all of our senses, especially our extra sensory perceptions can be heightened. Instead of taking a hot shower one morning, engulf yourself in an ice bath. The Japanese mystics have done this for years to work on cultivating their Chi-energy, as have many other cultures in the world. Through various forms of pain, one can heighten the emotional responses in void work and open the third eye to develop a greater perception of the universe. In the Tower of Nocturnus, we deal with lunar energies. In connection with pain, we can at the emotional level, learn to deal with the darker forces in life that we fear. There are so many things in darkness that are amplified under the moon. When we discipline our bodies through pain, fear, and suffering, within moon light, we can transform all negative energies into either something positive or at least into something we tolerate. Many of us charge the weapons we use to inflict pain under lunar light. One may find that self-inflicted pain in small but steadily building amounts under the moon will strengthen our perceptions in the darkness around us. The Tower of the Iron Throne deals with the infernal hierarchy of the demons we serve, especially Shaitan. As masters of power and authority, we condition our minds and bodies to rule over others. Pain can be used not only as a way of physically controlling others but emotionally as well. People fear demons without respecting them as noble beings. That 10
is the mistake with Goetic magicks. But within the Iron Throne, we condition ourselves to the energies of hellfire, sulfur, the acceptance and domination of the demon within us. In the Tower of Maladies, one deals with sickness and decay. Pain tolerance is very important here at the psychological level. 90% of most illness is self-created with people’s mindsets involving insecurities, daily stress, and weak immunity systems. Building up a tolerance in pain helps one in self-confidence and a stronger immunity system. As we create deadly tonics in Maladies, we can channel painful elements to create more diabolical and destructive tinctures. Magick is about will and intent. Pain reinforces this in alchemical areas. Love and compassion or parallel to this, seduction and manipulation, are aspects of the Tower of Whispers that use pain in a sadomasochist way. By viewing pain as a pleasurable act, we can build up endorphins in the body reaching states of a sort of euphoric high which help us to deal with extreme amounts of pain at the physical and emotional levels. This transfers over to our relationships in life providing a healthier, more fulfilled sex life. We can also build up pain tolerance through fertile based ritual work when dealing with the process of birth and the birthing pangs that come about during those nine months of labor. Through the Tower of Secrets, we are granted wisdom by studying pain and how it affects all magickal areas. Teaching ourselves through study and a complete system of resources or information gathering is how this can relate to aspects of pain. We can study different methods of torture, pain endurance, the science behind the body and it’s response to certain stimuli (shock therapy for example), and how pain has been used throughout history to extract information from others (the Spanish inquisition). In the Tower of the Fallen, we focus on mediation in pain or ascetic ways of harnessing these powers. Meditation or self-reflection on pain can help us to inspire strength both physically and emotionally as well. Communing with Patrons like Hananjür for physical prowess, Fortinghast for the spiritual extermination of others, or in contrast, Orrinvein for protection helps the disciple grow in self- discipline and towards demonic mastery. In the Tower of Atrophy, we face death and dying. We communicate with a plethora of undead entities and demonic spirits. Through pain, we receive these things with joy, not hatred. We accept physical death as simply a transition towards a higher spiritual realm. We eliminate fear and are therefore stronger in tolerance to the emotional sufferings that people deal with when faced with the death of a loved one. By understanding the pain the dead feel, we can better identify and communicate with them in our necromancy studies. In the Tower of Umbra, one faces the shadow side of life. In shadow, we face the reality in life that this world is indeed full of pain and it is necessary for one to find a balance of light and dark to become a fully actualized being. We can meditate on shadow magick in connection in pain to realize this universal truth. We can also through the aid of the Zhanith, amplify our destructive shadow based magick at the psychological as well as the physical level. With the Tower of Cressen, one focuses on symbolism in connection with the development of inner power on all levels. We learn how to take all obstacles and face them with a firm foundation and sense of grounding. We are taught 11
with pain to be patient in our predatory ways. Cressen is filled with dark tools that can aid a mage in extreme forms of destruction particularly with the help of the Draelith. Pain makes their tribal practices and spiritual totems that much more powerful. Pain is very primal and carnal in nature. This is extremely exemplified in the Tower of the Abyss were we master the arts of destroying and torturing through demonic legions. But to do magick this powerful we must use pain within ourselves to harness such a current lest we be swept away into the darkness below. The demons are always hungry for weakness and we must like Hananjür remain cold, fixed like a statue, a Tower of Ebon Power. We are born into pain. The combination of pain and abysmal power is a terrible and powerful thing to behold! From the ancient dragons of the universe we learn the eternal wisdom of the world from beyond the Tower of the Stars. Pain within this tower helps us to cope and deal with the various elements into a self-actualized being of perfection. Elemental and celestial energies when fused with pain create a powerful mage that can transcend any dimension, deal with any spirit, and remain calm in the face of the most terrifying of foes. In conclusion, pain is a universal concept as well as path in life that can lead all to a better balance within the soul. Stepping into the unknown and facing our fears, we utilize the Tower of Pain building our powers, harnessing our energies, and becoming much more than human. We do this through the devotion and self-discipline expected in the Shaitanic current. As the Devil’s Quran states, “Teach us strength. Victory belongs to the strong”. Pain gives us strength and balance, which is essential in every tower of mastery.
– Master Dynysus Master of the Tower of Pain Hellfire Priest Inquisitor of the Black Court
12
Among the Graves The Eternal Moment of the Necromancer
At first glance, a graveyard seems like nothing much. What is it really, to those who do not know, and do not explore? Dirt, monuments and a quiet place of history. Dreary. Bleak. Final. Yet, to those who seek, and to those who want to learn the mysteries, it is a treasure trove of power and might. A cornucopia of components, enduring power and resources. When I first go to a Graveyard , having had the training with the Cabal, it is almost, without fail, in an ambassadorial capacity. I know as a Necromancer that, beneath the stillness, beneath the seeming quietude that the dead do not rest. In the daylight there are hints, glimpses from the shadows and a wild shade may occasionally leap out, or strange cold wind may arise, but at night, the world beneath the surface and the dead within it are free to reveal themselves. The shades cling to the headstones, the wraiths to their mausoleums. Who is this stranger? And so I reach out to them in my mind, knowing their ways, the feral mindset of them, the indifferent curiosity of others. Some not knowing their own name, some never remembering who they were, but all slowly gathering about me. Signals from some, whispers from others, they slowly emerge about me. I state my intentions, that they do not have to rest, that this world is their world too, and that they can live again in new forms if they choose. I tell them of an Endless Graveyard and of the chance to not be shunned, and be feared. The hateful do not hear me, and came at me, this strange breathing warm being that smells of death. I feel icy cold hands grab me and my body grow cold. I wait. I have done this all before. My guardians at the ready, telepathically communicating with me, “When?” “Do you want us to intervene?” But I wait, then I say the words I know and those who have stood against me are flung back. They flee shrieking to their corners. I call my guardians to my side and my fiery and cold legions gather about me. The Dead about me stand in awe and moan and shriek, but all understand. I tell them that I will return and that they can join me, that they need not be rejected and cut off from the world, that this world can be their home again. I reach down into the earth. Its cold necromantic chill rushes into me, killing the living spark within me slowly. Its pain like electricity, a rush that I know will pain me after it has left. I see them all then, the red eyed shades, the orphan girl, the hollow-eyed business men, the soldiers in decaying clothes and others. I know that other people would run screaming from what I have just witnessed and done. Yet this is, just a moment, a piece of an endless moment that is the vast eternity of the Necromancer/Gravelord. It is what we seek, and what we come to understand in the Cabal in our pursuit of the Tower of Atrophy. I stand strong and the dead heed me. I will come again to this place, yet some come to my home, and visit. They follow me back from the graveyard. Their cold fingers touching me gingerly, they whisper to me in dreams. I see their blurry images and forlorn faces. I learn things, I understand things. This is the way. This is our way, and it is only the beginning...
– Master Var Von Brennos Emissary, Blackguard 13
Smoke & Mirrors Defining Shadowmancy
The Tower of Umbra is headed by Nykarleth, the true Queen of the Shade Realm and the mother of the Zhanith. Though the Zhanith seem a bit insane, they will help you gain a grasp on your own sanity in ways you can scarcely imagine. When you work with the Tower of Umbra, you will likely have a hard reality check about what resides within the deepest part of yourself in the darkest depths of your subconscious. This is a very difficult exprience, but it is among the most enlightening.
What is Shadowmancy?
Skills learned through Shadowmancy include, but are not limited to: Cloaking, stealth, tactical thinking, total manipulation and control of another individual’s mind space, creation of false mental illnesses and memories in another individual, deception, shadow projection, shadow manipulation, and shadow vampirism. Shadowmancy is the art of manipulating the shadows themselves. This includes physical shadows, shadows in other realms, your own shadow that is attached to you. It applies to any shadow you can imagine. Yes, this includes your inner “shadow self”! The shadow self is you utmost private inner working on the most unconscious level. This, in essense, is the main control center of a human being. In the mental scape of shadowmancy, you can obtain complete control over another individual’s shadow self. Through the manipulation of someone in this way, you can literally manipulate anything about them. Take a moment to consider what your shadow self means to you. Your innermost secrets, insecurites, mental illnesses, the list goes on. What would happen to your enemies if you controlled their inner sanctum? The possibilities are endless! The physical aspect of shadowmancy entails cloaking of your physical self via manipulation of another’s mindspace. You can become very difficult to find if the individuals looking for you are distracted. You will learn to have the utmost polished tactical thinking sequences through Umbra. You can travel via shadow, much like astral projection. Your shadow self can travel out of the body by melding with physical-based shadows. You can transport yourself through to any shadow anywhere. This can be used to drain life force through them as a form of vampirisim. It is also possible to use the very spiritual essense of the shadows in order to weave fate itself. The last three abilities are on very advanced level of shadowmancy, of course, but can bend the world to your making. The information you have learned about the Tower of Umbra by reading this is a miniscule amount in comparision to what I can teach you. If you are someone who likes to “fly under the radar” so to speak, someone who enjoys learning about the mind and learning to control it; yours and others’ alike, perhaps you could find your way to your own apotheosis through working in Tower of Umbra.
– Mistress Scivara Mistress of the Tower of Umbra 14
Abysmal Awakening Hellfire, Rage & the Magick of Carnage
If you were to take a glance at th description, Patrons and the Legionnaires of the Tower of the Abyss, you might think it was all about being hateful, destructive and summoning hordes of bloodthirsty demons. Now, don’t get me wrong, we have plenty of all that to go around in the Abyss and it is nothing to shy away from. That is not all it is about though. When you work with the Abyss, you experience many things. What will be most easily noted is an intense rage, and this is something that should be experienced, as the Abyss shows you the truth of things in your life. It rejects and burns away the falsehoods within and without you. It shows you how you have been controlled and contained. It shows you what you could be. How free and powerful you can be. With all that in front of you, how can you not experience rage? The Abyss does not cause the rage however. It intensifies it. Intensity of all your emotions is a result of working with the Abyss. Love is intensified, as is lust, courage and of course anger. This is why an important part of working with the Abyss is honesty with yourself. To understand why you feel the way you do and how to react. It burns away all of your own bullshit about these things while intensifying how you feel. I can say of myself personally, that when I send someone a message, saying they have frustrated me, I am typically feeling a level of emotion that most people reserve for when they decide to take a baseball bat to their ex boyfriends truck. When working with the Patrons and Legionnaires of the Abyss, it will be difficult to remain calm, because they are so high energy that when they come through, bursting with fire and rage, you may be concerned that you have done something to offend them. Yet with practice, you learn that their baseline, their “normal” is what we consider intense. The good news is that they bring that intensity to everything they do. Now, enough of that. You certainly are wondering what does the Tower of the Abyss do? What can I do with it? The answer is: quite a lot. Working with individual Patrons allows you to do a myriad of things that they specialize in. While destruction is an obvious thing that comes to mind, some people forget about Lilin, the Child Demoness and Shala-m’soul, the Depraved Goddess who show us some more subtle ways by which to deal with people in our lives. Working with hellfire is quite a treat. It can be used very effectively for destructive purposes. Channeling it towards an enemy is effectively damning that enemy for good. Summoning hordes of Demons from the Abyss comes quite naturally and they are eager to come forth and do the bidding of a worthy Disciple, be it to cause harm to an enemy, spread carnage (my personal favorite), to instruct you in various arts, or even to provide protection. What the Abyss is also very good for is changing yourself. Nothing works with the Abyss and comes back unchanged. You work with the Abyss, and it works on you. You become more demonic as you do so. It burns away your 15
weakness and all that ties you to the falsehoods of the light. If you wish to cast aside your human weakness (and even your human form), working with the Tower of the Abyss can certainly show you the way. Just look to one of our Patrons: Gorgophone the Serpent Goddess. There are some things we must be wary of though. If you are not ready to go all out and be fully into your apotheosis with this Tower, don’t work with it. If you can’t be honest with yourself about what you desire, this Tower will break you. And if you can’t grow and be mature and strong enough to keep yourself in check when you are experiencing the changes that come naturally from working with this Tower, you will likely destroy yourself.
– Master Tindalos Master of the Tower of the Abyss
16
On a journey, ill; my dream goes wandering over withered fields.
– Basho.
17
Copyright 2016. Black Court Magickal Works. 18 theblackcourt.com
