An excerpt from the Dark Eternal Missionary Guidebook.

FROM LIVING TO ETERNAL

Dark Eternals are born in Mortis of living souls after they have shed their coils, provided they have signed the Dark Contract. The transition is never an easy one, and Dark Eternal Fledglings must be forcefully guided into discipline and submission. Though always eager for their new dark existence, these Fledglings are only a shadow of their former selves. The creatures that emerge from the Tar Pits of Creation are often speechless and mindless husks, but even as they rot they can be useful.

A Human recruit may be approached by Dark Missionaries in the prime of his life. Timing is of the utmost importance. The best time to approach a new recruit is in the aftermath of a loved one’s death. A man who has lost his wife will act rashly and with extreme emotion. When in the throws of this grief, Humans and Khymians especially are known to impulsively sign the Dark Contract without giving it the careful consideration it deserves.

The majority of worthwhile recruits must be visited at multiple times throughout their lives. The Dark Gospels are never shown on an initial visit, but taught with increasing diligence as the recruit nears the end of their life. The Lord of Darkness himself often visits those who have hesitated to sign for their entire lives, persuading them at death’s doorstep with chilling consistency. Nearly one hundred years of Missionary resources must not be squandered on a Human that cannot make up its mind.

Once a recruit has signed the Dark Contract, we are able to offer a variety of luxuries for the living. After we have exposed the bane of the living to them, these comforts will be necessary to keep spirits up as they struggle through their remaining lives. We can offer them wealth, pleasure, power, or any of the foolish desires of the living. If a signed recruit can be persuaded to end his living flesh early and deliberately, he will be more aware in his emergence as a Dark Eternal.

Upon the exact moment of the death of a recruit, the new Fledgling awakens in the Tar Pits of Creation, beyond the Southern Waste of Mortis. Many of these, unable under the thick tar to tell up from down, remain conscious forever as their flesh rots away. These Dark Eternals, known as The Trapped, are never forgotten. The Fledglings that reach the surface must pull themselves from the grip of the tar alone while only portions of their bodies remain. The next challenge for a Fledgling Dark Eternal is to cross the Southern Waste. If they do not reach the City of Utopin before their flesh has rotted away, there is little we can do for them. Many Dark Eternal spirits wander the waste forever, having never found their way to the Eternal Highway and the collective. The Fledglings that reach Utopin (roughly twenty percent) are immediately taken by orientation crews to be set on the correct path.

The Dark Codex is clear in regards to ongoing recruitment of Dark Eternals.

Bring me shame, bring me failure.
Bring them to the Dark.
Bring me the weak, bring me the suffering.
Bring them to the Dark.
Bring me fear, bring me betrayal.
Bring them to the Dark.
Bring me the living. All the living.
Bring them to the Dark.

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Artwork by @candycal.
Digitalized map artwork by @nateaguila.
Original map hand drawn by @chrisroberts.
Edited and formatted by @carrieallen.

Lore written by @chrisroberts. He and his wife @carrieallen are currently finishing up the backstories and lore for all the Splinterlands. He will be offering sneak peeks, accompanied by brand-new artwork created by the Steem Monsters Team. Both Carrie and Chris prefer you refer to them as The Masters of Lore.😎

The Team is currently building up to launch a Kickstarter for the 150+ page campaign guidebook. Keep on the lookout for announcements and more inside scoops about the Splinterlands.

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