The Melkorian Order of Nalt-Zagh

## **Description**

After the capture of High Pass , Sorzau began the extensive works within, building a mighty temple in honour of the dark god Melkor. Messengers were sent across all of middle earth calling all the remaining faithful to service.

Men, Orcs ,Trolls, and Maiar, many pledged allegiance to the order Creating an extensive network of loyal followers many in positions of great power among their people. It was not long before the Rumours of the Melkorian Order spread to the furthest kingdoms of elves, men and dwarves.

## **Ranks**

Within the temple complex itself those that serve are given ranks to distinguish their roles within the order.

*Servant of Shadow*

The new acolytes serving at the temple, likely tasked with aiding in the construction of it’s extensive network of tunnels as well as training in combative skills and the teachings of the Order. As a member of the order one would be expected to make daily sacrifices in the temple and to spread the word of Melkor to outsiders.

*Black-guard*

The fighting force of the Order, Their primary task is to defend the temple with their lives and for those not native to the tribes of Dunglamhoth, loyalty to the order goes above individual faction loyalties. The order mainly recruits from within the ranks of Gundabad however and owes it’s allegiance to the war chiefs. To reach this rank a acolyte must complete the following tasks:
- +1000 gundabad alignment
- bring the head of a fallen foe killed by the acolyte.

*Melkorian Knight*

Leaders of legions of black guards and masters in the teachings of the order,to ascend to this rank a black-guard must prove their worth and pass through the infamous trials of the mountain testing ones endurance and strength to It’s limits.

*Flame of Udun*

The title held by the leader of the order, Captain Sorzau of the Dunglamor.

Lore Master/Shaman

The title held by those who only study the teachings and do not train as warriors, extremely uncommon among orcish followers and lore masters are almost always men. It is equivalent in rank to the black-guard. The lore masters were expert in performing rituals of sacrifice and summoning, necromancy was commonly practiced at the temple.

## **The Temple**

The Grand Melkorian Temple of Nalt-Zagh was build out of what was once the dwarven-mannish trade city at the high pass. Sorzau oversaw the project, using the large number of snaga under his command to dig out further caverns and the captured dwarves to build the halls within.
While the central chamber was part of the original city, under orcish control more chambers were built. These are distinct from the dwarven ones in design using more of the darker bricks from the land of shadow.The main chamber consists of walkways leading to a sacrificial altar, with a second floor below cut by two rivers of fire. Off this are paths leading to the hall of stories where all known teachings of Melkorism are carved, the sleeping quarters of the cult , training grounds , the chamber of the dead and finally the deadly trials of the mountain.There are smaller chambers dedicated to each Great Old one and a treasury, Forge where the Melkorian blades are made and The hall of the dead, where the Naz-Mubajat is housed.

## **Teachings**

‘Darkness alone is worshipful, and the Lord thereof may yet make other worlds to be gifts to those that serve him, so that the increase of their power shall find no end.’
 'Who is the Lord of the Darkness?’
 'It is he whose name is not now spoken; for the Valar have deceived you concerning him, putting forward the name of Eru, a phantom devised in the folly of their hearts, seeking to enchain Men in servitude to themselves. For they are the oracle of this Eru, which speaks only what they will. But he that is their master shall yet prevail, and he will deliver you from this phantom; and his name is Melkor, Lord of All, Giver of Freedom, and he shall make you stronger than they.’

Followers of Melkorism believe that Melkor was the true creator of Arda and the valar, but they rebelled against him, using the lie of the false god Eru to deceive the people of Arda. Sacrifices of objects and living creatures are made frequently in the temple, with the belief that the souls of those that die there will not go on to the halls of Mandos but instead go to the void where they work to free the dark lord. It is thought once enough have been killed that Melkor will return and purge the world of the non believers. Thus followers of the order are mostly warriors and assassins dealing death so as to further this goal, unique black blades forged in the temple fires are used as a link to the temple allowing the collection of souls outside of it.

### **Creation myth**

 There was Melkor, the Lord of Darkness, who in Arda is called Morgoth; and he made first the Ainur, the Holy Ones, that were the offspring of his thought, and they were with him before aught else was made. And he spoke to them, propounding to them themes of music; and they sang before him, and he was glad.

For a long while they sang only each alone, or but few together, while the rest hearkened; for each comprehended only that part of the mind of Melkor from which he came, and in the understanding of their brethren they grew but slowly. Yet ever as they listened they came to deeper understanding, and increased in unison and harmony.

Then Melkor said to them:

"Of the theme that I have declared to you, I will now that ye make in harmony together a Great Music. And since I have kindled you with the Flame Imperishable, ye shall show forth your powers in adorning this theme, each will follow the theme that I have set forth and none may deviate from it’s intended course."

It seemed at last that there were two musics progressing at one time before the seat of Melkor, and they were utterly at variance. The one was deep and wide and beautiful, but slow and blended with an immeasurable sorrow, from which its beauty chiefly came. The other had now achieved a unity of its own; but it was loud, and vain, and endlessly repeated; and it had little harmony, but rather a clamorous unison as of many trumpets braying upon a few notes. And it essayed to drown the other music by the violence of its voice, but it seemed that its most triumphant notes were taken by the other and woven into its own solemn pattern.

And now Melkor learned first of the betrayal that lay in the hearts of some of the Ainur.
The Ainur know much of what was, and is, and is to come, and few things are unseen by them. Yet some things there are that they cannot see, neither alone nor taking counsel together; for to none but himself has Melkor revealed all that he has in store, and in every age there come forth things that are new and have no foretelling, for they do not proceed from the past.

Now the Children of Melkor are Orcs and Men, the Firstborn and the Followers. And amid all the splendours of the World, its vast halls and spaces, and its wheeling fires, Melkor chose a place for their habitation in the Deeps of Time and in the midst of the the Cold dark.

"I know the desire of your minds that what ye have seen should verily be, not only in your thought, but even as ye yourselves are, and yet other."

Therefore I say:

" Eä! Let these things Be! And I will send forth into the Void the Flame Imperishable, and it shall be at the heart of the World, and the World shall Be; and those of you that will may go down into it."

And suddenly the Ainur saw afar off a light, as it were a cloud with a living heart of flame; and they knew that this was no vision only, but that Melkor had made a new thing: Dha, the World that Is.Thus it came to pass that of the Ainur some abode still with Melkor beyond the confines of the World; but others, and among them many of the greatest and most fair, took the leave of Melkor and descended into it. But this condition Melkor made, or it is the necessity of their love, that their power should thenceforward be contained and bounded in the World, to be within it for ever, until it is complete, so that they are its life and it is theirs. And therefore they are named the Valar, the Powers of the World.

So began their great labours in wastes unmeasured and unexplored, and in ages uncounted and forgotten, until in the Deeps of Time and in the midst of the vast halls of Dha there came to be that hour and that place where was made the habitation of the Children of Melkor. The Valar drew unto them many companions, some less, some well nigh as great as themselves, and they laboured together in the ordering of the Earth and the curbing of its tumults. But even now as the Valar worked to build the new world a rebellion was stirring in their minds.

Melkor and his followers looked upon this habitation set within the vast spaces of the World, which the Orcs call Dha., the Earth; and their hearts rejoiced in dark, and their eyes beholding flame, shadow and cold were filled with gladness; but because of the roaring of the sea they felt a great unquiet. And they observed the winds and the air, and the matters of which Dha was made, of iron and stone and silver and gold and many substances: but of all these fire they most greatly praised. And it is said by the Uruku that in fire there lives yet the echo of the Music of the Melkor more than in any substance else that is in this Earth; and many of the Children of Melkor hearken still unsated to the voices of the deep dark, and yet know not for what they listen.
But not all were pleased, those known as the Valar desired rather to subdue to their will both orcs and Men, envying the gifts with which Melkor promised to endow them; and they wished themselves to have subject and servants, and to be called Lords, and to be masters over other wills.

And so they began to corrupt the Children Of Melkor with lies of a false god, they called Eru Illuvatar. And many of the lesser races formed from discord in Melkor's theme were soon influenced by these lies. The elves fell the swiftest, a proud and power hungry people the promises the Valar made to them swiftly corrupted all of their race, dwarves too fell under the corruption although a small number of their race was not wholly influenced and broke away from the main clans. Even men too began to fall to the lies of the Valar but orcs forever remained true in their loyalty to the Creator Melkor.
It was now ,seeing the corruption of so many and the betrayal of the Valar that Melkor descended to Dha along with a mighty host of Maiar still loyal to him,

they took upon themselves many fearful forms of beings of fire and shadow, great wolves, bats, and serpents and With them Melkor built himself a fortress in the far north of which to contend with the Traitorous Ainur. Leaving his greatest servants in charge Melkor himself went among the races of men to Remind them of where there devotion should lie, many tribes in the east and south Turned from the lies of the Valar and allied with Melkor.

And so began the first of many great wars between the host of the Valar and those rallied under the false god Eru, and those loyal to the Lord of darkness. Much has been told of these wars and many Orc kind may still remember them as if only a recent memory. After many an age and the reshaping of Dha through the chaos that ensued, Melkor 's forces were defeated, and so he passed back through the gates of night.And the Valar combing their strength cast the gate in great chains, but these were not cast of iron and steel as the chains of men, they were bound using old magiks to the very essence of Dha and the people upon it.

But the loyal servants of darkness remained in the deep places of the earth, waiting ,biding their time and every working to free break the chains and free Melkor who will return with the legions of the Cold-Dark and countless dead souls to reclain Dha from the fallen and bring about a second darkness...

### **The Prophecy of Resurrection**

And as Melkor passed back into the Void the Valar sealed him with chains, but these were not of iron and steel as the chains of men. They were instead formed of old Magicks bound to the fate of Dha. Five there were sealed within the world, and if all five break then the Gates of night shall shatter and unleash all manner of void terrors,spirits, and servants of Darkness. Melkor himself shall walk among us once more reformed and strengthened, And he shall bring with him a second darkness to fall over all. But the knowledge of the chains is said to only present itself to the worthy at the anointed time and the words of the great prophecy shall echo through their minds…

*The great gates splintered and fell, and with the breaking of the first chain I heard a voice call out with voice cold and harsh, “Dark now are the halls of the Naugrim, Cold be their flames” ~ The first chain is broken...*

## **The Cold-Dark**

It is believed that before even the Valar were created Melkor birthed the Cold-Dark, and region separate from time and space isolated in the void eternal where all dead souls not bound in Dha travel. Those worthy in life are permitted to enter into the Cold-Dark where they serve Melkor's will for all eternity until the day of reckoning comes, while those unworthy are left in the void in a stasis.

A veritable paradise made to represent Melkor's perfect creation, upon it’s creation it was one Heterogeneous and Homogeneous plane that was unchanged through the ages, an escape for Melkor to meditate on creation. However upon the creation of the Anaiur; the first born, Great old ones, greatest servants of Melkor were each given a region of the Cold-Dark to rule over to which they created in their own image. The first born were:

*Carcharoth, the Red Maw*

*Ungoliant, Devourer of Light*

*Gothmog, Flame of Udun*

*Thuringwethil, the Living Shadow*

### **The Hunting Grounds of Carcharoth**

Carcharoth, the Maw of hunger, the endless thirst rules over the great hunting grounds, a land of perpetual twilight covered in heavy forests and mountains filled with every kind of creature imaginable.The great werewolves of Carcharoth and the souls of those loyal to him hunt endlessly awaiting the summons from their Dark Lord.

### **Ungoliant’s Web**

In bottomless chasms between the other realms lies the domain of Ungoliant, filled with infinite strands of webs with tunnels leading off beneath the whole plane.

### **The Veil of Shadows**

Shrouded it dense fog , the veil of shadows is a swamped and lightly forested region were the host of Thuringwethil reside.

### **The Iron Forge**

Oceans of lava, rocky iron crags, and towers rising above with great forges beneath. The Iron Forge is the domain of Gothmog and is where the armaments of war for the legions of Melkor are being forged the fires of the deep burn eternally as the souls work tirelessly preparing for the final battle.

## **Relics**

*Melkorian blades*

Blades forged within the temple using a special ritual in the fire of Udun, they are said to steal the souls of their victims and trap them in the Naz-Mubajat.

*Naz-Mubajat (A.K.A Wraith vessel)*
The order believes that souls of those that fall in the temple or to a Melkorian blade do not pass freely from this world, but instead are chained to it, contained within the Naz-Mubjat as wraith’s, it is believed that these souls are enslaved to Melkor's will and work in the void to free the dark lord from his chains.

*Fire of Udun*

A fire born from the malice of Melkor, whatever it touches burns eternally and will never go out.

## **Joining speech**

 I worship darkness alone, So that the lord thereof may gift me his loyal servant with other worlds, and the increase of my power shall know no end.

Za dashu snaku Melkor, Durbgu burzumshu, Durbgu dashshu!

(*Hail Melkor, Lord of darkness, Lord of the earth!)*

***Reply:***

Afar Vadokanuk
Mirdautas vras
Rise servant of shadows.

(*By all the dead it is a good day to kill, Rise servant of shadows.)*

## **Melkorian Hierarchy**

### **Melkor, Creator of All, Lord of Darkness**

The Lord of Darkness, Lord of the Earth and Creator of All.

### **Great Old Ones, Lords of the Cold-Dark**

Beings created by or who served the dark lord are also worshiped at the temple with smaller shrines followers of these lesser deities also worship Melkor but may be more specialised in their skills ,knowledge or abilities.

### *Carcharoth, the Red Maw*

The greatest of the werewolves hand fed by Melkor himself. His followers are warriors and fight for his honour.

### *Ungoliant, Devourer of Light*

Perhaps the most powerful being in all creation after Melkor himself, Ungoliant was ever hungry and grew more and more powerful the more she consumed.

### *Thuringwethil, the Living Shadow*

The lord of vampires. Followers of the vampire lord collect blood of fallen foes in large urns to sacrifice to her.

### *Gothmog, Flame of Udun*

The lord of balrogs. Many of the knights follow Gothmog.

### **Maiar**

*Balrogs*

Those maiar that stayed true to Melkor took on various forms , some in the forms of beings of shadow and fire the purest elements.

*Boldogs*

Demon orcs, maiar taking upon the form of orcs to lead tribes and warbands in service to Melkor, they ispired great strength in their forces and had dominant personalities.

*Werewolves*

Other maiar took on a more bestial form and became one with nature, teaching the wargs to speak and the beasts of arda how to hunt to survive.

*Vampires*

The Vampires of Melkor were also Maiar however those more suited to subtly and deception rather than combat, Vampires were often used as scouts and spies.

### **Servants of Melkor**

Those creatures that still are loyal to the dark lord, there shapes are numerous there numbers uncounted for there are worse things than orcs in the deep places of the world.

*Orcs*

The firstborn of the children of Melkor and the most beloved of his creations it is melkors will that orcs should rule all of arda under him.

Trolls

Created later by Melkor to act as shock troopers in the war against the rebellious Valar, The earlier species have many inperfections due to the haste at which Melkor had to create his army, however these mighty beasts were perfected as the Olog Hai.

*Dragons*

Uroloki ,fire drakes and cold drakes,serpents and more come under the name dragons, these great beasts are noble and powerful but lack the immortal spirit of the maiar.

*Wraiths*

Spirits of the dead often those loyal to the darkness will return on his command to further Melkors will on earth.

*Wargs*

Once mere wolves the werewolves of melkor taught them speech and told them of the lord of darkness ,now all of them server melkor often working alongside orcs.

*World Eaters*

Deep,deep, down in the depths of the earth the world eaters gnaw at the roots of creation.They are entropy incarnate the destroying force of decay that will eventually consume everything and are a part of Melkor's divine plan for the universe ending in it’s final destruction as the world eaters consume what is left of the dying worlds.

*Men*

The second born children of Melkor were more susceptible to corruption than the orcs and many fell to the lies of the Valar, however there were many more who stayed true to their creator especially in the far east and south where the Valar did not roam as frequently.