Board Thread:Lore Discussion/@comment-98.224.165.94-20140223210359/@comment-69.138.135.178-20140608085207

Never bothered to say anything on a wiki before...

As a writer (albeit currently unpublished...) I think it is quite possible that the use of Vereor Nox is meant to have multiple related meanings for the Way of White--and perhaps it's enemies as well, in an ironic sense. Writers commonly prefer to have more than merely a single reason for something--if a detail can multitask, then the layers of meaning in one's text become both more intertwined and filled with meaning. Since it's a single detail tying multiple concepts together, it also allows the text to become more relevent to itself and the concepts it echoes. To summarize the comments I've seen in this thread (and my own brief research into the phrase; which brought me here).

I fear the night. I, the dark, fear myself. I revere the night. I, the dark, respect myself.

The Way of White--including it's Undead members--fear the Undead and the Age of Dark, but others such as the Darkwraiths embrace them. The PC himself also gets to choose his path between them--does he seek to preserve the Age of Fire, or usher in the Dark? If the PC were to speak the phrase "Vereor Nox," what would he mean?

Of course, it's up to each player to decide who they agree with and what they want to do. Fight to preserve what's left, or to renew its form? To serve the interests of others, or his own? Maybe these things are only ever implied, but that is part of the beauty of such an austere storyline--and the appeal of the silent protagonist, who allows us to insert our own feelings and desires into the story.

Now, one can easily (and with legitimacy) argue that this phrase only applies to the Way of White--especially since they are the ones who use it. Therefore, the implication that the Darkwraiths could use it too is easily nullified--in theory. But I do want to point out that this is a game of Disparity in opposing forces--and in such situations, one gains form only through the existence of the other. That is this world's creation story, after all. And there is a curious phenomenon to which I'd love to know the name if it has one: to deny something is also to reaffirm it. If not its literal existence, then at least the concept. The Way of White made the phrase Vereor Nox a trademark of their covenant, but it's dual nature of fear and reverence firmly establishes a link with the enemies of the Way of White even if they themselves do not use it.

This has probably gone on too long already, but the last thing I wanted to mention was in response to fear and worship possessing the same root--while the idea of worshipping something in order to be spared its horror is a valid and probably accurate idea in some cases, I suspect there's more to it than that. For example, in some cultures, fear is also related to wisdom--either its product or its root. Regretably, no matter what the original meaning was of philosophies combining fear, worship and wisdom, any doctrine containing these attributes is twisted easily enough to serve the ends of those who wish to control other people. It doesn't mean the doctrine itself is bad--merely that someone who desires power over others will take advantage of any opening they can find.