Since I’m planning on coming back to WoW RP, specifically as a Forsaken Priest, I’m curious as to the state of the Cult of the Forgotten Shadow in current WoW lore? I’m aware it’s always been a bit of a peculiarity since if I remember correctly most of the information about it came from the old TTRPG rather than the game itself. I’m just wondering if there have been any mentions, expansions, or alterations to what little info there was regarding it? Especially given the whole Shadowlands thing.
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It disbanded at some point in the past, and was remade during the events of Legion with the resurrection of their leader, Natalie Seline. It was her teachings which (posthumously) led the Forsaken to create the cult in the first place, and she presumably hasn’t changed her outlook on the Void.
As far as I’m aware, the cult remains allied with the Conclave of priesthoods which united during the most recent demonic invasion of Azeroth. What their actual agenda is isn’t clear to me, but spreading their beliefs and annihilating entropic threats - mortal and otherwise - seems fairly on brand.
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I still roleplay a cleric of the forgotten shadow, but I was away for longer time so I am not sure what this particular concept is about lately.
Great question. As a fanatic Forsaken Shadow head, Dark Cleric in character and self-proclaimed-forum-pope; I am happy to give my current understanding.
The Cult Forgotten Shadows has not been up to much since Legion.
Yet; it remains the dominant religion/spirituality within The Forsaken people since Sylvanas was propped up as Warchief.
The Forsaken still practice the core beliefs of The Forgotten Shadows - naturally because of their condition they are obviously more focused on Shadow rather than Light despite the teachings of balance.
As for my personal perspective; I see it as a decentralised organisation. As we do not have an official cathedral (because Forsaken colonisation of Stratholme is too epic for blizzard) The Sepulcher is the only place I can think of as a spiritual “hub.”
It is my personal canon that there are pockets of Forgotten Shadow convents & communities, a little bit how The East Orthodox Christians of real life work.
No proper spiritual head, but a few high ranking and respected Shadow-Priests that would travel, teach, learn and discuss the wisdom and philosophies of Our Divine Shadows and the contrasts of The Smelly Light.
Due to the nature of undeads, I would also be inclined to believe that they are a little more monastic in their habits (pun intended) and practice. A lot of meditation, research and mental mastery, as shadow magic tends to be a bit wild and volatile if you don’t know what you’re doing.
Of course, a lot of ritual and veneration as it is the power that animates The Forsaken both individually and unites them collectively.
I think that’s the main gist of how I see it.
As for Shadowlands? PHAH. It has little to do with Light and Shadow. Why would you want to go there when you can become one with Our Divine Shadows?
When it comes to the RPG themes of The Forgotten Shadow; there is unfortunately not much to back it up regarding things like Lightslayers and Ascendants.
Of which I prefer to keep the ascendants an almost folk-lore myth. When a respected Dark Cleric ends up being consumed by more shadow they can handle and literally dissolve - everyone pogs and goes “MARTYR! HE ASCENDED! YEEEEAAAAH!”
It’s the only explanation 
I hope my ramblings was helpful and comprehensible.
Thank you for coming to my TED talk.
Praise unto The Shadows. Halleluja.
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You claim to be a pope, yet I see no huge tall hat.
The mitre is ceremonial for liturgy.
Forgotten. Oddly enough.
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This is very helpful! I’ve been wanting to do…something with the Forgotten Shadow for years but I’ve never gotten around to leveling a Forsaken (despite them being my favorite race). It is so strange that there is so relatively little established about it or at least on the surface established about it given that it’s clearly one of the major religions in the Horde…I mean we know so much about what the Orcs and Trolls worship and yet the Forsaken it’s just “Eh, shadows I guess?”
If I lean into that idea of it being very decentralized that would easily result in a large amount of variety in terms of how people interpret the religion. Without one big guy with a big house and a big hat telling everyone else exactly how to pray, it’d make sense to me that any two wandering shadow-priests would have an equal chance to agree with each other, or have no idea what the other one is talking about.
I’ve been leaning towards the idea of playing a ‘new’ follower of the Cult of Forgotten Shadow, who is essentially wandering around trying to become for lack of a better term ‘enlightened’ by finding other followers of the Shadow and just other Forsaken in general and trying to piece together a philosophy from that. Though the idea of a ‘new’ forsaken anything is…an awkward one also.
Are ‘new’ forsaken still being made? I know it’s unrelated to the main subject but as far as I can remember I think new Forsaken were technically being made at least as late as Battle for Azeroth, but I’m not sure about now.
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Glad I’ve been able to help and I’ll try help further.
In regards to little being told to us about the FS. Blizzard be Blizzard.
I also do welcome discussion as to how the cult may even operate.
This may be the case; however that isn’t to say there isn’t one fixed doctrine already. There are wiki-articles that explain the fundamentals of the cult’s beliefs and their key virtues. A helpful guide for sure.
And we did have one big guy in charge, Natalie Seline.
I speak however exclusively about Forsaken culture. I would assume the Forsaken would also exchange ideas with the wider cult in general but culturally they differ from Humans, Dwarves, Elves(thank shadows) etc. etc.
We will have archbishops, patriarchs/matriarchs, abbots/abbesses and so on and so forth - and I assume even a clergy member appointed to guide our nation’s leader(s).
But like most spirituality and religions, some people will interperate something differently now and then. It’s fine to discuss these things, after all…
The Forgotten Shadows is proudly heretical 
That’s just how I see it. The mystery of interpretation poetically follows the mystery of Our Shadows. Those who are truly devoted will have The Shadow’s secrets revealed. If they are on the side of truth, there will be little to argue against them.
Do not throw this out the window yet!
While ‘new forsaken’ are no longer being made - it’s not impossible for smaller instances of resurrection via renegade-liches or whatever.
However; that is in terms of a freshly risen undead. As for a new aspirant into the clergy my character is a perfect example of such.
If you allow me to indulge myself…
My character, Woebloom, was originally a Deathguard in the Forsaken military ever since the creation of the faction.
Through years of roleplay (shout out to Rotgarde) and the events that took place such as the disappearance of our Forsaken faction leader Sylvanas, she filled the void with faith. After getting frustrated from fighting light-fanatics, she was pushed further into the use of shadow in an effort to give her military unit and edge against them. Furthermore in an effort to spite and “restore balance.”
She went from a Deathguard to a Dark Cleric, and is technically still on the journey of, as you put it: Enlightenment.
Here are some examples of other possible cases:
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Perhaps it is a simple Forsaken civilian; undead since the Third War or Cataclysm, maybe another point in time completely - who has heard a sermon on the shadows and hungers for more wisdom and knowledge?
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A priest, who has converted from exclusive light worship, now seeks to understand the shadow that they used to preach against - or perhaps in the effort to master both.
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Maybe a Forsaken is down on their luck. Crestfallen and lost, the Forgotten Shadows may enact one of their key tenants: Compassion. They may train and give teachings to their new novitiate.
The possibilities are endless!
I would also commend you on your concept. A character who is rather new to something is the easiest way to learn both IC and OOC - and grow organically through RP. Especially if you’re a little unsure about key lore as I was.
I think you’ll do well!
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It’s pretty unfortunate, yeah. Blizzard missed a big chance in throwing the Forgotten Shadow a bone by leaving them out of the Desolate Council. For example, good ol’ Aelthalyste could’ve represented the Forsaken faith on there, and we’d be a step closer to a centralised/organised religion. The Cult will probably be in limbo for a good while longer (if not forever).
As Woebloom said, there’s no need for a character to be newly-raised in order to take up the faith. Faith isn’t something you’re born with, and there can be events for existing characters to suddenly start believing in something that they might see as their vocation – all it takes is one spark to set fire to the gunpowder.
Regrettably, there are not a whole lot of us Forgotten Shadow roleplayers on Argent Dawn. The Rotgarde occasionally has sermons because a lot of the characters are reverent to the Shadow as a force – you’re absolutely free to join in if ever you catch us at them, if it’s any help. My character’s also always up to discuss theology & the faith, so don’t hesitate to come up for an individualistic chat either.
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I think I may have settled on a character concept for now, despite the fact that this wasn’t explicitly what this thread was for xD
The idea of a young (before he died) light cleric who died during the Scourge of Lordaeron, felt abandoned by the light when he came back and eventually regained control of himself, and who had spent the years since then kind of aimlessly acting as a medic or civilian clerk, having something of a mid-death crisis and searching for meaning through the Shadow. Possibly thrown in with a pinch of him having had an affinity for channeling shadow magic after he was reanimated that he never explored out of fear of it.
Sick. Now I just need to wait for things to calm down after the Dragonflight launch so I can start easing myself back into RP again xD
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You have learned well, my student
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" And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned."
Shadows guide you, king!
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It should also be noted that through Shadow one can also attain Light. In the past my Forsaken cleric regained their connection to the Light through the Forgotten Shadow and used both equally in balance (ie Disc priest). Light worship is also likely to be more on the upswing in the Forsaken as they try to distance themselves from Sylvanas and the presence of Calia only making it more accepted.
Yeah but shadow is cooler.
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Gotta agree with this. Sure the light IS an option but is it as metal?
It hurts you as you use it, it´s the most metal of all options for a Forsaken.
I had an idea of a sect of fanatic Forgotten Shadow heads that uses light as a form of penance.
A bit like self-flagellation.
I never decided to commit to the idea in RP, however.
I once had an idea for a light using Forsaken with a similar self flagellating vibe. The idea I had was that he believed that his soul had fled his body and that he was an abomination masquerading as a man, but that just because that was his nature didn’t mean he had to behave like one.
So he punished himself for being a monster by insisting on burning himself with the Light but did his best to be a good man ‘in memory of the man I once was’.
I never did anything else with him beyond come up with the idea though. I was deep into Orc RP at the time.
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