Shadow Warrior

Humans are former slaves of the Elves. They were entrusted to the Elves so that they might become civilized, just as the Seraphim used to civilize the Elves. Currently, they do not have any power in Ancaria. They are obedient laborers, assisting the Elves in building their palaces, erecting sacred buildings for the High Priests and cultivating the fields. Frequently, an Elven Lord requires more troops than T-Energy can provide. In these cases, he has no choice but to literally pluck Humans from the fields. Each Elven Lord has a small group of Human elite fighters in order to drill and shape these troops and lead them into battle: the Shadow Warriors.

The Shadow Warrior used to be a Human elite guard and he fought bravely for his sovereign during the numerous battles of the High Elven empire. His strength in battle made him a living nightmare dreaded by his enemies. Thus, he was his warlord's ultimate weapon. His strength, discipline and obedience were second to none.

The Shadow Warrior has fulfilled his duty. He has fallen during battle for a High Elf Lord and has been admitted to the Elysium. Knowing full well that he was one of the best of his trade, the High Elf Lord decides to bring the Shadow Warrior back from the realm of the dead by using T-Energy in order to secure his services beyond the boundaries of death itself, which will render him undead, but even more powerful than before. The ritual of giving ‘life’ back to a Shadow Warrior is potentially dangerous for the caster, as the summoned soul often has no desire to be revived and will attempt to resist the reanimation. If the spell-caster makes just one small mistake, the Shadow Warrior will renounce the magic user, kill him, and then wander the lands of Ancaria, undead, with his own free will.

With this freedom, the warrior has but one goal: to leave this world once more and return to the Elysium; however, he is now a creature of T-Energy, rendering him unable to do so. His only choice is to destroy the Great Machine in order to stop the stream of T-Energy. The T-Energy within him would thus dissolve and end his unholy existence. If he were to die in his current form, he would be eternally bound to the perdition of the T-Energy stream.

As a free creature, he must now make a choice. He can fight for peace in Ancaria and destroy the Great Machine controlling all T-Energy within Ancaria, which would also drain the T-Energy within him and therefore bring a tranquil end to his unholy life. Alternatively, he could seek revenge upon the people who caused his misery and use the Great Machine to attain ultimate power and immortality.

The Paths

Which Path should the Shadow Warrior Pursue?

Deep within the Shadow Warrior a spark of Humanity is still glowing. He may fight for the peace and liberation of Ancaria while striving to contain the T-Energy that is currently uncontrollable. Thus, the T-Energy that flows through his body would be drained, ending his unholy life peacefully.

However, he may also pursue the Shadow path. His hatred concentrates on those, who brought him back. His ambition is gaining control over the T-Energy in order to reach the ultimate power.

Deeply torn by his inner conflict he is about to begin his journey through the world of Ancaria...

The Shadow Warrior is an experienced fighter. He is well armored and his skills include the proficient wielding of all available slashing, crushing and pole arm weapons. His self-discipline is second to none. Powered by all these attributes he excels at battling T-Energy creatures. His strength and constitution make him a tough and dangerous opponent. At the same time, he has a decisive advantage on living specimens: he is still in contact with the Realm of the Dead. However, the significance of this unholy alliance only becomes apparent on the battlefield.

The Shadow Warrior has a special mount at his command: the Hellhound. It is slower than a horse, but much stronger in close combat. When the Shadow Warrior rides the Hellhound, it is able to adopt some of the fighting skills of the Shadow Warrior very effectively. It will attack with bites and kicks, and ‘Ruinous Onslaught’ will become far more devastating from atop the Hellhound.

The Hellhound will increase protection values for some combat arts while others will be more effective, and it also provides increased mobility. In spectral form, the Hellhound becomes invisible, which can provide many advantages for tactical approaches in battle. Therefore, the Hellhound is an indispensable companion for the Shadow Warrior.

Death Becomes Him

New to Ancaria? Then the Shadow Warrior should be your first choice. He is robust, hard to kill and a skilled fighter, which makes him the perfect character for beginners. He is able to use the largest swords, heaviest axes and maces. His strikes and blows are deadly. He keeps calm when battle rages around him and always tries to get close, so his opponents can get a taste of his close combat skills. The undead part of the Shadow Warrior adds something very special to his classic fighting skills as it enables him to call forth his death comrades for support.