The Maw
Forged at the dawn by the First Ones as a repository for the most foul, malicious, irredeemable souls in existence. It was here that the First Arbiter condemned souls that refused to right the wrongs of their mortal lives or seek a second chance to enter their unique paradise. A maelstrom of strife, anguish, and rage was all that awaited these dark ones.
It was only when the Pantheon was forced to condemn one of their own to this empty wasteland of suffering and pain that the Maw needed a system. Souls reforged in the Jailers hands, warped and twisted till they were but a specter of their former selves. Bound to the will of its Jailer, Zovaal, did these souls find a place in his grand scheme.
As the eons past and the number of condemned souls increased did the Jailer finally propose a name for his elite army of souls: The Mawsworn. Left with no will of their own and meant only to be an extension of the Jailers hand across the Maw, this army grew to rival even that of the Legion. Souls without purpose or self identity, bound to cause pain, anguish, and further suffering upon all new souls. The process in time became the fundamental rule of the Maw.
All souls would be brought to Torghast, the Infinite prison of the Damned, to be turned and fitted to avatars of pain, anguish, and foul monstrosities only seen in nightmares. Few souls remain that remember what the maw once was, its purpose, and the change that further damned those within to an unavoidable future: all souls obey the call of the Jailer.
Eventually, one of Zovaal’s chief conspirators was able to further enact his scheme by breaking the operation on the Shadowlands and its second Arbiter. By releasing the condemned world soul of the being Argus into the Shadowlands, its anguish and pain overwhelmed the Arbiter, thus disabling its operator and enabling all souls to filter directly into the maw. These multitudes of souls were the beginning of the Mawsworn surge into an Infinite army. The Shadowlands would be weakened and the Maw would become the point of a series of even greater events.
It was when the sky was shattered and the path between the mortal realm and the shadowlands, did the Jailers plan enact. The Mawsworn army grew with each new soul twisted into a foul device bent on spreading malice, anguish and pain further beyond the maw and into the Mortal realm. It was then that adventurers from the world of Azeroth journeyed into the Maw and worked to undo the jailers will and free the souls condemned to this dark place.
Unfortunately, it was still the care free nature of these mortals that allowed souls not meant for salvation to escape. Souls from which their dark nature caused suffering and strife in the mortal realm. Freed upon the four realms, these condemned beings work in the shadows seeking to escape and find their way back to resume their dark designs.
It was only upon the defeat of the Jailer and end to his Domination magic, did the Mawsworn begin to question their purpose and existence. Some were so far gone they continued the work of the Jailer, but others sought to find a new reason of existence.
Even though the work of the condemned one, Sylvanas, is to free all the souls in the Maw; it was decided that some souls that rejected salvation would be returned and imprisoned for all eternity. The Caged ones, watched over by the Mawsworn to ensure they can never return or escape.
Leaderless and bound to the Maw, the Mawsworn enact their charge of Caretakers of the Damned.
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Death Knights of Acherus, once Keepers of the Scourge; now Deathlords of the Maw, and Judges of the Escaped.
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Shadow priests, once Silent Voices of the Void; now Casters of the Maw, and Exorcists of the Living.
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Necromancers, once Defilers of the Dead; now Caretakers of the Shackled, and Soulbinders of the Damned.
These are but a few of the many Mawsworn who now serve the Purpose of the First Ones, and the duty of the Maw. Bound forever to the Shadowlands to serve willingly but with the destiny to protect the mortal realm. To maintain the Caged ones and ensure they cannot return.
Marcus Mclide [Michael Myers variant]
Condemned to the Maw for the death of his sister, mother, and 121 other victims over the course of 22 years. Beheaded, revived and recaptured before resuming his dark plans.
Status: Caged.
Lei Shen [Thunder King]
Condemned to the Maw for the deaths of over 738 pandaren/jinyu slaves. Defiler of numerous souls and creator of the Saurok blight upon Pandaria. Killed, resurrected, then beheaded.
Status: Caged.
Lucas Lagrange [Black Hand]
Condemned to the Maw for the deaths of fourteen families, including eight children, two babes still in their cradles and three pets. Captured, tortured, and killed.
Status: Caged.
Overlord Krom’gar [Krom’gar Horde]
Condemned to the Maw for the deaths of seventeen Kaldorei younglings during the bomb drop on Thal’dorah Grove. Despite the offer of redemption, this soul claims it was the will of the Horde. Captured, fell to his death.
Status: Caged.
These are but a few of the many Caged while others roam free including the following:
Gorak Tul [Drust King]
Condemned for the slaughter of countless human settlements during the early years of Kul Tiran expansion. Escaped within the Blighted Lands before being defeated within Thros. Believed responsible for the Drust incursions of Ardenweald.
Status: Unknown. Location: Unknown
Gul’dan [Main Universe]
Condemned for the destruction of Draenor and the untold number of souls lost from this act. Unleashed the horde upon Azeroth further inflicting numerous human deaths at the onslaught of this fel infused army. Imprisoned, released, trapped, torn apart.
Status: Unknown. Location: Possibly haunts the Tomb of Sargeras.
Ephial [Draenor Garrison AU]
Condemned for the deaths of an entire garrison, slaughtered for personal experimentation and soul binding. Slew and manipulated his former Commander Admiral Taylor into a undead beast Soulscythe. Captured, killed.
Status: Unknown. Location: Possibly haunts the Garrison.
Morbent Fel [Lich of Duskwood]
Condemned for treasonous acts against the dead and fallen. Stole corpses from Raven Hill for use in experimentation. Believed to have sided with the Burning Legion. Initially killed but later resurrected as a Lich. Status of his Phylactery is unknown.
Status: Corporeal but may return. Location: Still unknown within Duskwood.
As is their duty, the Mawsworn seek to claim these escaped souls and return them to the Cage. Their ongoing existence within the mortal realm is a immediate threat to the living and must be dealt with before it grows beyond our control.
The Mawsworn, as they are bound to the Shadowlands, are capable of visits to the mortal realm through secret rituals often used by the Maldraxxi as well. This allows them to operate in a physical form/avatar. Should the operator fall victim to a mortal death, their soul would return to the Maw until a replacement vessel is reconstructed.
The rankings of the Mawsworn are as follows:
Harbinger - Loyal to the Purpose of the Maw, Caretaker of the Damned, the Bound, and Keeper of the Caged.
Deathlord - Once Knights of Acherus, now Soldiers and the Sword of the Arbiter. These knights eradicate any physical manifestations or bodies of souls returned to the living by any means necessary.
Soulbinder - Exorcists of the Possessed. Once in service to the Void, they now serve to ensure the dead do not corrupt the living.
Necromancer - Servants to the House of Rituals, Mages and Warlocks skilled to capture and imprison escaped, or condemned souls.
Soul Seeker - Former members of the House of Eyes, now in service to the Maw. Seekers of the dead and the damned. They find the locations of the Condemned before an operation to reclaim is enacted.
The Judge - TBD
Wraith - Tormentors of the Caged. They ensure these vile, malicious souls are forever tormented removing any thought or will to escape.
Shade - Caretakers of the Caged. Monitors of the Maw.
Husk - Unbound in service to the Mawsworn. Those awaiting Trial and Purpose.
New Soul - Souls bound for the Maw, given a choice to become the Caged, or to serve as the Mawsworn.
Together, they form the elite army that is the Mawsworn. Unbound to any mortal alliance, they serve the will of the Purpose and the duty of the Maw. They serve willingly free from the Domination of any one voice to ensure the Mortal realm’s continued existence.
To those who understand the Purpose, the Mawsworn offer a path to ensure the greatest threats to the Mortal realm cannot escape their due justice and punishment. The Caged must never be released, and a keeper must always remain to ensure they remain bound.
Therefore, seek forth the Harbinger of the Maw, Lucion LeVance should you wish to serve the Purpose and protect the Mortal realm for all Eternity.
