The Netherbane Lessons
I - V

I. WHY WE FIGHT

1. The Burning Legion does not rest. The Legion does not fade away. Even now it is out there, consuming worlds, races, and peoples without worry of consequence. They seek to undo all that is, and to remake all that will be to their desire.

2. The Burning Legion will never stop. Therefore, we should never stop. To walk the path of the demon hunter is to sacrifice all toward the purpose of eliminating the threat of the Burning Legion. Know this, and you will understand why we walk our road of damnation.

3. The Burning Legion shows no mercy. Therefore, we should show no mercy. We will learn their destructive arts from them, and we will use this knowledge to destroy the demons wherever they appear. This is what we do.

4. We follow this path. No one else is willing.

II. NOT ALL IS WHAT IT SEEMS

1. Those who walk the path make it habit to use the abilities of our enemies to our advantage. Because of this, it is important to understand that there is little in this world that is truly good or evil. Things are merely useful or useless. With this understanding, the true potential of the world is revealed.

2. Demons are not the first enemy, only the Burning Legion. The Burning Legion can be, and often is, the tool to its own undoing. Understand all the possibilities provided us by our friends and foes alike, and you will find that your arsenal is even greater than first imagined.

III. Preparation

1. Upon acceptance of Lessons I and II, the student shall gain the rank of Initiate.

2. The Netherbane path is one that relies strongly upon martial prowess over mystical strength. Any student of the path must start his journey with physical and mental discipline. Long will be the nights training against lesser foes, and when foes are unavailable, you will find yourself sparring with allies to hone your skills. When allies are unavailable, you will find that you, yourself, will be the challenge that must be overcome.

3. The demonic energy that is bound to a demon hunter can be manipulated by the very demons we seek to fight. We cannot rely entirely upon that power, or else we invite disaster. This is why we must become skilled combatants first. Learn to defeat the demons without their power as aide, and you will never find yourself stripped of ability.

IV. BLIND FIGHTING

1. You will be given a training blindfold. Wrapping this cloth around your eyes, you will lose all sight for as long as it is worn. You must use this to learn to become combat proficient without the aid of any vision. The demonic sight can be taken away by powerful demon lords, so it is of paramount importance that a demon hunter be capable of fighting using other senses.

2. Many students believe the felsight to be an advantage over our enemies. While it, indeed, is a help, the threat of losing your sight completely is more than enough to counter what gain we may achieve. To rely purely on the felsight is folly, so all hunters along this path must be fully capable of existing with the handicap of complete blindness.

3. Those unable to fight while blindfolded will be expelled from the further instruction.

4. Once the student has mastered the ability to fight without vision, the training blindfold's enchantment will grant a limited spectral sight. The vision can be activated and deactivated with a word of power, and it allows the student to opportunity to understand what he will experience once the first ritual is complete.

5. The speed at which you advance past this stage is dependent on your skills with the blade. Be it sword, dagger, axe, or polearm, a bladed weapon is preferred when fighting the Burning Legion. Swiftness is key to success, and to burden yourself with the weight and unwieldy nature of a blunt weapon is to hand your enemy the advantage of speed.

Tharion: IV5a. Non-bladed weapony is not forbidden by the Netherbane path. It is, however, discouraged. If you can prove yourself equal with a hammer as to a blademaster with his blade, then your skills are suitable for advancement.

V. MEDITATIONS

1. A calm mind is as important along the path as a steady hand. He who conditions his mind will be strong enough to tackle the demon binding later. He who does not train his mind will fall to the shrieking of the beast and will be put down like nothing more than a rabid animal.

2. Meditations help strengthen and condition one's thoughts and understanding. They will help you build the walls of your mental fortress and help you reinforce the cage around which you will entrap your prey. Skim not these lessons, or else you will perish.

3. Thus, once you have achieved physical prowess, you must next master mental prowess. A sharp mind on the field of battle is as deadly as a sharp weapon. Seek to learn as much as you can about the world and be prepared to use this knowledge to counter the actions of your foe.

Tharion: V3a. Seek to learn as much as you can about all worlds. Azeroth is but one of many, and the Burning Legion has brought their might down upon more realities than you can ever hope to encounter. Learn about those that have fallen, and learn from their mistakes.

4. A calm mind is a strong mind. Let not stray emotions govern your path, for this leads to death as certainly as a spear through the heart. The demon that you will bind will ride upon your anger, your hate, or your sadness, and it will use those weaknesses to consume you. If you wish to master your bindings, you will need to master your feelings.

Tharion: V4a. All emotions can be used against you by the demon within: hatred, anger, and even love. But so, too, can a lack of emotion. Seek not to purge all emotions, but instead to know them, and to understand them. Be aware of their place within your mind and heart, and be aware of how they may be manipulated.

Tharion: V4b. Awareness, above all, should be the goal. Be aware of yourself, be aware of your weaknesses, and be aware of your strengths. This applies to all physical and mental pursuits.

5. Your history and your memories will become weapons to be used against you. This cannot be stopped, but it can be mitigated. Do not shy away from past pain, but instead embrace it and the place it retains in your mind and heart. It will trigger emotions far more easily than any external threat. If you have mastered those emotions, then you have shielded yourself from the enemy.

Tharion: V5a. Our memories and our pasts are what make us who we are. Do not once consider discarding them. You will not only lose your history, but your present and future as well.

6. Only once you are able to master all of these will you be allowed the opportunity to advance. Only then will you be allowed the First Hunt.

Tharion: V6a. The First Hunt is often as strong a tool of teaching the student as it is teaching the master. It may be necessary for you to pursue the First Hunt even if you are unprepared. If you survive, then you will have likely overcome whatever has been holding you back.