White Mantle in the Fissure of Woe

[Endrick]

In the "Army of Darkness" quest in the Fissure of Woe, we have to kill a "Priest of Menzies". Menzie is lord of destruction, the half-brother of Balthazar and this priest is belonging to his shadow army.

http://gw.gamewikis.org/wiki/Priest_of_Menzies

In fact, if you look carefully at this "Priest of Menzie", we see that it is a White Mantel Priest (a bit modified). I have not the screenshot here, but on his back you can even see the symbol of the White Mantel.



Do someone have an explanation to this ? Is it a link between the White Mantel, Menzie and the Murzaats ? Do the White Mantels that we kill join the Shadow Army ?

[EDIT]

The shadow mesmers are also White Mantel


Shadow Mesmer

If all the White Mantel once dead join the Shadow Army of the Lord of destruction, this would break the theory that the White Mantel is not evil.

[Endrick]

View of the back.

I have not seen any mention of this but while in the Fissure of Woe fighting shadow warriors, i thought i saw a design on there back... on the spell casters... and look what i found, A white mantle emblem (its distorted due to them moving)



and also, all shadow "men" have the back spikes/wings/whatever charastic of Enchanted armor, the casters also seem to wear armor strikenly simular to the White Mantle.

EDIT: Added a edited version that is brightened to see the emblem easier

I have no doubt these were members of the White Mantel. The spikes, glowing eyes and so on are results for being part of the Shadow Army.

[ShadowSword]

Maybe all those who were 'evil' in real life are given to the Shadow Army instead of being allowed to go on. Whether it's because the yhad evil intentions or just evil deeds with good intentions, however.........

[Quintus Antonius]

Perhaps those White Mantle were Chosen who were sacraficed to the Bloodstones. It may be the they aren't White Mantle at all, but rather, a type of specter that takes on the form of something from the heroes mind, and forms that. The White Mantle take on the role of "villian" in Prophecies, regardless if they are or not, and may end up being displayed as villians.

Still furthermore, it could be as other people suggested, that this is the equivelent of "Hell" for those unpure Mantle.

[Goldfish God]

simplist idea, obviously not all white mantle are evil, but some certainly seem like it (the guy on the jungle bloodstone certainly seems a bit evil). Even real world religions have had a fair bit of corruption and evil even if the majority are good. It'd be interesting if the shadow army were a split-off group, who were white mantle but started looking into more evil methods (for power, to satisfy to mursatt, etc) that lead them onto a different path.

[Quintus Antonius]

Well, something to consider is the question if these Shadow Mantle are in anyway connected to the White Mantle. Just because they look like the Mantle doesn't mean they necessarily are.

Also, the God of Destruction is the one who controls them, could there be some connection there?

[Endrick]

Perhaps those White Mantle were Chosen who were sacraficed to the Bloodstones.

Unless I am false, the Chosen's spirits are trapped into the soul battery and used to keep the door closed. I don't know why they would be in that place.

It may be the they aren't White Mantle at all, but rather, a type of specter that takes on the form of something from the heroes mind, and forms that. The White Mantle take on the role of "villian" in Prophecies, regardless if they are or not, and may end up being displayed as villians.

Well, when you kill them, they don't change form, disappear, turn into dust or something else. But, as it is a "shadow" army, it could be some sort of illusions, I agree.

Still furthermore, it could be as other people suggested, that this is the equivelent of "Hell" for those unpure Mantle.

Maybe some sort of punishment for those who try to rebel. Brrr, scary

[Quintus Antonius]

Maybe some sort of punishment for those who try to rebel. Brrr, scary

You know, that makes sense. If the Mursaat have powers over souls such as we've seen, they may also have the power to banish souls to some kind of limbo such as the Fissure.

I think the fact that it is a "shadow" army, should tell us that these aren't necessarily real people, or real souls, but rather a corruption or reflection of them.

[ccrazool]

How, then, are the Mursaat related to the god Menzies? It's clear that this shadow army serves the god Menzies, and yet Menzies marks them (or they mark themselves) with the symbol of the White Mantle: a human-created organization which worships the Mursaat as gods.

Something's not right here.

[Ranger Nietzsche]

well menzies isnt among the standard pantheon, I wouldnt be surprised if he and some of the othe rlesser recognized gods (like Duhm or w/e the underworld one is) were aiding teh mursaat in their anti-old gods movements, or even orchestrating them.