Editing Writ of Union

{{Status|Canon}}

The '''Writ of Union''' is the founding charter of, and an oath of service to, the [[Covenant]].{{Ref/Generic|[[Halo 2: Original Soundtrack]]|Volume One}} It was drafted as a peace treaty between the [[Reformist]] [[San'Shyuum]] and the [[Sangheili]] at the end of [[War of Beginnings|dogmatic conflict]] between the two species ([[938 BCE]] to [[852 BCE]]). The document was ratified by the [[High Council of Concordance]], ushering in the [[Ages of Reconciliation|First Age of Reconciliation]].{{Ref/Book|Id=Encyclopedia|Enc09|Page=30}}

==Overview==
===Terms===
The union codified the division of labor of the two species in the new alliance: the Sangheili would control the security matters of the Covenant and protect the San'Shyuum{{Ref/Reuse|contact}} while the San'Shyuum would be the religious and bureaucratic authority as the Prophets of the Forerunners.{{Ref/Book|Enc22|Page=188}}

One term stipulated the decommissioning of the ''[[Anodyne Spirit]]'' and setting it on its anointed altar in ''[[High Charity]]''.{{Ref/Reuse|bcchapt1}} Another term was the dissolution and reconstitution of the [[Ascetic]] guard into the newly made [[Ministry of Abnegation]].{{Ref/Book|Id=HEVG56|HEVG|Section=Elite Ascetic|Page=56}}

[[Sanghelios]] would be guaranteed by the Writ of Union massive imports of food and manufactured goods, in exchange for military service.{{Ref/Book|Enc22|Page=228}}

===Text===
The beginning of the Writ of Union is as follows:{{Ref/Novel|Id=contact|HCH|Chapter=9}}

{{Article Quote|So full of hate were our eyes
:That none of us could see
Our war would yield countless dead
:But never victory
So let us cast arms aside
:And like discard our wrath
Thou, in faith, will keep us safe
:Whilst we find the path}}

==History==
===Post-War of Beginnings===
{{Quote|The Writ of Union is written—it cannot be unwritten.|Early Covenant declaration{{Ref/Novel|Id=bcchapt1|BC|Chapter=1}}}}
{{Main|Rending}}
{{Expand-section}}

==Production notes==
The beginning text of the Writ of Union was originally to appear in ''Halo 2''.{{Ref/YouTube|Id=makingH2|URL=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_4l0sJqnIU8&feature=youtu.be&t=4m36s|Channel=Bungie|VideoName=Cutting Room Floor Cinematics|TimeStamp=4:36}} An unused stanza of the Writ of Union was present in an [[Early Halo 2 script|early script]] for ''Halo 2''. It is unclear whether this part of the Writ is canon.

{{Article Quote|On and on shall old war go,<br />Without respite my blood will flow<br />
O’er your eyes ‘til they cannot see<br />The impossibility of victory.}}

==List of appearances==
*''[[Halo 2]]'' {{1st}}
*''[[Halo: Contact Harvest]]''
*''[[Halo: Evolutions - Essential Tales of the Halo Universe]]''
**''[[The Return]]'' {{Mo}}
*''[[Halo: Broken Circle]]''
*''[[Halo 2: Anniversary]]''
*''[[Halo 5: Guardians]]'' {{Mo}}
*''[[Halo: Shadows of Reach]]''
**''[[Sacrifice]]'' {{Mo}}
*''[[Halo: Age of Retribution]]'' {{Mo}}

==Sources==
{{Ref/Sources}}

[[Category:The Covenant]]
[[Category:Ideology]]