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| 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}} | | The '''Writ of Union''' is an oath of service to the [[Covenant]], written by the [[Prophets]] and perhaps [[Elites]] who created the [[Covenant]], apparently the Covenant [[High Council]] of Concordance. In the current [[Covenant]] tradition, when an Elite becomes a warrior, they recite the oath. This writ was apparently authored in the first [[Age of Reconciliation]]. |
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| ==Overview== | | ==The Oath== |
| ===Terms===
| | The full content is unknown, but here are some excerpts: |
| 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}} | |
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| 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}}
| | ''Arbiter: So full of hate were our eyes that none of us could see.''<br> |
| | ''Our war would yield countless dead, but never victory.'' |
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| [[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}}
| | ''Prophet of Truth: So let us cast arms aside, and like discard our wrath.''<br> |
| | ''Thou, in faith, will keep us safe, whilst we find the path.''<ref>[[Halo 2: Original Soundtrack]]</ref> |
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| ===Text===
| | ---- |
| The beginning of the Writ of Union is as follows:{{Ref/Novel|Id=contact|HCH|Chapter=9}}
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| {{Article quote|So full of hate were our eyes
| | In [[The Arbiter (Level)|The Arbiter]], SpecOps [[Elites]] recite this: |
| :That none of us could see
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| Our war would yield countless dead
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| :But never victory
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| So let us cast arms aside
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| :And like discard our wrath
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| Thou, in faith, will keep us safe
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| :Whilst we find the path}} | |
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| ==History==
| | '''[[Rtas 'Vadumee|SpecOps Commander]]:''' "When we joined the [[Covenant]], we took an oath!" |
| ===Post-War of Beginnings===
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| {{Quote|The Writ of Union is written—it cannot be unwritten.|Early Covenant declaration{{Ref/Novel|Id=bcchapt1|BC|Chapter=1}}}}
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| {{Main|Rending}}
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| {{Expand-section}}
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| ==Production notes==
| | '''SpecOps Elites:''' "According to our station! All without exception!" |
| 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.
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| {{Article quote|On and on shall old war go,<br />Without respite my blood will flow<br />
| | '''SpecOps Commander:''' "On the blood of our fathers... on the blood of our sons, we swore to uphold the Covenant!" |
| O’er your eyes ‘til they cannot see<br />The impossibility of victory.}}
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| ==List of appearances==
| | '''SpecOps Elites:''' "Even to our dying breath!" |
| *''[[Halo 2]]'' {{1st}}
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| *''[[Halo: Contact Harvest]]''
| | '''Special Operations Commander Rtas Vadumee:''' "Those who would break this oath are heretics... worthy of neither pity, nor mercy." |
| *''[[Halo: Evolutions - Essential Tales of the Halo Universe]]''
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| **''[[The Return]]'' {{Mo}}
| | '''SpecOps Elites:''' "We shall grind them into dust... Scrape them as excrement from our boots." |
| *''[[Halo: Broken Circle]]''
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| *''[[Halo 2: Anniversary]]''
| | '''Special Operations Commander:''' "And continue our march to glorious salvation!" |
| *''[[Halo 5: Guardians]]'' {{Mo}} | | |
| *''[[Halo: Shadows of Reach]]''
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| **''[[Sacrifice]]'' {{Mo}}
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| *''[[Halo: Age of Retribution]]'' {{Mo}}
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| | ''On and on shall old war go'',<br> |
| | ''Without respite my blood will flow'' |
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| | ''O’er your eyes ‘til they cannot see''<br> |
| | ''The impossibility of victory.''<ref>[[Early Halo 2 Script]]</ref> |
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| | == Trivia == |
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| | *[[Covenant]] [[Deacon]]s such as the [[Unggoy]] [[Dadab]] were required to memorize the entire Writ of Union. |
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| | == References == |
| | <references /> |
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| ==Sources==
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| {{Ref/Sources}}
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| [[Category:The Covenant]] | | [[Category:The Covenant]] |
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| [[Category:Ideology]] | | [[Category:Ideology]] |
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| | [[Category:Halo 2]] |
