Editing Writ of Union

{{era|H2}}
{{Ratings}}

The '''Writ of Union''' is an oath of service to the [[Covenant]], written by the [[Prophets]] and [[Elites]] who created the [[Covenant]], apparently the Covenant [[High Council]] of [[Council of Concordance|Concordance]]. In the current [[Covenant]] tradition, when an Elite becomes a warrior, he recites the oath. This writ was apparently authored and first documented in the first [[Age of Reconciliation]].

==The Oath==
The full content is unknown, but here are some excerpts:

''The [[Arbiter]]: So full of hate were our eyes that none of us could see.''<br />
''Our war would yield countless dead, but never victory.''

''[[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>

----

On the Halo 2 level [[The Arbiter (Level)|The Arbiter]], in the opening cutscene, SpecOps [[Elites]] recite this:

'''[[Rtas 'Vadumee|SpecOps Commander]]:''' "When we joined the [[Covenant]], we took an oath!" 

'''[[SpecOps Elites]]:''' "According to our station! All without exception!" 

'''SpecOps Commander:''' "On the blood of our fathers... on the blood of our sons, we swore to uphold the Covenant!" 

'''SpecOps Elites:''' "Even to our dying breath!"

'''SpecOps Commander:''' "Those who would break this oath are Heretics... worthy of neither pity, nor mercy."

'''SpecOps Elites:''' "We shall grind them into dust... Scrape them as excrement from our boots."

'''SpecOps Commander:''' "And continue our march to glorious salvation!"


----

''On and on shall old war go'',<br />
''Without respite my blood will flow''

''O’er your eyes ‘til they cannot see''<br />
''The impossibility of victory.''<ref>[[Early Halo 2 Script]]</ref>

== Trivia ==
*[[Covenant]] [[Deacon]]s, such as the [[Unggoy]] [[Dadab]], were required to memorize the entire Writ of Union.
*During gameplay an extra line is added to the oath by the Special Operations [[Elites]] after "Even to our dying breath" in the subtitles, however remains unspoken "and scrape them as excrement from our boots".{{fact}}
*The extra line of "Even to our dying breath" is '''not'' canon at all, but rather just a kicker the [[Elites]] added for zealous passion.

== References ==
<references />


[[Category:The Covenant]]
[[Category:Ideology]]
[[Category:Halo 2]]

[[ja:ユニオンの聖典]]
@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-{{Status|Canon}}
+{{era|H2}}
+{{Ratings}}
-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 [[Elites]] who created the [[Covenant]], apparently the Covenant [[High Council]] of [[Council of Concordance|Concordance]]. In the current [[Covenant]] tradition, when an Elite becomes a warrior, he recites the oath. This writ was apparently authored and first documented in the first [[Age of Reconciliation]].
-==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}}
-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}}
+''The [[Arbiter]]: So full of hate were our eyes that none of us could see.''<br />
+''Our war would yield countless dead, but never victory.''
-[[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>
-===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
+On the Halo 2 level [[The Arbiter (Level)|The Arbiter]], in the opening cutscene, SpecOps [[Elites]] recite this:
-: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==
+'''[[Rtas 'Vadumee|SpecOps Commander]]:''' "When we joined the [[Covenant]], we took an oath!"
-===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==
+'''[[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.
-{{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.}}
-==List of appearances==
+'''SpecOps Elites:''' "Even to our dying breath!"
-*''[[Halo 2]]'' {{1st}}
-*''[[Halo: Contact Harvest]]''
+'''SpecOps Commander:''' "Those who would break this oath are Heretics... worthy of neither pity, nor mercy."
-*''[[Halo: Evolutions - Essential Tales of the Halo Universe]]''
-**''[[The Return]]'' {{Mo}}
+'''SpecOps Elites:''' "We shall grind them into dust... Scrape them as excrement from our boots."
-*''[[Halo: Broken Circle]]''
-*''[[Halo 2: Anniversary]]''
+'''SpecOps Commander:''' "And continue our march to glorious salvation!"
-*''[[Halo 5: Guardians]]'' {{Mo}}
-*''[[Halo: Shadows of Reach]]''
-**''[[Sacrifice]]'' {{Mo}}
+----
-*''[[Halo: Age of Retribution]]'' {{Mo}}
+''On and on shall old war go'',<br />
+''Without respite my blood will flow''
+''O’er your eyes ‘til they cannot see''<br />
+''The impossibility of victory.''<ref>[[Early Halo 2 Script]]</ref>
+== Trivia ==
+*[[Covenant]] [[Deacon]]s, such as the [[Unggoy]] [[Dadab]], were required to memorize the entire Writ of Union.
+*During gameplay an extra line is added to the oath by the Special Operations [[Elites]] after "Even to our dying breath" in the subtitles, however remains unspoken "and scrape them as excrement from our boots".{{fact}}
+*The extra line of "Even to our dying breath" is '''not'' canon at all, but rather just a kicker the [[Elites]] added for zealous passion.
+== References ==
+<references />
-==Sources==
-{{Ref/Sources}}
 [[Category:The Covenant]]
 [[Category:Ideology]]
+[[Category:Halo 2]]
+[[ja:ユニオンの聖典]]