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{{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 old Covenant tradition, when an Elite became a warrior, he recited 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 cut scene, 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]]''
'''Troops:''' (cheer)
**''[[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 ==
*High-ranked Covenant [[Deacon]]s, such as the [[Unggoy]], [[Dadab]], were required to memorize the entire Writ of Union, word for word.
*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".<ref>[[Halo 2, The Arbiter]]</ref>
*The [[Writ of Union]] is written on the inside of the Halo 2 soundtrack.
 
== References ==
<references />


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


[[Category:The Covenant]]
[[Category:The Covenant]]
[[Category:Ideology]]
[[Category:Ideology]]
[[Category:Halo 2]]
[[ja:ユニオンの聖典]]

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