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 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]].

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

====Halo 2 Original Transcript====

The [[Arbiter (Character)|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>

====The Arbiter (Level)====

On the ''[[Halo 2]]'' level, [[The Arbiter (Level)|The Arbiter]], in the opening cut scene, SpecOps [[Elites]] recite this before they land&nbsp;: 

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

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

'''[[Rtas 'Vadumee]]:''' "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!"

'''[[Rtas 'Vadumee]]:''' "Those who would break this oath are Heretics... Worthy of neither pity, nor mercy! Even now, they use our Lords' creations to broadcast their lies!"

'''[[SpecOps Elites]]:''' "We shall grind them into dust!" {''The subtitles add to this line with "...scrape them as excrement from our boots." - see trivia.''}

'''[[Rtas 'Vadumee]]:''' "And continue our march to glorious salvation!"

====Early Halo 2 script====

''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, the extra line "scrape them as excrement from our boots" in the subtitles is added to the oath by the Special Operations [[Elites]] after "We shall grind them into dust," however, it remains unspoken. The reason for this omission is unknown, although it is most likely because Elites do not wear boots given their split toed and hoof-shaped feet.<ref>[[The Arbiter (level)]]</ref>
*The [[Writ of Union]] is written on the inside of the [[Halo 2]] soundtrack Volume One.

== References ==
<references />



[[ja:ユニオンの聖典]]
[[Category:The Covenant]]
[[Category:Ideology]]
[[Category:Halo 2]]
@@ 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 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}}
+====Halo 2 Original Transcript====
-[[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}}
+The [[Arbiter (Character)|Arbiter]]:'' So full of hate were our eyes that none of us could see.''<br />
+''Our war would yield countless dead, but never victory.''
-===Text===
+[[Prophet of Truth]]:'' So let us cast arms aside, and like discard our wrath.''<br />
-The beginning of the Writ of Union is as follows:{{Ref/Novel|Id=contact|HCH|Chapter=9}}
+''Thou, in faith, will keep us safe, whilst we find the path.''<ref>''[[Halo 2: Original Soundtrack]]''</ref>
-{{Article quote|So full of hate were our eyes
+====The Arbiter (Level)====
-: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==
+On the ''[[Halo 2]]'' level, [[The Arbiter (Level)|The Arbiter]], in the opening cut scene, SpecOps [[Elites]] recite this before they land&nbsp;:
-===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==
+'''[[Rtas 'Vadumee]]:''' "When we joined the Covenant, we took an oath!"
-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 Elites]]:''' "According to our station! All without exception!"
-O’er your eyes ‘til they cannot see<br />The impossibility of victory.}}
-==List of appearances==
+'''[[Rtas 'Vadumee]]:''' "On the blood of our fathers ... on the blood of our sons, we swore to uphold the Covenant!"
-*''[[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==
+'''[[SpecOps Elites]]:''' "Even to our dying breath!"
-{{Ref/Sources}}
+'''[[Rtas 'Vadumee]]:''' "Those who would break this oath are Heretics... Worthy of neither pity, nor mercy! Even now, they use our Lords' creations to broadcast their lies!"
+'''[[SpecOps Elites]]:''' "We shall grind them into dust!" {''The subtitles add to this line with "...scrape them as excrement from our boots." - see trivia.''}
+'''[[Rtas 'Vadumee]]:''' "And continue our march to glorious salvation!"
+====Early Halo 2 script====
+''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, the extra line "scrape them as excrement from our boots" in the subtitles is added to the oath by the Special Operations [[Elites]] after "We shall grind them into dust," however, it remains unspoken. The reason for this omission is unknown, although it is most likely because Elites do not wear boots given their split toed and hoof-shaped feet.<ref>[[The Arbiter (level)]]</ref>
+*The [[Writ of Union]] is written on the inside of the [[Halo 2]] soundtrack Volume One.
+== References ==
+<references />
+[[ja:ユニオンの聖典]]
 [[Category:The Covenant]]
 [[Category:Ideology]]
+[[Category:Halo 2]]