Writ of Union
From Halopedia, the Halo wiki
- "The Writ of Union is written—it cannot be unwritten."
- — Early Covenant declaration[1]
The Writ of Union is the founding charter of, and an oath of service to, the Covenant.[2] It was drafted as a peace treaty between the Reformist San'Shyuum and the Sangheili at the end of dogmatic conflict between the two species (938 BCE to 852 BCE). The document was ratified by the Council of Concordance, ushering in the First Age of Reconciliation.[3] The Writ is composed in the form of a rhyming poem.
Overview
Part of the defining union between the San'Shyuum and the Sangheili was the division of labor it created: the San'Shyuum would serve as the Covenant's religious leaders and scientists, studying Forerunner technology and seeking how to use the Halo Array to initiate the Great Journey, which would propel the faithful to join the Forerunners in a state of divine transcendence. In return for sharing this knowledge, the Sangheili would serve as the San'Shyuum's protectors and warriors, using weapons and technology developed by the San'Shyuum, and having total control over all security matters. As the Covenant expanded and incorporated other races, they were made soldiers under the Sangheili.
One of the terms of the union was the dissolution and reconstitution of the Ascetic guard into the newly made Ministry of Abnegation.
The oath
The beginning of the Writ of Union is as follows:[4][5]
| “ | So full of hate were our eyes
Our war would yield countless dead
So let us cast arms aside
Thou, in faith, will keep us safe
|
” |
Behind the scenes
An unused stanza of the Writ of Union was present in an early script for Halo 2. It is unclear whether this part of the Writ is canon.
| “ | On and on shall old war go, Without respite my blood will flow O’er your eyes ‘til they cannot see |
” |
List of appearances
- Halo 2 (First appearance)
- Halo: Contact Harvest
- Halo: Evolutions - Essential Tales of the Halo Universe
- The Return (Mentioned only)
- Halo: Broken Circle
- Halo 2: Anniversary
- Halo 5: Guardians (Mentioned only)
- Halo: Shadows of Reach
- Sacrifice (Mentioned only)
Sources
- ^ Halo: Broken Circle, Excerpt
- ^ Halo 2: Original Soundtrack, Volume One
- ^ Halo Encyclopedia, page 30
- ^ Halo: Contact Harvest, page 148
- ^ YouTube: Cutting Room Floor Cinematics @4:36
