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{{Status|Canon}}
{{era|Covenant|HCW}}
 
The '''Writ of Union''' is an oath of service to the [[Covenant]],<ref name="volume one">'''[[Halo 2: Original Soundtrack]]''', ''Volume 1''</ref> written by the [[San 'Shyuum]] and [[Sangheili]] who formed the [[Covenant]], apparently the Covenant [[High Council]] of [[Council of Concordance|Concordance]] at the end of [[Sangheili-San 'Shyuum War|their war]]. 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]] ([[852 B.C.E.]]).
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}}


==Overview==
==Overview==
===Terms===
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 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 [[Forerunner]]s in a god-like state of transcendence.
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}}


[[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}}
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 added to Writ of Union, serving as soldiers under the Sangheili.


===Text===
== The Oath ==
The beginning of the Writ of Union is as follows:{{Ref/Novel|Id=contact|HCH|Chapter=9}}
Listed are the known excerpts of the oath:
=== Beginning ===
The beginning of the Writ of Union is as follows:<ref name="contact">'''[[Halo: Contact Harvest]]''', ''page 148''</ref>


{{Article quote|So full of hate were our eyes
{{Article Quote|So full of hate were our eyes
:That none of us could see
:That none of us could see
Our war would yield countless dead
Our war would yield countless dead
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:Whilst we find the path}}
:Whilst we find the path}}


==History==
=== The Arbiter (Level) ===
===Post-War of Beginnings===
On the ''[[Halo 2]]'' level, [[The Arbiter]], in the opening cut scene, SpecOps [[Elites]] recite this before they land :
{{Quote|The Writ of Union is written—it cannot be unwritten.|Early Covenant declaration{{Ref/Novel|Id=bcchapt1|BC|Chapter=1}}}}
 
{{Main|Rending}}
[[Rtas 'Vadumee]]: "When we join the Covenant, we took an Oath!"
{{Expand-section}}
 
'''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 Lord's 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.''}


==Production notes==
'''Rtas 'Vadumee:''' "And continue our march to glorious salvation!"
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 />
=== Early Halo 2 script ===
O’er your eyes ‘til they cannot see<br />The impossibility of victory.}}


==List of appearances==
{{Article Quote|On and on shall old war go,<br />Without respite my blood will flow<br />
*''[[Halo 2]]'' {{1st}}
O’er your eyes ‘til they cannot see<br />The impossibility of victory.<ref>''[[Early Halo 2 Script]]''</ref>}}
*''[[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}}


==Sources==
== Trivia ==
{{Ref/Sources}}
*High-ranked Covenant [[Unggoy]] [[Deacon]]s, such as [[Dadab]], were required to memorize the entire Writ of Union, word for word.{{fact}}
*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.


== Sources ==
<references />
[[Category:The Covenant]]
[[Category:The Covenant]]
[[Category:Ideology]]
[[Category:Ideology]]

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