Editing Writ of Union

{{Status|Canon}}
{{Quote|The Writ of Union is written—it cannot be unwritten.|Early Covenant declaration<ref>'''Halo: Broken Circle''', ''Excerpt''</ref>}}
The '''Writ of Union''' is the founding charter of, and an oath of service to, the [[Covenant]].<ref>'''[[Halo 2: Original Soundtrack]]''', ''Volume One''</ref> 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 name="Encyclopedia">'''[[Halo Encyclopedia (2009 edition)]]''', ''page 30''</ref> 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 [[Covenant religion#Great Journey|Great Journey]], which would propel the faithful to join the [[Forerunner]]s 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:<ref name="contact">'''Halo: Contact Harvest''', ''page 148''</ref><ref name="makingH2">[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_4l0sJqnIU8&feature=youtu.be&t=4m36s '''YouTube''': ''Cutting Room Floor Cinematics''] @4:36</ref>

{{Article quote|So full of hate were our eyes
: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}}

==Production notes==
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 />
O’er your eyes ‘til they cannot see<br />The impossibility of victory.}}

==List of appearances==
*''[[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}}

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

[[Category:The Covenant]]
[[Category:Ideology]]
@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
 {{Status|Canon}}
+{{Quote|The Writ of Union is written—it cannot be unwritten.|Early Covenant declaration<ref>'''Halo: Broken Circle''', ''Excerpt''</ref>}}
-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 the founding charter of, and an oath of service to, the [[Covenant]].<ref>'''[[Halo 2: Original Soundtrack]]''', ''Volume One''</ref> 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 name="Encyclopedia">'''[[Halo Encyclopedia (2009 edition)]]''', ''page 30''</ref> The Writ is composed in the form of a rhyming poem.
 ==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 Covenant's religious leaders and scientists, studying Forerunner technology and seeking how to use the [[Halo Array]] to initiate the [[Covenant religion#Great Journey|Great Journey]], which would propel the faithful to join the [[Forerunner]]s 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.
-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}}
+One of the terms of the union was the dissolution and reconstitution of the [[Ascetic]] guard into the newly made [[Ministry of Abnegation]].
-[[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 oath==
+The beginning of the Writ of Union is as follows:<ref name="contact">'''Halo: Contact Harvest''', ''page 148''</ref><ref name="makingH2">[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_4l0sJqnIU8&feature=youtu.be&t=4m36s '''YouTube''': ''Cutting Room Floor Cinematics''] @4:36</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
@@ Line 22: / Line 19: @@
 Thou, in faith, will keep us safe
 :Whilst we find the path}}
-==History==
-===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==
-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.
+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 />