Writ of Union

The Writ of Union is the founding charter of, and an oath of service to, the Covenant. 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 High Council of Concordance, ushering in the First Age of Reconciliation.

Terms
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 while the San'Shyuum would be the religious and bureaucratic authority as the Prophets of the Forerunners.

One term stipulated the decommissioning of the Anodyne Spirit and setting it on its anointed altar in High Charity. Another term 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.

Text
The beginning of the Writ of Union is as follows:

Post-War of Beginnings
"The Writ of Union is written—it cannot be unwritten."

- Early Covenant declaration

Production notes
The beginning text of the Writ of Union was originally to appear in Halo 2. 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.

List of appearances

 * Halo 2
 * Halo: Contact Harvest
 * Halo: Evolutions - Essential Tales of the Halo Universe
 * The Return
 * Halo: Broken Circle
 * Halo 2: Anniversary
 * Halo 5: Guardians
 * Halo: Shadows of Reach
 * Sacrifice