On the Third Tenet: Stand against the Long Dark

[Narthok 9213]

 

On the Third Tenet: Stand against the Long Dark

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Book of the Justicar: Verse 3 “You must be the flame in the dark, the warmth in the cold. I beseech thee, stand fast against the dying light. That which lurks in the shadows, on the edges of the fire on a still night. That which rots and soils all that is holy and bright. The forces of decay must be rooted out wherever they are found. Thus I say unto thee, of the Holy Fire. You must stand against the Long Dark.”

 

While the first tenet may address internal corruption and the second tenet may address our task in the great mission it is the third that deals with external corruption. In the third verse of the Book of the Justicar we are asked to stand against the Long Dark. That insidious force of decay and stagnation which influences all things. According to the text this is best done by rooting out the forces of decay. In this spirit the children of the Father are confronted with a holy charge. They must go forth and root out the agents of corruption and decay. However herein we find a most confounding puzzle. What is to be defined as an agent of corruption and decay. Are all those not of the faith agents of corruption and decay, are certain races agents of corruption and decay. Perhaps we ourselves as bearers of internal flaw and darkness can be defined a agents of the Long Dark.

 

To those holding these views I would decry thee as fools. The light of the All Father is a unifying warmth that liberates the soul and purifies us of our faults and failings. It by no means renders us perfect beings. But within its influence we of the Father’s own embrace can find some modicum of purpose and rightness. Hence agents of the Long Dark are confined as those corrupted beings that contribute to decay or stagnation. The corruption can be either external or internal. Those who have succumbed to internal corruption, namely corruption of the mind, heart or soul are the more insidious of the two. Difficult to recognize they dwell among the ranks of society contributing to its regression and eventual collapse with the expression of their own flaws. The craven or greedy can be taken as examples of those with excessive internal corruption. When these cases are identified and properly condemned via a priest of the Red Faith then the only recourse is to submit them to the All Father’s mercy. They are to be tied to a stake and purified with Holy Fire. This will give them some small chance of being purified of their corruption and sent to the Father’s own embrace.

 

The alternative to internal corruption are those displaying external corruption. This can manifest in the forum of the aberration, abomination or mutant. The aberration is the individual that violates the natural laws of the Father’s creation by meddling in nefarious powers. An example of this being void magic as it bestows the user with unnatural abilities in exchange for decaying their physical form. All magic can be considered to be a manifestation of aberrant corruption unless specifically permitted by the All Father. The abomination is that which physically defies the natural order. This primarily being beings of the undead or mythical variety, these creatures are to be rooted out with extreme prejudice and purged with holy fire. Consequently this is the primary task bestowed upon those of the Purifier order. Finally the mutant is that which is physically oriented towards instability and destructive tendencies. While not exclusively agents of decay and corruption certain races adhere to this definition. Warlike races such as the Orcs or deviant races such as the Kha serve as examples of corruptions of the Mutant variety.

 

Therefore in standing against the long dark we must dedicate ourselves to operating in opposition to the actors defined above. To contribute to the great mission we of the faith must ensure that we spend our lives in pursuit of this grand goal. The flame of the All Father cannot grow whilst it is being choked by the winds of corruption and decay.