Role

Chapter 3

"The Way of the Pure Warrior"
Added Tue Feb 24 08:23:17 2004 at level 45:

The way of the pure warrior and its origins are ancient. Born out of a group of
duergar who sought to not only perfect themselves but preserve the heritage, both good
and bad, of their people. Thus the Lore Covens were created, and through training
and honing of skill, body, mind, and soul, perfection was sought.
Precept One:
Strength is the cornerstone of the Way.

Everything is achieved by having strength and everything is lost when
one loses such. It holds you up during times of difficulty, and the way
of the pure warrior is designed to test that Strength, to break the individual
if possible. Such is the way.

Precept Two:
Humility and Purity walk the path together.

One must be not only humble in their way, but also pure in their ways.
This requires the one who follows the path must keep from swearing or cusing in any form.
It is a dishonor and a waste of time. One must also reject anything that would
cloud the mind. Magic, alcohol, things that would make the body impure.
The strongest words of the warrior who follows the pure ways are words of
dishonor, disgrace, and such. No word is stronger, and no other words are used
when speaking to others. Insults are beneath them, for it does not do anything
but cloud others' views of them.

Precept Three:

Honor, the strongest test of the Strength within.

Not all of the Covens choose to take this path. Honor is taken upon oneself
to be the ultimate test of the Strength within. The more difficult the
challenge, the more honed and pure the warrior becomes, that is if
the warrior can handle the strain of such and Strength still holds him up.
Therefore, warriors who seek the ultimate path of the pure warrior embraces
Honor as a way and test. They seek it in combat, and are honored when others
embrace him so.

Honor is also embraced for it is the highest test of one against another. The test
of whose Strength is stronger, and what warrior is farther down the path of purity.
To win in single combat against another, and to do so with humblness and strength,
and with no outside interferences or impurities, is, upon the battlefield,
the most destructive to any warrior who does not hold Strength.
To be felled knowing that there was nothing you could have done to beat the one
before you is more crushing than words, more dangerous than the knife, more deadly
than any poison. For it poisons the enemy's soul, for they know they must
either embrace weakness through dishonor to crush you, or somehow attempt to beat you
by themselves. Most if not all embrace dishonor, and those who don't usually do not
have the strength to continue their existance.
It is the ultimate test of Strength, and to survive it, and still have
strength within, is a reward in itself.