Climb every mountain

"The Synod's lackeys have called on us to throw you out."The obvious contempt in Minias' voice made clear what she thought of the idea, but he pretended to take it seriously just in case. "I will be gone by the morning, as always." he replied evenly."You'll do no such thing." she exploded. "I'll be damned if I'll let some bloody Synod tell me what to do. Herminus has made his decision, now let him enforce it."Severus smiled sadly at the woman's anger. It was good to see his old student's passions roused, but poise demanded she kept them mastered. "How can I be an itinerant scholar Minias if I don't have an intenary? Will you make me your prisoner?" The gibe was gentle but firm - it would be all too easy to stay but they both knew it would be a mistake."Don't be ridiculous, of course you're not. But I want you to stay. You're safe here." Even as she said it, she knew the words were a lie."Nowhere is safe anymore. Our enemies will see to that. I can't stay in one place too long... even now, my presence here is a danger."Minias looked round as if expecting to see Silent Bell assassins in the training room with them, but of course they were alone. She sighed as she turned back to face her old teacher, feeling her anger turn to sadness that he was right and would soon have to depart. "Why do they hate us so much?" she whispered.Severus smiled again, but kindly this time. He placed his hand on her shoulder, light as a feather. "Tolerance is the crack in the foundation of a strong society." he whispered back. "They hate us because we represent a truth they cannot accept. That Virtue comes from within, not from without. We deny their authority and that makes us a threat to them. They are right to act. We are not like them, we will never kneel to their Synod. We will never accept their mandates. If they tolerate us - their society will crack. The only way they can follow the teachings of Sulemaine is to deny them. The only way they can embrace Sulemaine is to kill those who revere her."Minias stared at the old sword scholar. "That's all well and good, but they're trying to kill you. I don't understand why you're not seething about it."Severus of the Blinding Sun stared down at her, surprised by such an obvious error from his former pupil. His hand dropped to the comforting hilt of the blade strapped to his side."Poise", was all he said, as he turned to go.

Overview

More than two years ago, the tradition of the sword scholars in Urizen was sundered by Herminius and Clymenestra of the House of the Wanderer and other leaders of the movement at Anvil. Those who clung to the antiquated views of Sulemaine - that the influence of the Synod must be resisted at every turn and were not afraid to use violence to achieve their goals - were cast out by those who had long since made their peace with the Empire.

Those who laid claim to the title of sword scholars have prospered in the intervening time. Herminius is the Senator for his home of Zenith; Clymenestra now commands the Argent Sword; Aspar is now the Conscience of the Senate. In the wider Empire, people are more sceptical of the Synod than ever before - it's power has tangibly been diminished by the success of the sword scholars. It's easy to argue that it was only when they set their blades down that the sword scholars achieved victory.

To many at Anvil, those who were cast out appear to have all but disappeared. Calling themselves the Disciples of Sulemaine, they apparently retreated into the mountains of Zenith. A few vowed revenge on the rest of the sword scholars, claiming that the leaders at Anvil had betrayed Sulemaine's teachings. Most cut a more sorry figure, withdrawing to the shadows more in sadness for their obvious loss than in anger at others. Since then they have been a silent presence in Urizen. Confined to the highest peaks of Operus, in Morrow, and Clypion and Proceris in Zenith, they dwell in spires sympathetic to their philosophies who are willing, at least, to give them safe harbour.

Things may seem quiet, but the Disciples are in hiding, they haven't gone away. They are still teaching the blade to those who seek them out, still preaching their blasphemous creeds to those who take them in. It is often quiet before a storm.

Mercy is Weakness

Herminius' words, supported by a greater majority of the Urizen Assembly, have echoed round the mountains of Urizen, amplified by the flickering lights of the Heliopticon, shattering the quiet detente that had sheltered the Disciples of Sulemaine. The call to turn out the cowards that hide from the light of reason is welcomed by those who have always rejected the followers of Sulemaine. Those spires that have always supported the sentinels and the belief that Urizen is strengthened by being part of the Empire are eager to drive out the last remnants of their ancient enemies.

The problem is, that that is not where the sword scholars are to be found. They're not training with the sentinels in their citadels or sheltering in spires that believe strongly in the Empire. They're in hetrodox temples in Zenith that have long questioned the authority of the Synod. They're in rebellious citadels in Cinion where people blame the Empire for the theft of the territory by the League. They're in the iconoclastic spires in Operus where followers of Abraxus have long searched for ways to breach the walls of the Labyrinth.

Severus of the Blinding Sun creeps from Temple to Spire to Citadel fearful of the light of reason. A true Sword Scholar knows to question the world with their mind and their blade accepting the answers no matter the cost. Virtuous people of Urizen do not fear the truth, nor retreat to the shadows, twisted by hatred for those who proved them wrong. They embrace the light and knowledge gained. Clytemnestra said “Burn it down and build it back better” so we did, and now Sword Scholars prosper more than ever. The Disciples of Sulemaine preach “If you love a thing, be prepared to destroy it. Only then are you strong enough to protect it”, yet do not practice what they teach. Turn out the cowards who will not face us, the cowards that hide from the light of reason. With Wisdom and the Pride of Urizen reject them.Herminius of the House of the Wanderer, Urizen Assembly, Summer Solstice 387YE, Vote: Upheld with a Greater Majority (234 against 20)

It could be argued that the success of the sword scholars at Anvil in weakening the influence of the Imperial Synod has strengthened the hand of those who would see it torn down. The sword scholars encouraged the Urizeni and the Empire to question everything, and that makes it harder for anyone to speak with moral authority. But ultimately the real reason that a call from the Synod to turn them out cannot succeed, is because the disciples are sheltering in the spires most likely to reject the authority of the Synod.

That need not be the end of the matter however. If the spires where they are hiding will not turn them out... Urizen could drive them out.

Do Not Question, Only Cut

The Disciples of Sulemaine are sheltering with those spires least inclined to accept the leadership of the Synod and the Empire. Itinerant scholars like Severus of the Blinding Sun wander from one spire to another, selling their skills as a teacher with the blade and offering advice and guidance, but they're generally shrewd enough to go where they are welcome. If Urizen wants to turn them out, they will have to gather in force and drive them out.

Mercy is weakness. Mercy shows the enemy your limits. We send {named priest} with 50 doses of liao to urge all Loyal Urizeni to hunt down the Disciples of Sulemaine and show them the blade. Find your enemy’s limits and go beyond them.Synod Mandate, Urizen Assembly

If this mandate is enacted, it will create a unique raiding venture for Urizeni military units to Drive out the Disciples for the season following the Autumn Equinox. Military units that take this action will engage in lightning attacks on the traitorous spires, citadels, and temples, looking to draw out the Disciples of Sulemaine, engage them in battle, and kill them. Some will wring their hands at the thought or Urizeni killing Urizeni, but it will receive broad support from many sentinels whose feud with the followers of Sulemaine is legendary. It not the first time in Urizen's history that force of arms has been brought to bear against the sword scholars after all.

Each standard military unit assigned to the Drive out the Disciples action adds 100 points toward successful resolution of the opportunity. Each additional rank for an upgraded or enchanted fleet adds another 20 points. Rituals and other effects that increase the ranks of a raiding military unit (such as Blood and Salt) increase the effective strength for purposes of this special action.

If support for the action achieves a combined military strength of at least two thousand, then it will force the Disciples onto the back foot. Dozens of them will be killed, and they will be faced with being driven out or wiped out if they do not find some way to respond. They don't have the military strength to fight back directly - but they won't go willingly into the Labyrinth.

The biggest problem with this approach is that it would be blatantly illegal. It would be carried out in full public view of the magistrates who would quickly compile a list of everyone who committed their military unit to this course of action. They would then face the full force of the law, next time they encountered a magistrate.

However the law does provide a way to avoid such chaos.

Strength Against Weakness

Excommunication: Hate is a restrictive, pernicious force that stymies Virtue. Hate does not seek questions, wrongly assuming that those in your circle are infallible, and those without are irredeemable. Severus of the Blinding Sun is a fool, his folly infects him and those around him and I will not countenance their reductive view of the world. I will bring them the challenge of Wisdom, if they fail, their soul will be forfeit. I seek a Writ of Excommunication against Severus of the Blinding Sun, to show them and the Empire the worth of Wisdom, and the folly of Hate.Aspar, General Assembly, Summer Solstice 385YE, Vote: 1488 against 195 (Not Upheld)

The Disciples are those who formed the hardcore supporters of the original teachings of Sulemaine. Two years ago, the Synod came within a hair's breath of excommunicating one of their group's figureheads, Severus of the Blinding Sun, despite the fact that nobody who attends Anvil has ever met them - an extraordinary feat that demonstrates the depths of feeling the Disciples inflame and the crimes they have committed. They have never accepted the Way and there is no meaningful sense in which they can be said to accept the authority of the Empire. Some do still follow the virtues - Courage, Ambition, and Wisdom have always been popular amongst those that look to Sulemaine's example. Many, like Severus of the Blinding Sun, also adhere to other, darker powers.

It is not hard to argue that they represent a clear threat to the Empire and their fraternity should be criminialzed, just as the Vyig and and the Hand of Dumon were.

It would require a Senate motion to declare it illegal to be a member of the Disciples of Sulemaine and to order the arrest and trial of suspected members. It wouldn't change the need for Urizeni military units to attack those spires that were harbouring the Disciples - but instead of clandestine raids, any Urizeni who pledged their military unit to the cause would be led by magistrates looking to arrest them. The outcome would be the same, there is no possible way that the Disciples will cooperate with the magistrates and they will go down fighting. But it would at least ensure that everything that was done was legal.

Normally such actions are costly, the magistrates must recruit militia and pay them to help enforce the law. In this case, there would be no cost to the Senate, there aren't enough sellswords in Urizen to enable the magistrates to carry out the action without the help of loyal Urizeni citadels and spires - so the success or failure of the action would depend only on the military strength committed to the venture.

Further Reading

Click Expand to see a list of other pages related to the sword scholars.

Playback Speed