A little at a time

"So for example, they could proscribe lying, right? Because it cracks and shatters your soul?"

The reaction across the room was as pronounced as it was instantaneous. Leontes nearly spat out the swig of drink he had permitted himself whilst his colleague spoke. Abraham erupted from his chair, sending crumbs and pieces of paper across the table. Stanislav's head shook violently, nearly dislodging his hat. Even Cosme pointedly raised an eyebrow.

Leonardo's mischievous grin did nothing to calm their colleagues.

"I am afraid not," - the merrow chief magistrate picked her words carefully - "because there is no evidential basis for that assertion.".

A nod. "So... what is there an evidential basis for? What acts do we know cause spiritual harm? Or at least have the proven capacity to do so?"

The Secretary General looked around the room, pen tapping a bound booklet in their hand. "Because reading Echoes, it seems pretty clear that a past life vision can..."

This time, the rippling reaction was slower, but no less dramatic. Leonardo leaned back and sipped their cup of tea.

Overview

For three seasons, the Synod has been defining religious crime through the power of Proscription. The Summer Solstice was an extremely busy time - for one, a Symposium of Proscriptions was held, allowing interested parties to engage in detailed debate on what specific acts should be prohibited - and which should not. Yet in parallel, the Imperial Senate passed, and Emperor Vesna ratified two significant constitutional motions with implications for how the Synod defines religious crime moving forwards. And to top it all off, the Senate, via the Citizens' Voice, also amended the law of Idolatry, following calls by the Prosperity Assembly to finally ensure orcs were included in it.

Overall, eight judgements of proscription were raised at the Summer Solstice, and half of them were upheld by the General Assembly. Similar to their previous efforts, the Court has asked the civil service to publish not just guidance on the outcome of these proscriptions, but also details from the minutes of their discussions in the hopes of providing clarity to interested citizens. This includes detailed guidance on the changes to religious law enacted by the Senate.

Elevation

Amend the statement of Proscription such that it may only be raised in the General Assembly when permitted by the elevation power of a Cardinal

Proposed by: Thalia of Netherwatch, Senator for Redoubt, Seconded by: Delara of the House of the Wanderer, Senator for Zenith

• Moving forward, a proscription cannot be raised without the support of one of the eight cardinals
• A cardinal can only elevate a single judgement per summit, either a proscription or a statement of principle

Firstly, the Senate passed a motion requiring that any proscription raised to the General Assembly must be elevated by one of the eight cardinals - that is, it must be supported at the point of raising by a cardinal who has not already elevated a proscription (or statement of principle) that summit.

This motion required a constitutional vote as it significantly restricts the ability of the General Assembly of the Synod to ensure the virtuous behaviour of the Empire. The Constitutional Court has advised that it would not be constitutional to move proscriptions to the Assembly of Nine completely. An argument might be made for the Assembly of the Way, given their wide-ranging remit to preserve the Imperial faith, but only the Assembly of the Way and the General Assembly can conceivably hold the moral authority to decide for the Synod what constitutes a religious crime.

The Court has also been asked whether it would be possible to require judgements of proscription to achieve a greater majority to be upheld. Reluctantly, Magistrate Abraham confirms this would be possible - but it would require another constitutional vote of the Senate. He is at pains to point out just how difficult this would make it for the Synod to move with speed to proscribe acts when needed - or to change their mind if they passed something and then discovered they didn't like the way the magistrates were interpreting it...

Moral Injury

We of the Imperial Senate recognise the Assembly of Nines request to add a law protecting a citizens soul in Imperial law as per judgement 177 Spring 388YE. To add the following to religious crimes of the Empire. Moral Injury: An act via physical, spiritual, or magical that directly harms, corrupts or defiles the soul of an Imperial citizen.

Proposed by: Belakov Zakharovich Prochnost, Senator for Karsk, Seconded by: Aurianna du Meravon, Senator for Semmerholm

• The Senate has created a new religious law called moral injury, related to the harming of a soul
• No acts have been proscribed as moral injury as of yet
• The Constitutional Court have provided careful advice about proscriptions for this crime

Separately, for the first time in some years, the Senate has created a new category of religious crime. Moral Injury now stands alongside Abuse of Powers, Blasphemy, Desecration, Heresy and Idolatry, and has been defined as an act via physical, spiritual, or magical that directly harms, corrupts or defiles the soul of an Imperial citizen.

The Constitutional Court has reviewed the wording of this motion at length. It has passed scrutiny and become law, but the Court wishes to ensure that citizens - especially members of the Synod - are well-advised as to how they might make use of this new framework.

Other religious crimes are relatively straightforward to proscribe and prosecute, because they encompass actions that clearly fall within their remit. Heresy, for instance, could cover the promotion of any beliefs which the Synod identifies as contrary to the Doctrines of the Faith. Even idolatry, in its new formulation, stipulates that it includes "worship, exaltation, or devotion" - a definition that it is straightforward for the Synod to assign actions as being a part of.

Moral injury appears to be different - it is focused on acts that harm, corrupt or defile the soul. The magistrates are at pains to stress that were this law outwith the boundaries of religious crime, it could be struck down as unenforceable. The ceremony of insight can reveal the presence of spiritual maladies (the magistrates have ignored the philosophical question of whether insight shows the soul or simply a person's spiritual aura). But no Imperial citizen has a proven ability to prove the presence of "corruption" or "defilement" to the soul of another. Any proscription would need to have some way to evidence that the crime had occurred so that restricts what could be proscribed under this law.

The magistrates are aware of a limited set of examples where actions could be said to demonstrably cause harm in connection with the spirit. For example, the manticore known as the Earl of the Groves was believed to deliver a venom with its tail that caused a spiritual malady, corroding the essence of a person from within. The Druj are able to turn victims into tortured souls, twisted unliving horrors requiring powerful exorcism to lay to rest. As foundational to the Way as it is, the ceremony that allows an individual to experience a past life vision is reported to occasionally cause the visionary to return beset by spiritual maladies that require priestly intervention to resolve. Anything like this could be proscribed.

Thus the advice of the Constitutional Court is clear: proscriptions for moral injury will only be constitutional where they define an act that has been demonstrated to at least sometimes cause some kind of spiritual harm or malady. It would be theoretically possible to proscribe the creation of tortured souls (though this would have little practical impact, given the practice is already a vile act of torture committed by the enemies of the Empire). It would also be theoretically possible to proscribe the act of using true liao to experience a vision. It would not be possible, the Court notes after a particularly spirited conversation with Secretary General Leonardo i Del'Toro i Riqueza, to proscribe lying - as despite the fervent belief of Freeborn that it cracks and shatters one's soul, there is no detectable evidence for this.

The Court strongly recommends any Member of the Synod seeking to raise a proscription for moral injury discuss the matter with the Court first, preferably between summits. The Court can carefully scrutinise any proposed proscription to give an initial indication of whether it will pass muster and have the desired effect.

Mortal Will

To redefine the crime of Idolatry as follows: "Submitting mortal will to any force or sapient being not otherwise defined as a person in law. This includes worship, exaltation, or devotion towards any such being or force."

Proposed by: Rafael Barossa d'Apulian, Citizens' Voice

• The definition of idolatry has been amended to be inclusive of all mortal beings, not just humans
• This has provided clarity and reassurance to orcs across the Empire

Rafael Barossa d'Apulian, once Grandmaster of the Sevenfold Path, and before that once Auditor of Senatorial Accountability, bid on and won the title of Citizens' Voice at the Summer summit, and with the support of the Senate, has used it to change the definition of idolatry. This comes two seasons after the Prosperity Assembly called on the Senate to do this, though Rafael's wording differs a little from the Assembly's proposal.

As the wording of the religious crime has been altered, the Constitutional Court have carefully reviewed all extant proscriptions for idolatry to ensure that they are compatible with the new definition. They have concluded that Rafael's reform has provided greater clarity and, from a strict legal sense, broadened the definition, but has not meaningfully restricted it in any way. As a result, all previous proscriptions for idolatry remain applicable, valid and in force.

This change is warmly received by many throughout the Empire who value the clarity it brings - that orcs, just as humans, can commit idolatry, and should pay heed to the proscriptions of the Synod as much as anyone else.

Abuse of Powers

• No new acts have been defined as abuse of priestly powers

Two judgements were raised attempting to designate actions as abuse of powers - but neither was upheld by the General Assembly.

One, raised by Rafael Barossa d'Apulian, sought to criminalise raising a judgement of recognition for anyone who was still alive. So-called "living exemplars" can be a controversial topic in the Synod, with some holding to traditionalist views that only the dead should be recognised. Still, as the judgement failed to achieve a lesser majority, the practice can continue. The Court notes that had the proscription passed, it would not have criminalised any attempt to derecognise an exemplar or paragon that was still alive.

The other proscription relating to abuse of powers was raised by Jurand Biegacz, attempting to criminalise the act of placing auras on another's possessions without their consent. This judgement has sparked excited debate amongst Lucidians across the Empire, despite it failing to pass. The Court has briefly reviewed the wording anyway, and is happy to confirm that the principle is cogent and likely to pass scrutiny if it were upheld in the future.

Blasphemy

The Proscription against "Bearing a dedication or anointing of a false virtue" should be withdrawn. It is not the Judgement that Brother Orchard put forward and Synod voted for. The Constitutional Court has made it clear that the original wording will never be constitutional. If we wish the judgement the Court wrote to be applied, we should vote for it, not rely on the Court having correctly guessed our intent.

Edward Greyfriar, Summer Solstice 388YE, Vote: 732-338

• It is no longer blasphemy to bear a dedication or anointing to a false virtue
• In the future, the Constitutional Court will consider a different approach when providing constitutional interpretation of proscriptions

A single proscription relating to blasphemy was raised at the Summer Solstice. The General Assembly upheld a call by Edward Greyfriar to rescind the previous proscription against bearing a dedication or anointing of a false virtue, on the grounds that the original intent of Geoffrey Orchard in raising the original proscription as distinctly different to the final interpretation of the proscription by the Constitutional Court.

As a result, it is no longer proscribed to bear a dedication or anointing of a false virtue. It is still a crime to create such a dedication or anointing, but merely bearing such an aura is no longer grounds for prosecution for blasphemy. This comes as welcome news to Faraden and Axou visiting the Empire, though citizens of the former nation are wary about the risks they still face.

The Constitutional Court has paid particular attention to the wording of this judgement and the sentiment of the Synod in rejecting their interpretation of Brother Geoffrey's original judgement. The Court are always eager to avoid a situation where they misinterpret what the Synod wishes to achieve. Chief Magistrate Karkovich cautiously indicates that in future, the Court might call on the Tribune to raise an administrative judgement of proscription to confirm the Synod's intent in the future. Such a move would delay the implementation of any such proscription, so would only be used if an interpretation seems to require too great a leap of faith.

Heresy

There were two proscriptions raised at the Summer Solstice on heresy.

Heresy of the Spawn

We proscribe the Heresy of the Spawn: The promotion of the idea that the vallorn has any significant capacity to influence or prevent the passage of the spirit or soul after death.

Nathair Autumngale, Summer Solstice 388YE, Vote: 1067-490

• The idea that the vallorn can trap souls has been proscribed as heresy
• This move has shocked grey pilgrims and members of the Vallornguard across the Empire
• If the situation is unchanged by the end of the summit, there will be serious consequences for the sodality and the Pilgrim's Defiance

Over six years ago, the General Assembly upheld the words of Raewyn Eternal, declaring that the vallorn was the "greatest spiritual threat" to the Empire, based on observations under insight that some vallornspawn husks could be identified as "orc" or "human". Since then, various Assemblies have upheld a number of judgements calling for further investigation into this phenomenon - many raised by Nathair Autumngale. A year ago, he went so far as to raise a challenge for his own position as Advisor on the Vallorn, stating that he disputed the claim that the vallorn traps every spirit lost within it and disputed again and again that the Vallorn is the Greatest Spiritual Threat to the Empire.

Now, the General Assembly has upheld Nathair's call to proscribe the idea that the vallorn has this capacity to entrap the spirits of anyone who dies within it. Where previous judgements on this matter drew some attention, this decisive step lands on the ears and hearts of nearly every grey pilgrim and member of the Vallornguard. The grey pilgrims conducted a five-year pilgrimage, inspired to stand up against an inhuman force that trapped the souls of those it killed - what does that pilgrimage mean now? The Vallornguard's principal belief is that the vallorn are the greatest spiritual threat the Empire has seen - but what basis for that belief can there be, if the vallorn has no effect on the spirit?

The ripples of this decision have spread across the Empire, prompting a hundred questions. If the founding principle of the Vallornguard is not just wrong but heresy - does that make membership of the sodality a crime? Can this body of state - which has the backing of the Navarr National Assembly - continue its work? Did the grey pilgrims who walked the trods throw away five years of their lives on something that turned out to be heresy?

For now, level heads prevail. The Constitutional Court provided advice on the wording of this proscription prior to its submission, and confirms that what has been upheld does nothing to criminalise the Vallornguard nor membership of it. The Vallornguard believes the vallorn is the greatest spiritual threat - that is not proscribed, nor could it constitutionally be. But if any member of the Vallornguard, or indeed anyone in the Empire, were to promulgate the idea that this was because the vallorn traps souls - that would definitively be an act of heresy.

Level heads cannot prevail forever, though. If the situation remains unchanged - if the Heresy of the Spawn is still proscribed, the manifesto of the Vallornguard still references the "greatest spiritual threat", and neither Senate nor Synod can satisfactorily resolve the sudden loss of a foundation of a whole Imperial Sodality - then faith in the purpose and mission of the Vallornguard will suffer. Similarly, if neither the Highborn nor General Assemblies can resolve the cracks in the faith of the grey pilgrims, the morale of the Pilgrim's Defiance is sure to take a significant blow.

One group that is not suffering a crisis of confidence over this proscription, however, is the Navarr themselves. The Navarr committed themselves to the destruction of the vallorn hundreds of years ago - centuries before the newly heretical idea that the vallorn traps souls ever emerged. Their reasons and commitment to the goal and oaths of their forebears, their dedication to end the vallorn for good - all this stands Proud and unchanged. Perhaps in that, some suggest, lies the solution to this crisis - that the Vallornguard and Pilgrim's Defiance should look to the Navarr for a foundation to continue fighting the fight.

Courage teaches us to face an unwelcome truth like a barbarian charge. Wisdom teaches us to apply what we have learned. The Navarr national assembly submitted judgements based on information and evidence gathered at the time. Through further use of the insight ceremony the results of which are now available in civil service records and the use of day magic, we have evidence that some but not all spirits and souls are trapped within vallornspawn husks. The Navarr national assembly wishes to put this judgement forward in recognition of these discoveries and to update our previous judgement but still regard the vallorn as the greatest spiritual threat to the Empire.

Nathair Autumngale, Navarr Assembly, Spring Equinox 384YE, Vote: 186-0

The motion to push towards the Heart of Terunael could take us deeper into the largest vallorn in the Empire than ever before. Priests who are accompanying this expedition who are able to do so, should take the opportunity to insight and investigate vallornspawn encountered as close to the Heart as possible.

Nathair Autumngale, General Assembly, Autumn Equinox 384YE, Vote: 1256-23

Three years ago I dissuaded the claim that the Vallorn traps every spirit lost within it. I have since disputed again and again that the Vallorn is the Greatest Spiritual Threat to the Empire, and yet this Hearsay persists. A year ago this summit, I begged my nation to consider what steps we take for a single season, and not rush to our destruction with the same hubris as Terunael, and along with several others was ignored. I find my steps in the Great Dance uncertain when I think of them continuing on the path as Advisor on the Vallorn. If the Vallornguard are to be the tool through which Imperial efforts are focused. My tenureship would undermine their authority. If the role of Advisor is to change, its purpose would alter from that to which I was elected. Navarr choose who they follow. So I raise this challenge against myself, Nathair Autumngale, Advisor on the Vallorn. Let citizens display their virtue and suitability in pursuit of this position. And should the Vallornguard gain the responsibility, recognise their right to elect the title in working against our ancient enemy.

Nathair Autumngale, Navarr Assembly, Summer Solstice 387YE, Vote: 128-10

The claim that the vallorn is the Greatest Spiritual Threat has been espoused across the Empire for several years. Entirely framed following the results of a single ceremony of insight, that perceived a spirit seemingly trapped within a husk. The previous Advisor on the Vallorn, Nathair Autumngale, has conducted fifty insight ceremonies themself. With further ceremonies performed by Exemplar of Vigilance, Ravadi Founder’s Dance, several citizens who attend Anvil, and those priests who ventured into the heart of Terunael. All have been unable to find any similar cases. This assembly encourages priests, pilgrims, and dedicants to consider the aura of the Challenge of Wisdom. To investigate the vallorn and its spawn for any evidence that it poses any significant threat on a spiritual level, or indeed has any capacity to directly influence or trap the spirit or the soul. We must seek out the fact, or the falsehood of the matter. This is the highest calling of our assembly.

Nathair Autumngale, Wisdom Assembly, Autumn Equinox 387YE, Vote: 260-96

Doctrine of the Abyss

• The Synod has not proscribed the beliefs of the Marcher orcs
• There are rumours that the Synod might change doctrine at the Autumn Equinox
• If the situation is not resolved, things will escalate

Separately, Konstantin Rabovich Bolotnikov called for proscription of the belief that orc souls reincarnate. This drew the attention of Emperor Vesna Borkovna Prochnost, who invoked her power of Custodian of Virtue on the judgement - but regardless, the General Assembly did not uphold this call.

The response can perhaps be described as a collective sigh of relief across the Marches. When many first see the wording of the judgement, hands reach for bill-hooks, swords and bows - but when they are told the judgement failed, arms cross and heads nod in approval. The fact that even without the Empress' intervention, the votes were solidly against the proposal, reassures many Marchers that their Assembly's promise to "sort out the paperwork" might finally be bearing fruit. There is an approving nod to the Throne for their timely caution, even if it was not ultimately needed.

Hap the Soft, one of the more outspoken and defiant (some would say obnoxious and stubborn) Marcher orcs, attended the Symposium of Proscriptions to speak his piece. Whilst he seems to have a lot to say about "them folk at Anvil", he appears to have returned home with the clear impression that the Synod is on the cusp of fixing the Doctrine of the Howling Abyss once and for all - and has informed the other orcs accordingly.

As the summit draws close, the eyes of the Empire look to the Synod. Konstantin's judgement may have failed, but it has drawn even more attention to the growing contradiction in the heart of the Marches - the paradox that increasingly large portions of the nation believe that orcs can reincarnate, something in stark conflict with established Doctrine. Even as the Marches breathe a sigh, the Empire holds its breath, waiting to see how the Imperial Synod resolves this paradox. One thing is for certain though - the Empire can only hold its breath for so long, and if no resolution is reached... when a taut rope breaks, you don't want to be pulling it, as they say.

Idolatry

We do not proscribe as Idolatry being openly chosen by an eternal as their representative to the Empire. We request that the positions be known and recorded by the Empire.

Ourania Neofoti of the House of the Wanderer, Summer Solstice 388YE, Vote: 994-204

• It is no longer idolatry to serve an eternal as their representative to the Empire, so long as this is public knowledge
• The Synod has confirmed that trading and bargaining with eternals and sovereigns is not idolatry

Three judgements of proscription were raised on the topic of idolatry, but only two were upheld. The now-executed former Archmage of Night, Bella Vicente d'Apulian, executed at the summit for treason, called to criminalise giving memories to non-human or orc entities - but the General Assembly did not uphold this call. If it had, this would only have proscribed the gifting of memories as an act of devotion - it would not have criminalised the use of Cast Off the Chain of Memory, nor any transactional trading of memories for something else.

The General Assembly did, however, uphold two other proscriptions defining acts as not idolatry. One, raised by Ourania Neofoti of the House of the Wanderer, sought to permit individuals to accept positions as the Chosen of eternals - so long as that selection was done openly. Ourania also called for public records of such Chosen to be made.

After some spirited debate, the Court is comfortable that this proscription carves out a sufficient exception to the existing one criminalising entering into the service of an eternal. Where an individual has been selected by an eternal to be their representative, this is not an act of idolatry - provided this information is public knowledge because the eternal has made it so. Any other form of service to an eternal - including covertly acting as representative, or becoming a herald in service to one - are still proscribed.

The judgement called for eternal's representatives to the Empire to be known and recorded. The civil service is at pains to stress that eternals will follow their own whims - that it is entirely possible that one might appoint a representative and make the arrangements public, but then change them privately later. Where such details are made public knowledge by an eternal, the civil service will record and publish this information, but they will note that such details cannot be completely relied on.

We do not proscribe as Idolatry the acts of bargaining or trading with inhuman entities and forces such as eternals and sovereigns

Lepidina, Summer Solstice 388YE, Vote: 1213-102

At present, there are no known Imperial citizens acting as an eternal's representative to the Empire - unsurprisingly, since before the Autumn Equinox summit such would have been illegal.

Finally, the General Assembly passed the judgement of Lepidina not to proscribe bargaining or trading with inhuman entities and forces. As bargaining or trading have never been proscribed by the Synod, this judgement had no legal effect - but it has set a clear stance that the Synod considers bargaining and trading do not, by themselves, constitute idolatry. This move has reassured many Varushkans that they can continue to deal with sovereigns and their representatives - so long as they do not step into the territory of other proscriptions, such as by offering up lives in sacrifice.