Broken sword
Her father had warned her not to underestimate the man. He was an itinerant teacher, travelling from spire to spire, selling tuition in the sword in return for two rings, two meals and a bed for the night. She'd turned up for the lesson convinced she could prove to her father that she was ready for the Test of Arms by beating him. He'd disabused her of that notion quickly enough.
She lunged forwards again, putting everything into the strike, but he slid past her, tripping her, and sending her sprawling. She gritted her teeth, her frustration rising, as she climbed back to her feet. From nowhere she felt a stinging pain across her legs, as the flat of the old man's sword clipped her from behind. She was already beaten, it was a cruel, pointless blow, unworthy of an opponent let alone anyone who called themselves a teacher.
It was the final straw, she felt her poise snap like a twig. She spun on her heel and before her teacher could indicate he was ready to resume, she was on him. Her blade flashed, high towards the shoulder, and then dropped low to the knee. He had been carrying a limp all morning and out of respect for his age, she'd avoided attacking the leg. Well no more!
Caught off guard, the old man desperately tried to parry the combination. Somehow he got his blade down to cover the lame leg but only just. All his cockiness was gone now. She hadn't landed a blow, but she'd beaten him in this exchange and they both knew it. It felt good, even if she had cheated. She looked up and was surprised to see the man smiling at her.
"Excellent." he said, the first time he'd spoken since their lesson began. "Now hold onto that feeling. Control it. Use it to guide your strikes. You won't beat me because you want to prove yourself... You need to harness your anger and feed it into your blade."
That didn't sound at all like anything her normal tutor said. "That doesn't seem virtuous." she challenged him.
"Nothing is more virtuous than success," the old man parried.
Overview
The Urizen assembly took a painful decision during the Autumn Equinox regarding the future of the sword scholar movement, whose members had only relatively recently emerged from hiding. The mandate raised and enacted by Herminius of the House of the Wanderer - the Arbiter of the Four Winds - with the support of the Urizen Assembly, repudiates the actions Sulemaie i Taziel. It sunders the sword scholars and shatters the Temple of the Four Winds. It also, unfortunately, brings into question the authority of the Urizen assembly, in light of their previous statements, especially their unequivocal endorsement of Sulemaine.
The sword has been broken, can it be reforged or replaced?
Failure is the death of greatness, We send Herminius of the House of the Wanderer with 75 doses of liao to encourage sword scholars throughout Urizen to separate the woman from the teachings and no longer venerate the actions of Sulemaine. Let us find new questions to ask.
Herminius of the House of the Wanderer, Mandate, Urizen Assembly, Upheld with a Greater Majority (284-10), Autumn Equinox 385YE
Parting of the Ways
- The swords scholar movement has splintered in several directions
For the sword scholars, it marks a fork in the road. Each one is faced with a difficult decision. The denial of Sulemaine is clear. Those who accept that her legacy must be abandoned, that the creed handed down by her disciples is wrong, can remain part of Urizen society. Those who refuse to budge, refuse to give up their commitment to their ideals, can no longer guarantee to find a welcome in the nation.
Those sword scholars who seek to reform the Synod or are otherwise reconciled with life as an Imperial citizen embrace the mandate. Some are grateful for a chance to move on from the distasteful elements of Sulemaine's legacy. Now they can pursue the teachings without having to constantly answer for her actions, or the actions of extremists like Severus of the Blinding Sun.
There is discussion about what it means to be a sword scholar without Sulemaine's teaching. Those who still embrace the philosophy of questioning and challenging, those who seek their arete in the union of personal freedom and martial prowess, examine the statements of respected sword scholars like Aspar and Clytemnestra looking for a way to chart a new path.
Sadly many sword scholars, especially those who were only reconciled with mainstream Urizen society because they believed that the Assembly had finally accepted Sulemaine as an inspirational figure, turn their backs on the Empire again. Most quietly drop out of sight but a few remain unrepentant, refusing to go back into hiding. An itinerant priest like Severus won't care one iota if the General Assembly excommunicates him - he doesn't recognise their moral authority in any way. He - and those like him - will not tolerate the rest of Urizen calling on them to abandon their veneration of Sulemaine, seeing the rejection of her role in shaping their philosophy as motivated by cowardly self-serving politics rather than reason. They would sooner split from Urizen than abandon the figure that is central to their beliefs.
When it is clear they do not represent the majority, these reversionists renounce the name of "sword scholar" and take to calling themselves the Disciples of Sulemaine, to demonstrate their commitment to their ideals - and to distance themselves from those they believe have abandoned her legacy. Despite this, so far the split has not led to violence. Not yet, anyway. It would be unwise to forget that part of Sulemaine's legacy is the murderous opposition to those whose views you do not agree with. It's very unlikely the Disciples of Sulemaine will remain peaceful in perpetuity but for now things are quiet. One thing that should be apparent however is that none of the assemblies have any ability to influence those sword scholars who refuse to abandon Sulemaine. It might be possible for the National Assembly to influence other Urizen citizens, even turn them against the remaining Disciples... but even doing that won't convince them to abandon their creed. It will simply hasten the speed with which they disappear back into hiding, or find a way to strike back at those they feel have betrayed them.
Embrace your past, never be ashamed of it. Sulemaine i Taziel's teachings are timeless, and we take inspiration from them, but her legacy now belongs to us. The Sword Scholars of Urizen have found Sulemaine's limits and we have gone beyond them. To venerate Sulemaine without question is to have learned nothing from her lessons. We encourage all Sword Scholars to forge their own path, free from the shackles of the past. Interrogate the world with your blade and with your mind, be unfaltering, be relentless, question everything, and find your own truth.
Aspar, Urizen Assembly, Autumn Equinox 385YE, Upheld (Greater Majority 328-0)Begin the World Over Again
- Sulemaine considered herself a questor
- The sword scholars of Anvil could initiate a renaissance in the questor tradition by embracing it
Those who embrace the mandate are discussing what it means to separate Sulemaine's teaching from her actions. There are many criticisms of Sulemaine, but few argue that she did not live by her beliefs. One of the reasons that she sparked a movement is precisely because her actions embodied her teachings. If Sulemaine's actions weren't virtuous, if they weren't admirable, how can the teachings that inspired those actions be valid?
One group seek to answer these questions by pointing out that Sulemaine was not a sword scholar, she considered herself to be a questor. She took up the sword to fight the Highborn missionaries who came to Urizen, in part because of a traditional Freeborn distrust of those who claimed authority. Her unique insight was the idea that it is vital for the pursuit of virtue for each individual to make their own decisions. The crux of Sulemaine's teachings is that the only virtuous choices are those that flow from rationality and logic. She taught that the greatest danger lay with individuals who tried to tell others what to do, because the act of instructing others inherently diminished their capacity for virtue.
The sword scholars are the movement that followed Sulemaine, that came after her. The mistake, this group argue, was to blindly follow the example of Sulemaine, taking up the sword and blindly attacking anyone who tried to offer instruction to others. To truly follow the teachings of Sulemaine, you must go back to the beginning, to live as Sulemaine lived, as a questor for truth. If the sword scholars of Anvil agree, they could urge the Urizen National Assembly to pass the following mandate.
Wisdom is finding the right question. To follow Sulemaine's teachings, we must go back to the source. We send {named priest} with 25 liao to urge those who repudiate Sulemaine's violence but who find wisdom in her teachings to apply what we have learned and become questors for truth.
Synod Mandate, Urizen National Assembly
If this mandate is passed, then the sword scholars who remain part of the Empire will become questors. This will greatly swell the ranks of the questor tradition, strengthening the movement and propelling it to the forefront of Urizen society. The questor tradition will, inevitably, be changed by joining with those sword scholars who remain loyal to Urizen. The martial traditions of the sword scholars will become an important part of the Questor tradition for those who can wield a blade - and Sulemaine's foundational teachings - the idea that personal freedom is central to wisdom and virtue will become one of the major strands of questor thought in the future.
Rejoining the questor tradition that Sulemaine's descendants abandoned would represent the defining finale of rapprochement between the sword scholars and Urizen. It would demonstrate an irrevocable desire to put aside past rejections of Urizen's role in the Empire. The story that begins when Urizen embraced the sword scholars would end with the sword scholars embracing Urizen.
In its place a new story would begin. The sword scholars, by returning to their roots, would initiate a renaissance in the questors that would see that tradition inspire new opportunities across Urizen in the coming years.
The Sword Scholars of the Empire have chosen to put Sulemaine behind us. Now we will define what Sword Scholars are in the modern world. We will examine and debate our teachings and discard any that fall short. We will examine our role in the Empire, and the ways we can challenge, aid and defend the Empire, and those who seek to join the Empire and the Way. We will seek to realise our ambition to spread our teachings and become a sodality. As we have changed the Empire the Empire has changed us.
Clytemnestra, Urizen Assembly, Autumn Equinox 385YE, Upheld (Greater Majority 242-10)The World is My Country
- Clytemnestra has called for the sword scholars to become a sodality
- The sword scholars of Anvil could urge their fellow scholars to spread the search for Wisdom across the Empire
Rather than look inward, to Urizen and the questor tradition that Sulemaine admired so much, the sword scholars could choose to look outwards, to the Empire. Sulemaine rejected Highguard, but it is easy to argue that she did so because she was defending Urizen from an outside threat. Urizen is no longer outside the Empire, it is a vital part of it. Sulemaine defended her home and fought for Wisdom, perhaps the sword scholars could do the same?
An Imperial sodality is the name for a group or organisation that spans most of the nations of the Empire. They are associations or societies that have a common purpose and sufficient reach or influence to be relevant to the Empire as a whole - but they are not a direct extension of the Imperial government like the Imperial Conclave or the Imperial Synod. There are many sodalities, their influence tends to wax and wane with their membership.
By definition a sodality requires members in many nations. The leaders of the sword scholar movement at Anvil have had notable successes in this direction in recent years, creating links with the bravos of Holberg and the yeofolk of Dawn. These attempts have been complicated by the difficult legacy of Sulemaine, but now that Herminius' mandate has unequivocally put that baggage aside, that has opened a horizon of new possibilities. Those sword scholars who regularly attend Anvil could remain in Urizen using their existing prominence to promote the new sodality. Everyone else could scatter throughout the Empire, looking to carry Sulemaine's foundational teachings to a receptive audience in every nation. Rather than undermining the Synod and the Empire at every turn, the sword scholars could embrace their home and look to strengthen every nation from within.
Let every word you speak carry meaning. Sulemaine defended her home even as she sought Wisdom. We send {named priest} with 25 liao to urge those who repudiate Sulemaine's violence to carry her wisdom to every nation in the Empire
Synod Mandate, Urizen National Assembly
If this mandate is enacted, then the sword scholars who embrace the Empire will leave Urizen and spread out through the Empire. They will look to join other nations wherever they can find a home where they fit in, but whatever happens they will carry Sulemaine's words with them. They will encourage others to think for themselves, to reject authority that is not grounded in Wisdom, and to fight to defend their home against anything that would threaten it.
Scattering the sword scholars to the four corners of the Empire will mean no new sword scholars in Urizen. Those who attend Anvil now will be the last of that tradition. But their presence in other nations will inspire others to see Wisdom, especially amongst those warriors and soldiers who are not always known for their philosophical bent. Their presence will make attempts to form links with other nations easier, but without the problems that have plagued such outreach so far. Sulemaine's legacy will finally end, not in opposition to the Empire, but in embracing it.
It will be up to the last of the sword scholars to spearhead the creation of the new sodality at Anvil, to create a new legacy for the future.
Reason Obeys Itself
- The Urizen National Assembly could leave the sword scholars to find their own way
- With the Disciples of Sulemaine gone, future statements of principle will be less controversial
Both the above mandates are competing, and if both are upheld only the one with the highest margin will pass. Of course, as mandates, they are only effective if they achieve a greater majority. If either mandate is enacted by a sword scholar, there is no liao requirement. The people who need to be convinced will listen to a practitioner of their philosophy without needing additional auras.
However there is no need for the Urizen Assembly to issue new guidance to those sword scholars who have chosen to remain a part of the nation. The sword scholar movement has been irrevocably changed by Herminius' mandate, but every scholar is more than capable of finding their own way. The Synod could choose to leave them free to do that. The one thing everyone can be certain of, however, is whatever decisions they come to, Sulemaine will not be a part of their creed.
Now that those scholars who were dogmatically opposed to the Synod have left, those who remain are reconciled to life in the Empire, rather than instinctively opposed. That means that the impact of future pronouncements by sword scholars will be less incendiary and less iconoclastic. The actions of the scholars have dominated the Urizen Assembly ever since they re-joined the nation. There is no reason to imagine that scholars like Aspar, Aurum, or Elagabala will see their influence diminish, but in future their statements will lead to less controversy - for better or for worse there will be fewer opportunities for extreme responses.
All That Remains
Whatever the future of the sword scholars, there are mundane matters caused by the withdrawal of the Disciples of Sulemaine that must be accounted for.
Shadow of the Temple
- The Temple of the Four Winds has been shattered by the split
The congregation that once gathered at the Temple of the Four Winds has disbanded. Loyal sword scholars have returned to their spires and temples to consider how they can reconcile their beliefs with the responsibilities of an Imperial citizen.
The Disciples of Sulemaine have disappeared into the mountains, returning most likely to the hide-aways and bolt-holes they emerged from. A handful have returned to their homes intending to continue venerating Sulemaine's harsh teachings in private. In both cases, these committed followers of Sulemaine now reject the Urizen Assembly and likewise reject the office of Arbiter. They are unlikely to forgive the "betrayal" of Herminius and their fellows now or in the future.
As a result, the "Envoy to the Disciples of the Tempest Jade Maiden" - the Arbiter of the Four Winds - has lost their bounty of liao and is no longer considered to be voice of the sword scholars. The sect of the Tempest Jade Maiden has disbanded and it is no longer clear what the role of the Arbiter is now.
Urizen could seek the approval of the Imperial Senate to abrogate the title. The Temple would not be destroyed, but it would be completely abandoned - at least temporarily. Such an action would send a clear message that the nation is turning a page on the tumultuous past of recent events but it would also create the conditions needed for a new use for the Temple in the future.
Alternatively, the Urizen National Assembly could use a statement of principle to make a clear commitment to never appoint the title again and thereby let it lapse. In either case, the Labyrinth Sword, an item that is perhaps slightly suspect given its association with Sulemaine, would remain in the possession of Herminius of the House of the Wanderer.
Serpent's Curse
- The Urizen Assembly has lost authority in the eyes of its own people
- Until the start of the Winter Solstice 386YE all Urizen congregations provide 2 fewer votes and 1 fewer liao
In Autumn 383YE, the Urizen Assembly enacted a mandate submitted by Aurum of the Nightingale Temple stating that "The Paragon of Blades is the perfect epitome of the Urizeni spirit - pure calculating reason unhindered by emotion or pity." It is difficult to argue that they have repudiated their earlier position, barely two years later.
It is hard to reconcile the idea that Sulemaine is the perfect epitome of the Urizeni spirit with the statement that people should not venerate her. Of course the Assembly can change their mind - but doing so fundamentally weakens their perceived authority. It is easy to point out that if their guidance changes so quickly, how can it be treated as having any great weight? Perhaps the pilgrims of the Way in Urizen should look elsewhere for guidance, within their own spires and circles rather than to the priests of the Synod. All Urizen congregations will receive 2 fewer votes and 1 fewer liao for the next year. After that, the effects will be gone - assuming the Assembly does not have reason to change their mind again of course...
There is also a wider question, of course. The Synod once claimed that Sulemaine's merciless teachings were "the perfect epitome of the Urizeni spirit". Now that statement has been repudiated, what is the "epitome of the Urizeni spirit"? There are three pillars to Urizeni philosophy, that few within the nation would argue are fundamental to their idea of who they are. The pursuit of excellence and Arete is one; the harnessing of emotion and intuition thought poise is the second; and the perception of the world as a Net of the Heavens that all people take part in is the third.
Should the assembly wish, they could debate and discuss this matter and perhaps issue a statement of principle regarding which, if any, forms the epitome of the Urizen spirit. If it receives a greater majority, it might not receive universal agreement but it would move the conversation away from Sulemaine at the very least. Such a statement would also present an opportunity. The Temple of Four Winds still stands, after all, even though the sword scholars have departed. A strong statement about the Urizeni spirit would open a way to repurpose the structure as a school dedicated to one of the three cultural pillars of Urizen, putting the past away, and looking to the future.
Smoking Mirror
- The sword scholars were an integral part of the rejection of Imperial Synod mandates that were not tested
- The assembly could decide to let events run their course, or they could encourage Urizen to continue to question the Synod
In Spring last year the Urizen Assembly restated their commitment to questioning the Synod. Indeed, it was Aspar and Clytemnestra who between them delivered the mandate that continued to defy the authority of the Synod. While that mandate separated the questioning of the Synod from Sulemaine, in the eyes of a number of people there is still a connection between the two.
The sword scholars have been at the forefront of holding the mandates of the Imperial Synod to the highest standard. Only those mandates that achieved a greater majority influence Urizen pilgrims. With the split in the sword scholars, with the rejection of Sulemaine, and the damage to the Assembly's authority, enthusiasm for interrogating the wider Synod is waning - but it has by no means disappeared even with the repudiation of Sulemaine.
If the assembly chooses to do nothing, the effect of the mandate will have ceased by the start of the Winter Solstice 386YE. If they want the people of Urizen to continue to question, they will need to present and agree on a statement of principle with a greater majority restating the reasons why. One that does not rely on Sulemaine's legacy or the public support of the sword scholars. A suitably worded statement would lead to a mandate to maintain the effect - provided it is upheld with a greater majority and enacted before the end of the year.
Alternatively, the Assembly could raise a statement of principle embracing the Synod and rejecting their earlier stance. While this would be another example of the Assembly reversing its previous guidance, for many it would seem a logical extension of their repudiation of Sulemaine. If it achieved a greater majority, it would likely be enough by itself to end the current resistance to the Synod immediately. Unless of course both statements were raised and upheld with a greater majority at the same time, in which case its likely competing mandates would be needed to settle the matter properly.