Beliefs

To be brief, the Messengers predominately believe that there is some inherently sacred quality to the order of existence which they must protect.

As to why there is this order, that is up in the air, but each Messenger knows, on some level, that the circle of life, or the wheel of dharma, or whatever they may call it, is a sacred process which must be kept moving smoothly, and free of interruptions.

 

The Code

The Code is a group of beliefs passed on from the First Prophet at the founding of the Concord. Since then, Regis has been used, in a ritual, to imprint these beliefs on each and every member. This is not so much a stripping of the wraith's will as a constant reminder of these universal truths which inspires and guides the wraith towards good actions and deeds.

* Death Has Its Purpose, and Must Be Respected

To put it bluntly, there is an order to things. There is a time to live, and a time to die. It is the role of the Messenger to prevent deaths before their time, but to stand aside when it is right to do so, for those who die can have a greater effect than those who live past their life's natural span. The Messengers all know that they couldn't do what they do if they were still alive, so there are definitely benefits to dying, at times.

* The Dead Must Serve as the Voice of the Gods

Living humans have a much weaker connection with divine truths than the dead do, and the messages that are being sent by other Concords don't fit with what the Messengers wish to make happen amongst both living and dead society. Therefore, the Messengers must send their message out to the living however they can. This will mostly include warnings and truths revealed after a person has been saved, as they are very open to suggestions then, or it may come in a more overt form. The Messengers are not intended to be preachers, but they also should not have to keep saving a live human who just won't learn his lesson.

* The Dead Must Protect the Secrets of the Gods

Regis is a powerful tool, as well as a gift from the divinities for the use of the Messengers. Other wraiths, then, shouldn't be able to just use it as they will. Most Messengers don't run around stomping on any wraith that knows the Numen, preferring to stick to punishing those who use it too blatantly, or harmfully. However, there are some fanatics who will object to the Regis Numen being used at all by anyone who doesn't belong to the Concord, for fear that they may misuse it and because they desire to protect its secrets.

* All Life is Sacred, and Must Be Protected

A warning for more spirited Messengers, this tenet of the Code says that even vile members of the living still deserve to live the full duration of their life. Some Messengers are a bit inflexible about this tenet, whereas others feel it ought not be in the Code (see below). However, it is present, just as it was handed down from the First Prophet, and so it must nag at the back of their minds. This also provides further impetus to protect those who should not die yet.

* The Good of the Many Must Overcome All

This is a spur to action, despite all those who would stand in the way of what is right. This is why Messengers flaunt the Injunction and interact with the Land of the Living. The good of the people they save must come before all of their cares, before all worldly opposition. Some Messengers fail, and this is undoubtedly a tragic proposition, but this aspect of the Code makes them even more doggedly determined to succeed than just their moral fibers demand.

 

Even Him...?

There is some concern as to whether the last, or second to last, aspect of the Code is more important, specifically in terms of those who wantonly murder and destroy. Obviously this person is a terrible danger to many. Therefore, does the good of the many who are in danger come before everything, or does the villain's sacred right to live until his time is up trump that?

There tend to be two answers to this question. Mostly, it depends on individual preference, but a Necropolis with a strong Messenger presence may have decided on an official policy for the area.

If the wraith decides that the right to life trumps the last tenet, then the human must be allowed to live. That doesn't mean, however, that the Messenger in question must do nothing to end his reign of terror. The Messenger, with his Regis arts, is in a perfect position to flood the mind of the villain with a full awareness of what he has done, a full knowledge of the harm he is causing to himself and the world. Some of the victims of this are driven mad. Many more eventually decide to stop, if for no reason other than to end their mental anguish and torture.

If the wraith decides that the good of the possible victims trumps the evil human's right to life, then the answer is very simple: yes, he can be killed. Certainly, one life will have ended before it's time, but it is simpler to patch up that little snip in the weave of life than it is to fix the incredible snarl that may be built up should he be allowed to live.

And this is where the Hand comes in.

Back