Taking a small mixing bowl and and a round rock from his bag careful not to bloody anything up to much he sets them in the center of the spread powder. cupping his hands over the bowl he lets the slow trickle of his blood fill his hands, once they are full her lowers his hands and spreads them slowly letting the bowl be partially filled with blood. Taking his hands away back to his bag he grabs a bag and retrieves a small figurine of a Battle Axe (Tempus' Favored weapon) and a small figurine of a Bastard Sword (Rago's weapon of choice). He places the two delicately carved and old figurines and places them within the bowl of his blood and lets them sink in before he retrieves his water skin and pours water into the bowl to half fill it. Closing his eyes he chants, something familiar to him and foreign to all of Kymlun in many ways.
"Tempus you teach me to forbid my cowardice, and in this time i will forbid all cowardice from my mind, my soul and my heart.
You teach me that all followers arm all who have need of arms even my enemy, my enemies hold arms great in size and power and when they do not I shall toss the one form the bead enemy at my feat
You teach me war should not be feared, for it is fair in that all participants have the chance to rise to prominence or to die in the attempt, for i will rise to your name rise and shout it in my victory, or I shall die honoring your ways.
You teach me not to revel in dragged-out slaughter, and that it is best to win a battle decisively rather than engage in a war of attrition, this war is forever until the hoards have been downed, my sword will be decisive, the war will be long.
You allow allow for retreats from hopeless battles, but with the admonition that battle must be joined first to determine if it really is hopeless, this battle is not hopeless and it is not something i will retreat from when i truly enter its depths, for against impossible odds my faith is strong and my blade is swift.
I respect the valor, and honor in my opponents even as I shall strive to defeat them, to protect my home, and my friends.
Tempus you favor the honorable tactics or war, showing favor to those who defeat their opponent on the field of battle without resorting to destruction of the enemy's homes, family, or to attacks from the rear unless the enemy force is vastly superior. My enemy has ripped a home from my people, flanked my friends, killed them, If destruction comes to their homes I will not weep, If i stab them in the back during battle, I will rejoice for i have killed another who may have killed my friends.
You command that the warriors first consider the consequences and not be reckless or indiscriminate in waging war, I have weighed my consequences in this battle, I can only hope they understand that you understand.
You say the cowards and diplomats who are not willing to brandish or consider conflict wreak more damage than even the most violent tyrant, for those who will not fight to defend what they value are bound to lose it. Well I shall fight for them past their talks and endless 'treaty's' I shall rise to war, and kill anything in my way."
Finishing his prayer he opens his eyes to the alter before him, the figurines in blood and water now dissolved, the colour of the liquid in the bowl is black as night.
// for all who don't know - that is Tempus' dogma, and Rago's answers to the statements within it to his current path. More to come //
_________________ -------------------------- Rago Hangaleather - Faithful warrior of a dead god Tempite to the end
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