The Challenge and The Sacred Fire
How is a challenge like a sacred fire?
What makes which burn, and what makes which sacred?
The challenge is how we decide who is worthy. Who is right.
By dint of challenge we now have a sept whom all see as worthy.
Merciful Strike stands victorious as our Leader; winning quickly and decisively.
Our Warder ((Name forgotten from record due to flaw)) stands; a battle fiercely fought.
Master of the Rites Polyphanes, lone challenger yet proven.
The Master of the Challenge is Mother Death; tried but true.
I, Aristeides Keep the Land; through shrines, fire and song along with my Keepers Artio and beloved Euphrosyne.
Our Gates Kept by Lysandra;, who returned our pathstone true.
The Den Parent of our cubs, ((Name ALSO forgotten from record due to flaw)) by speed of foot decided.
To our kin speaks Elissa of Carthage; let their words be ours.
Beyond we stay the Moot’s chosen
Amyntas, scion of Pragma the Master of the Howl
Artazusta, packless and yet the Caller of The Wyld
Dikastis, Proven of Erebus, as our Truthcatcher’ ‘fore you think to lie
Our Talesinger, Dmitrious Teresi
The Fool, Adrastos
Yet our Wyrmfoe stays unchosen.
As the sacred fire burns with its blessings, its warmth invites the spirits to remember the old pacts anew.
Just as our old pacts with Gaia and each other are renewed with each and every honorable challenge.
To dishonor the challenge is to desecrate the fire that burns away words and leaves deed.
We burn in combat, our minds burn in gamecraft, and our wits blaze in staredown.
What difference could there be between us burning true and pure, then, than the fire we tend.
Sung by Aristeides 'Mooncaller'
Silverfang Lupus
Athro Galliard
431 BCE