Scriptures
"The Scriptures are the books of religion: words of faith, words of morality, and words of doctrine. They show the Lord's true wishes, informing the aspirant how to gain ascension to His glorious realm."
The Amarr Scriptures are not a single book, but rather the name given to the collective holy texts of Amarr. They are not limited to just religious dogma; they describe everything from out-of-date codes of behavior to early technological breakthroughs. The collective writings have been maintained and updated throughout the centuries by Imperial Theologians and include texts that hearken back to the very origins of Amarr society, written in a tongue so ancient as to be unreadable by today's Amarr. The Scriptures are the very foundation stone of Amarr society, defining the daily lives of Amarr the Empire across.
The Scriptures are also referred to as The Word (of God).
The original Scriptures were divinely given to the Amarr from divine beings through prophets such as Dano Gheinok, but recent additions have come from emperors, saints, priests, and others.
Due to these modifications, there exist many different books of the Scriptures. Some have later been deemed apocryphal and been excised for a variety of reasons; the most well known are the Apocryphon which is important to the Sani Sabik and the alternate Scriptures of the Order of St. Tetrimon.
The full Scriptures are far too massive to collect in one place; the Book of Records alone consists of millions of individual tomes. Some of the more well known passages are recorded below.
Contents
Book I
"In the beginning all things were as one.
God parted them and breathed life into his creation
- The Scriptures, Book I 1:4
Divided the parts and gave each its place
And unto each, bestowed purpose"
"The Amarr people came into the world and the world came into being.
Our illustrious ancestors freed their souls from the evils of the old.
- The Scriptures, Book I 1:14
world and created a new one.
The great Amarr Empire was founded to cultivate the spirit of man.
To do so the enemies of the outside had to be defeated and the enemies of the inside controlled.
The Lord gave our Emperor the power to harness the Good and punish the Evil.
Ever since, the Emperor has lived the lives of his subjects and breathed the air of authority."
"The Wrath of God is Immense. His Justice is Swift and Decisive. His Tolerance is Limited.
Be Careful. Pure Thought is the Instigator of Sin.
- The Scriptures, Book I, The Code of Demeanor
Be Watchful. Free Thought is the Begetter of Disorder.
Be Respectful. Uniform Thought is the Way of Life.
The Mercy of our Emperor is Limitless. His Rule is Benign and Righteous. His Love is Perpetual."
Book II
"Our Lord visited his flock and saw that all was not good.
Blasphemy and heresy ruled the land.
The Lord punished the sinners and drowned them in their own blood.
But the people of Amarr lived righteously and in fear of God.
Thus they were saved and became God's chosen."
- The Scriptures, Book II 2:1
"When the ears hear only
The mouth shouting
And the eyes see only
The fingers broken
The world has turned
And God has gone
Left us with fond memories
Of sweet life without pain."
- The Scriptures, Book II, Apocalypse 8:18
"The Lord loosed upon them his fierce anger
All of his fury and rage.
He dispatched against them a band of Avenging Angels"
- The Scriptures, Book II, Apocalypse 10:1
"At the end of days when they descend
Watch for the coming of the Ark
For within it, salvation is carried"
- The Scriptures, Book II, Apocalypse 32:6
"Casting his sight on his realm, the Lord witnessed
The cascade of evil, the torrents of war.
Burning with wrath, He stepped
down from the Heavens
To judge the unworthy,
To redeem the pure."
- The Scriptures, Book II, Revelations 2:12
Book of Reclaiming
"I give to you the destiny of Faith,
And you will bring its message to every planet of every star in the heavens:
Go forth, conquer in my Name, and reclaim that which I have given."
- The Scriptures, Book of Reclaiming 22:13
"There will be neither compassion nor mercy;
Nor peace, nor solace
For those who bear witness to these Signs
And still do not believe."
- The Scriptures, Book of Reclaiming 25:10
"So the Lord sent forth the Chosen,
to bring forth the light of faith
And those who embrace his love
Shall be saved by his grace
For we are his shepherds in the darkness
His Angels of Mercy.
But those who turn away from his light,
And reject his true word
Shall be struck down by his wrath
For we are his retribution incarnate
His Angels of Vengeance"
- The Scriptures, Book of Reclaiming 4:45
And the Lord spake, and said, Lo, my people,
Witness, for I have made the worlds of Heaven;
And these worlds I give to you, My Chosen,
So Amarr shall rule the worlds of the Heavens.
None shall stand higher than you save the Sefrim,
Who serve Me as others shall serve you,
For all things under Me serve one higher;
So Amarr shall rule the worlds of the Heavens.
As Garrulor rules the skies; as Frisceas rules the sea;
As Emperor rules Holder; as Holder rules Serf;
Yet all under Heaven serve Me;
So shall Amarr rule the worlds of the Heavens.
- The Scriptures, Book of Reclaiming 3.19 - 3.21
“Lead all children to the light of God, for Heaven is theirs to inherit.”
- The Scriptures, Book of Reclaiming
Book of Missions
"Which test reveals more of the soul, the test that a man will take to prove his faith, or the test that finds the man who believed his faith already proven? If you know this answer, then you also know which of these challenges bear the greatest penalty for failure. The gates of paradise will open for you one time only; woe to the soul who dares to knock twice." - The Scriptures, Book of Missions 5:14
"To know the true path, but yet, to never follow it. That is possibly the gravest sin"
- The Scriptures, Book of Missions 13:21
"Only through many hardships
Is a man stripped to his very foundations
And in such a state
Devoid of distractions
Is his soul free to soar
And in this
He is closest to God"
- The Scriptures, Book of Missions 42:5
"From on high, they came with wisdom and mercy. They delivered greatness to the people. But when provoked, their wroth was immutable."
- The Scriptures, Book of Missions, 45:3
"Surround yourself with the faithful, Stand together, for there is no strength like it under the heavens."
- The Scriptures, Book of Missions 71:21
Book of Trials
"So instructed the Queen to her champion,
‘Beware the righteous who seek truth in spirit alone;
The weak of mind are quick to judge with slightest tempt;
Thus fools go forth to spread false word,
Great misery follows those who heed what only the weak have heard.
Heed me champion, for only you shall know;
Within the blue ring of fire lies the final key of revelation.
Find this ring, my champion, and both mind and spirit shall be strong once more.’"
- The Scriptures, Book of Trials 2:13 - 2:21
"All things were created by the Divine, and so the glory of our faith is inherent to us all;
When thine heart shines with the Light, thou shalt know no hardship;
When thine actions are in Light's name, thou art immortal.’"
- The Scriptures, Book of Trials 2:1
Gheinok the First
Dano Gheinok is perhaps the most revered Amarr Prophet. It was he who led the first conformists through the EVE Gate and onto the planet of Athra.
"And they stood before Him,
bathed in His light.
Yet their eyes were blind,
Their hearts rebellious,
And their minds refused the Lord.
Darkness descended upon them,
Spreading inside their minds,
And the flames of the Lord died within them.
Yet one flame remained,
And within this flame, the Lord found faith renewed.
Casting the others into obscurity,
The Lord turned to the one"
- The Scriptures, Gheinok the First 1:3
"And the Lord spoke to him from the heavens,
Described to him his holy purpose,
Bestowed upon him the wisdom,
Of Gods holy embrace."
- The Scriptures, Gheinok the First 2:8
"And so it was,
That Gheinok led his people on the great exodus,
To the land of our Salvation,
To the land of God,
To the land of his Chosen,
To Athra."
- The Scriptures, Gheinok the First 1:32
"By His light, and His will"
- The Scriptures, Gheinok the First, 12:32
Prophet Kuria
"For forty millennia we struggled in the desert.
Time of infinity to grief our misgivings.
Time of eternity to stray without God's guidance.
One can repent and pray for forgiveness.
But true meekness is one that has penetrated and laid its roots in the very heart of a man.
The stars above will not weep for us parting.
The air we breathe won't notice our disappearance.
The dirt of the earth will embrace our decadence.
Only in God can we thrive and grow.
Only in God."
- The Scriptures, Prophet Kuria 4:23
"I will not hesitate when the test of Faith finds me, for only the strongest conviction will open the gates of paradise. My Faith in you is absolute; my sword is Yours, My God, and Your will guides me now and for all eternity."
- The Scriptures, Prophet Kuria, Paladin's Creed
"Though dissuaded, I came. Though perilous, I served. Though beset, I persevered. Though denied, I believed."
- The Scriptures, Prophet Kuria 12:18
Saint Junip
"Zakara saw the danger to his brother, and did not hesitate; without weapon or armor, he hurled himself at the beast, attacking with his bare hands. Enraged, the beast turned and struck Zakara, opening a terrible wound in his side. Seizing the moment, Garum ran his sword through the beast's heart, thus ending the battle victorious. But Zakara, mortally wounded, cried out in pain. You sacrificed yourself for me,' Garum said, taking his hand.
"We are brothers,' Zakara answered, just before breathing his last. 'And in God we shall remain brothers for all of time." - The Scriptures, Saint Junip 10:25
"Rejoice, o chosen of God"
For our blood fills this Valley of Death,
Proclaiming our sacrifice to God,
And he shall raise it up for all time"
- The Scriptures, Saint Junip 15:11
"Here we are.
This is the world of God.
We are his chosen ones.
This place, this planet of peace and abundance, he made for us. It's ours for the taking.
There will be obstacles and difficulties. That's his test. We must make his gift deserving.
This beginning.
This birth of life.
This dawn of greatness.
We can not fail, for we have the Emperor to lead us and destiny to follow."
- The Scriptures, Second Letter of St. Junip of Aerui
Prophet Anoyia
"The angelic Apostles of Heaven sing praises for their children!
Our Lord smiles upon the world.
Where the Emperor rules in his name
Leading his people to glory untold.
Hearken the trumpets of Heaven
Hailing the people of Amarr."
- The Scriptures, Prophet Anoyia 17:21
"The word of the Lord is pure,
It is a shield for the faithful,
Brought unto men by the Angels,
As a guiding light in the darkness "
- The Scriptures, Prophet Anoyia 8:15
"Chosen, you are first before God.
You are the True and the Faithful.
But in such a state must you hold yourselves high above all.
And constantly prove yourself worthy of Gods Love.
How can such a gift be repaid,
Other than to toil all our days,
In his glorious service,
According to his will,
Serving him always,
Bearing him first in our thoughts,
Always must we strive to show him our worth,
For we are the Chosen, Blessed above all."
- The Scriptures, Anoyia's Exhortation to the Faithful
Amarr Askura
"For whosoever shall lay his life down for his Lord
He shall be taken into the arms of God
And forever consecrated will he be
But whosoever shall turn from the light
And run in fear
The Lord shall abandon him
And forever forsaken will he be"
- The Scriptures, Amarr Askura 2:3
"Face the enemy as a solid wall
For faith is your armor
And through it, the enemy will find no breach
Wrap your arms around the enemy
For faith is your fire
And with it, burn away his evil"
- The Scriptures, Amarr Askura 10:3
Amash Akura
"To serve, unshakably, is to reach greatness."
- The Scriptures, Amash Akura, 25:16
Epitoth
1 Now it came to pass in the third day of the first month of the tenth year of the rule of emperor Amash-Akura that the midday deliberations were abruptly brought to a halt when the day darkened in the sky.
2 And the sun went black as night and birds fell from the sky and flowers shriveled in the field and people fell sick in the streets and in the houses.
3 And in this moment of terrible distress the skies opened with a loud shriek and angels, bright as the sun was black, descended down to earth and their beauty soothed all the people and the animals alike.
4 And when the angels touched the ground with their feet the earth shook violently and fire engulfed those daring too near the divinities. Their power being mighty and their presence potent the people were wise not to look too closely upon them.
5 The emperor came from his high seat with his retinue to meet with the angels outside the city walls. And lo and behold! The moment the emperor passed below the city gates the sun cleared and shone as brightly as ever before, all in the glory of the emperor and the heavenly angels that called upon him.
6 The angels spoke the language of God and called themselves sefrim: those that guard the high seats of heaven. God ordered them here to protect the emperor against all evils that ever beset him.
7 The sefrim offered unto the emperor a present from God as one brother to another: Ametat the Scepter and Avetat the Crown, showing the great pleasure God had in the earthly work of the emperor.
8 And thus the sefrim came to serve the illustrious Amash-Akura, to stay by his side during the day and guard his sleep during the night. A great house of white stone and marble was built for the sefrim to reside in and were tended by the best servants the empire had to offer.
9 For a hundred years while the sefrim watched over the empire no wars or epidemics or famines ruined the lands and the people were content and joyous.
10 From Istha in the north and Melekel in the south and Edras in the east and from Iphria in the west people came to pray before the holy sefrim and receive a blessing to take home to their families.
11 The sefrim stood tall and beautiful, clad in their white and amber robes, with masks of gold and silver to protect people from being struck dead by their angelic beauty.
12 And all this time the emperor Amash-Akura did not age one day and was as healthy and strong as the day he came of age. The Scepter gave him vigor and the Crown gave him acumen and his rule was wise and fair.
13 Then Molok the Deceiver sundered the lands and the people suffered floods and plagues conjured by him. Molok turned the people against the sefrim and people who once sang their praise now abhorred them.
14 The emperor saw that all was not good and summoned the sefrim and said unto them, The people are in great distress, what remedies dost thou have?
15 And the sefrim answered, My Lord, the land has split against thee, thou must make war upon thine enemies to reclaim what is justly thine.
16 And the emperor asked, Wilt thou aid us in this perilous endeavor?
17 But the sefrim answered, No my Lord, we are here only to guide and to guard, it is forbidden to us to aggress upon any man.
18 Then be gone! The emperor said in anger, for his foes were formidable.
19 And the sefrim, no longer in the emperor’s favor, returned whence they had come that very day. And the moment they left, the sun went black and people cried in anguish, for this was an evil omen.
20 And that night God spake unto emperor Amash-Akura in his sleep, saying, Thy folly is great, Amash-Akura, thou hast rejected those I sent to thee in thine hour of need. Thou must redeem thyself to me by thine own merits.
21 And next day Amash-Akura had aged all his days and his hair was white and his skin wrinkled. But his spirit was high and his will resolute. God had charged him to take back his empire.
22 For five years Amash-Akura battled his enemies, wielding Scepter and Crown, and he did triumph in the end. Molok the Deceiver was brought before him in chains and sacrificed on the altar of God; the very next day, the emperor died in his bedchamber, his task fulfilled.
23 And that night the sky turned red and the people were again happy that God was content with them and the new emperor.
- The Scriptures, Chapter I of the Epitoth
Unidentified verses
"The road to Heaven is paved with tribulation. Those who remain with my flock shall never be vanquished. Their family shall be reunited in Heaven so long as they remain faithful to me."
"Who can tell what winds yet sway the soul of man?"