[IC] Handbook of the Holy Champion

Another work by the mysterious 'Helen of Elwynn' has been published; considering the lack of success of earlier works it is a miracle this one has gotten through. Only a few copies have been printed.

Handbook of the Holy Champion
by Helen of Elwynn

Light bless you, dear reader, because picking up this book is a sign that you are already taking your first step to devoting your life to the Holy Light. You can sense the inner calling, to fight for what is Good in our world; and you seek to give shape to that calling.

First Question : What does the Holy Champion fight for?

What does a Holy Champion fight for? When confronted with the questions, many answer that a warrior of the Light fights against injustice and evil. Be not misled. Why would the Holy Light that loves us and shares with us so generously define its champions in negative terms of fighting against something? The Holy Light is a force of creation, a force that shapes our world. It is not a petty force merely trying to hold its own against the Darkness.

Holy Champion fights for life; he fights so that simple people can live in a world free of violence, injustice, darkness and pain. Those who define themselves in negative terms must eventually draw their strength and resolve from the hatred towards that which they fight, and this hatred leads them away from the Light. It poisons his mind to a myriad of other options other than violent confrontation. A holy champion who fights for something can draw strength from the ideal world he believes in and works towards realizing. His mind is open to possibilities.

Those who fight against evil will one day lose themselves in the battle, forgetting what they truly believe in. In their narrowed focus they will end up hurting those they first sought to protect. Such a fate befell the Scarlet Crusade who turned from the last defenders of Lordaeron to one of evils that afflict the land. This can also be the Chapter’s fate, unless they remember what they fight for.

A warrior who fights against something, cannot pass a chance to fight. He forgets that violence is a tool of last resort. Slowly, the violence is becoming a goal in itself. In battle, he will seek the justification and final affirmation of his believes; success hallows his cause. He will strive to achieve success in battle at any cost, even if he has to sacrifice a thousand innocents. Violence must be a tool of last resort for the Holy Champion; he seeks to build a better world without violence and war, and every time he draws his sword he only strengthens the violence and confirms its validity for all to see. Indeed, if the most pious and idealistic may draw their sword and lash out, why should the rest hold back? The Holy Champion realizes this responsibility and knows that he must only act in a way the Light wants everybody to act. A Holy Champion only resorts to violence when all other options have been exhausted, and even then he regrets it because he knows the true consequences of his decision and lives with the guilt of strengthening the darkness’ grip on this world.

Second Question : What does the Holy Champion believe in?

What does the Holy Champion believe in? Many will seek to answer this question by opening their holy books and stating long maxims. Teachings written by simple men and women certainly guide the Holy Champion, but he does not believe in them - he believes in the Light; words on dry paper are merely the means to express his faith. In time, the holy champion will strengthen his connection to the Holy Light and will be able to follow the Light directly, and have no need of guidelines written by a mortal hand.

The Holy Champion lives and fights for the Light, not for words. Those who zealously enforce their creed on others waste the time that could be spent following their ideals and distance themselves from the Light. He must be fanatical in his convictions, but gentle in sharing them with others. Nothing in the whole world must be capable of persuading him to abandon what he believes is right, but he must never try to force his book upon others.

Words of priests and prophets are guidelines that help the Champion reach the Light, once he reaches the Light he must let go of the words and embrace the simple truth that the Light imparts upon him through his heart. As long as he remains pure, he will be able to follow the Light with no aid; but in doubt he can always fall back to his teachings.

Never let go of your ideals. A Holy Champion does not compromise when it comes to good. He fights for the Light, even if the odds seem impossible and even if the world asks for a compromise. That is what sets him apart from a simple soldier. This he can do because he follows the Light with his heart and soul, he finds joy in union with the divine and in doing his duty to build the ideal world. His self-image and his happiness do not depend on success or failure or the opinion of other. For a true Champion of the Holy Light doing the right thing at all times is the only thing that matters, only confirmation he ever needs. It is better to do the right thing and lose, than to win by unjust means.

Third Question : How far would a Holy Champion go?

Only few of us sin wittingly. Many do not realize the consequences of their trespasses. Mercy is what sets a Holy Champion apart from a butcher. He fights for the ideal world of the Light, in which there is place for everybody who gives the Light a chance to nestle in their hearts. Although the warrior of the Light believes in the Law, there is also place for mercy. Yet he is not a philosopher or a scholar who doubts, he knows in the very core of his being what is right and what is wrong. He does not wander and help others justify or feel better about their wrongs, no, the holy champion forgives their wrongs and sets a clear and unambiguous limit. He does not say “I see your point” and “May be you are not entirely wrong.” The Holy Champion is clear with his views and uncompromising in his consequences. He says ‘Using Fel Magic is wrong; it corrupts your souls and destroys our world. Abandon it at once. If I ever discover you using it again, there won’t be a third chance and I will take it upon myself to hunt you to the end.’

The Holy Champion is uncompromising and unambiguous with his believes, he is clear with the limits he sets and the consequences for breaking them. At last, the he is unwavering in keeping his promise and obeying the law. Ultimately, his loyalty is to the Light, and he will ignore bonds of friendship or family to be fair, just and even in all his dealings. He will always hunt down a warlock who ignored the earlier warnings, even if that warlock is his best friend or lover. The consequences are the same for all under similar circumstances, there is no room for personal affections.

The Holy Champion must not waver when his offer of the second chance is denied. He will one day encounter a warlock unwilling to give up his practice; he must be ready to act according to his ideals. Every time he lets one slide, he shows to himself and to the world that his limits are shifting, that his consequences are empty boasts and that faith can be adjusted and molded to fit the circumstances. The difference between a mad zealot and the champion is that the zealot takes sick pleasure in slaying and confirms his faith by success while the holy champion smiles when offer of redemption is accepted and weeps if he is forced to kill. The champion fights for a better world, the zealot fights against that which makes this world not ideal. The difference is small in theory but huge in practice.

Yet in this devotion to the unalterable ideals the Holy Champion remembers what he fights for. He won’t punish people for simply being different or believing according to another book. He knows in his heart what truly matters and won’t ever shed blood over an argument of words; in fact he knows that it is as evil to use swords to silence words as it is to call upon Fel.

Fourth Question : How does the Holy Champion fight?

The Holy Champion believes in the possibility of a better world and fights to make it true. To say that an ideal world is like our own, simply without demons, is very narrow and untrue. Even the smallest elements deserve attention, and the Holy Champion must behave in every moment like he already is a citizen of the heavenly kingdom. After all, he realizes that the only person he can truly change is himself; others cannot be changed, but they can be inspired to change. He must serve as an exemplar of the virtues he represents; fully and clearly. One who sees the warrior of the light must see the ideals he believes in. His deeds, not his words are what matters. Every time he does the right thing, he strengthens its value and shows to all who care to see that it is the way the world should be.

The Holy Champion must be calm and level-headed, never allowing emotions to sway him in either direction. He must not allow hatred and rage to turn him into a fanatic, but neither must he allow personal affection to sway him from the duty to enforce the consequences. He must be kind and understanding, tolerant to other people and their weaknesses and shortcomings. How can he take offense at harsh words when Light is his armor? Nothing can wound him, least of all insults. He believes in the Light and himself at all times and resolves to do what is right, even if others throw abuse at him. The holy champion will do what is right and remain friendly and polite, not because he forces himself while swallowing rage, but because he feels no rage – words simply cannot touch him deep enough to elicit that dark emotion. Because being friendly and polite to all is the way the world is supposed to be, because a good man cannot do it in any other way.

Warrior of the Light is a true friend, offering people close to him pure and true companionship. He will support them in time of need, share in their moments of joy and sadness, but he does not feel the fear of losing their company and will not stand idle if they cross the line and sin; he will not feel betrayed either, but he will allow his friendship to motivate him to speak truthfully and make them turn around. Should they not, he must not hesitate to do what is required. He believes so strongly in doing the best for them, that he won’t allow them to go astray just to save the relationship.

At all times, the champion must behave like he already lives in the ideal world. He must show great respect and tolerance, kindness and understand, support and friendship. He must never ignore other people and the meaningful bonds he can develop with them – after all he fights to protect them; a warrior who does not know those he fights for is like a tree without roots. Meaningful relationships, as long as they are pure and honest, only strengthen the Champion’s resolve and power to do good.

The true fight the Champion is fighting is to find union with the Light and inspire others to follow suit. True challenge of that fight is to do the right thing, always, in every situation and no matter how hard it can be. A zealot who sacrifices an innocent to get to a warlock wins an immaterial battle of little consequence, but loses the battle that matters by showing to the whole world that evil means can be justified and that ideals may be abandoned. Through him, the Light loses in its radiance in this world.

Fifth Question : How does the Holy Champion seek the Light?

What does it mean to have faith in the Light? It must begin with a quest of discovery, to seek out the Light within; to cultivate and nourish it. It is not about power or reward, those who set out in hope to gain something tangible will always have a flawed faith. Look to the Sin’dorei who turned away from the Light because it did not protect them against the Scourge. Those who set out on this journey with expectations will be disappointed. True faith cannot be built such foundations. One must set out on this journey out of love for the Holy Light and a wish to better oneself and the world through it, and those who do so and have no other expectations will not be disappointed.

We must always rely on mortal teachings and words of others who have already touched the Light to guide us at first. But even then the holy champion must learn to see through the teachings and into the Light. Even though some teachings must be taken literary, they may never replace the Light. A holy champion must stop and fall back the very moment he discovers that he does something for, or because of the teachings, instead of the Light. Good teachings will guide the Champion to be at peace, to harbor compassion, mercy, respect and benevolence towards all life, to love the Light and make its ideals his own through actions and meditations alike. They will also shape in him those faculties that will still remain with him when he lets go of the teachings: discipline, patience and faith.

After decades of devotion to the teachings, without an undue attachment to them, the Champion will finally cultivate his inner light and come closer to true union with the Divine. Hard years of practice and consistent behavior in line with the ideals of the Holy Light have purged him of negative emotions and have bestowed upon him spontaneous, effortless goodness which he can share with others. He no longer has any need for words, he has a much simpler truth within, and he must let go and allow himself to be carried by it. Should this inner light ever falter, he must not fear to fall back to the teachings: once they acted as a staircase, now they can act as a net.

To have Faith in the Light is to find wordless joy in union with the Divine, to look with open eyes upon pure and simple beauty and smile. Follower of the Light is never alone, for the Light is his companion and ally; the Champion never lacks a trusted friend to confide in and share his troubles, the Light will always listen and always guide him. The Champion knows that he cannot ever be defeated as long as he follows the ideals of the Light, because simply following the Light is the truest and only victory; everything else is secondary. He won’t ever find himself in a dilemma where he has to choose between letting evil escape or sacrificing innocents, simply because he knows in his heart that even beginning to think in terms of this gruesome calculus is a transgression. The Holy Champion sees to the heart of the world – the Holy Light and knows that simply overcoming the darkness and longing for the Light and transforming himself in accordance with Light’s will is the only victory a mortal man may achieve; everything else is transitory.

As long as he walks in the Light, the champion has nothing to fear. In life, he can do good; in death, he will rejoin with the Light. He does not dwell on failure, does not boast success. The Light is his armor, and his setbacks do not harm him – he acts with detachment and lets them pass around him while he observes them in complete serenity and learns from them. He does not need proof for his faith, defeats do not make him doubt, success do not make him overconfident, logical arguments are mere immaterial curiosity – the Light is its own proof, and the only proof he ever needs.

Above all he feels trust. He can trust in the Light with everything, he can share his doubts and feelings and follow Light’s guidance without question because he knows it will never lead him to anything but the purest good. To those who never tasted of the Light, the only thing of any resemblance is the love and trust of a young child towards his mother; simple, wordless, absolute and perhaps even naïve. But beautiful, glorious, pure.

Epilogue

The Light gives me strength,
The Light is my strength,
The Light is the strength.

I have no power, save over myself,
I cannot change anything except for myself,
To follow the Light despite the pressure of Darkness is the only victory I will ever achieve.
It is the only victory that matters.
All else is transitory.

I control only my own actions,
I shall let the Light guide my deeds,
My every move will be in resonance with the will of the Light,
My every deed will speak of the Light.
May those who see me, see the Light in me.

I shall always do the right thing,
I shall conquer my pain and my doubt,
I shall forget any concern for utilitarian gain,
To conquer darkness within is the only victory I will ever achieve.
All else is an illusion of triumph.

*obtains a copy of the original draft, makes several copies, then sends a few crates to Northshire Abbey.*
Maybe that'll sort them out...

Ontopic, loving this so much

Greagoir sits in his study in Northshire Abbey as he receives a copy of the Handbook of the Holy Champion. He reads it thoroughly, several times, in silence, his expression switching between mild approval and a blank poker face. After finishing, he looks over his shoulder at the dark-skinned Tanarisi lector that brought him the text.

"What credible and righteous points this piece makes have been made countless times before over the years, since the conception of the Silver Hand order.

This brings nothing new to the table save diluting what is a pious teaching with heresy disguised as the Holy. The worst kind of heresy. Take this to the Ecclesiastical Court so they may make an official edict. I shall send out a group of Shadowbreakers to retrieve every copy of this text to hand, so that no innocent and sincere hearts will be lead astray by the subtle heresy woven between the words of wisdom."

Greagoir passes the handbook back to the lector, whom scuttles off to another area of the Abbey. Greagoir remains in his study, gazing up at the stained glass mural of a Shadowbreaker locked in combat with a demon, daydreaming.

Carefully packages the book and sends it to the Chapter with the Note "Thought this may have been of interest..."

Ishap wrote:Carefully packages the book and sends it to the Chapter with the Note "Thought this may have been of interest..."

(( there's some anti-DoL stuff in there too in case you didn't notice ))

A copy of the Holy Champion arrives in Shattrath, together with a handful of newspaper and other publishings Thelos usually has imported from Stormwind. A little note tacked on top of it simply reads "For your consideration"

---

After having read the short book twice, Thelos dips his ancient quill in the inkpot and starts writing a letter in rich, flowing, practised Draenic.

Dear Exaythe...

((and yes, it has some anti-DOL passages. But I suppose Disciples are so gleeful to see anti-Chapter rhetoric that they have missed them!))

(( Damn power hungry cultists, critizing the lightly ))

((Refreshing to see writing against both of us equally))