Tome of Virtue
by Ca'arn Olandi

Greetings to thee, seeker of Virtue. These writings are intended to aid thee in thy quest for enlightenment in the ways of Virtue. Know that there is no one way to such enlightenment. The path of each individual is different, however, our ultimate goal is the same: to become an Avatar of Virtue.

To be an Avatar is to be the embodiment of the Eight Virtues. It is to live thy life constantly and forever in the Quest to better thyself and the world in which we live. It is known that all who partake this Quest must prove themselves to be the embodiment of the Virtues, and only through completion of this Quest, will thou truly understand Virtue.

History of the Virtues

Many years ago, our liege Lord British presented to his people a Tome entitled "Virtue". In the book, he raised the question, "What is it within the people of our land that sorts out the good from the evil, the cherished from the disdained?"   His answer was Virtue. For without Virtues as a code of conduct, he felt the very fabric of our society would be weakened. For his people to prosper, each must grant the other a common base of consideration. He didst call this base the Virtues. For though an individual may gain personal advantage by breaching this code, he felt the society would suffer as a whole.

I urge thee to ponder on the world in which you struggle to survive. Is this a world which values the Virtue in which Lord British spoke? Nay, I would say. While the arrival of the Avatars many years ago brought peace to this land, the people have forgotten the meaning of Virtue. Lord British was right when he didst speak of the suffering of our society. Look at how many people have sought personal gain, whether it be a grand title, unsurpassed wealth, or the vanity of their many deeds.

Where have the Avatars gone? Is there any who remain that seek to live a life in which they constantly seek betterment of themselves and our society? I can only hope, my friend, that thou take heed to these words and dost understand the great peril our society faces. I beg thee to read on, and to seek enlightenment in the way of Virtue, for our society dost be in dire need.

The Three Principles of Goodness

There are three Principles of Goodness that guide people to enlightenment. These are Truth, Love and Courage. There are an infinite number of reasons or emotions that call one to act in a particular manner. Be it greed or charity, envy or pity, the three Principles of Goodness call to our attention. In fact, the three Principles can be combined in eight ways to form that which we seek, the Eight Virtues to which we should build our society upon.

The Three Principles of Corruption

As there is no light without darkness, there can be no good without evil. Just as we have the three Principles of Goodness, there exist three Principles of Corruption. These are Falsehood, Hatred and Cowardice. These principles of Corruption can be combined to form the Eight Vices of which the seven dungeons of Britannia are named (Pride is the exception).

The Eight Virtues

1. Compassion is comprised of Love alone. At one point in time, all of us will need the compassion of others, and compassion is usually shown to those who have shown it.
2. Honesty is comprised of Truth alone. Without honesty between people, there can be no trust which is so desperately needed to sustain a society.
3. Honor is comprised of Courage and Truth. The knights of Britannia exhibit this in their chivalric code of conduct.
4. Justice is comprised of Truth, tempered with Love. Only in loving search for the truth can one dispense fair justice, rather than create a cold and callous people.
5. Sacrifice is comprised of Love and Courage. People who love each other will be willing to make personal sacrifices to help those in need.
6. Spirituality is comprised of Truth, Love and Courage. Spirituality calls us to be introspective, to ponder ones place in this world and whether one's deeds will be recorded as a gift to the world, or a plague.
7. Valor is comprised of Courage alone. Without valor, people will never reach into the unknown or embrace their fear.
8. The eighth Virtue is more complicated. For the final combination, which would be devoid of Truth, Love or Courage would be Pride, which is not a Virtue at all. Perhaps this trick of fate is a test to see if one can realize that the true virtue is that of Humility.

Quest of the Avatar

The Quest of the Avatar is to know and become the embodiment of the Eight Virtues. This quest is not an easy one, and should not be undertaken lightly or for the faint of heart. Choose thy path wisely, for all thy deeds of good and evil are remembered and can return to hinder thee. There are two steps in thy quest for Avatarhood. The first is enlightenment and the second is elevation.

Enlightenment is the learning process in which thou seekest to comprehend the true nature of each of the eight Virtues and to become proficient in each virtue in thy life. Enlightenment is not something that can be bought nor cheated, it is shown by thy actions from day to day. Consult the Monks of the Cathedral of Virtue to help in thy journey to enlightenment. Once enlightenment is attained, thou shalt be ready for Elevation to Avatarhood.

Elevation is the process in which one who is enlightened in the Virtues makes a pilgrimage with a Monk to each of the Shrines of Virtue. Within the sanctity of the shrine, thou shalt chant the Mantra three times, which focuses thy meditation and opens thy mind to that which the Shrine has to offer. Once thou have been elevated in all eight of the virtues, Avatarhood shall be attained.

Life as an Avatar

The life of an Avatar tis not an easy one. Evil and Chaos plague this land and offer the easy way out in many situations. Beware the seven Vices that result from the three Principles of Corruption, for they shall seek to bring thee down. Fret not at thy shortcomings or failures. We are mere mortals, and all will stumble along the path of Virtue. Continued meditation and learning will give thee strength in such times.

Merely living a life of Virtue is not the complete embodiment to which we are called. To become complete, thou must not only master all eight Virtues, but seek to show Virtue to those who are blinded by Corruption. For it is only through the conversion of our people, that our society will finally achieve peace and unity. Forget not the shrines nor the Wiltshire Abbey, as they are your support and source of learning during this never-ending quest.

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