Things Herma-Mora saw #2: Precepts of Thrond

In endless seas of writhing limbs/ Of claws that gnash in ways so grim/ Amidst the fearsome beaks of hate/ The all-seeing Eye observes a fate

In the great long-ago time, our ancestors' ancestors first set foot upon this island. Following the lead of the legendary Harbinger, they took up arms against the craven and cowardly Elves who lorded over Solstheim. They cut through the ranks of the pointy-eared devils, and buried their Snow Prince. Our people were strong then, and proud, and properly respected the power the All-Maker bestowed upon us. When the cowardly Traitor worked his dark magics and attempted to dominate this land, we rallied behind the first Shaman of the Skaal.

When our forefathers put the Traitor and his misguided followers to the sword and burned their vile temples, we were at last free to practice the ways of true Nords, in the ancient fashion. Our Shamans and Chieftains taught us to honor the land and the All-Maker. Our First Hunters taught us the proper ways to honor the All-Maker's beasts, fish and fowl. Our Smiths and Carpenters taught us how to take only what we need from Solstheim. All was good for a time, or so we thought. There would come a time when the True Skaal felt the need to strike out on our own when it became clear that the teachings and restrictions of the Shamans were false.

The prophet Thrond first taught us the truth about the Adversary. The old Skaal teach that the All-Maker created all things, and takes all things. They also promote the foolish and misguided belief that there is another presence to opposes the All-Maker and thwarts his plans. Thrond alone had the courage to question this ridiculous logic. "How could the All-Maker's mind be divided?" he demanded of his teacher. "If the All-Maker makes all things and retakes them in the end, is not this so-called Adversary the selfsame All-Maker?"

He was expelled from the village. Stones and slanders were thrown at him. We were ordered to forget him and strike him from our stories and records, but not all of us complied. We followed Thrond into the wilderness and founded our own tradition. We ceased to follow the foolish and soft beliefs of the old Skaal. We embraced the All-Maker in all his glorious aspects and were reborn as Skaalara, or True Skaal.

Like our most ancient and exalted ancestors, we began to live in caves. We killed for pleasure as well as need - for what hunter does not derive pleasure from the kill? In time, our path became clear. There came three witch women from far to the West, across the Sea of Ghosts. These witch women taught us a name most holy - Hircine, the Father of Manbeasts. They erected an altar to his holy name in honor of the prophet Thrond, and taught us how we could change ourselves to become purer and stronger than even the mighty Harbinger.

The Coven imparted a list of most holy precepts upon us, to which we adhere strictly. To violate the precepts is to be exiled, or to be sacrificed in appeasement to the Hunter. If you are ready to begin your life as one of the truest, purest members of the Nordic race, seek us out at the Alter of Thrond, and keep these oaths in your heart of hearts.

Precept One - We of the Skaalara honor the spirit of the Dragon, who represents power and authority. Children, obey your parents and chieftains. Do not rebel against the authority of our priests, for they represent Hircine.

Precept Two - We of the Skaalara honor the spirit of the Sun, which represents the power of holy magic. We shall honor the sacred gifts of the hags and the Hunter. We shall not reject this knowledge. We shall continue to impart these gifts on through the generations until the time of Cleansing.

Precept Three - We of the Skaalara honor the spirit of the Wind, which represents birth and change. The Wind first breathed life into the Nords long ago, and the Wind has often been used as a weapon by our ancestors. We Skaalara remain as saplings in the Wind - willing to bend but not break. In this way we are superior to all other Nords.

Precept Four - We of the Skaalara honor the spirit of the Tree, which represents our permanence and our proud bloodlines. While we remain flexible of spirit and body, we must never forget our brave ancestors or renounce our lineage. We pay homage to the Harbinger, the Hoar Father, and especially to mighty Thrond, who led us to True Knowing.

Precept Five - We of the Skaalara honor the spirit of the Water, which represents the power of memory and the immortal soul. All life springs from the water, and all life returns. We shall never renounce life or memory, and like water we shall adapt to fit any container but shall remain essentially ourselves.

Precept Six - We of the Skaalara honor the spirit of the Earth, which represents both creation and destruction. The Hunter has allowed us the wisdom to live in the earth, and to spring forth from it like the first Nords at the Throat of the World. It is from the earth that we attack, and to the earth that we retreat when wounded or outnumbered.

Precept Seven - We of the Skaalara honor above all things the spirit of the Beast, which represents Hircine. Unlike our soft and pitiable cousins the Skaal, we have embraced the full nature of the Beast. We call upon its power at will. We rend the flesh from prey and enemy in both this world and the next, which the Hunter has prepared for us.

To honor these precepts and to take these lessons into one's heart is what it means to be Skaalara. If you are reading this, you are already well on your way. Most think us destroyed, or forgotten. A relic of the past. The Skaal and the equally misguided Thirsk continue in their pale mockeries of our ancestors. The heathen Elves have moved back onto this island, and these so-called Nords complacently allow it. We will let them all sleep at night, secure in their misguided knowledge that the howl they hear in the night can't get to them. We will continue to live deep in the earth and wait. Someday, the Blood Moon shall rise again, and there will be a reckoning. There will be a cleansing. People shall remember the name of Skaalara. This I swear on the name of my mightiest ancestors.