Imperial Decree 974

(preamble)

Liv Dravot, Steward of the Imperial Republic of Shireroth, gives praise to the gods of the many Shirerithian Peoples in the name of:

AYREON IV, by the Kharenah of Zurvan, Qaisar Sathratiye, who, by this Imperial Decree, gives unto his subjects and retainers, greetings, and unto the gods of Shireroth, undying and unthinking obsequience.

Know that We, Mibaradardam be Khorshid va Mah Minamaz dadanam Zurvan, have in the first place dedicated to Zurvan this Decree which by his Kharenah is confirmed for Us and our heirs forever.

IMPERIAL DECREE 974: Minding Our Language

Whereas three corrupted and unusable versions of Præta Sxiröþes exist that remain unfitted to official business and unutterable in our hearing:

1. We appoint the Prefect of Shirekeep, the Imperial Inquisitor and the Imperial Bag-Carrier to chairs in the Præta Reform Working Group, to be housed in the dungeons beneath the Triple Towers of Raynor's Keep. Their endeavour shall be to recreate the one true Præta as was undoubtedly spoken by our venerable ancestors.
   1. The members of the working group shall receive a daily allowance of bread, beef, and wine until their task is accomplished.
2. Præta Sxiröþes is, and remains, the official and sacred language of Our Imperial Republic.
3. Our administrative language, the language of the daily business of our government and of commerce shall remain the Istvanistani demotic, as it has always been since time immemorial.
4. Any person who continues to refer to Istvanistani as "Shirerithian English" or "the Common Tongue", shall be flayed, crucified and hung from the Gates of the Guttuli as a warning to others.
   1. All previous references to Shirerithian English, the Common Tongue, or any variation thereof are heretical, anachronistic and erroneous. All instances shall be corrected or obliterated as circumstances require.
5. The use of Yardistani and Rantsilastani shall be punishable by summary execution without right of appeal. (Revoked 20.XIII.1652)
6. Minority and regional languages shall be tolerated with an appropriate decree of condescension.

IN WITNESS OF THE SUBLIME MAGNIFICENCE OF OUR LORD THE RADIANT SUN WHEREOF
We have caused the Seal of Our Imperial Ministry to be affixed to this Decree which We have signed with Our Hand
Given at the Keep this 19th Day of Muulantooqu in the year after the death of Norton one thousand six hundred and fifty two.

DRAVOT

Rescript

The prohibition of Yardistani and Rantsilastani is revoked. Their usage remains, however, strongly discouraged.