Pact of Abjuration

The Pact of Abjuration is the text of an ancient oath that marked the founding of the County of Sunderspray. Although the Pact has been largely forgotten as a formal legal instrument, it is still in force, and it serves as the foundation of many of the customs and traditions of the Sundersprites.

History

The Pennà people, formerly of the Isle of Benacia, had adopted a seagoing and fairly piratical mode of existence going into the mid-2500s ASC. Based in the Khaz Modan Isles, they took advantage of the lawlessness of the times to raid Brookshire's southern coasts. However, they drew the attention of the resurgent imperial government under Kaiseress Carol I, and in 2576 ASC, most of their fleet was trapped and destroyed at the disastrous Battle of Brookshire Hamlet.

Although nearly all of the remainder of the Flotilla consisted of noncombatants and of those who had refused to participate in the ill-fated raid, they proceeded to flee their island bases in their ships, hounded by the Imperial Navy. Hemmed in off the mainland coast near the Elwynn delta, the Pennà surrendered themselves to the commanding officer of the pursuing fleet. In exchange for their lives and freedom of movement, they verbally swore an oath to resubmit to the rule of Shireroth, to forswear piracy, and to refrain from residing on land. The oath was subsequently written down and signed by the representatives of both parties as the Pact of Abjuration.

It is assumed that the Shirerithian authorities have more or less forgotten about the Pact other than as a historical curiosity, but it remains an important part of the life of the Sundersprites and is taken quite seriously. At coming-of-age ceremonies, a youth is generally expected to recite the oath as part of the proceedings.

Official Text

In the name of B'caw, whose fire burns within!

In the name of the holy Gods, who look upon us from the Celestial Temple!

In the name of our ancestors, who brought us to this place!

Here are recounted the words of our Oath, even as they were spoken by the assembled Officers of the ships of the Flotilla; here are recounted the terms of our freedom, and the mercy of the dread Kaiser.

We, who are called the Pennà, which in the days of the beginning meant the People of the Sea;

We, who are called the Great Flotilla, for the many ships that have been our homes;

We, who are called Benacians by outsiders, children of our Isle that is lost:

We here repent of our predation and our piracy upon the other people of Shireroth, subjects of the Kaiser and deserving recipients of his protection. Truly great is his mercy, as shown by his servants in the Imperial Navy that have seen our deprivation and here witness this Oath; and we swear and reaffirm our loyalty to him, as was given in happier days, and never more to pursue dastardly crimes or violence against him or his people. And to mark our obedience to him and his empire, and to identify ships of the People as places of peace and friendship with others who are his subjects, we shall fly over each of them a banner bearing the mark of the ship Silver Tear, whose captain is chief among us here; in return for which the People, their sincerity seen, shall have the freedom to enter all ports of Shireroth as do other vessels of Shireroth.

Considering also the ill-will between ourselves and those upon the land, which shall take many seasons to mend, and the scarcity that drives men to strive against one another, and the bonds of fear, uncertainty, and vulnerability that would be placed upon us by settling ourselves upon the land; and considering also the love which we have of our ships and the waves they sail upon, we hereby ABJURE all land that rises above the water. Cursed have our feet been since the day they stepped off the shore of our lost Isle, and cursed they shall remain until we return, as was promised; and none of the People shall therefore bring down the curse by setting foot on dry land with the intent to dwell there permanently. Our villages shall be our ships, and the Ocean Sea our wide-bordered land, and all of the People shall live there; for if any dwell in a single place upon land for more than one cycle of the moon, we all of us are bound to put them to death, unless they be given dispensation. Thus shall we preserve peace between ourselves, and the land-dwellers, and the Kaiser; and may the Gods judge us and strike us down if we betray our word.

This Oath we swear.

Hear also that this shall be the way of things among the People: that they shall have governance under the Kaiser through a Count, in like manner to those others of his subjects, who are ruled by Counts and nobles above them in his name. Though the ships of the Flotilla and their People shall sail as the wind takes them, the Count shall settle disputes among them which they cannot settle, and guide them in matters for which they have no guidance, and convey the wishes of the higher powers and of Shireroth to them. At the beginning of and middle of each year, by the calendar of the People, let those ships that may come to Assembly of the Flotilla gather here at the mouths of the Elwynn, even as we do now, to exchange news and sit in council with the Count, and there his judgements and pronouncements shall be made on all issues.

Furthermore, when the cycle of the years in the calendar of the People returns to its first year, then there shall be a Grand Assembly, which all the Flotilla must attend save those in peril of their lives. At these shall the great exploits of the ships be recounted to all, and the characters of their officers judged, and the ship judged most worthy of leadership by acclamation of the People shall be counted first in the Flotilla, and its captain shall become Count till the cycle of years comes round again. Thus shall the People be equal to other peoples of Shireroth in their governance, and the Kaiser appeased.

This Oath we swear.

In the name of B'caw, and the many Gods, and the ancestors, we the People of the Sea swear all this Oath, to the Kaiser and the Imperial Republic of Shireroth. Its terms shall last till the day that our Isle calls us home; and Death take us all, and our souls be dragged screaming to Balgurd, if ever we break it between here and there.

(Witnessed and signed by Commodore Gael Sentidar of the Imperial Navy of Shireroth and Captain Lirdu Sightland of the ship Silver Tear, chosen representative of the Pennà Remnant)