The Mandate of Torm

[Stormbringer]

*written copy added to the Library by Genivieve Walton*

 
Torm - the Loyal Fury, God of Law
 
[These things define true belief and following of Torm. Learn them well, and find a higher purpose within life.
 


The Code of Torm:
 
-Be the champion of the weak and the defenseless.
-Be stern, unyielding and unswerving in your battles with evil.
-Obey your masters with alert judgment and anticipation.
-Serve the common good and the rule law established by honorable rulers.
-Seek prowess and skill in all endeavors.
-Stand ever alert against corruption.
-Every failure of duty diminishes Torm and every success adds to his luster.
Be ever mindful of the code, and use them in your actions to swiftly enact justice.
 
 
Precepts of the Code:
 
Be the champion of the weak and the defenseless. Your duty is to those who lack the power you wield. Care for the sick and aid the distressed. Be an example to the young. Protect your friends. Be generous in so far as your resources allow. There are two things that will blemish the faithful, and these are riches and pride. If one but remains in strained circumstances, he will not be marred.
 
Be stern, unyielding and unswerving in your battles with evil. Make war upon evil and injustice without cessation. Do not recoil before the enemy, but let your wrath undo the wicked. Seek not only courage, but also wisdom to see that stupidity and courage are cousins. Courage also means taking the side of truth in all matters, rather than seeking the expedient lie.
 
Obey your masters with alert judgment and anticipation. Trust in your master, for his duty to you is given by Torm, serve him as though your own body were already dead, and you will be one man in a thousand. There are many places where compromise is expected; loyalty is not amongst them. If your path is without mortal master, let Torm and his code guide your steps.
 
Serve the common good and the rule law established by honorable rulers. Your fourfold duties are to faith, family, masters, and all good being of Faerun. Strive to maintain law and order. Question unjust laws by suggesting improvement or alternatives, not additional laws.
 
Seek prowess and skill in all endeavors. Throughout your life, advance daily, becoming more skillful than yesterday, more skillful than today so that your strength may be used in the service of the Triad, rather than in personal aggrandizement. This is never ending.
 
Stand ever alert against corruption. Strike quickly and forcefully against the rot in the hearts of mortals. Avoid all excesses and seek to defeat hubris, gullibility and ignorance within yourself. Purpose and discipline clear the mind. Your breath should only bring truth, always be faithful to your word. Bring painful, quick death to traitors
 
Every failure of duty diminishes Torm and every success adds to his luster. Stand firm in your beliefs, for this faith roots you and gives hope against despair. In the midst of a single breath, where only goodness is held, is the way of Torm. But there is no one who can understand this clarity at first. Purity is something that cannot be attained except by piling effort upon effort.
 
Be ever mindful of the code, and use them in your actions to swiftly enact justice. The church of Tyr and Ilmater are the mind and heart of the Triad, bringing judgment and compassion to men. The church of Torm is the mighty hand of the Triad, swiftly enacting their wisdom. Hold to the virtues and duties of the code, realizing that though the ideals cannot be reached, the quality of striving towards them ennobles the spirit. In confronting difficult matters, if at first you leave it alone, fix the code in your heart, exclude self-interest, and make an effort, you will not go far from your mark.
 
 
 
Beliefs: Torm's followers are loyal and obedient. Blind obedience is not encouraged, for serving an evil master obediently is still evil. Salvation is found through service to others, and every success in service adds to Torm's glory. They strive to maintain law and order but not at the expense of doing what is right. The Tormish are to be alert and ready to act against evil and corruption, and to bring swift death to betrayers and those who serve evil. They are to question unjust laws by working within the system. The Tormish owe duty to "faith, family, masters, and all good fellow beings of Faerun."
 
Should a Follower of Torm fail in duty, they may inccur a Debt to atone themselves:
 
Debt of Persecution:
To repay their persecution of other religions, the truly faithful must aid other goodly religions in reestablishing themselves. This includes offering service or protection to followers of Ilmater, Tyr, and Lathander, but also to less like-minded gods such as Tymora and Eldath
 
Debt of Dereliction: To atone for their abdication of duty to guard against strife, the Tormish must expend all possible effort to eliminate any surviving cultists of all evil deities.
 
Debt of Destruction: Followers of Torm are obliged to relieve the destruction to the magic weave. All "dead magic" and "wild magic" areas are to be reported and (if possible) repaired.
 
 
 
Day-to-Day Activities: The Tormish provide training for paladins, guardians, and orders of knights. They watch for signs of trouble and have no compunction about sticking in their noses in things that might seem to not be their business. They don't perceive themselves as a military force but rather a protecting force and a pre-emptive force. They have become more tolerant in recent years to non-clergy serving as important members of the religion. Wizards, warriors, and even the occasional "gold-hearted rogue" can all share in the duty of Torm. The Tormish normally disdain material wealth and tithe heavily, giving as much as 60% of their wealth to the church. On the other hand, they rarely go without the finest equipment money can buy. A Tormish cleric, paladin or affiliate will be offered better armor and weapons as he or she advances in rank. And affiliates are under no compulsion to tithe anything, as they are already giving by serving the church.
 
Some Tormish churches use a "favors" system, whereby the temple can acquire goods and services from nearby communities in exchange for "IOUs" from the temple; these can be redeemed for temple services such as healing or magical supplies. In this way, Tormish churches become integrated with the communities they serve
 
 
Holy Days: There are two great holidays during the year for the Tormish:
 
Divine Death (Eleasias 13th) -- solemn ceremony of rememberance for the fallen who died for just causes, particularly for Torm's death during his battle with Bane during the Time of Troubles.
 
True Resurrection (Marpenoth 15th) -- joyous feast where laws are set aside for this one day and night. Many use this one chance each year to revel in sensual pleasures or to speak freely to their superiors without fear of retribution. Marks Torm's resurrection.
 
*OOC: taken from various websites and wikis*