NEW COC:
The Code of Conduct for members of the Holy Church of Achaea
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The Holy Church of Achaea is an organization dedicated in all things to the service of the Light and of Creation. It is also guided by the principles of honour, valour, and justice. As such, the actions of all Church members are bound by their service to this higher calling, and so this document was written to hold the Codes of the Holy Church. All Churchmen are expected to abide by each and every Code in all aspects of their lives.

Any Church member found to be violating any of these Codes will be investigated by the Prelacy or the deputies thereof. Punishments for violating these Codes include but are not limited to disfavours, probation, expulsion from the Church or its Houses, and excommunication, at the discretion of the investigating authority.

Where the wording of the law leaves room for interpretation (which has been avoided as often as practical), the Prelacy is the final authority on the matter. If the Prelates, having reviewed a situation and determined that the actions of a Churchman have been in breach of one or more of the Codes, the matter is considered closed unless the individual in question follows the proper channels for appeal (as set down in CHHELP JUSTICE).

The Codes:

1) Thou shalt be active in thy support of the Light.

The Light is not a cause which is served by sitting back and allowing the acolytes of shadow to have their way with Creation. To this end, no Churchman shall ever be less than vigorous and active in his service to the Light.

2) Thou shalt obey the Codices in all respects.

The two Codices of the Church - the newer Codex of Light and the older Holy Codex - were given to the Church by the Divine of Good so as to guide us in our service to the Light. To this end, no Churchman shall ever find himself in breach of either Codex.

3) Thou shalt protect the innocent.

The goal of the Churchman as a servant of the Light is to promote the growth of Creation. He thus a responsibility to protect the innocent, who are themselves both agents and fruit of that growth. To this end, no Churchman shall ever make the innocent the subject of his hunt, nor shall he knowingly allow others to do so if the means to prevent it is within his power. Only when it is necessary to protect Creation as a whole shall the innocent ever be harmed.

5) Thou shalt not empower thy enemies.

The enemies of the Light are Chaos, Evil, Darkness, Sin, Vengeance, necromancers, occultists, and those who otherwise harm Creation or the innocents thereof. Each does harm to or otherwise suppresses the proper growth of Creation, and thus the Churchman opposes them. If it is possible to bring them to the path of the Light, it shall be done, but this shall never be done in a way which empowers or aids them. To this end, no Churchman shall ever grant blessings, runes, or any other mode of assistance to an enemy of the Light, nor shall he do business or hunt with him.

4) Thou shalt grant thy allies due honour.

The path of the Light is the purest and most true in service to Creation. That said, there are those who do not follow the Light who, nonetheless, do some service to Creation. As long as these continue to do so, they shall be given respect according to their worth to Creation. To this end, no Churchman shall ever treat those who are his allies as he would those who are his enemies.

6) Thou shalt not steal.

Theft is a highly dishonourable tactic which sullies the name of the servants of the Light. It is beneath the dignity and honour of all Churchmen. To this end, no Churchman shall ever steal from another unless it is to recover stolen goods or to prevent grievous harm to Creation. The Prelacy shall review any such cases.

7) Thou shalt honour thy oaths.

A Churchman's word is his bond. He upholds his oath to the Light and to the Church foremost, but he may well be bound by other oaths as well. To this end, no Churchman shall ever break a stated oath unless not doing so would cause harm to Creation, nor shall he enter ento an oath which would obligate him to cause harm to Creation.

8) Thou shalt be free from vengeance and bloodlust.

When the enemies of the Light commit crimes which are worthy of punishment by death, the Churchman shall not hesitate to bring justice for these crimes. However, he shall not do so out of bloodlust or a need of personal vengeance, but as a means to right the wrongs perpetrated by his enemies. To this end, no Churchman shall ever slay another for a personal desire for revenge, nor shall he repay one death with ten.

9) Thou shalt be honourable in combat.

Combat is a right and necessary method of purifying the taint of the enemies of the Light. However, the honour of the Churchman requires that he display honour and integrity in all of his dealings. To this end, no Churchman shall ever resort to dishonourable and low tactics while seeking the death of his enemy, unless his enemy shall resort to dishonourable and low tactics himself. In that case, the Churchman shall do what is necessary to slay him.

10) Thou shalt accept the consequences of thy actions.

The actions of any Churchman reflect upon the Church as a whole, and thus upon the Light. The free will granted to each Churchman by the grace of the Light is not limitless, nor is any collection of freedoms truly complete without the freedom to accept the consequences. To this end, no Churchman shall ever make a spectacle of himself when he is rightly chastened for his actions.