Greetings, ladies and gentlemen of Ateraan. I am Agrias Saestas, Brother of the
Waylumi Clergy, and I thank you for your time and patience in allowing me to
present to you this sermon upon the subject of Integrity.
To put it plainly, and not to bore you too swiftly, Integrity is the
well-spring of the person that is yourself. It is the very foundation of what
and who you are, and how accordingly to that your actions reflect.
Say that someone believes they are a noble, and honourable person. They say
they are a noble, and honourable person. How closely to that ideal does their
behaviour reflect? The question of Integrity lies in that answer.
Yes, there are many kinds of Integrity of this world. There is 'good'
Integrity, and there is 'bad' Integrity. All of them reflect how closely one
holds to the ideals and attitudes they purport to be a part of. Integrity is,
in effect, the measure of how closely-bound one's words and one's actions exist
in reality.
For example, I say that I am a Cleric of the Goddess. This means that I purport
to uphold the ideals of Love, Honour, Wisdom, and Vigilance. The question of my
Integrity stands, then, in how closely to those ideals do I act? Am I a loving
person, am I an honourable man, do I try to be wise, do I practice vigilance
and awareness of my own actions?
This question is extremely important, because it affects how I, and how we, as
a Clergy and a faith, are perceived by others. If we are without Integrity,
what others will see is that we say we are loving, but we instead, say, fail to
act in favour of forgiveness, or look down upon others, what message do they
take from that? They take that we are dishonest, and dishonesty is a severe
corruption of the Tenet of Honour, and we are unwise, for alienating possible
allies, and it is even a failure of Vigilance, in that we may be creating
enemies where none should exist. Four sins, all from a lack of this important
facet of our society, Integrity.
This perception has a very strong, very profound effect upon an individual, and
moreso upon an organization. If a lack of Integrity is perceived, will anyone
wish to be friends with an individual? Would they seek to join an organization,
of which membership exists to be the very lifeblood? The answer is not quite
'no'. Those with a lack of Integrity will find themselves surrounded,
similarly, by those with dishonest intentions, weakening the individual and
potentially destroying an organization. A surfeit of Integrity, of standing and
being who and what you are, and what you say you represent, will see you
surrounded by those who admire and respect these qualities in you,
strengthening yourself and them through your co-operative efforts
So how does one practice Integrity, if it is so necessary to one's existence?
Quite simply, be what you say you are. Stand your ground, plant your feet, and
be not moved from that which you say you exist to be. In this, you will find
peace and fulfillment. Elsewise, if you wish to be a person without Integrity,
be boastful without basis, seek to undo or work against that which your words
promote.
Integrity is the glue of the world upon which we stand. Without individuals
standing by their word, honoring it, and fulfilling it, Merchants would accept
coin without recompense, Clerics would not share their blessings or promote
their Deities to the masses, Mages would hoard their discoveries in the
arcane...think of a world where no Guild can be expected to be held to their
own charter. Where no Duke or Overseer would stand by their word. It is not a
happy thought, is it?
So I entreat upon you, citizens of this world, to look into yourselves and find
within you the wellspring of Integrity you all have. Look to the Guilds, look
to the Duke and to the Overseer. Judge yourself against their example, and seek
to uphold that example. Seek you to surround yourself with blackguards, or
those who would strike you down whilst speaking into your ear that they are
your friend? Or seek you to be held in company with those who would have you
hold your head high, proud of what you are, for you are what you say you are,
and those around you feel it is to be celebrated that you are what you are?
The power of Integrity is never to be underestimated, and I entreat upon you
once more, examine its power, think upon its hold on you. Are you satisfied
with your Integrity? All paths open to you are yours to choose, but are they
the paths you wish to choose? That is the strength and power of Integrity.
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