The work contained on this page is taken from the Candlekeep Forum and is copyright Arravis. This material is used with permission by Candlekeep.
The Code of Torm
By Arravis
The Code of TormBe 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.
See also the Code of the Purple Dragon Knights, by Rick Snider