The Beggars Covenant

"Yesterday, I gave you three chances to turn me out of this city. And thrice was my offer turned down. This fate has been brought upon you by yourselves."

- "The Beggar"

The Ascension of Morheka, also known as The Morhekan Ascension, or Morheka's Legacy, is a small part of the Morhhekan Codex, a remnant from the early days of the Sangheili Sovereign-States of Morheka. It is presumably a highly stylised account of the actual events of the rise in importance of its most famous figure, Morheka The Kind.

A Warrior came across a beggar in the city, leaning against a wall, asleep. He nudged the beggar rudely with his boot, waking him.

“What business have you here? Your face is strange and your name unknown, and I know well the faces and names of those who live here.”

“My name is of no importance, Excellency, only my business. I am a stranger to your fair state, and know not the ways of the land. I was on a journey to a far off country, and was told that to reach my final destination is across the sea, and I have need of your harbour. I have searched for the harbour for many days, yet I cannot find it. And nobody has offered to show me the way. Could you guide me, kind sir?”

“Nay, my friend. If you lack the skill to find your way, then it is beyond your capacity to navigate the sea. Go home.”

And so the Warrior went about his business.

A Priest came across the beggar next, still leaning against the wall, asleep again. He tapped the beggar lightly with his staff, waking him.

“What business have you here? Your face is strange and your name unknown, and I know well the faces and names of those who live here.”

“My name is of no importance, Excellency, only my business. I am a stranger to your fair state, and know not the ways of the land. I came on a pilgrimage to see a holy site of the Gods, hoping for divine wisdom, yet I cannot find the way. And nobody has offered to show me the way. Could you guide me, kind sir?”

“Nay, my friend. The Gods help those who help themselves. It is your task to help yourself, and if you cannot do that, then you shall get no help from me. Go home.”

A Guard came across the beggar, still leaning against the wall, asleep once more. Because he was not causing trouble, he went on his way. He was still there later that day, still sleeping. Gently, he nudged the beggar, waking him.

“What business have you here? Your face is strange and your name unknown, and I know well the faces and names of those who live here.”

“My name is of no importance, Excellency, only my business. I am a stranger to your fair state, and know not the ways of the land. My journey is long, and I have searched long for a place to rest, asking those I could and trying to find my way, learning the paths of the city. Yet those I asked turned me out and where I searched there were only shut doors. One good man told me of an Inn where I may stay. And nobody has offered to show me the way. Could you guide me, kind sir?”

“Yea, my friend. The Inn you were told of was our Keep – the Kaidon is a good man, who engenders friendship and loyalty in all those who he meets. Come. You shall stay the night in my home, and share it with my family. Tomorrow, I shall find you another place to stay.”

That night, a band of warriors crept through the city, murdering the town guards and storming the Keep. And on the next day, as the Kaidon’s body was hurled from the walls, a new Kaidon had taken his place. Instead of summarily executing his predecessor’s servants and advisors, as others would have, he summoned the chief advisors to see him – the Priest, and the Warrior. And with them, he summoned the Guard.

“Yesterday, I gave you three chances to turn me out of this city. And thrice was my offer turned down. This fate has been brought upon by yourselves.”

The Warrior bowed low, and asked, “Kaidon, what do you speak of? There was no parlance with your warriors – they crept in the dead of night, without warning.”

“Yes. But it was I who summoned them. Your best warriors did not stop a lowly beggar as he crept up the stairs, and from the tallest parapet of the Keep, I shone a light that signalled their attack.”

The Priest bowed low, and asked, “Kaidon, what have we done to deserve death? We followed only the wisdom that we were presented with.”

“Yes. But your wisdom was cruel and cold, seeking only distance between yourselves and a difficult situation.”

But the Beggar stood firm and said, “Beggar, what would you have me say? I showed you only kindness and hospitality, and you have repaid me by murdering my master and taking his place. I disown you, for such dishonour. You are as nothing to me, nameless.”

Yet the Kaidon only smiled. “Then I shall tell you a tale, my companions, of betrayal and vengeance.

“When I was but a child, my father ruled his state. His wisdom was renowned throughout the land, as was his compassion and devotion to the Ancient Ones. And as his son, I was destined to receive his land and subjects as my inheritance. Yet in the dead of night, a band of assassins killed my father, usurping his throne and casting out his mate, my mother, and myself.

“For years we wandered across the world, seeking a place to call our own. Yet all lands were strange to us, and none were as fair to us as the place of our birth. And when I had become a man, and learned to fight and kill, I joined a group of bandits to provide for my mother. In their camp, I learned to watch my back lest it be filled with daggers, and I learned to defend myself. Only hope of vengeance kept me going.

“My life has been hard, and it has been filled with sorrow. But the hardest sorrow was when my mother died, the last words upon her breath asking me to take back my inheritance, and to reclaim the honour left to me.

“Your master may have been kind to you, but he was cruel to me. Perhaps the guilt of it changed him – when he saw me, he asked only for forgiveness as I plunged my blade deep into his breast. And as he died, I gave it to him. My band has returned to where they make camp, a little richer for their aid. Someday, I shall hunt them down for their crimes, but for now I have their respect and they mine.”

He turned his eyes o the Warrior. “Yesterday, I asked if you could guide me to the harbour. If you had, I would have sailed across the sea to find my fate, never to return. You refused my plea. Your cruelty has brought this upon yourself.”

He turned his eyes to the Priest. “Yesterday, I asked if you could guide me to a holy site. The truth of the gods could not have forced me to stay hidden – I would have revealed myself, and you could have sent me on my way with your authority. You refused my plea. Your apathy has brought this upon yourself.”

And he turned to the Guard. “Yesterday, I asked you for shelter so that I might rest. If you had denied me, I would have sat there, asking others. Yet you took me into your own home, to share a meal with your mate and children. You saw a stranger, and showed him kindness more readily than others would have. It is for this kindness that I have spared you, for without it my land would have remained in the hands of a usurper.

“Your kindness has brought down a Usurper and restored the rightful Kaidon. For this, I give you a new name. I give it to you with my love and respect, for you to do with as you wish.”

Later that same day, the Warrior was taken to the harbour and drowned for his cruelty; the Priest was taken to a holy shrine, and burned as a consecration to the Gods for his apathy; but the Guard was made the Chief Advisor of the Kaidon, and lived out his days in peace, his generosity extended to all. When the rightful Kaidon died, with no heir to his name, he left his empire to his faithful Guard. His line survives to this day, and is known as Morheka – “fast kindness.”

Usurper
Rarely seen in the tale, The usurper is the then-current Kaidon of what will become Morheka. In the tale, he is mentioned as being kindly, especially to those who serve him faithfully or to those who he relies upon for guidance or council. But in the past, the elderly Kaidon took his place by shedding the blood of its predecessor and making his family outcasts. In some tales, the Kaidon was never a usurper, and Morheka himself kills the Kaidon and takes his Kaidonship. These are likely due to condensation and retelling of the original tale.

The Warrior
Interpreted as a real-life character, Elma 'Mopadee, The Warrior is almost always regarded as a cruel, uncaring figure intent only in determining The Beggar's presence. Sangheili scholars have historically regarded 'Mopadee's depiction as being a subtle rebuke of the traditional purists, who advocated that we surrender the Sangheili's scientific expertise in exchange for dedicating ourselves to purely martial exploits, and opening ourselves up to exploitation by the Prophets.

The Priest
While originally intended as a parody of the by-then corrupt and crumbling Sanghelian Native Faith, future versions would include opinions that are quite obviously intended to conjur to mind the Prophets, and The Priest would serve as an outlet against which playwrights and scholars could vent frustration of Prophet policies. Others see him as a condemnation of the religious class, who adhere rigidly to the ways of the past without accepting new ways, and that it depicts the inevitable results of such unchanging ways.

The Guard (Morheka)
While the exact origins of Morheka are a point of fierce debate, all tales include at least some variation of The Guard. In some, he is Morheka. In others, he is merely rewarded by Morheka for his kindness. All agree that Morheka's ascension hinges on The Guard's treatment of The Beggar. In the Morhekan Codex's version, The Guard is the exception to the rule established by The Warrior and The Priest, and shows The Beggar kindness by taking him with him into the Keep. As his kindness is repaid with blood and revolution, he is outrages, representing a pure form of trusting innocence - a state which the tale holds is the noblest of all.

The Beggar
In most versions, The Beggar is the son of the rightful Kaidon of the Sovereign-State that preceded Morheka, returning to claim his rightful throne. In some, he leads an entire army of legions to reclaim his birthright. In others, he assassinates the usurping Kaidon. The identity of The Beggar is debated - some claim that he is at least partially based on a historical figure, Pipit 'Vadamee, from the Sovereign-State of Vadam, while others argue that h is a metaphor for justice, and that kindness (embodied in The Guard) inevitably leads to righteousness. Other scholars claim that The Beggar is actually Morheka, and that his humble origins are a convolution of other bandit-hero tales. The recently discovered Morhekan Codex, however, is the earliest recording of the tale, and features the Guard-origin, though it neverr names The Beggar.

Origins
The tale dates back over 1000 years, before Morheka itself existed in its present form. Geographical barriers have since shifted, with territory gained and lost to neighboring Sovereign-States. Historically, it has been claimed that the events took place in the current capital city, Qur'anas, but archaeological and historical studies indicate that the buried city of Morhekamandra is the actual location of the Beggars Keep. Long since buried under an avalanche of mud from coastal erosion, the present-day harbour is now little more than a small, almost natural-looking cove used for fishing villagers. The sacred ground described has been identified as the Caretaker Ruins, the most complete Forerunner temple structure known besides the Halo rings. Sangheili archaeologists continue to petition the High Council, as well as High Kaidon 'Vadamee, for permission to excavate the site of the ancient city, and work may begun with the new year.

The tale itself has gone through many different iterations and versions. In some, Morheka himself is the Beggar, and has the guard executed for incompetence. In others, there is no mention of the Beggar at all, and that he himself kills the Kaidon. Some add other memorable characters, such as the Ambassador, the Jester, and the Chef, while other versions serve as morality tales, or are updated for modern audiences, especially as a veiled condemnation of those who supported Prophet-sponsored efforts to reduce Sangheili influence within the former Covenant. The only fact that is agreed upon is that Morheka eventually ends up as the new Kaidon, and that the Sovereign-State is renamed after him.

While common versions are often longer and more elegant, often adding supernatural or spiritual elements, or adding unexplained backstory, the oldest known account comes from the Morhekan Codex, a work compiled by Morheka's own personal historian. While some bias may be present, many of his other works show no sign of any prejudice, and he was widely renown for his willingness (and, indeed, often eagerness) to condemn Morheka's policies as either too lenient or not in keeping with tradition, further adding credence to the Guard-origin theory.

Controversy
The biggest historical debate that surrounds The Ascension of Morheka is over the true identity of Morheka. This is largely divided into two camps, who disagree on a variety of historical and theological grounds; the Guards, and the Beggars.

The Beggars
The "Beggar-Origin Hypothesis" holds that while The Guard is a fictional character, intended to help The Beggar gain the Kaidonship, the true Morheka is actually The Beggar. The Beggars point out that there are no existing records of a state existing before Morheka, and that The Guard is often completely absent from modern retellings of the tale. At the same time, many find the possibility that the Great Morheka, the Scourge of a Thousand Enemies, who slew the Jabberwock and liberated Morheka from the "cruel" reign of The Usurper, came from a lowly and humble City Guard extremely offensive to the reputation of the Sovereign-State of Morheka and its inhabitants.

The Guards
The Guards, meanwhile, have their own case to make. They claim that a purge of the Morhekan libraries by invading armies from the Mopad Sovereign-State burned a significant amount of the states history, priceless documents that cannot be replaced, and that it is not conceivable that the pre-Morheka history was wiped out. Some maintain that this was the entire point of the 'Mopad campaign, to remove any mention of their kin mentioned in the tale. They also point out that while a City Guard may be a lowly title, that Morheka was a common bandit may be even more insulting to the name of Morheka.