Shaktar Literary Quotations

1. Those who rule do so because they are fit to rule.
2. If one was not fit to rule, he would not rule.
3. Those not fit to rule show their unfitness by a loss of their position, either by falling from it or being removed from it.
4. A challenger who fails failed because he was not fit to succeed.
5. Those who fail, fail themselves, their friends, their family, their elders, their society.
6. This failure brings disgrace.
7. Disgrace can only be atoned for with death.

-The Sevenfold Mandate of Authority from "Seven Within Seven" by the Traditionalist philosopher N'zk'n (penned in the Age of the Water Sun)

There is great honour ["n'kl" or "the honour of the warrior and those he fights alongside"] in placing ones sword between a friend and dishonour ["d'vnz" or "common indignities"].
-M'st'hkn, Shaktar Legalist philosopher

When crossing the river, seek the steady rock. When climbing the tree, find the strong branch. [Compatriots], too, are the pillars of heaven, and support the sky when a man seeks the honourable path beneath it. -Z'hn'rktk, Shaktar warrior-monk and Spiritualist philosopher
[Translator's note: The term "hl'nf't" is almost untranslatable into common wording, and the Killian word "compatriot" as been used here in its place, as it captures some of the Shaktar eloquence of their term, which means more than friend, something along the lines of ally, literally "one who has giv en tears for sadness, blood for a cause, and laughter in times of joy to another."]

He who walks the path knows that the earth presses upon the feet equal to heaven pressing upon the forehead. In perfect balance he walks; should either force be removed, he would tumble away into the nothingness which threatens to consume the unblanaced one always.
-teaching of the Middle Path of Weighted Measure by the blind master Dr'shn'k

Honour ["vn'klt" the term most commonly corresponding to the Killan word, connoting honour acted upon by all actions in life] is balanced upon the point of the knife.
-teaching of the Middle Path of Weighted Measure by the blind master Dr'shn'k (often whispered by Shaktar commiting ritual suicide)

It is a fool who, once disgraced, seeks honour ["m'skn" or "the honour restored after one disgrace"] in the camp of an enemy. He should die the death of a wild pig, for he has made foulness in the place where once he ate.
-N'zk'n, Shaktar traditionalist philosopherand one of the Seven Venerated Master of Honourhailed by the Shaktar as the master strategist of the Age of the Fire Sun(As an interesting side note, it is useful to point out that some insurgent Shaktar consider this teaching a recrimiation of the current Shaktar loyalty to SLA Industries and Slayer)

All things are like the web of the skimming-water-spider. One man is the strength of the entire world.
-H'nd, Shaktar ascended weapon maker

He who takes a wife from outside of his people dillutes the purity of all things. The same man would break the sun over his knee and give pieces of it as gifts, and leave the world entire in darkness for the sake of his whims.
-V'tr'n, Shaktar neotraditionalist philosopherof the Age of the Shadow Sun

My family taught me respect. My Elders taught me listening. My Masters taught me fighting. My enemies taught me "s't't" ["mercy is the worst dishonour"]. My mate taught me trust. My students taught me to teach. My younglings taught me to love. But it was only my grandyounglings who taught me to forget all, and begin to learn again.
-L'kz'tl, one of the Seven Venerated Masters of Honour(this is a favored quotation of ancient masters,especially those of the spiritualist schools)

There is time enough for mercy after death.
-N'zk'n, Shaktar traditionalist philosopher

Learn to oberve without offensive eyes. The student who knows only the disapproving stare of a harsh master is little better than the bread thief in a prison. Neither will mend their ways, for their hearts are captives.
-H'nd, Shaktar master and weapon maker

A beaten animal knows nothing more than fear of the stick. He who walks a walled path would do better to not walk at all, for at least then he makes his choice.
-L'kz'tl, Venerated Master of Honourand Shaktar spiritualist philosopher

The sapling grows towards the light, learning to be a strong young tree. It must move in the breeze, but should it twist too far, it forgets its growth and perishes, knowing none of the uprightness of the young tree.
The young tree becomes steady, and its branches seek heaven as its roots seek fertile earth. It must become hard and strong, but without a place to plant itself, it knows only sickness and poor growth.
The aged tree becomes fruitful, and gives both shade and sweet things to eat. It supports that which grows around it, but it too must fall one day, to rejoin the earth from which it came and make the soil rich for saplings once again.
-Z'hn'rktk, Shaktar warrior-monkfrom his book The Pillar and the Stone

Know that beyond all Sevens, there is One greater. Only through the union of these Eight Perfect Things will there be an accord.
-G'dn'lkn, Shaktar philosopher of the School of Eight Pillars, highly controversialand occasionally regarded as heresy

My lover comes to me through fireDeath coats his sword, and I see in his eyesThe conquest of his enemies.His is the vanquishing right hand,And the left of bringing close.He draws me near to him, and I do not resistAs one drawn to die knows that the hour has come. Sweet are his kisses and drenched with the blood of the slain. He annoits me with the sweat of battleAnd between us there is nothing,As there is nothing between the honour-sword ["k'tk"] master and his wielding-hand.I take him now as I know that there is fire within him which burns away all impurity. He remakes us as the honour-sword maker cares, tenderly, for the creation of the icy blade. Together, we are forged and folded into one.
-one of the more common passages from Songs of V'kn'tlk, Canto 5 (V'kn'tlk is, interestingly enough, the only female Venerated Master of Honour, and her love poetry reflectsa distinctly Shaktar view of conquest, both in battleand romance, as if the two are indestinguishable)

Translator's Supplemental Notes: Readers are encouraged to keep in mind the difficulty in translation encountered when attempting to convert the old Shaktarian dialects into Killian.
The principal tongue of the Shaktar has anywhere from 19 to as many as 52 words, depending upon one's view of etymology, which are commonly translated as "honour." Many of these subtle differences involve the honour relationships between Shaktar and outsiders, two mates, a teacher and student, military leaders and their armies, friends, study-mates, and elders of a family. Still other terms connote the level at which a Shaktar belives honour comes into play, whether it serves as a label for an action already taken, a set of guidelines for a specific instance, or a somewhat amiguous animistic force which guides the universe.
A Shaktar who says "There is no honour in that man," distinguishes the specific disgrace by his choice of wording in Shaktarian. The fact that Killian cannot account for these subtleties without long-winded and extensive footnotes means that much of the poetry of these quotes is lost. The translators have attempted to specify within the body of the quote, whenever pertinent, the Shaktarian word used, if subtle connotations are especially pertinent.