This is transposed from the Infernals news board, an essay I wrote about trying to understand myself and my guild. Simple though it may be, I received many compliments on it, and in reading it one should be able to understand how we Infernals justify combined honour with evil.

This can also explain a large part of what motivated me to reincarnate and become an Infernal, as I know many of my old friends are wondering why. I want you to know that I'm happy like this, much happier than I was as a Paladin in fact. I urge all of you who knew me and all of you who don't to leave Shallam and come live in Ashtan, the two just cannot even be compared. In Shallam I'm sure you're all hearing the same old arguments, people talking about building shrines, the psychopaths threatening to kill people and asking to be delivered, all the petty arguments that serve no end. They may try to hunt me down for that simple statement but I have the right to think despite what they will tell you, and that is how I feel. The closest thing to what you have in Shallam that exists in Ashtan is organized and mostly calm defiling contests (city favour to the one who brings in the most for that end), and the occasional cheering when someone comes out on top in the deathsight logs. It is not nearly as bad as

Here now is the essay, slightly censored so that it's appropriate for the public eye.

When I first joined the Infernal Knights, one of the many questions asked me by Lord Raajin was, "How do you intend to combine Evil with Honour?" To be completely honest, I don't remember exactly what I said. But here and now I shall post my current thoughts on the manner for debate, approval or condemnation.

Just what is evil? As we all know, the Infernal definition of it is to strive for the advancement of the self. You see, I believe that all beings are inherently selfish, and that even when working for a higher cause are trying at least in some minor way to benefit themselves as well. Anyone who does not do so, or claims not to be doing so, is either a liar or insane. I believe that we accept the brand of being "evil" as both a dismisal and a challenge towards those who would seek to confuse and destroy us with word-twisting and lies. But in the old sense of the word evil, that which is purely negative, I do not think we are evil at all.

I think we are the truth, and the Sartanic definition of evil is the truth of the world.

Knights of the Iron Citadel should always tell the truth, for that is what is at the core of our beings. We do not call ourselves saints like some, we call ourselves men and women who are doing their best, and admit to everything they do. We will not hesitate to rip the heart out of a dead ally, and use that essence to defeat those who slew him and thus help him achieve his revenge because we fear being called immoral. We have the courage to use the ends that justify the means, and every Infernal has gone through a rigorous process of application that shows that he is willing to defy all of the lies in this world, or at the very least that he is a very determined spy. I'd like to think that any spy who joins our ranks would have to allready believe in our philosophy deep down inside in order to accomplish he feat in the first place, and then happily become one of us. Sadly enough this has proven not true in the past, but no one is perfect. Though we all strive to be, or should.

And lastly, before my post gets too long, how do we combine honour with our own brand of evil? For this I will use the example of the loathed Cooper, and my own humble self.

Cooper is a rouge paladin now, without any sense of honour whatsoever. He has turned on every organization he has ever been a part of, and has been an enemy of all three cities for quite some time now. I myself recently gave him Farag's rot in a skirmish, via (censored). Cooper had no one to help him.

Once an Infernal, Cooper is rapidly sliding into being nothing, though with the god's mercy over death for those who are/were in their guilds, he may eventually make (another) partial comeback. But that is not the point.

I do my best to always function with my code of honor as my guide. Though certain death is quite different, I know that I have many friends who would gladly risk death to aide me, because they know that I would do the same for them. Honor is at the core of any civilization, and a Sartanic civilization would be the best indeed. Once truly useless in every single possible way, something should no longer be supported. And old man can still lend his wisdom, a small child should have time to grow into the great warrior, but sometimes you just have to draw the line. Do not let the stupid, useless masses drag you down. Cut the chaff from the wheat to ensure a successful harvest forever after.

If I acted out of pure, short-sighted evil forever, eating my friends, I would soon have none left and be like Cooper. Our power is great, but while in the short term it may seem to be weakened by a code of honor, it is in fact strengthened by it in the long run. Thus do we combine honour with our evil.

I could perhaps say more in this stream of consciousness essay, but a friend of mine has just messaged me repeatedly, so it must be urgent and thus I must be off. Good day to you, sir or madam.

Because I am nothing, I can be everything,
Zero

Penned by my hand on the 20th of Aeguary, in the year 257 AF.