Excerpt from “The Hymns of Heironeous”, Fifth Chapter of the Book of Exalted Deeds, penned by Cardinal Selene the Elder

“Though ye hold good in your hearts, and righteousness, forget not loyalty. Nay, for without loyalty, temperance, and faithfulness we are as the wild Eladrin of the woods, seeking aimlessly to do good but ever falling short of the mark.

Look ye to the tale of Saint Michael, that most holy of Solars, who saw the ravages of the fiend Choronzon as he emerged from the shadow of his secret pact to seize power. Though his hatred for evil burned with the heat of a sun, Michael bent his knee before our Lord Heironeous' throne and begged for His permission to smite evil.

And the Arch-Paladin, in his mercy and wisdom, granted Michael his boon. Though he was commanded to fight alone, and though Michael fell to the forces of evil, he showed his temperance and his faithfulness to the Valorous Knight through to the end. And through his last breath, invoked the Might of the Invincible to see evil's advance curtailed, as was foretold, and as Heironeous' hand invoked in His Wisdom. Hallowed be His name.

Look too to the shameful example of Saint Michael's brothers. To his Shield Brother Cassiel, who threw down faith and service to the Holy Mount in his grief. To Daniel and Dumah, and Nuriel who served under him, and were swayed by his example. Those fallen Celestials who live a cursed eternity of solitude and blindness, not through the greater Sin of temptation to Evil, but through the lesser Sin of despair.

Know that Heironeous hath made all his servents sufficient to stand, but free to fall. As it is with the Heavenly Host above, so it is in the mortal soul below. Be thou Loyal, and temperate, and faithful to the Arch-Paladin in all thy endeavors, as is written in the Book of the Code.”