Grimoire for the Apprentice Wizard

102 Grimoire for the Apprentice Wizard

4. Love your Country.


5. Show Courage against Opposition.


6. Oppose Evil.


7. Do your Duty.


8. Speak Truth, and keep your Word.


9. Be Generous to all.


10. Be the Champion of the Right and the
    Good against Injustice and Evil.

Lesson 8: Tribal Values

Outside the boundaries of civilization and Empire, the

people of the country have always lived in clans, tribes,

and villages—as many traditional peoples still do to-

day. Other tribal peoples, such as the gypsies and

diasporic Jews, have been displaced from their home-

lands by conquerors and scattered among other na-

tions where they have lived as “guest peoples.” What

has held all such tribes together have been shared

values that cannot be stolen away or overthrown.

These values are passed down in myths, legends, and

fairy tales. They are not based on beliefs, as religions

are, but upon customs and traditions, which promote

social cohesion. There are several such values that

appear to be universal among tribal peoples, which

are well worth remembering and holding to. Some of

these are:

Honor—keeping our word

Loyalty—faithfulness in defense and support

of our own

Integrity—“walking our talk”

Honesty—not lying, cheating, or stealing

Respect—courtesy, consideration of others

Fairness—being just and impartial to all

Gratitude—thankful appreciation

Hospitality—courtesy to guests and hosts

Generosity—willingness to give and share

Reverence—honoring that which is sacred

Reciprocity—giving and receiving value for

value

Responsibility—accepting the consequences

of actions

Resourcefulness—ability to deal effectively

with challenges

Interdependence—cooperation; we’re all in

this together!

Just as the Code of Chivalry was a set of rules for

independent heroes and champions, mostly regard-

ing how to treat strangers, tribal values are the expec-

tations for people living together and dealing with each

other on a daily basis. You may notice, however, that

they are complimentary, and there is a good deal of

overlap. These values are what your parents are sup-

posed to teach you, and what you, in turn, will teach

your children. And by living them, we live well.

Lesson 9: Good vs. Evil

All stories of heroes and Wizards involve the eternal

conflict between “Good” and “Evil.” This is, essen-

tially, the choice of whether to help others, or to harm

them; to serve others, or to attempt to rule them.

The Stupidity of Evil

Evil is ultimately stupid, and therefore ultimately

doomed to fail. The reason for this is basic and obvi-

ous: No one really likes a bully. The only support that

such people can command from others is rooted in

fear—and that from minions, henchmen, thugs, and

goons who are even more stupid than they are. There

is no true loyalty in fear, and those who follow bul-

lies can only be treacherous cowards who will betray

and desert their master whenever they deem it to their

advantage. Those who wish to harm or control others

and rule the world (or the galaxy!) are blinded by their

inability to imagine that everyone else doesn’t hold

the same desire, and that others are not also arrayed

against them. In their own insatiable drive for revenge

and dominion, they can only imagine that others they

have wronged are similarly plotting retaliation; after

all, that’s what they would do. And the more people

they wrong, the vaster become the imagined armies

of their enemies. And so they are defeated by their

own paranoia, as they see enemies everywhere, even

among their own troops. Eventually they begin to turn

against those closest to them, and inevitably their own

fears destroy them.

“It is as hard for the good to suspect evil, as it is

for the bad to suspect good.” —Marcus Cicero,

Roman statesman, orator, writer (106–43 BCE)

The Wisdom of Good

Good, however, has enormous power. Revolu-

tions have overthrown tyranny and oppression

throughout history. Heroes are those who win the loy-

alty of others by the sheer force of their own integrity

and decency. They command loyalty because they give

it to others. A person who stands strongly for Truth

and Justice, and treats others with honor and compas-

sion, will always find loyal companions to stand be-

side him (or her). And the wisest, bravest, and best

will come forward to join them, until a tiny trickle of

decency becomes a vast tidal wave washing over the

land. Such people as Mohandas Gandhi, Martin Luther

King, and Nelson Mandela won the devoted loyalty

of millions who were willing to stand and march to-

gether to liberate their people and change the world.

Whatever you can do, or dream you can, begin it.

Boldness has genius, power, and magic in it.

—Goethe

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