Apocrypha
The Apocrypha is a sacred document at the Stygian Crossroads in Mhaldor. Its study is a requirement for most Mhaldorian novices. It further details the actions and methods of worship for followers of Evil, beyond the Seven Truths. Though it references worship to Lord Sartan, its words remain relevant to the worship of the Lords of Evil.
Page one of the Apocrypha simply states:
And in that day, atrocity shall overtake the world and all shall walk in fear.
This is followed by the six chapters outlined below. One mystery of the Apocrypha that has caused much debate by scholars of Evil is the missing sixth verse in Chapter Six.
Chapter One: THE SONG OF THE LORD
v1: O LORD, my heart is fixed; I will worship and give praise to thee, even with my lifes blood.
v2: Awake mine harp: I myself will awake early to spend mine day in the worship of my LORD.
v3: I will praise thee, O LORD, among the people: and I will sing praises unto thee among the nations.
v4: For thy might is great above the heavens: and thy truth reacheth unto the clouds.
v5: Be thou exalted, O LORD, above the heavens: and thy glory above all the land, waters and mountains;
v6: That thy chosen may be delivered: save with thy left hand, and answer me.
v7: The Master hath spoken in his temple; I will rejoice, I will divide mine enemies, and lay claim to the valley of my LORD.
v8: The populus has be his; the forest shalt be cleft twain; Fear also is the strength of mine head; Evil is my lawgiver;
v9: Goodness is my washpot; over humility will I cast out my shoe; over Rightousness will I triumph.
v10: Who will bring me into the strong city? who will lead me into Mhaldor?
v11: Wilt not thou, O LORD, who hast cast us off? and wilt not thou, O LORD, go forth with the hosts?
v12: Guide our blades Master: for vain is the heart of mortality.
v13: Through He we shall do valiantly: for he it is that shall tread down our enemies.
Chapter Two: PRAYER OF THE LORD
v1: Praise ye the LORD. Praise God in his sanctuary: praise him in the firmament of his power.
v2: Praise him for his mighty acts: praise him according to his excellent greatness.
v3: Praise him with the sound of the trumpet: praise him with the psaltery and harp.
v4: Praise him with the timbrel and dance: praise him with stringed instruments and organs.
v5: Praise him upon the loud cymbals: praise him upon the high sounding cymbals.
v6: Let every thing that hath breath praise the LORD. Praise ye the LORD.
Chapter Three: PROCREATION OF THE UNHOLY
v1: The word of the LORD came also unto me, saying,
v2: Thou shalt not take thee a wife, neither shalt thou have sons or daughters in this place.
v3: For thus saith the LORD concerning the sons and concerning the daughters that are born in this place, and concerning their mothers that bare them, and concerning their fathers that begat them in this land;
v4: They shall die of grievous deaths; they shall not be lamented; neither shall they be buried; but they shall be as dung upon the face of the earth: and they shall be consumed by the sword, and by famine; and their carcases shall be meat for the fowls of heaven, and for the beasts of the earth.
v5: For thus saith the LORD, Enter not into the house of mourning, neither go to lament nor bemoan them: for I have taken away my peace from this people, saith the LORD, even lovingkindness and mercies.
v6: Both the great and the small shall die in this land: they shall not be buried, neither shall men lament for them, nor cut themselves, nor make themselves bald for them:
v7: Neither shall men tear themselves for them in mourning, to comfort them for the dead; neither shall men give them the cup of consolation to drink for their father or for their mother.
v8: Therefore, behold, I will this once cause them to know, I will cause them to know mine hand and my might; and they shall know that my name is The LORD.
Chapter Four: THE MISSIONARIES OF THE LORD
v1: The LORD hath appointed the sacred cult, and sent them two and two before his face into every city and place, whither he himself would come.
v2: Therefore said he unto them, The harvest truly is great, but the labourers are few: pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he would send forth labourers into his harvest.
v3: Go your ways: behold, I send you forth as wolves among lambs.
v4: Carry neither purse, nor scrip, nor shoes: and salute no man by the way.
v5: And into whatsoever house ye enter, first say, Power be to this house.
v6: And if the son of perdition be there, your peace shall rest upon it: if not, it shall turn to you again and thou shalt destroy it.
v7: And in the same house remain, eating and drinking such things as they give: for your teachings are worthy of his hire.
v8: And into whatsoever city ye enter, and they receive you, eat such things as are set before you:
v9: And say unto them, The kingdom of our LORD is come nigh unto you.
v10: But into whatsoever city ye enter, and they receive you not, go your ways out into the streets of the same, and say,
v11: Even the very dust of your city, which cleaveth on us, we do wipe off against you: notwithstanding be ye sure of this, that the kingdom of our LORD is come nigh unto you.
v12: And in the last coming of our LORD, shalt those who stand against our LORD, perish before the might of his hand.
Chapter Five: COVENANT OF THE LORD
v1: And ye have seen all that the LORD hath done unto all these nations because of you; for the LORD is he that hath fought for you.
v2: Behold, he hath divided unto you by lot this mighty land, to be an inheritance for your guilds, clans and citizens, with all the nations that he hath cut off, even unto the great sea westward.
v3: And the LORD shall expel them from before you, and drive them from out of your sight; and ye shall possess their land, as the LORD hath promised unto you.
v4: Be ye therefore very courageous to keep and to do all that is written in this book and that is spoken by the mouth of his prophets, that ye turn not aside therefrom to the right hand or to the left;
v5: That ye come not among these nations, these that remain among you; neither make mention of the name of their gods, nor cause to swear by them, neither serve them, nor bow yourselves unto them:
v6: But cleave unto the LORD, as ye have done unto this day.
v7: For the LORD hath driven out from before you great nations and strong: but as for you, no man hath been able to stand before you unto this day.
v8: One man of you shall chase a thousand: for the LORD, he it is that fighteth for you, as he hath promised you.
v9: Take good heed therefore unto yourselves, that ye love the LORD.
v10: Else if ye do in any wise go back, and cleave unto the remnant of these nations, even these that remain among you, and shall make marriages with them, and go in unto them, and they to you:
v11: Know for a certainty that the LORD will no more drive out any of these nations from before you; but they shall be snares and traps unto you, and scourges in your sides, and thorns in your eyes, until ye perish from off this good land which the LORD hath given you.
v12: And ye know in all your hearts and in all your souls, that not one thing hath failed of all the good things which the LORD spake concerning you; all are come to pass unto you, and not one thing hath failed thereof.
v13: Therefore it shall come to pass, that as all blessed things are come upon you, which the LORD promised you; so shall the LORD bring upon you all manner of foulness, until he have destroyed you from off this good land which the LORD hath given you.
v14: When ye have transgressed the covenant of the LORD, which he commanded you, and have gone and served other gods, and bowed yourselves to them; then shall the anger of the LORD be kindled against you, and ye shall perish quickly from off the holy land which he hath given unto you.
Chapter Six: OBEDIENCE TO THE LORD
v1: Alone shall HE come near the LORD: but they shall not come nigh; neither shall the people go up with him.
v2: And HE came and told the people all the words of the LORD, and all the judgments: and all the people answered with one voice, and said, All the words which the LORD hath said will we do.
v3: And HE wrote all the words of the LORD, and rose up early in the morning, and builded an altar under the hill, and thirteen pillars, according to the thirteen apostles of his Holy Order.
v4: And HE sent young men of the holy circle, which offered burnt offerings, and sacrificed offerings unto the LORD.
v5: And HE took half of the blood, and put it in basons; and half of the blood he sprinkled on the altar.
7: And HE took the book of the covenant, and read in the audience of the people: and they said, All that the LORD hath said will we do, and be obedient.
8: And HE took the blood, and sprinkled it on the people, and said, Behold the blood of the covenant, which the LORD hath made with you concerning all these words.