THE DUTY

“Become more human, and humans will love you; become more spiritual, and the Spirit will unite with you. Become more intelligent, and the Logos will unite with you.” - Gospel of Philip

When a Novumist becomes an initiate, they swear an oath to follow The Duty. The Duty is a set of principles and a plan of action. When undertaking The Duty the initiate is to forever:

- Be mindful of his or her lack of knowledge
- Be mindful of the people they interact with, those people's lack of understanding, and your own lack of understanding
- Be mindful of the fragility of the systems that govern our minds, the world, the solar system and beyond
- Follow the Precepts of their ranking
- Store food for emergencies
- Become a master in trade in one of the following:

| | | |
|---|---|---|
| Gardening | Permaculture | Blacksmithing |
| Butchering | Hunting | Masonry |
| Baking and cooking | Stone smithing | Mead and winemaking |
| Shoemaking | Carpentry | Plumbing |
| Weaving | Astronomy | Chemistry |
| Military | Bookmaking | Beekeeping |

These are not the only skills one can pursue. You may choose a discipline provided that it will benefit mankind if all systems were to reset post-industrial civilization.

The goal of The Duty is to make the member a knowledgeable leader to be looked up to in our individual communities. We are to be as Sages, Druids, and Oracles of the current century. These ancients were knowledgeable about all aspects of the world both physical and supernatural. They were the members of society where the common person could look to and teach them the skills they needed for a productive life. They served many roles as do we.

Taking the oath of The Duty can be a solemn occasion and bears with it great responsibility. For if civilization falters and is destroyed through the various means outlined in this book, it is up to you and others like you to help in the slow rebuilding through knowledge transfer. Your purpose in life is the preservation and transference of the skills you gain while a member.