Liturgy of the Range

I. THE PREPARATION (THE SANCTIFICATION OF THE TOOL) 

The Preceptor or Member shall place the uncased, unloaded firearm on the bench, bolt open, chamber empty. Standing before the tool, the Member recites:

"I present this tool, the Rod of Iron, as the instrument of my stewardship. It is cold, it is silent, and it is without will. I acknowledge that I am the moral agent; the weapon is but the extension of my spirit. As I inspect this chamber, I inspect my own conscience. Let no negligence be found in me."

(The Member performs the safety check. Visual and tactile inspection of the chamber and magwell.)

II. THE INVOCATION (THE PRAYER OF FOCUS) 

 Before the first magazine is loaded, the Member centers their mind and speaks:

"Blessed be the Lord, my rock, who trains my hands for war and my fingers for battle. Not for the love of violence, but for the preservation of peace. I ask for the grace of Focus: To see clearly what is before me. To control the chaos of the impulse. To be precise in thought and deed. If I must act, let me act with righteousness. If I must shoot, let me strike only the threat. Let every round fired be accounted for, as every moment of my life is accounted for."

III. THE SACRAMENT OF DISCIPLINE (THE DRILL) 

The Member loads and makes ready. The firing commenced is not rapid or chaotic, but deliberate. Upon the completion of the specific drill, the Member clears the weapon and reflects:

"Chaos is the default state of the world; Discipline is the answer of the Fatebreaker. By hitting the mark, I impose order upon entropy. I sever the line of failure. I accept the recoil as the reminder of the power I hold, and I return to the target to verify the work."

IV. THE BENEDICTION (THE RETURN TO PEACE) 

At the conclusion of the session, the weapon is cleared, cooled, and cased. The Member speaks the final words before leaving the sanctuary of the Range:

"The thunder has ceased, and the silence returns. I have sharpened the edge so that I may not have to use it. I carry this peace back into the world, a sheep among wolves, but a sheep with teeth. I walk in the valley of the shadow of death, and I fear no evil, for I am prepared. Go in safety. Break the Fate."