To build a fire...

[Hec Scrivener]

...one need only start a thread challenging our beloved battle cry. But though I risk a burning, I shall nevertheless throw the match.

With all due respect to a motto that does roll most trippingly off the tongue, I cannot reconcile the plaintive cry for help Libera nos a malo with what we of the Malton's Angels (and indeed, the New Malton Colossus in general) are: an band of badasses. Though we be righteous, we do not huddle in safehouses praying for divine intervention to save us from the zombie menace; nay, we seek out battle, brave death and undeath in order to make a statement.

And so, I argue, or motto should be that statement, not a plea. We might paraphrase the latter into the former: Liberamus ipsos a malo, 'We deliver ourselves from evil.' Or we might pick a more suitably martial verse, from the Bible or elsewhere. If it's to be Biblical, my expertise is limited; but outside that a similar verse from Kipling comes to mind:

Jehovah of the Thunders,
Lord God of Battles, aid!
- Hymn before Action

Still a plea, of sorts, but one of people who are about to lay on a righteous smackdown.

While we're on Kipling:
The Sack of the Gods
Recessional
If-
Not for any motto purposes; these are just good stuff.

[Artaxerxes/SweetIrony]

The only Biblical battle cry I can think of is "A sword for the LORD and for Gideon!"

A shotgun for the LORD and for Padre Romero??

[Padre Romero]

Actually I usually say "Angelus Dei, Qui Custodies Mei" before I do something awsome...Hec already knows my favorite religiousy-one is "For the Angel of Death spread his wings on the blast, and breathed in the face of his foes as he passed." but thats more suitable for a villian...

The Bible is scant on badass, but good on Shiny justice stuff...
Romans something or other: Be not overcome with evil, but overcome evil with good.


Ecclesiasties has another good villianous one:
There is time for every matter under the skies...A time to be born, and a time to die
not very catchy though...we'll have to wait until Amber's computer works...
I agree though, it's not the best motta, but it has a nice ring!

[Padre Romero]

Yeah, I double posted, so what...I hadn't read "a hym before action" in years...lemmie tell you, my favorite line (which is very "me", I think) is:

Light haste and lawless error,
Protect us yet again.

[Artaxerxes/SweetIrony]

You do say that Latin thing, and I still get a kick out of it every time.

Ecclesiastes has the best verse for college students: "Of making many books there is no end, and much study wearies the body."

Habakkuk has the best verse for single girls: "You have made men like fish in the sea."

Revelation has the best verse for stalkers: "I know where you live."

2 Kings - best verse for the Channel 4 News Team? "Then two bears came out of the woods and mauled forty-two of the youths."

[Padre Romero]

Concerning Ecclesiastes...Isn't that like, the most depressing book ever.
It is, however, one of the few books of the bible that has merit in terms of literary awsomeness and sound philisophical-discussion-nes....
Mira, where the hell are you?

[Hec Scrivener]

Hrmph. Somehow Wikisource left out Cold Iron. I'd add it, it being a Wiki, did not my inherent conservatism cause me to pause for fear that there might be some as-yet-unknown, and probably legal, reason for the omission. Thus the mental life I lead.

[Artaxerxes/SweetIrony]

Ecclesiastes is rather depressing... though only if you dwell on the whole "meaningless" part. Otherwise if you can "eat your food with gladness, and drink your wine with a joyful heart" it's not so bad.

Actually, Ecclesiastes has something to say about zombies too:

"For the living know that they will die,
but the dead know nothing;
they have no further reward,
and even the memory of them is forgotten."

And thus it is better to play as a survivor than as a zed!

[Hec Scrivener]

Just cracked open my textbook for my "Holy War" class this semester, and what should smack me on the forehead but the Battle Hymn of the Republic. The very first line seems to fit our purposes best:

"Mine eyes have seen the glory..." (of the coming of the Lord)
In Latin (why not?): Orbes mei gloriam viderunt.

Not quite so applicable to the zombie survival genre, but a kickass line nonetheless, is the second-to-last one:

"As He died to make men holy, let us die to make them free."

[Padre Romero]

THAT IS GREAT!!!!! I have that song on my computer!

"I can read His righteous sentence by the dim and flaring lamps;" (Romero likes Light, if you haven't noticed)
"Oh, be swift, my soul, to answer Him! " Good too!

[Artaxerxes/SweetIrony]

We sang that in choir; I still know my alto part. And now you've got it stuck in my head! *sings*

Wait... he likes light? Really?? jk. Here's a verse that seems to be about the Extravaganza:

Isaiah 9:2
The people walking in darkness
have seen a great light;
on those living in the land of the shadow of death
a light has dawned.

[Hec Scrivener]

Okay, so here's a tentative mock-up of a new battle flag:



As you can see, I've taken the opportunity to give the background a little touching-up. I also experimented a bit:



Getting the sword to actually be on fire is on my to-do list.

[Padre Romero]

These are both cool!

Another good word for being badass, which i found in my reading for my "Age of Battle' campagne setting is "Ìïëþí ËáâÝ "

[Hec Scrivener]

Padre, was that you singing just now?

[Padre Romero]

with an alt, yep...