– Revere the tears of sorrowing ISSA –
9. Again
Spake ISSA unto us, saying:
‘Behold, I am thy God, and I love thee. In spirit shall I abide with thee, and from thy number will I select the one through whom shall I speak. Thou shalt hear and obey the one – even as it were me.’
– Hear and obey the word of ISSA –
10. Now
Of all the servants of ISSA, most beloved was Salmissra, the Priestess, and ISSA touched her and exalted her and spake unto the people again, saying:
‘Behold my handmaiden, Salmissra. Her have I touched and exalted. And she shall be queen over thee and have dominion, and her voice shall be my voice, and thou shall call her name eternal, for I am with her – even as with thee unto the end of days.’
– All praise to eternal Salmissra, handmaiden of ISSA –
11. Spake
Then eternal Salmissra, Queen of the Serpent People, saying:
(The remainder of the fragment has been lost.)
(#litres_trial_promo)
HYMN TO CHALDAN (#ulink_fe380eca-841f-5f20-b438-9389bbbcabf5)
NOTE This is the famous War-hymn of the Asturian Arends believed to have been composed sometime early in the second millennium. While there exist Mimbrate and Wacite hymns of similar tenor, this particular piece most universally captures the spirit of Arendia, and despite its Asturian origin it is widely sung in Mimbrate chapels even to this day. Historical research indicates that it was also popular in Wacune before those people were obliterated during the Arendian Civil Wars.
Honor, Glory and Dominion be thine, O Chaldan.
Grant, Divine Lord, Victory unto thy Servants.
See, O our God, how we adore Thee.
Smite, Great Judge, the Wicked and Unjust.
Chastise our Foes. Consume them with Fire.
Scourge him who has despite unto us.
Blessed be the Name of Chaldan
Power, Might, and Empire be thine, O Chaldan.
Bless, Warrior God, the Weapons of thy Children.
Gird us, Great One, in Armor impenetrable.
Hear, Blessed Chaldan, our Lament for the Fallen.
Comfort us in our Bereavement.
Revenge us upon our Enemies.
Blessed be the name of Chaldan.
Wisdom, Honor, Eternal Worship be thine, O Chaldan.
Give, O our God, courage for the battle.
Hearken, Divinity, unto our War-Prayer.
Sustain, Magnificence, our just Cause.
Punish him who speaks slightingly to us.
Blessed be the name of Chaldan.
There are, of course, some four hundred and eighteen more verses, but the quality definitely deteriorates beyond this point, and the descriptions of the punishments invoked upon enemies are too graphic to repeat in a text which might inadvertently fall into the hands of women or children.
THE LAMENT OF MARA (#ulink_599ba0f6-b96c-550a-80ed-a357153b65f2)
NOTE FROM THE IMPERIAL LIBRARIAN OF TOL HONETH: This peculiar piece was produced by a melancholy monk at Mar-Terin in the late 27th century. Though he steadfastly maintained until his death that these were the actual words of the grieving God, Mara, it is easily evident that this mournful work is rather the product of a mind diseased by solitude, racial guilt and the continual wail of the wind in the barren trees near the monastery.
The unfortunate history of the destruction of Maragor and the extermination of its people is a moral burden which the Tolnedran Empire must bear. We must not, however, lapse into hysteria as a result of our sense of guilt. Rather we must resolve never again to turn to such savagery in our quest for advantage and profit.
Truly, the spirit of the God Mara stands as a continual remonstrance to us
and, balanced against the proverbs of our own beloved Nedra, provides every decent and right-thinking Tolnedran with those bounds against which he may measure his conduct.
EEEE – AAAAY! EEEE – AAAAY!
Oh Weep for Mara whose people are no more.
Sorrow,
Sorrow,
Grief and Woe
The people are destroyed, the elders and the children.
The men are cut down, and the women, fountainhead of race and blood and kind
are slain.
The people of Mara are no more.
