Tag: poem

Divine Justice

Posted on February 23, 2021 by Cal

I see the callous plumes rise high
And wonder why they have to die
Why the city’s end is nigh
Into the sky the embers fly

The jewel of Allano’s bride
Once home to those who lived and laughed
Now martyr for the nation’s pride
The vipers savaged in their wrath

I look beside the river deep
The maiden falls upon the shore
Prostrate floored and softly weeps
Softly weeps to cry no more

A fury like I’ve never known
Shines burning zealous in her eyes
I think her shaken to the bone
Until I see her slowly rise

In righteous rage she then declares
To gouge an eye demands their own
Her figure lights with blessed flares
As now my eyes grasp heaven’s throne

She burns in a celestial flash
I cower from the blinding light
Long-suffered trek resolved at last
Allano’s queen ascends tonight

She then appears beside the worms
Who persist cruelly in their sins
With no reluctance she affirms
And eyes ignite with ire again

Thunder cracks and lightning strikes
I see the demons try to fight
To wail like children in such fright
And enter the eternal night

The vipers sowed and reaped in kind
In mortal arms they put their trust
Her will imposed on those maligned
Turns spears to ash, their bones to dust

Allano’s vengeance is resolved
The smoke dispels – she stands alone
She gives to me a final pause
As I again behold the throne

I see her fade – and I implore
She cannot leave this mortal shore
My one strong arm and bedrock floor
The pearl queen whom I adore

Standing still no longer confined
A last look behind to me and the shore
Til finally she immortally shines
And smiles resigned – she cries no more

Many thanks to Ishfe Tarco for his rendition of the old Allano poem. Our condolences as to the unfortunate circumstances of his displacement.

< Back to main Lore page

The Burn of Her Javelin

Posted on November 10, 2020 by Cal

Farning hymn of war, -0y. Translated by Adtne of Kwawha.

Black sky! They cry.
Black moon! They cry.
For we are the ones who wrestled the rings
And we are the ones who tackle the beast.

Gaze upon the walls of Farning and despair!
Cower under the fury of our arrows!
Those serpents cry in fear of our strength,
Cry out, like a woman in labor.

The flame burns bright into the night,
The songs sound long.
None can best the greatest of men,
None can sing our song.

The Maiden looks upon her city and smiles,
Like a mother looks upon her sleeping child.
She’ll let no harm come to him,
And any who try will face the burn of her javelin!

Interlude

Under her care we grow strong,
Shoot up fast like the crops of spring.
Grow nourished like the crops of summer,
To bring great pride upon the harvest.

Like the dew we’ll appear suddenly on our foes.
They shall be drenched in blood.
Her war mask shall shine red.
The harvested will harvest the world.

The might of the greatest of men
Will blow like a hurricane
Will flood like the Mandara
Will uproot like the quake.

Tremble, enemies. wail!
Every limb will be broken by the sword,
Or yoke,
Or plow!

We have been delivered,
but you cannot say the same!

Despite its popularity, great debate surrounds this song. Many Allanos hold it as unduly influenced by Rabanti notions, and view it as heretical and dangerous to their faith to view Oraq as ‘protecting’ any anchor of the mortal realm. The lyrics are set to the traditional Allano tune of Indina. For an attempted translation in the spirit rather than the letter, please see addendum 4.25.60.100d.

< Back to main Lore page

Thunder

Posted on November 10, 2020 by Cal

The thunder of the plains, so deep, so loud
Who could make such force that quakes the soul?
I look to the horizon that once seemed so far
And now there is only blackness underneath the heavy sky.
Pressures of the deep under the ocean I see above.

Who can conquer this open sky?
Who can best nature?
Many have tried, but man is just a vapor in the wind
And they only flatter themselves.
Only one is the master of the expanse and it serves him the same as all other things.

The heavens are all the same to him,
There is no difference between the sky and the stars to the infinite.
And the one who tames the constellations can tame the sky
And the one who tames the sky can tame any turbulence in any man.

Every storm will pass,
And there is beauty to be found in any storm,
For the storm echoes the might of the almighty,
Just as the breeze after does his gentle mercy.

I have no reason to fear any storm,
Clouds or not, thunder or not,
I know who calls down the rain or causes it to cease.
Poem or song, rambling or inspired,
The truth is in who we trust instead of any thunder.

Transcribed from a song performed by a traveler near Tharman, Allano.

<Back to main Lore page

A Song from the Otigos

Posted on July 17, 2018 by Cal

A song from the Ogitos, translated. To be played with accompanying instruments, preferably lyre, shong, and drum.

“Turn your ears and eyes to the heavens!
Turn your ears and eyes to the heavens! Praise.

Tigan was the first.
We are the children of Tigan. No equal has existed before or since.
He is the father of our nation, [and led our people away from] the demons of the desert. Praise.

Miress was the son of Tigan,
and Miratan the son of Miress.
Sidrak was the son of Miratan,
and Akkadir the son of Sidrak.
Akkadir the vanguard, the caretaker, he called forth a flood to destroy the wicked Khan of Dumessi.
What good are your boats now, river people? Praise.

Evek was the son of Akkadir,
and Kugavev the son of Evek.
Afkist was the son of Kugavev,
and Devukkah the son of Afkist.
Devukkah the singer, the poet, the savior of the decade of famine.
The rains came for us but no others, rainmaker! Praise.

Zugavek was the son of Devukkah,
and Eigek the son of Zugavek.
Kevel-Ek was the son of Eigek,
and Keval-Ol the son of Kevel-Ek.
Keval-Ol, the [rider-turned-leader], innovator, creator of the [true bow]. (note: the tivek)
A dozen armies felled by our arrows, pillar of the west! Praise.

Four more sons have since passed.
The time is upon us, though none know the day or the man.
We wait for the next. The one who will destroy our enemies and make them a mat beneath our feet once again! Praise and praise forever.”

Scribed and translated by resident journeyman Ione Boreg during his 3-year stay with the Keval clan of the Lan Otigos. The untranslated rhyme and meter is superior in Lan Otigo tongue.

< Back to main Lore page