Post by Eldrin the Black on Mar 15, 2009 9:39:31 GMT -5
The Tome of Ages: The Book of Auriuun
Written by Auriuun(awh-ree-oohn) the poet 151,784 days after creation and all the creatures, aware and simple, of the world were thrown into darkness; written 94,900 days after the dark age of Myrda;. Written 200 days before the War of Reclamation that took Auriuun’s life and the life of all his peoples; Written 100,000 days 100 fold before the modern age. This is all that survives of the Hallityri first born, all the rest that was of the Hallityri was consumed by water, flame, and darkness.
Some ignorant may say that without strife and pain, war and corruption, knowing beings cannot gain happiness or that, if they do retain bliss for an over-long period, that selfsame bliss will become monotony, and then, the resulting mediocrity will become a torment.
These fools, however, are the ones that do not remember the day before our creator threw out all of his creation into the cold darkness. I Auriuun, Lord of the Peoples of Hallityr, being near 416 years aged (For time had no reckon before the darkness came and we were cast out for our transgressions against our creator), was present and aware when radiance first came into my mind. I was there at the dawn of our peoples and all other peoples that speak and are aware of their histories, and at the beginning of all the simple creatures.
Few remember bliss and contentment, for few born directly of the creator yet live. Few survived the coming of Myrda(Mere-dah) and time seems to ravage some of the knowing races worse than others. Some whither and die in less than century and some seem to live long and age little. Our peoples, the first-born, seem to age not at all. Our peoples seem to die only by violent means. This, and other things, has put us at odds with the rest of the nations of the world and war seems upon us, and war is why we are bereft of our bliss now.
I
The fields were green and the sky was grey, we knew naught time
We plowed for diligence and never hungered, but ate for joy
We danced in light, but there was no source, for light ruled
And darkness was not yet conceived, except by our Soverign
[The rest of the hymn is destroyed after this and the text resumes in prose]
….we did not sleep, unless we wanted to repose in a different sort of peace and all of the functions of our bodies and minds we controlled. We could not change the world, save by labor, but we had been given command of our faculties, both mental and physical. One never grew tired or aged, one never became hungry or thirsted, and we only tasted of the fruits of the land when we sought to praise our creator in thanksgiving together.
Eiur’s(eye-uhr) radiance lit the lands and his blessings fell on us in unending waves. Animals seemed to grow old and die, and grow hungry, but never did I see an animal in pain, nor was an animal ever slaughtered, for the land provided food enough as we desired for. All the natural cycles of the world seemed similar to the way they are now, save, in shorter spans, harvest was always upon the face of creation and the air was always warm and sweet. Animals were birthed and children also were born unto us knowing peoples, but neither pain nor birth pangs were ever felt. We multiplied and filled the lands, but they never seemed to end and we never ran out of dwelling places, nor fought over any particular place. All creatures dwelt there and in all places together in peace.
[Damaged and Illegible]
…we cannot count the time before our fall, for there was no day nor night, and we cannot know even when exactly it happened, save that we reckon it has been a little more than 415 years by count of the newborn Suns, moon, and Stars. It was for but a short span that all the world wandered in darkness and there was no light save what we made ourselves. In that time, before the mercy of Eiur was shown by way of Suns, moon, and stars, the world grew so cold that many died.
The deep ones journeyed deep into the mountain’s heart, along with other peoples and animals, to hide from the cold there and we have heard little of them since they departed. Some took to the forests and burned wood in great pyres of mourning to preserve their lives. But many peoples and animals are now gone, never to be seen in our world again, by the long frost of damnation.
II
In those days, that eternal day before time, Eiur came not down to minister unto use but once, at the beginning, when he spoke in a great voice so that all heard and understood(even those obeyed who cannot think of themselves as we do, the beasts and plants of the fields). He spoke his commandments and then told us to live in peace. The last that was told to us peoples of paradise was this, “Follow my will and you shall come to me, outside all the circles of the world, and at last be complete. For you are all my children and you will have true peace and joy once you are with me.”
So then, our creator left his essence upon the face of the world, which gave it light and caused all things to flower, and also left unto us guardians, the Eiurani (eye-uhr-awn-nee), worshipped as gods after the fall, to guide and protect us. We thought not of our own protection until after our fall, and then we finally understood the gears of our demise, the twisted will of Unduriel, Lord of all Abomination. But the Eiurani were kind and often ministered to us, feasted with us, spoke with us, and walked among all the lands openly.
We lived in peace with all beasts, the natural things of the world, and all other beings that know. We often feasted together, walked together, and all peoples loved each other, as if there was no difference between any.
III
Then, there was fire in the sky and it seemed the soil beneath the entire world was shaken. The fire approached the world and soon came down close to us and we saw above us great flaming bodies, like our own in a way, but nothing like us. The flaming bodies strove against the Eiurani and began to destroy them above where I stood. Then, in the sky, a black cloud (truly frightening to a being who only understood light) descended and next to me stood a dark mantled figure. He looked like one of the Eiurani, but his voice sounded as if he were spewing ash with every word. He spoke to me of things to come, of the greatness of my own people, and made me aware of all the unholy truths that haunt my people to this day.
He taught me of war and weapons and taught me how to bend others to my will., He taught me the terrible arts of the Kaatirr(close translation;Twisting). With Kaatirr I could bend the world to my will with a word, and eventually a thought. I became mighty like the Eiurani, and also was I tainted by my own pride and Unduriel’s malice.
I took up the knowledge of Unduriel and taught my peoples to make weapons. I did this in secret; after all of paradise was retuned to peace and the Datari (Twisted or immortally dead Eiurani) were expelled from all of our lands for what seemed like a long while (For we tried to keep reckon of time then, but failed).
Eliyu, the Chief of the Eiurani, came to me then, knowing my designs, and spoke to me kindly. He told me that Eiur had constrained him and all the Eiurani from changing the will of any of the peoples that know, but that we would be damned if we tried to take any portion of paradise as our own.
“The all belongs to the Creator,
you can own naught but your own choice
that is all that is gifted to you
and your own will, you will never escape
not even your body
is your own”
He departed then and I took no heed of his words. We built greater weapons and I taught others Kaatir, which leads to folly always, unless the power is from Eiur, and then nothing is twisted, all is done according to his will, not against it.
We killed many before any understood what was happening, and death tasted bitter to us, but we kept on. We fought to become the kings of paradise, even above the Eiruani. We wanted to be like gods, and as soon as our war began, the Eiurani left us, likely foreseeing that our plane would soon fall into darkness and decay.
Soon, all other races of paradise mimicked us and all of creation was cast into a mighty war. Fires burned the fields and blood stained much of the sacred lands. Then, more peoples learned to twist the natural laws unnaturally to their will and the havoc was unbelievable and terrifying, but still, we kept on.
Mountains fell and from the earth great boiling rivers of red rock burst forth. Then, when the war reached its climax, and it seemed to be the end of all things, every being suddenly stood still, for a great sound burst forth from the sky. It shook the world to its foundations and, as if it were always so, the sky blackened and the wind grew chill.
At that moment, all creatures knew that the grace, essence, and mercy of Eiur, was removed utterly from the world and all creatures. We had damned ourselves and even the innocent creatures who knew naught of what we had done.
Then, snow (something none had ever seen) and ice fell from the sky and covered deeply all things.
IV
Temporal damnation then gave us a chance at redemption. The only way we survived the long cold night was by ending our war. Our damnation into cold and darkness mercifully ended our demise at our own hands.
With the essence and protection of the creator removed from us, the Datari came and took many away to dark realms. More peoples did they convince to hate Eiur and to use nature selfishly and irresponsibly. Also, did the Eiurani come among us and told us the commandments of Eiur once again and many sought redemption.
[End Sections of IV and beginning of VI Destroyed]
[End of VI]
…many were the curses and pains of losing Eiur’s essence and grace, for 170 years,= the Datari Lord Sheol(Shay-ohl) gave the power of corruption and the curse of never-ending hunger to one human, Myrda(Mere-duh), and she spread that corruption to every knowing being she fed upon, for she craved the life-blood of beings that know. She became mighty after defeating and feeding upon one of the Eiurani and conquered much of the world and bestowed mighty powers to all those she fed upon, Diirill(Dee-eye-rihl) being the chief of her servants. But, through an alliance of the Eiruani and all those uncorrupted, and channeling the power of Eiur through my own people, the Hallityri, the freedom of all peoples survived and the world was cleansed, but some say the wretched Vampiri yet stalk the earth and cannot bear to look about Eiur’s grace, the suns. They hide, waiting for their time to strike against those who cast them from their seat of power.
VII [Apparently a Hymn]
Eiur brought to us his grace with the sun, a mere glimpse of the light of paradise, and also with the majesty of the moon and stars. The sun warms the world part of the year, but also, once every cycle, the world freezes to remind us of the dark time.
VIII
My Brethren, the Hallityri, who were the first to sin, were also the first to repent and are now the priests and guardians of all the weaker races. But, with the commands of Eiur, we have, I fear, also brought about our demise.
We cannot lie, nor disguise the truth, for if we had been open about our dealings in paradise, none of this would have came about, for surely more Eiurani would have came and ministered to us the folly of our ways and we might still, to this day, be in the radiance of Eiur.
The peoples have asked us why they are cursed to sickness and poverty, old age and senility. We have told them of the history of all things(even the Hallityri’s great sin) and a great stir has went forth through all the nations. I fear the Hallityri have little time left before a great war is upon us. We, the priests of the true God, are the only ones to teach truth and keep records, none else has this gift. I, chief priest, write this record upon sacred parchment so that the lessons of our days will not be lost utterly with our passing and send it away with my son, Auriuun II.
I have instructed him to hide for a time and then teach other peoples the truth and redemption of Eiur. If he does not succeed, I fear this world will fall to utter darkness again, never to recover. For the Datari wish to blot out the sun (for it stings them) and those fallen to their will wish to crush any thought of goodness and destroy any beauty and rule all things by weakening and twisting them.
Illin’tis Eiur Diu’t
(Forever Eiur redeems)
So ends the work of Auriuun, if it were complete it would be much larger. Unfortunately most of the text has been ruined over time. The monks of the Adean Monastery have deciphered all that is legible of this text. Thought lost during the Ravaging of Madyrn, the scroll was later found by a Dwarf named Bydrist Fellowholm after purchasing an old chest from a venerable man. Seeing that the parchment was ancient, he took it to his brothers at the Adean monastery(for he was a monk of Eiur himself). The Adean monks of the Order of Eiur have theorized that the old man may have been Auriuun II himself, though many scoff at this notion. Regardless, the book of Auriuun is a valuable addition to the Holy Book of Ages.
Written by Auriuun(awh-ree-oohn) the poet 151,784 days after creation and all the creatures, aware and simple, of the world were thrown into darkness; written 94,900 days after the dark age of Myrda;. Written 200 days before the War of Reclamation that took Auriuun’s life and the life of all his peoples; Written 100,000 days 100 fold before the modern age. This is all that survives of the Hallityri first born, all the rest that was of the Hallityri was consumed by water, flame, and darkness.
Some ignorant may say that without strife and pain, war and corruption, knowing beings cannot gain happiness or that, if they do retain bliss for an over-long period, that selfsame bliss will become monotony, and then, the resulting mediocrity will become a torment.
These fools, however, are the ones that do not remember the day before our creator threw out all of his creation into the cold darkness. I Auriuun, Lord of the Peoples of Hallityr, being near 416 years aged (For time had no reckon before the darkness came and we were cast out for our transgressions against our creator), was present and aware when radiance first came into my mind. I was there at the dawn of our peoples and all other peoples that speak and are aware of their histories, and at the beginning of all the simple creatures.
Few remember bliss and contentment, for few born directly of the creator yet live. Few survived the coming of Myrda(Mere-dah) and time seems to ravage some of the knowing races worse than others. Some whither and die in less than century and some seem to live long and age little. Our peoples, the first-born, seem to age not at all. Our peoples seem to die only by violent means. This, and other things, has put us at odds with the rest of the nations of the world and war seems upon us, and war is why we are bereft of our bliss now.
I
The fields were green and the sky was grey, we knew naught time
We plowed for diligence and never hungered, but ate for joy
We danced in light, but there was no source, for light ruled
And darkness was not yet conceived, except by our Soverign
[The rest of the hymn is destroyed after this and the text resumes in prose]
….we did not sleep, unless we wanted to repose in a different sort of peace and all of the functions of our bodies and minds we controlled. We could not change the world, save by labor, but we had been given command of our faculties, both mental and physical. One never grew tired or aged, one never became hungry or thirsted, and we only tasted of the fruits of the land when we sought to praise our creator in thanksgiving together.
Eiur’s(eye-uhr) radiance lit the lands and his blessings fell on us in unending waves. Animals seemed to grow old and die, and grow hungry, but never did I see an animal in pain, nor was an animal ever slaughtered, for the land provided food enough as we desired for. All the natural cycles of the world seemed similar to the way they are now, save, in shorter spans, harvest was always upon the face of creation and the air was always warm and sweet. Animals were birthed and children also were born unto us knowing peoples, but neither pain nor birth pangs were ever felt. We multiplied and filled the lands, but they never seemed to end and we never ran out of dwelling places, nor fought over any particular place. All creatures dwelt there and in all places together in peace.
[Damaged and Illegible]
…we cannot count the time before our fall, for there was no day nor night, and we cannot know even when exactly it happened, save that we reckon it has been a little more than 415 years by count of the newborn Suns, moon, and Stars. It was for but a short span that all the world wandered in darkness and there was no light save what we made ourselves. In that time, before the mercy of Eiur was shown by way of Suns, moon, and stars, the world grew so cold that many died.
The deep ones journeyed deep into the mountain’s heart, along with other peoples and animals, to hide from the cold there and we have heard little of them since they departed. Some took to the forests and burned wood in great pyres of mourning to preserve their lives. But many peoples and animals are now gone, never to be seen in our world again, by the long frost of damnation.
II
In those days, that eternal day before time, Eiur came not down to minister unto use but once, at the beginning, when he spoke in a great voice so that all heard and understood(even those obeyed who cannot think of themselves as we do, the beasts and plants of the fields). He spoke his commandments and then told us to live in peace. The last that was told to us peoples of paradise was this, “Follow my will and you shall come to me, outside all the circles of the world, and at last be complete. For you are all my children and you will have true peace and joy once you are with me.”
So then, our creator left his essence upon the face of the world, which gave it light and caused all things to flower, and also left unto us guardians, the Eiurani (eye-uhr-awn-nee), worshipped as gods after the fall, to guide and protect us. We thought not of our own protection until after our fall, and then we finally understood the gears of our demise, the twisted will of Unduriel, Lord of all Abomination. But the Eiurani were kind and often ministered to us, feasted with us, spoke with us, and walked among all the lands openly.
We lived in peace with all beasts, the natural things of the world, and all other beings that know. We often feasted together, walked together, and all peoples loved each other, as if there was no difference between any.
III
Then, there was fire in the sky and it seemed the soil beneath the entire world was shaken. The fire approached the world and soon came down close to us and we saw above us great flaming bodies, like our own in a way, but nothing like us. The flaming bodies strove against the Eiurani and began to destroy them above where I stood. Then, in the sky, a black cloud (truly frightening to a being who only understood light) descended and next to me stood a dark mantled figure. He looked like one of the Eiurani, but his voice sounded as if he were spewing ash with every word. He spoke to me of things to come, of the greatness of my own people, and made me aware of all the unholy truths that haunt my people to this day.
He taught me of war and weapons and taught me how to bend others to my will., He taught me the terrible arts of the Kaatirr(close translation;Twisting). With Kaatirr I could bend the world to my will with a word, and eventually a thought. I became mighty like the Eiurani, and also was I tainted by my own pride and Unduriel’s malice.
I took up the knowledge of Unduriel and taught my peoples to make weapons. I did this in secret; after all of paradise was retuned to peace and the Datari (Twisted or immortally dead Eiurani) were expelled from all of our lands for what seemed like a long while (For we tried to keep reckon of time then, but failed).
Eliyu, the Chief of the Eiurani, came to me then, knowing my designs, and spoke to me kindly. He told me that Eiur had constrained him and all the Eiurani from changing the will of any of the peoples that know, but that we would be damned if we tried to take any portion of paradise as our own.
“The all belongs to the Creator,
you can own naught but your own choice
that is all that is gifted to you
and your own will, you will never escape
not even your body
is your own”
He departed then and I took no heed of his words. We built greater weapons and I taught others Kaatir, which leads to folly always, unless the power is from Eiur, and then nothing is twisted, all is done according to his will, not against it.
We killed many before any understood what was happening, and death tasted bitter to us, but we kept on. We fought to become the kings of paradise, even above the Eiruani. We wanted to be like gods, and as soon as our war began, the Eiurani left us, likely foreseeing that our plane would soon fall into darkness and decay.
Soon, all other races of paradise mimicked us and all of creation was cast into a mighty war. Fires burned the fields and blood stained much of the sacred lands. Then, more peoples learned to twist the natural laws unnaturally to their will and the havoc was unbelievable and terrifying, but still, we kept on.
Mountains fell and from the earth great boiling rivers of red rock burst forth. Then, when the war reached its climax, and it seemed to be the end of all things, every being suddenly stood still, for a great sound burst forth from the sky. It shook the world to its foundations and, as if it were always so, the sky blackened and the wind grew chill.
At that moment, all creatures knew that the grace, essence, and mercy of Eiur, was removed utterly from the world and all creatures. We had damned ourselves and even the innocent creatures who knew naught of what we had done.
Then, snow (something none had ever seen) and ice fell from the sky and covered deeply all things.
IV
Temporal damnation then gave us a chance at redemption. The only way we survived the long cold night was by ending our war. Our damnation into cold and darkness mercifully ended our demise at our own hands.
With the essence and protection of the creator removed from us, the Datari came and took many away to dark realms. More peoples did they convince to hate Eiur and to use nature selfishly and irresponsibly. Also, did the Eiurani come among us and told us the commandments of Eiur once again and many sought redemption.
[End Sections of IV and beginning of VI Destroyed]
[End of VI]
…many were the curses and pains of losing Eiur’s essence and grace, for 170 years,= the Datari Lord Sheol(Shay-ohl) gave the power of corruption and the curse of never-ending hunger to one human, Myrda(Mere-duh), and she spread that corruption to every knowing being she fed upon, for she craved the life-blood of beings that know. She became mighty after defeating and feeding upon one of the Eiurani and conquered much of the world and bestowed mighty powers to all those she fed upon, Diirill(Dee-eye-rihl) being the chief of her servants. But, through an alliance of the Eiruani and all those uncorrupted, and channeling the power of Eiur through my own people, the Hallityri, the freedom of all peoples survived and the world was cleansed, but some say the wretched Vampiri yet stalk the earth and cannot bear to look about Eiur’s grace, the suns. They hide, waiting for their time to strike against those who cast them from their seat of power.
VII [Apparently a Hymn]
Eiur brought to us his grace with the sun, a mere glimpse of the light of paradise, and also with the majesty of the moon and stars. The sun warms the world part of the year, but also, once every cycle, the world freezes to remind us of the dark time.
VIII
My Brethren, the Hallityri, who were the first to sin, were also the first to repent and are now the priests and guardians of all the weaker races. But, with the commands of Eiur, we have, I fear, also brought about our demise.
We cannot lie, nor disguise the truth, for if we had been open about our dealings in paradise, none of this would have came about, for surely more Eiurani would have came and ministered to us the folly of our ways and we might still, to this day, be in the radiance of Eiur.
The peoples have asked us why they are cursed to sickness and poverty, old age and senility. We have told them of the history of all things(even the Hallityri’s great sin) and a great stir has went forth through all the nations. I fear the Hallityri have little time left before a great war is upon us. We, the priests of the true God, are the only ones to teach truth and keep records, none else has this gift. I, chief priest, write this record upon sacred parchment so that the lessons of our days will not be lost utterly with our passing and send it away with my son, Auriuun II.
I have instructed him to hide for a time and then teach other peoples the truth and redemption of Eiur. If he does not succeed, I fear this world will fall to utter darkness again, never to recover. For the Datari wish to blot out the sun (for it stings them) and those fallen to their will wish to crush any thought of goodness and destroy any beauty and rule all things by weakening and twisting them.
Illin’tis Eiur Diu’t
(Forever Eiur redeems)
So ends the work of Auriuun, if it were complete it would be much larger. Unfortunately most of the text has been ruined over time. The monks of the Adean Monastery have deciphered all that is legible of this text. Thought lost during the Ravaging of Madyrn, the scroll was later found by a Dwarf named Bydrist Fellowholm after purchasing an old chest from a venerable man. Seeing that the parchment was ancient, he took it to his brothers at the Adean monastery(for he was a monk of Eiur himself). The Adean monks of the Order of Eiur have theorized that the old man may have been Auriuun II himself, though many scoff at this notion. Regardless, the book of Auriuun is a valuable addition to the Holy Book of Ages.