Religious Poems

DREAM OF THE SENTINEL
BY DEGAS ZUMMATRA

The following was written by Varthin Aldris, dated 1646 b.S. It has been interpreted to mean various things, however the most likely theory is that it is a religious vision of Armeros, God of War.

I had a dream, on dreary day
Of all distractions swept away,
And in this void of vast array
I did behold a grand display.

Before me rose a pillar
Ten peds broad and trice as high,
All in bronze, of finest crafting,
And then a wonder met my eye,
For upon this pillar standing,
Towering far into the sky
Was a wondrous figure watching,
Watching all that met his eye.

His armour fit him boldly,
Like his skin, a somber hue,
And his hands were calmly rested
On a sword, so hard to view
For its power was resplendent
With the force of what is True.

But these were merely trinkets
On the majesty before me
All that power lying dormant,
But the eyes, they wandered free.
To look upon those eyes
Was to look on history
And see all the silent judgments
To see all the Gods' decrees.

And then in slow observance,
Those eyes roamed to look
-at me.

My body would have shaken
If it were not rooted still
I was pinned by such a power
I'd have reveled at the thrill
But my soul, I feared, would splinter
As I felt a mighty chill
For eternity surged through me
And I feared its gaze would kill.
I could feel that titan judge me
As it judged the strong and ill
As it judged the weak and fearless
And I prayed that I'd fulfill
The requirements for mercy
From that godly iron will.

An era later, so it seemed
The piercing stare was torn away
And I had no thoughts to think
No remarks that I could say
For beneath that mighty judgment
All my outlooks passed away.

At length I did return
To the plane of mortal lives
And my spirit had recovered
From the judgment I survived
I could reflect, and found it heartening:
To whatever ends we strive
There's a silent figure watching,
Guarding all who are alive.

THE HERALD OF DAWN
BY DEGAS ZUMMATRA

Written so long ago as to be obscure in origin, this ode to the Avequis Lighthorse, mythical standard to Nakashi, the Aeoliran Goddess of Light, has become rather a staple of hymns sung in Nakashi's honor. Well known amongst Aeruillin's devoutly religious, it is a classical hymn of praise to the glowing, golden Horse of Light. The edition seen below was translated by Varthin Aldris during his visit to Aeruillin circa 1640 b.S.

When skies of dawn glow quietly
And heavens fill with light
If fortune smiles down on thee
Thou may be granted sight...

See the glorious golden plumes!
Behold the waves of glistening down!

A lily-white mane
To blaze in valor
A wind tossed tail
To soar in flight!
Light the earth
In dawn's first hour
Rise in glory
Banish night!

Oh, the mighty gleaming flanks!
Oh, the hooves of silver steel!

Nakashi's standard gleaming brightly
Tears of birth like jewels of light,
Flowers bloom where earth is burdened
Grace descended from the heights,

Show to me Nakashi's creature!
Yea, Avequis, Horse of Light!

The Avequis Lighthorse.
Picture drawn by Losmios (Mia Bengtsson),
used with friendly permission.

THE RANT OF THE GODS
BY TZILON IKARA

(A chant of the followers of Coór, the Dark Lord,
found at a raid on a forbidden temple in a cellar in Nyermersys.)

Armeros, he lies
For you cannot split truth
He has plagued us with war
Since the days of our youth

Arvins, he is deaf
For he listens no more
And he does not teach
What was promised before

Baveras, she tricks us
With deceit and with lies
Her promises made
Then gone like the tide

Etherus, her treachery
Runs high as the flames
Of her passion and lust
That she uses to maim

Eyasha, she claims
To bring rest to the mind
But she takes away freedom
And steals from us life

Foiros, he burns
As he sits in the skies
We are nothing to him
For he is nothing but pride

Grothar, he is cruel
As he rides on the wind
Curses and tragedy
Is all that he sends

Jeyriall, the drunk
Drowns men in wine
Traps all in debauchery
And ruins the mind

Nehtor, he heals
Then leaves you alone
Stealing your breath
Till there is naught but bones

Queprur, is death
And I need say no more
But that she is the worse
Than those said before

Seyalla, the knowing
Vile history's queen
She leaves us in ignorance
And denies what is seen

Urtengor, the dark
He forges the sword
That his fellow gods use
To bring us their war

And Avá, the One
The Dreamer of Lies
We fear of the day
When she opens her eyes

When she sees what was done
Everything in her name
She will laugh with her children
At her creation's pain
So rise, all downtrodden
Stand up and unite
The gods may destroy us
But we must still fight
Their rage, it is fierce
But this fire must burn
Vindication will come
When Coór shall return...

Calling bells in summer night
rings over the shire.
Calls so full of joy and light
shining like a fire.
"Hear my song and hear my voice."
sings the dancing Goddess.
All the merry souls rejoice
in the star filled darkness.

Hear the birds burst out in song
in the golden sunlight.
Feel your heart sing along
lifting in a wild flight.
Joyous laughter from a child
is the music sounding,
autum breeze, soft and mild
and the heartbeat pounding.

When the winter cold and white
lays across the scenery.
When the day is only night
and your mood is dusky.
Listen deep within your soul
you will hear her singing.
"Soon the sun will thaw the cold,
and the spring be bringing."

Swing around in blissful dance
with the fiddles playing,
lay down both the sword and lance
while your hips are swaying.
Dance over the moor so green,
like there is no tomorrow.
Those who dance with Dalireen,
they shall know no sorrow.

QUEPRUR RIDES
by Lucirina Telor Vevan

Boy and man, all must sleep,
lay bodies down while Queprur reaps.
Nightbird sings, Nightbird calls,
her scythe will swing and gather all.
While she rides on heaven high,
all life hides, lest it will die.
All that perish she will collect
no armours resist nor spells protect.

All she reaps, young and old,
heart grows still, blood goes cold.
War and pest are riding steeds,
darkness follows her dire deeds.
No babe too young, no man too small,
under her blade they all will fall.
On her terrible wings of fear and fright
the Rat Queen, Queprur, rides tonight.

THE GIFTS OF MARI
by Lucirina Telor Vevan

Between the cold raindrops,
the warm tears hide, cowering.
Inside the fires of passion
the numbness of fear chills us.
Amidst the smell of new-born roses
the smell of decay and death lingers.
In each dawn,
A night dies.
In each twilight,
a day agonises.
For each life
there is a death.
For each smile,
a tear.

For each dream
there is awakening.
In each greeting
there is a farewell.
In a single kiss
beats lie hidden.
Behind the smiles
Awaits the grimace of anger
to transform happiness
into grieving.

Misunderstood, loathed,
Mari's hand touches us all.
Cursed, blessed her gifts.
She gives us joys and griefs.
Peace, then pains of war.
Love, then the cold touch of hatred.
Happiness, then the numbness of sorrow.
But she also gives
The caress, after the strikes.
The kiss, after the absence.
Silence, after the deafening sounds.

ALL ARE WE
by Lucirina Telor Vevan

Mithral wolf on a cloud free night
howls toward the starry skies.
The sound in shadows fills the air
ringing through the cold and gloom.
Nightbirds join the nightly choir
lifting their song to the stillness.
Music in darkness covers the land,
all of this in the dream from you.

Painting dances on a wooden wall
from where someone left his reveries.
Words calling from a yellow parchment
songs and rhymes, stories and prayers.
Deep in the mind lies your light
as clear as silver pours from the skies.
Even the distance can't take us away
all are we in the dream from you.

Clouded dream on a winter's night
vision both of life and death.
Voices sing an ageless tune
toward the coming light of dawn.
Birds in flight call your name,
praising you in song as we do.
Lifting prayers to the morning air,
this we do for the love of you.

Avá, dreamress fast asleep,
smiling in your coloured dreams.
Granting to us heart and breath,
shining eyes, crimson blood.
When our time is over here
we'll return once more to you.
Resting in your warm embrace,
all we are is a dream from you.

ODE TO THE BARDESS
by Rayne Avalotus

When the moon is full and the night is new
And the skies drift by in dark deep blue
Make solemn silence like shadows depart
As thy brilliant aria doth light our hearts.

When melody fades from the fertile shire
Heed the beck’ning call of a cricket choir.
Make your descent with dancing bells
Whose shimmering sounds can cast thy spells.

And transform the stillness to sailing song
And turn the tenuous starlight strong.
With colors bright thy body baring
Sing to swift steps to leave us staring.

Throughout the night let laughter lift
In celebration of thy joyous gifts:
The music made and the tales told
And dances done from roots of old.

And poetry that yields our perfect pleasure
And our tiny tots, our most precious treasure.
Thou art most merry and yet softly serene:
Blessed are we by Bardess Dalireen.

MUMBLES, MUMBLES
by Lucirina Telor Vevan

Mumbles, mumbles
the voice of the waves.
Ricau sleeps within the egg
and dreams with the winds
that will sing under its wings.
Mumbles, mumbles
the lullaby of the sea,
like a song to new life.
with a voice of millenniums
filled with secrets yet to be told.

Mumbles, mumbles
the breeze in the willows,
carrying will'o'wisps
that playfully dance.
Mumbles, mumbles
The wind his whispers
of eternal traveller.
Carrying songs
tired of long voyages,
but always eager to be sung.

Mumbles, mumbles
our warm heart.
Pulsing a river of life.
Hidden within us
lies the Goddess' secret.
Mumbles, mumbles,
Avá in her sleep.
And while she dreams
we will exist.

AVÁ'S DREAM
by Rayne Avalotus

The knights with their swords catching pale moonlight
pursue jeweled-eyed dragons in dark lairs
Who will in vengeance rise in stormy flight
While the Blue Glitra sings in soft despair
As a white unicorn neighs gleefully
Under the touch of a pure maiden's hand
Whilst a herd of white deer graze peacefully
Where gentle raindrops kiss the thirsty land
As emerald forests do faintly ring
With a light and mystical elven tune
While silver-winged fairies dance and sing
To grace the presence of a starling moon -
As strange or glorious as they may seem
Are all part of Avá's exquisite dream.

THE ETERNAL DANCE
by Mutare Serphinroth

When the Origin was born
When the End of Ends began;
Time was making it’s first spin
Avá, Mother, dreameth then…

Cloaked in eternal sleep;
An enchanted mystery
Cleared in her blissful eyes
Thus the Living came to be.

~*~

And She saw them in Her Thoughts;
Separate now from the Whole
But with minds of their own;
Spirits of eternal soul.

Thus they came, the elven race,
First to speak and first to sing;
First to laugh and first to love;
To love Avá the Supreme.

Many other things She saw:
Men, dwarves, forests, stars and skies…
And She saw all were unique,
And She wondered, who am I?

Am I being just as them,
Why cannot I see myself?
Have of myself I dreameth
As I dreameth of an elf?

And She knew the answer then;
And She was thrilled and amazed;
Scared of the truth She saw
But proud of the dreams She raised.

Then She looked upon Herself
And perfection there She saw;
Void and eternity;
Thus She marveléd in awe.

But with beauty and with bliss,
She sensed darkness, evil, sin…
Then an image came to Her
That has always there been.

Then She knew He was inside
Ever with Her, ever there.
He, the Cóor, Lord of the Dark,
He, the bringer of despair.

And She knew that She was Him
And He knew that He was Her;
They knew they would always be;
And knew that they always were.

But Blissful She has remained,
And terrible He has stayed.
And if ever She awakes
All that She had dreamed will fade.

In the cosmos; in the Void
Their minds ever are in dance
In the darkness; in the light
Searching for the winning stance.

So it was; so it will be
So they danced, and dance today.
All is ever intertwined
In this never-ending play.

~*~

When the Origin was born
When the End of Ends began;
Time was making its first spin
Avá, Mother, dreameth then.

During the eternal sleep
An enchanted mystery
Cleared in Her blissful eyes
Thus began our history…

PAST
by Xarl

So it was in the beginning...

First there was Avá
She, the Dreamer
Queen of Light and Beauty
Her Dream began.

But there was Coór
He, the Dark One
King of Destruction
The Dream was warped

Then Avá thought
The Twelve arose
Watchers of the World
Aviaría were born

The Shadow beckoned
Those that could have been
The Gods that were rejected
The Darkwinds of Coór.

Then Avá cried
Her tears were life
Humans, Elves, Dwarves and Orcs
The Aviaría had followers

Wind Gods first
The First of Avá
Peace, Weather, and Healing
Forces of calm

Earth Gods next
Closest to Caelereth
Hunt, Death, and Forge
Forces of need

Water Godesses third
That which is needed
Sea, Harvest, and Destiny
Forces to be molded

Fire Gods last
Heat and Light
War, Desire, and Sun
Forces of Chaos

The Ages came, the Ages went
Silence, Myths, Awakening
Age of Blood with Wars and Chaos
Change, Kings, Discoveries

Time passes, the gods still stand
Watching over our calm land
What is to come, only three know
The Dreamer, The Seer, and the One Below.

[Chronicler's note:
The last segment seems to differ somewhat
from the author's usual style, but it fits the
"historical" pattern of this poem.]

APOCALYPSE
by Xarl

...and so it shall be in the End.

The Shadow shall come
The Dream shall shudder
The Dreamer will wake
Through the dark force of the Other

The Injèrá draws closer
War shall ride forth then
And Lust wields a free hand
As Black Fire consumes Caelereth

The Deep Forge is shattered
The last Hunt-hound dies
Death waits for the last stand
As Earth falls, to never rise.

The Seas boil and dry up
The Harvest is sand
The Seer feels sorrow
At the Waterless Aér'aí'chán

The Winds cut through the living
Peace leaves all but the dead
While the Healer is helpless
To soothe those bathed in red

The Last Stand is mounted
To save Ava's Dream
Their task: To hold off
The Shadow, the Obscene

And after that?