He toiled up the stairs until he came to the hall of the Eyes of the Thirteen. Noticing the deep purple alexandrite carved to look like wolf prints, he smiled. In the deep violet light cast by the steel braziers, he made his way into the shrine of Meraud to fulfill his vow. He walked across the onyx platform, and sunk onto the ground, leaning his back against the polished granite altar, and pulled a golden lyre out of his bag. A grey cat ambled over his lap, gazing with reverence at the exquisite statue of a maiden and a wolf.

He began to hum a mournful tune, and absently plucked the cords of his lyre, opening himself to her voice. Soon the feeling overtook him, and his fingers began to gracefully move across the lyre, and words soon took shape:

I sing of living heroes
and demons locked in strife,
Some who radiant deeds performed,
And some in shadows holding knives.

Deep in Maelshyve’s fortress,
The demon’s cult designed
To make their mistress manifest
With a human vessel there to bind.

In league with Jeihrem's chosen,
The Tallnah, Queen of Dread,
And the Necro Lord called Xzean,
To our plane the greatest threat,

Yet for all their potent malice,
And power from evil spawned,
The heroes of Elanthi rose
Like the light of breaking dawn:

Calls for help were issued,
And in council Wisdom dwelt.
Like a beacon to our wayward souls,
Hodierna’s presence all there felt,

And when the appointed time had come
Under Haven's Temple's vault,
A host of every kind arrived
Against Maelshyve to revolt.

To aid the daring effort,
Friends in the Temple prayed.
Their holy voices rising up,
Souls sharpened as a blade.

The host sought the hidden fortress
Beneath twisted Zaulfung's crust,
Harried as we passed within
By beasts and fiends corrupt -

But the banner of Sebestyen
Rose high against the dark,
And while our stricken foes fell back,
Lions roared within our hearts.

Then like the blaze of heaven's stars,
Another banner we perceived,
And Power with Samsaren strode,
With might and honor was he wreathed.

Beneath such steadfast standards passed
The host of many kinds,
Led by the Elvish captain bold
Till passed 'neath Zaulfung's shrine.

Whispers crept upon us
From Maelshyve's horrid tongue,
And suddenly a roar burst forth,
And claws cracked each our skulls!

Finished might our quest have been,
Had not Kaelie raised a graceful hand,
And taken even fiercest wounds,
Like water into sand,

Or felt the touch of Zymi,
Or Karthor's magic strong,
And Death himself must hide his head
From the empath's pride Qiyan!

Soon we faced the dreary crossing
Of an ancient, ill-wrought bridge,
Where the song of bright Navesi rose
And each felt her spirit lift!

And other powers stood not idle
As minions bent the knee
For there are some who never kneel -
Who stand upright and free!

Among those few stood Jhien,
Whose name to demons is a curse,
Knowledge high adorns his brow,
And through his craft does power surge,

And to the genius of Philosophy
My muse must bow her head,
For never can our simple words
Pay sufficient compliment

To Yvela of Zoluren,
Whose mind shall know no peer,
The seeker of the end of death,
And Maelshyve's greatest fear,

And several other shadowed names,
Whose courage never waved,
Who then refused to bow their heads
To see this plane enslaved!

Past the bridge we made our way
In chambers dark as pitch.
A unicorn did guide our way,
And the fighting grew more thick,

And in the fearsome melee,
Rose the shinning shield of Strum,
To guard against the deadly stroke,
And the tide of battle turn,

Who with blood and steel then etched
His people's sacred creed,
And proved immortal valor bright
Not with words but deeds.

There in the inmost chamber,
Ciriasa near transformed,
Maelshyve screeched with horrid joy,
But the demon's hopes were scorned,

For rising to oppose her,
Came the greatest of our age,
Mazrian and Saragos both
With elemental power blazed!

Joined by commander Perune,
And Ruea, world renown,
Whose wit and blade are sharper yet
Than the style of her gown,

Intoning holy hyms to gods,
Blessed cleric of the Guard -
Sereze returned the brave to life,
And broke death's fearsome jaws!

There sang Maxwelinski,
Whose voice emboldens all,
And Charlize the elven ranger swift
Hunting freedom's foes to cull,

And O! That sacred, holy light!
Whom my verse must yet profane
For never can my voice be just
To the priestess high Khaelyn!

That elf bedecked with glory,
Whose kindness swallows pain,
Whose handmaids Peace and Mercy are
But whose strength yet guards our plane!

All these blessed heroes,
And the shadows living free,
Cleared then the human vessel,
And made the demon's spirit flee,

For out of hidden knowledge,
Came the means to cut the bond,
Out of many labors born,
And the chances seemed once long,

Yet the valor of Kermoria
Joined in force supreme,
Shook off the threat of demoness,
And in realms divine I've seen,

The gods gaze down with tears of pride,
And ancestors raise their cups,
In their scared halls they sing,
For the feats of those they love!

To everyone who joined with us
In shadow or in light,
On the field of battle hard,
Or in the temple to recite

Prayers to aid in freeing all
Our people from the threat
Of Maelshyve, wretched demoness,
We are ever in your debt.

He was awakened sometime later by the loud throat-clearing of an acolyte. "Drunken vagrants," muttered the acolyte under his breath.

He rubbed his eyes as the acolyte watched him, and put his lyre back in his bag, and made his way back down the stairs.

[Note to the board mods: Received permission from players of secret factions to use character names. Feel free to redact the Islander's name if necessary. Thanks!]

Impressive work.

This should be a song scroll in the game.

---

Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall rank!

Paladin new player guide: https://elanthipedia.play.net/mediawiki/index.php/Paladin_new_player_guide

armor and shields: https://elanthipedia.play.net/mediawiki/index.php/Armor_and_shield_player_guide

>This should be a song scroll in the game.

Those are almost as bad as books, but I might have a look and see how bad of a fight it is. I promise nothing.

~Evike
Twitter: @EvikeDR

<<[Note to the board mods: Received permission from players of secret factions to use character names. Feel free to redact the Islander's name if necessary. Thanks!]

Thanks for doing due diligence.

I think we're all square this time because this is in-character fiction


Helje
DragonRealms Senior Board Moderator

PS Great job

I really love getting to see IC creative works that are based on actual player-experienced events. Very cool!