The Far Wanderings of the Great Father
"His true name none shall ever know.
Wand'rer call Him, whose path did go
from highest plane where He was born
to our World, broken and forlorn.
A Godling true, strong was His arm
and keen his gaze. Such radiant charm
infus'd His voice that none would dare
deny His wish. Black was his hair.
Why left He heaven? None may know
who are born of this World, far below
that primal sphere where He was rais'd.
But leave He did, whose name is praised.
Others followed, companions true.
Kenaryn, armed with bow of yew
and blacksmith Thurin with his axe.
These three, and others, turned their backs
on Paradise and left, descending
to spaces bounded yet unending.
There long the Wand'rer and his train
walked o'er a formless, empty plain
where Law and Chaos, Dark and Light
frothed together under endless Night.
One feature broke the endless plain,
an Orb of ebon, smooth and plain.
The Wand'rer moved to look within
but of a sudden the harsh din
of Demon voices shook the air,
and Prince Kolaur was standing there.
"Who comes unbidden to my realm?"
the demon hissed, and donned his helm
of hardest adamant. "I meant
no trespass," Wand'rer spake. "Sent
from Paradise by mine own whim."
And all the Demons laughed at him.
"Go back, Godling, from whence thou came!"
Kolaur did cry, his eyes like flame.
"Your haughty eyes shall never spy
what wonders in that orb do lie.
And take these other wastrels back
When you depart, and look not back."
For Wand'rer's honor, thus denied,
a battle shook the Void outside
the Universe that mortals know
whence Chaos would deal such a blow.
The demon legions were as sand,
and in each clawed and twisted hand
there gleamed a long and wicked blade,
but the Wanderer was unafraid.
As ocean waves against a line
of pillars hewn of marble fine
the Chaos horde did strike, and melt
away when Wand'rer's wrath they felt.
And each companion fought as well
And gaily sang as their foes fell.
Kolaur's fell spear possessed such might
that its point could e'en a Godling bite.
He found the Wand'rer, high in the flood
of battle, struck, and drew His blood.
The Shaper stayed at Wand'rer's side
when Callynthir pierced Wand'rer's hide.
Thurin's stroke left the Demon dead,
and all its twisted legions fled.
Kenaryn's arrows, thick as flies,
Found their black hearts and pierced their eyes.
So Wand'rer did the battle win,
and, drawing nigh the orb, look'd in.
Three Orbs of stone and ice were there,
like Pearls cast into darkest mere.
"What is this place?" said He, "This prize
all Chaos hid from Godling's eyes?"
Of His companions, none could tell
their names, or what beasts might yet dwell
in riven deep or icy height
of these worlds, seal'd in orb of Night.
One world shone brightly, as a jewel,
to this one Wand'rer came to rule."
- A fragment of the ancient Elvish epic Tae ap Arpalonamil, "The Far Wanderings of the Great Father" written by an unknown Author in the Age of Twilight.
