Ballad of Athan'na'tos

> The mother’s enlightenment sparked a fire in her son
>
>

> While the mother was driven by her wisdom, preaching what was Just and Right
>
>

> The son spread her words in zealotry, fueled by his perceived destiny
>
>

> Many welcomed Emjir’s teachings with open arms
>
>

> Their bodies protected from disease
>
>

> Their spirits consoled by honoring their ancestors
>
>

> But Athan'na'tos’ fire cast a long shadow
>
>

>
>
>
>
>

> The first tribe to refuse him left their dead in heaps
>
>

> “Honor my father. Honor the dead” he would instruct
>
>

> “We will not” cried the first tribe “our time is precious, and they are gone”
>
>

> “Honor the dead, or join them” he would shout from atop his fearsome Dragonbird
>
>

> “The dead are deaf, why weep for them” they replied
>
>

> So the armies of the Athan'na'tos swept through their ranks
>
>

> Dragonbirds raining death from above
>
>

> Homes destroyed
>
>

> Livestock slaughtered
>
>

> Families torn asunder
>
>

> And when the tribe lay before him broken and beaten
>
>

> Athan'na'tos’ approached their Niru'er, V'yari, and Kena
>
>

> “We surrender” cried the Niru'er
>
>

> “We honor your god” cried the V’yari
>
>

> “We submit to your rule” cried the Kena
>
>

> “I accept. Your people shall live” He would tell them
>
>

> “But you called the dead deaf”
>
>

> and with a smooth motion, he cut off their ears
>
>

> And so, Athan'na'tos’ daughters and wives rebuilt the broken people
>
>

> And none dared call the dead deaf
>
>

>
>
>
>
>

> The second tribe to refuse him made trophies of their enemies
>
>

> “Honor my father. Honor the dead” he would instruct
>
>

> “We will not” cried the second tribe “we have triumphed over our enemies”
>
>

> “Honor the dead, or join them” he would shout from atop his fearsome dragonbird
>
>

> “We would look upon our prizes in glory” they replied
>
>

> So the armies of the Athan'na'tos swept through their ranks
>
>

> Dragonbirds raining death from above
>
>

> Homes destroyed
>
>

> Livestock slaughtered
>
>

> Families torn asunder
>
>

> And when the tribe lay before him broken and beaten
>
>

> Athan'na'tos’ approached their Niru'er, V'yari, and Kena
>
>

> “We surrender” cried the Niru'er
>
>

> “We honor your god” cried the V’yari
>
>

> “We submit to your rule” cried the Kena
>
>

> “I accept. Your people shall live” He would tell them
>
>

> “But you look upon the desecrated dead as prizes”
>
>

> and with a smooth motion, he gouged out their eyes
>
>

> And so, Athan'na'tos’ daughters and wives rebuilt the broken people
>
>

> And none dared look upon their former mementos
>
>

>
>
>
>
>

> The third tribe to refuse him consumed the flesh of their brethren and enemy alike
>
>

> “Honor my father. Honor the dead” he would instruct
>
>

> “We will not” cried the second tribe “we have the strength of all those we’ve eaten”
>
>

> “Honor the dead, or join them” he would shout from atop his fearsome dragonbird
>
>

> “We would feast upon your flesh instead” they replied
>
>

> So the armies of the Athan'na'tos swept through their ranks
>
>

> Dragonbirds raining death from above
>
>

> Homes destroyed
>
>

> Livestock slaughtered
>
>

> Families torn asunder
>
>

> And when the tribe lay before him broken and beaten
>
>

> Athan'na'tos’ approached their Niru'er, V'yari, and Kena
>
>

> “We surrender” cried the Niru'er
>
>

> “We honor your god” cried the V’yari
>
>

> “We submit to your rule” cried the Kena
>
>

> “I accept. Your people shall live” He would tell them
>
>

> “But your ravenous appetites defile the dead”
>
>

> and with a smooth motion, he sliced out their tongues
>
>

> And so, Athan'na'tos’ daughters and wives rebuilt the broken people
>
>

> And none dared even consume the flesh of beasts
>
>

*A famous Ester song, detailing the life of the Evunasi Niru'er Athan'na'tos, as told by Queen Larka Lockwood of Norley.*