Urzan Papyrus

the Canaab Hymns

The Urzan Papyrus is a series of five hymn recorded by the Siduumites. Found in the Ziggurat of Urzan the Papyrus is a copy of more ancient texts known as the Canaab Hymns. The only known copy of these lost works. The stories focus on the Canite tribe of Daemon after they build Noch and is set during the Randond Period. There is some debate whether they are connected with the more famous Epic of Can as the two complement each other is timing. With the Epic focusing on the early days of the Canite before Noch and the Papyrus tells the tales after the settlement is established.

The five poetic hymns each focus on a different unnamed character. Each giving a moral tale of sorts, in that they give an understanding of the mindset of the Canites of that period. Each focused character always meets one of the other hymns characters at some point during their story, which has led some scholars to believe the Urzan Papyrus is not a compete work, as several other characters appear and disappear from the stories with no context of their origin.

After being found, the Urzan Papyrus spent much of its history in Lakorth but vanished near the beginning of the Novyum Age. While countless copies of the hymns have been made through the ages, the original is a much-sought treasure by wealthy book collectors, historians, and scholars. This has led many to hire adventurers to search for the priceless work. All unsuccessfully thus far.

Type

Manuscript, Religious

Hymn 1

Hymn 1 focuses on 'the Builder' that built Noch. Told as if there is a single Builder, the poem gives this person male features in the early prose and feminine near the end leading many to believe it is meant to imply multiple 'Builders' with mistranslations corrupting the tale into one person.

Hymn 2

Hymn 2 tells the story of 'the Magician' with the strange ability to remove his own head. He is said to have traveled up and down the coast of the Canaab Sea playing tricks on the people he encountered. His final trick is on Arith who punishes him by hiding his head, cursing him to walk the world until he finds it.

Hymn 3

Hymn 3 Is the tale of 'the Two Sisters' who do not want to have children, so they flee Noch to wander the Canaab Sea. They arrive in Gir Kur and meet Irkalla the Red Mother who grants them their wish of never having daemon children by turns them into Dragon.

Hymn 4

Book 4 records a Canite woman, 'the Beauty,' said to be the most beautiful woman in existance. Like 'the Two Sisters' she is running away from her sacred duty of childbirth. She travels the three lands of Enish, Jarid, and the Hills of Aradu looking for a place to be free, but each time meets only men wanting to seduce her. Finally, she ascends Aterleg to escape her fate. She is transformed by Aterleg into what some believe is the first Fairy. (Note: This is the one hymn that gives a proper name to the main character, giving her the name Faerie.)

Hymn 5

Hymn 5 The story of 'the Poor Man' is a tale of a daemon that losing his ability to grow food from plants at will. He is forcest to travel the lands of the Canaab Sea begging for food. No explanation is given how he lost this ability or why. It is believed that this is a second part of an earlier story that has been lost to time. It is also the one story that every character from the other hymns appear as the man travels asking each to provide food.