The Seven Tomes of Yore

Oh hearken now as I tell ye a tale
Of the seven tomes of yore
Of ship and sail and misty vale
Of seven tomes of yore
Of seven tomes of yore

Old gods, twas said, did make them
These powers swift and sure
Not man nor beast could break them
The seven tomes of yore
The seven tomes of yore

The first was great as thunder
Swift lightning to the core
Could ne'er be rent asunder
The first great tome of yore
The first great tome of yore

The next was ground to walk on
The dirt upon the shore
Could ne'er be made a bygone
The second tome of yore
The second tome of yore

The third was cold as death's horde
The ice which flames abhor
Could ne'er fall prey to man's sword
The third great tome of yore
The third great tome of yore

The fourth was unto drake's flame
The heat of sun adore
Could ne'er succumb to time's claim
The fourth great tome of yore
The fourth great tome of yore

The fifth was light and airy
Of Winds that came before
Could ne'er ride death's grim ferry
The fifth great tome of yore
The fifth great tome of yore

The sixth was water holy
Pure as an angel's core
Could ne'er be ended wholly
The sixth great tome of yore
The sixth great tome of yore

The last, twas said, was worlds' blood,
The life which goddess bore
Could ne'er fall to her cold flood
The seventh tome of yore
The seventh tome of yore

The seven tomes held power
So great beyond compare
T'were locked in god's great tower
Within celestial sphere
Within celestial sphere

The tomes they lay awaiting
The righteous one to come
For none were justice sating
No none at all but one
No none at all but one

This one he came triumphant
Through battles near and far
Not once to say that "I can't"
Unscathed but for one scar
Unscathed but for one scar

He opened up the tower
The tomes that lay within
He offered up their power
The gods' favor to win
The gods' favor to win

The gods they gave him mercy
And granted him the tomes
"Now magic power hold ye"
They claimed from on their thrones
They claimed from on their thrones

He took the gift so humbly
They never thought to pause
For kind and righteous was he
Yet with a faulty cause
Yet with a faulty cause

He sought to bring forgiveness
Bring peace and joy and love
But though he sought the highest
Twas raven dressed as dove
Twas raven dressed as dove

He wanted to bring heaven
But at the cost of will
To sweep away all horrors
The people he would kill
The people he would kill

He yearned for new creation
To start all over new
To gods he brought destruction
And balance did eschew
And balance did eschew

The chaos wrought by power
Brought sorrow to the land
Though man and beast did cower
There stood one tiny band
There stood one tiny band

This band of three stood strongly
Against their mighty foe
Twas Ra'ath, Ven, and Shahree
Firm standing toe to toe
Firm standing toe to toe

Great Ra'ath was a wizard
Red dragon-kin and strong
A leader with a head hard
He had not strayed to wrong
He had not strayed to wrong

Calm Ven was but a dryad
But from a mighty oak
An oath to guard what he had
Did great Ra'ath invoke
Did great Ra'ath invoke

Sweet Shahree was a kitten
But fierce for those she loved
A fighter brave for her kin
A lion-kin she was
A lion-kin she was

The tome wielder laughed loudly
And promised paradise
They scoffed and called him silly
They knew his heart of ice
They knew his heart of ice

The three they did then fight him
And called upon the gods
By magic and by clawed limb
They triumphed 'spite the odds
They triumphed 'spite the odds

The scarred one fell before them
To curse what he'd become
A relic, bent and broken
Defenseless, cowed and numb
Defenseless, cowed and numb

The tomes were taken from him
The power he'd abused
From gods and back unto them
To ne'er again be used
To ne'er again be used

The seven tomes were sent out
Each corner of the world
Conclusion of their fierce bout
Tomes to the ocean hurled
Tomes to the ocean hurled

And now the tomes shall wander
Through legends, tales, no less
So in your wakings ponder
And in your dreamings rest
And in your dreamings rest

And if ye seek such power
As those who tread before
Take heed, young ones, this hour
Of the tales of tomes of yore
The tales of tomes of yore

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A bardic epic and well known fable, the tale of the Seven Tomes is often sung or recited and is one of the first stories an apprentice bard will learn.

In honor of my brothers (and sisters!) of Chapter Seven Tomes!