The Exaltations

Hear now and lament The age of glorious wonders past! Hear now and lament The tranquil lives we once had!

The words here are cries For what once was given For what was lost A warning to all against sin!

We walked upon the lush and fertile earth No different from plant or red blooded beast Lost without freeing purpose Made of cravings and sinful deed.

They came to us in blessed visions Foretold by many restless dreams They were to grant us the salvation At a time of unknowing need.

What we were granted were miracles untold, The twelve gifts of mercy upon us bestowed. Hollow and empty were we, a life without seed, To the light they led us, to be nourished and freed.

Sing many praises to the heavens above Weep in fear from the hellfire! Spread word of their gifts To each and every corner, to the darkest rifts.

Hear now and lament Our exalted place by their side! Hear now and lament The grace we once had!

The First Gift (The Gift of Thought)#

With golden hair made of light And gentle caress of sun touched skin To help us gain peace within She bequeathed us the wisdom of the first gift.

We greeted her presence with blooming flowers and ripened fruit Bathed her with offerings from the pale earth. We flocked to her side wanting to stay Needing guidance to no longer be prey.

Her voice a most soothing sound She spoke with grace we were yet to earn: "My favored children, lost lambs of the earth, To you I grant the first gift, for your ails a remedy.

To give shape for what you see and to feel what you hear To know and be known, the world may you read. Have Thought here today, a blessing from my kind The beginning of your journey, the beginning of time.

Unlike any beast or mere creature of flesh Your eyes hold the answer to truths locked away Themselves shapeless, fleeting, you now have the means To make way for meaning."

We marveled at the world that was ever there Awakened to its beauty, we were now aware Of how deaf and blind we were to all around Of how numb we were to the inner stare.

Through life and existence we stumbled no more It would never again be a tumultuous storm. Whatever lights shined above A star filled sky was lit within.

The Second Gift (The Gift of Word)#

Matraenor caught the others' gaze And on the second day Patris descended By golden stairs with poise and renown His head alone worthy of the crown.

Tall as the mountains which the clouds kiss His presence foretold of the greatest bliss. His voice was thunder, commanding respect from above Sound tearing asunder the mountains apart.

He spoke with boastful pride, so that all the land may hear Of his newfound children that they held so dear: "Heed now this bestowal, you purified by our deed, Cherish the Thought and mate it with Word!

Preach of our gifts in all places of your world That your greatness may spread and by many be heard. With this you will no longer be the same With this gift you all will have a name.

Each exploit and thought belonging to some Each person a master of their own one. From tallest peaks to all that is known I grant you the power to reap what was sown.

Share it with each other, with us and beyond The Word is a gift that will make you strong. Such is my command, my gift to all blessed kind To guide you forward in pursuit of revelation."

We took upon our meek selves, his revering flock To grant one another a common way to speak. Trees growing upwards, reaching for eluding skies Hoping to touch the clouds beyond the mountainous peak.

The Third Gift (The Gift of Song)#

On the rain filled day, third by gifted count We danced with wet hair in grass dyed clothes To the melody of birds in humming wind Rejoicing as we could speak as common kin.

Littris and Viator, brothers of beauty and song Both divine in stature, in voices unique They cried in sorrow, the source of the rain Their full hearts burst overflowing with pain:

You children dance to a melody not your own You posses no wonder, only echoes of stone. With Thought and Word you may spread you wings Carried to the clouds by your own melodic winds.

Speak what you wish with rhythm and glee Bring forth sounds of hearts and harmony. Our Song is a gift that we now bestow Upon you dear children to sing without sorrow.

Spread your newfound desire for song far and wide To corners unknown, to every husband and bride. When all sing the tale of gods given bliss Paradise shall come and you will be released.

From their Song and with gift of Thought Words became vines coiling around truth. What we believed was freedom full Was a sapling of the garden yet to grow.

The Fourth Gift (The Gift of Writing)#

On the fourth day the clouds parted By our Song chased away Down beams of sunlight she descended Following the others' way.

In snow white attire and gems of azure worn Doctra made her presence known With words of wisdom she spoke To teach us something more:

Gather now my blessed children and Hear the lessons on this tranquil day With humble grace I grant the gift of Writing To remember all there is to know.

Reach the tallest snowcapped peaks Go into the verdant forests of Gamor Write about thy exploits, virtues what you seek Share amongst each other, amongst the blessed meek.

What grand sights await for your eyes to behold What mysteries of the world beckon to be solved. What one has learned no longer shall be lost with his life What has been written shall stand beyond eternal night.

From her gift we shared our prior gifts Amongst each other and mended our rifts. Bound by Thought, Word and Song We shared now with Writing an even stronger bond.

The Fifth Gift (The Gift of Cultivation)#

What lush and verdant gardens We danced and played within Ever ripened fruit and flower Brushed against our gentle skin.

On the fifth day of our gifts' exulting Two more heard our repeated chanting: Ambago - the rugged master of plants Venator - tamer of beasts among us ants:

Observe all around what the earth has kept from thee Great rewards all yonder for you to feed The meekest and mighty from your creed Alas on days when nature feels kind.

The gift of Cultivation you receive today, No longer dependent on where you stay, Shall be your lives and with need to leave Through growing and care you will be freed.

Take from the world what is not your own Become masters of destiny that you will have sown. Take reign of plants and beasts alike Those that resist must meet your wrathful strike.

Thus spoke the masters of the gift they had granted The seeds of a new order have within us been planted. No longer dependent on the will of the earth We sing our gratitude for another rebirth.

The Sixth Gift (The Gift of Craft)#

They dug through the earth Arms as strong as steel Muscles like boulders built Legs that made mountains shake in fear.

On the sixth day they came Meia and Sollertia, makers of make Taught us a way to use anything we take From chaos a new order arose:

Stand up and to the front you eager to learn The gift of Craft is a skill to be earned. Not for the faint or weak in strength This is the might of the power to make.

Take water and stone, metal and wood From these bring forth things to withstand The temptations of time and temptations fate Monuments of our gifts to for you to create.

Now you can see what joy you believed to be Was disorder and a threat to all harmony. Build bastions of order, temples to our creed Take refuge and solace, make what you need.

We built monuments of metal, wood and stone Testaments of their greatness and reminders to keep To share their grace to all corners of the earth For them to stay among us wherever is home.

The Seventh Gift (The Gift of Wheels)#

Our weakness grew great, a thorn in their sight, We were unable to spread word of their might. Those of our brethren that stood up in rage Refused to believe their life was a cage.

Deaf they were to our masters' peaceful chant No notion of audience would they then grant. Speech was no answer to divine demands The answer lied within our own hands.

He rode in not on horse or any four legged beast When he joined us on the day of seventh eve's feast. Sorior was ambition in divine blood and flesh Expansion driven with no notion of rest:

"Meek creatures of below Hear my immortal cries Gaze upon my gift With thy mortal eyes.

Easy to craft and simple in shape Ride to all corners that our grace may drape. More than weakly nature's imagined ideal I bestow upon you children the gift of the Wheel.

What was once far is always at hand Raindrops in wind together now stand. Brothers and sisters that have left their home No longer will stand all on their own.

Those that oppose us think not as your creed They stand against us and must not succeed In any endeavor that they may ignite And snuff out the candles that give you light."

The Eighth Gift (The Gift of Blades)#

We spread their gospel as far as eye could see Across lakes and valleys, across torrential seas. Though divine and righteous their word may be Some resisted, despite all pleas.

Enraged by their filth, on the eighth day of gifts With the strength of a thousand men Wise as knowledge of all centuries past Damakar arose to help us crush their stand:

My progeny of flesh and blood Creations of mud and stone I grant to you a gift most sharp To cut through even the toughest bone.

Bring with you, wherever you sing Praises to us and in our name The gift of Blades to bear the weight Of the battles forged ahead.

Strike down unbelievers of our names Rid the lands of the plague That is the heresy of these wretches Who wish to live in ignorance without bliss.

Made by our tears and of blood The blades shined in the afternoon sun. We made ready for war and peace in our times Brought to all peoples to face their crimes.

The Ninth Gift (The Gift of Home)#

Peering from above Through the dark night clouds sailing the sky Among twinkling lights and blessed moon Barathuma sang a most somber tune:

How I weep for you that have no roof Hearthless women and men of the earth. In my boundless mercy and granting joy I gift you now the gift of Home.

What bounties you bring back From wars against the unrighteous and meek Spread amongst your elders and children With stories around the flames of the hearth.

The Tenth Gift (The Gift of Art)#

In a dream they came at first Living in the minds of creators anew Avartia and Magnitas came into vision For all those that could.

The gift of Art bestowed upon the chosen To be guided by feeling of utter divine grace Who made echoes of existence Mere whispers and tastes.

They spoke thus about the gift they bestowed: "May you breathe in the colors The world flow through your veins To share with everyone your joys and your pains.

Whispers of whispers and echoes abound Passed from mind to parchment to ground, Place what you see and what is not real The truth is now yours to reveal.

The Eleventh Gift (The Gift of Magic)#

Socord

The Twelfth Gift (The Gift of Cities)#

Siccita