Written by Rhylzar Razaturos between 4E16 and 4E27

Translated and explained by Verhona Elumir, scholar and historian, in 6E8

Hear us, as we lament what was

Our pure hearts’ greatest tragedy

Our sorrows wrought by banditry.

When dark suns dawned over our blessed land,

And misery took up its reign

To be cast down was its ordain.

Hear us, as we defend our cause.

We weep through eyes that cannot see (1)

An end to our grim suffering

A path leads to recovering

Far or nigh, we march on, we will return

As we rise up from the embers

Of the fire it remembers

We wipe our tears with gallantry.

Never shall we bow to falsehood

Forever is our burning hate

For the usurper at the gate (2)

Everlasting is our spite, our malice

For the demon army marching

For our city they came charging, (3)

Razing all under guise of good.

You false saints, you demonic spawn (4)

Came in the night some thousands strong (5)

Proclaiming rights to kill what’s wrong

Condemning all which you are not, you march

Fronted by Death in flesh and bone (6)

Left none alive and nought alone

Our men thus caught or killed, withdrawn.

Our men slain, our women enslaved

Wrath! How the blood boils in our veins!

How we strain in our binding chains!

Our souls torn, our flesh rent, o hear our pleas!

So few that fought and got away

Lodhlon claimed countless souls that day. (7)

Yours is the sin of the depraved! (8)

By strength of will we crawled and limped

But for you, never have we fled!

We have fought hard and killed and bled.

We have pleaded with the devil even (9)

But no, never have we pardoned!

Our resolve has only hardened!

Revenge, paint it a sanguine tinct! (10)

Banished to the edge of darkness

Our paradise did we make it

Our abode thus recreated.

Here we then awaited, growing stronger

A fire sowed and fury reaped

Through fathers to their sons it seeped

No fear! Don your helm and harness!

There behind locked doors it cowers

Self-proclaimed King, a god of lies,

Wearing purity as his guise.

Reigning with a fist of steel, tyrant king

Dousing the fires which by truth

The fiend himself has so ensued.

Kolroc! Gather now your powers! (11)

Brothers, sharpen your swords and spears

Our women fight with fang and claw!

Soon we shall march on to The Jaw. (12)

Our hearts’ fire burning, we shall triumph

The world shall tremble underfoot

As Saibon falls to us for good! (13)

The day of righting wrong is near!

The rightful King enthroned once more (14)

our people’s plight is in the past,

our people’s pride restored at last.

A new dawn will rise to light our glory

Rise up, my kindred! Light the flame!

Fly our flag in Lord Moran’s name! (15)

This is our vengeance! This is war!

Commentary

This early Fourth Era poem was originally written in Uruon, the native language of the Ceratan of Taran-Ceroth. For this translation, I have made an effort to be accurate while adhering to the original rhyme scheme. Although not signed, we can say with a fair amount of certainty that this poem was written by Rhylzar Razaturos, for the poem’s characteristic form. Rhylzar was famous for his so-called ‘mirror rhyme scheme’ where the rhyme follows a ABBCDDA pattern.

Rhylzar Razaturos, a general and scribe in the Razaturos army, wrote the poem any time between the 16th year and the 27th year of the 4th Era. The poem chronicles the Ghorkoros clan gathering their forces to banish the Razaturos clan from their city of Azkar in 4E16, in the historic event known as the Siege of Azkar. Thus cast out, the clan travelled east and settled to build what is now the city of Kolroc. The content of the poem proceeds to illustrate the clan’s mindset over the event and their call for rightful revenge for a perceived injustice.

While the Razaturos, and their allies and sympathisers, continued to associate with the sentiment, it was not until Xergamor Razaturos founded the Requisition in the twentieth year of the fifth era (5E20) for the poem to regain popularity. There are records stating that isolated verses of the poem have been found written on or nearby victims claimed by the Requisition as a form of signature.

The text clearly speaks of a counter strike of sorts, arguably even a declaration of war against the Ghorkoros clan. It is known that the Razaturos did not sit back idly and spent the years that followed the exile formulating a battle strategy. The then head of the clan Xerquas, and his brother general Rhylzar, rebuilt the Razaturos army while the clan built their new home. However, the planned revolt never came to be: the Razaturos clan was attacked in their new city of Kolroc in the year 4E28 by the Ghorkoros clan in a pre-emptive strike known as the Razing of Kolroc. Xerquas Razaturos and a large number of clan members were killed. The young city was largely destroyed.

While countless bloody encounters between the Razaturos and the Ghorkoros clans have taken place throughout the eras, clashes of such magnitude and impact as the Siege of Azkar or the Razing of Kolroc, have not been seen since.

Notes

This may be a reference to Xarax, the Ceratan God of War, who allegedly gauged out his own eyes in a fit of bloodlust.

The Razaturos see Rodroch Ghorkoros as the usurper of their kingdom, and by extent his offspring and current king Rochdros Ghorkoros.

Refers to the city of Azkar, the seat of the Razaturos’ power before it was besieged and taken by the Ghorkoros clan.

The Ghorkoros believed themselves blessed by Karag Malas, the Axiom of Fire, and for all their power, the rightful rulers of Taran-Ceroth. The Ghorkoros are claimed to have stated that the pre-emptive strike they launched twelve years after the Siege of Azkar was “necessary to prevent the Razaturos’ evil ambitions from taking root” by way of justification for their unbidden, unprovoked attack.

The Ghorkoros army counted approximately 50.000 warriors, the highest number of men gathered under one reign at that time.

Rodroch Ghorkoros, their king, was believed to be a descendant of Kuran, the God of Death.

Lodhlon, the mythical Land of the Dead.

The Razaturos believe the Ghorkoros clan to be like beasts, void of morals or justness.

Some historic accounts claim that the Razaturos have attempted dialogue with their attackers, but to no avail.

With this remark, the author voices their wish to see the Razaturos clan repay their oppressors in blood, as per Ceratan custom to repay any injustice done in kind.

Kolroc, the city the Razaturos clan built after they were driven from Azkar.

The Jaw is another name for Falauron’s Fangs, long rows of large, pointy spires that stick up from the black sands of Northal, forming the entrance to the pass which leads to the city of Saibon in the mountains beyond. Some sources claim that the spires are in actuality fangs, the only visible part of a giant lower jaw that lies buried beneath the desert sands.

The Ghorkoros clan renamed Azkar (“dark place”) to Saibon (“throne”, “high seat”) after they claimed the city for themselves.

Xerquas Razaturos, the then head of the Razaturos clan -who perished during the Razing of Kolroc-, and brother of general Rhylzar. The Razaturos regard the offspring of Xerquas as the “rightful heir”. Xerquas left his reign to his son Xeridan, who would be succeeded by his grandson Xergamor. Xergamor would found the Requisition, an order of violent, unorthodox extremists in 5E20, which actions led to his death in 5E37. He was succeeded by his son Xerazar but, as his father, he was more concerned with the Requisition’s activities than those that come with the position of clan leader. The current clan leader is Xerces Razaturos, son of Xerazar, grandson of Xergamor.

A reference to Karag Moran, the Axiom of Lava. The Razaturos worship Karag Moran, as opposed to the Ghorkoros clan which, generally speaking, worships Karag Malas.