Mar-Shadda

Open thine ears, O Faithful, and hear the tales from an old man’s heart:

All hail Mar-Shadda, source of Unsated Fire, saith all who fear him!

In the twelvth year of Sindai of the fourth epicycle of Muun, the Sun-Touch came down upon him, O glorious Mar-Shadda, well-digger and sweeper of camel dung, slave and soldier of King Barababul. Gracious were the gifts bestowed upon Mar-Shadda: third-sight and moon-touch, a heart of compassion, wisdom of serpents. Four-hundred-forty-four days Mar-Shadda trod the desert sands, neither with food nor water passing his lips.

All hail Mar-Shadda, envoy of the Sungods, listen to him and understand, saith all who fear him!

In the thirteenth year of Durrendu of the fourth epicycle of Muun, Mar-Shadda returned from the desert sands, clothed in black and of fearful visage. The Colites and the Sphydycists, the speakers of Rhymes and the water keepers of the temples whispered into the ear of King Barababul, Fear this One, for this One will become the death of Thee: and King Barababul, being full of craft and scorpion blood, sent twelve garrisons to put him to the sword.

All hail Mar-Shadda, bringer of fear to tyrants and oppressors, thus cry all who fear him!

In the sixteenth year of Holicu of the fourth epicycle of Muun, all the Colites and all the Sphydycists, all the speakers of Rhymes and all the water keepers crowned Mar-Shadda Lord of Air, Water, Earth and Fire, Fire-borne of the Sungods. The crowds and followers of Mar-Shadda put the twelve phali of King Barababul’s garrisons to flight. And on the ninth day of the third month of Chram, Lord Mar-Shadda sent King Barababul to the Sungods Themselves in a pyre blazed from camel dung on the highest point of the King’s Temple of Siran.

All hail Mar-Shadda, Lord of Air, Water, Earth and Fire, pronounce all who fear him!

In the nineteenth year of Muuritu of the fourth epicycle of Muun, Lord Mar-Shadda put to death the last of the Unbelievers, fire-sent to the Sungods on Siran. Woe the souls of the six hundred thousands delivered unto the Sungods by the sword-torch of Mar-Shadda! Woe to the sixteen hundred thousands left sightless by the fire-blades of Mar-Shadda’s phali! Woe to the sixteen thousand thousands and their uncountable days in the dungeons of Mar-Shadda’s tiikuslu, turning Unbelief to Belief with metal and fire!

All hail Mar-Shadda, as fire purifies the alloy, so his fire-blades purify the enemies of the chosen of the Sungods, thus saith all who fear him!

In the twenty-seventh year of Veken of the fourth epicycle of Muun, the crystal castles of Sagakanom were completed beneath the blessing of Lord Mar-Shadda. Twenty-four thousand artisans were put to death; sixty-eight thousand painters were blinded; four-hundred thirty thousands carpenters and masons and cutters and toilers were made lame: for it was the decree of Lord Mar-Shadda that never in all the world should a palace of such glory as Sagakanom be duplicated nor even rivaled.

All hail Mar-Shadda, sum of all that is under the Sun, and greater still, so saith all who fear him!

In the twenty-ninth year of Cissessilum of the fourth epicycle of Muun, Lord Mar-Shadda stretched out his arm over nine hundred and thirty three thousands of warriors, over a fleet of seventy thousand warships greater than those of Aul and Phenion, over the lands of Tys and Menmo and Perrosostil and Antiphisisigy, over the hearts and souls and the very lives of all under his fire-blades. Lo, he cried, stretching his arms to the sun, it is the will of the Sungods that Mar-Shadda, Ruler of Aul and Phenion and Tys and Menmo and Perrosostil and Antiphisisigy, King Desert, Lord of Air, Water, Earth, and Fire, Fire-borne of the Sungods, to conquer the Worlds Beyond the Violet Seas!

All hail Mar-Shadda, who brought the World to his knee and demanded more, so wail those who fear him!

And in the twenty-ninth year of Cissessilum of the fourth cycle of Muun, on the seventh day of Kadsho, descending the steps of the Temple of Siran within the crystal castles of Sagakanom, Lord Mar-Shadda fell and was taken to bed: and after six nights the Sungods claimed their chosen, their fire-blade, and O the uncountable numbers burned with Mar-Shadda upon his funeral pyre.

All hail Mar-Shadda, destroyer of Worlds and bringer of the Fire; so it was once and for evermore written in the words and hearts of Man.

…

[Just a little experiment having fun with the styles of the KJV, Lin Carter, and Shelley’s “Ozymandias.”]