Scribbles:The Other Refugees from Garternay

This is a translation found in a text found in the caverns of New Mexico in 1987. It was one of the first artifacts fully translated in the efforts to investigate the ruins found there, which were later identified as Sko Prad.

Herein is the story of the exodus from Garternay, being a history of our beginning, as told by Dhenahlem, the first Loremaster.

It came to pass that the sun of Garternay became old and heavy, and the scholars of the Ronay came to understand that it would be no more. And with it, Garternay would be no more.

And the King said unto the Writers, "Yea, bring forth your pens and write us a new home. Make us a palace of an Age so that we may rule and be served." And thus was Terahnee written, which means "new palace" in the ancient words of the Ronay.

But all did not believe the King's words. Ri'neref was the greatest of the Writers and had refused to Write Terahnee. For such, he was cast out. In secret, he wrote a new Age for those who would choose humility instead of glory. He called this Age D'ni, which means "begin anew". And he lead his people unto this new age and dwelt in the ground. Thus was the first exodus.

The King ordered that many wonders of machine be made for Terahnee, so that the Ronay may live in ease. And the scholars and mechanists wrought amazing machines at his word. But the King said unto the Ronay, "O my people, look at the wonders the King prepares for you!" And the scholars were angry that their work had been usurped. The greatest of the scholars, Rahzah, lead the great thinkers away from the Ronay, that they might exalt the fruits of reason and vision. They fled to an Age and built great floating cities. This place was called Tsoihtahch, which means "glowing sky." Thus was the second exodus.

Then the King was cross, for he thought his people were not thankful to him. Unto them he said, "In Terahnee, we shall live in ease until the end of our days." But Aleeahnah stood and replied that such life would make the Ronay weak, and such weakness was not pleasing unto Yahvo. She gathered the strong of spirit to her and left to a place of jungles and smoldering volcanos, so that her people would grow willful from hardship. This place was called Nahrnay, which means "strong root". Thus was the third exodus.

And the King said unto the musicians and sculptors "Make me great works of beauty for our home, so that the faithful will know my goodness." But their works were not pleasing to the King. In contempt, Lakheem lead them to an age of rolling oceans, so that they could pursue their arts freely. Their new home was Bigtahno, which means "blessed water." Thus was the fourth exodus.

Thus was the King's anger most terrible, for he had such a rebellious people. And he came to say "My people have been poisoned. I must destroy those who have caused my people to abuse me." And he turned in fury on those who the Ronay called Merk, the poisoned. These people were those who the Ronay saw and called afflicted of spirit and heart - those whose hearts lived in secret places, those whose vision lead to strange researches and those who had taken unknown paths to Yahvo's grace. The Merk bore the burden of the King's displeasure and blame.

In this, a student of Ri'neref who had not followed his master came to the Merk and said, "I have made a great Age like my master before me. We shall flee to this place so that we may begin anew. We will plant our own tree and there, our poisons shall be as sweet water." And to him also came the geometers with the secrets of the Mother Number, the artisans of ink and flesh, the unobtrusive yet ever-present stewards of the King's heralds, and vanguard of the Writers, who explored new Ages. Together with these, the Merk left for this new Age. Thus was our exodus, the fifth.

The gathered began to explore the caverns of their new home. And it was at this time the student of Ri'neref opened his heart. He admitted that he had not written this new Age. Rather he'd copied the book of Ri'neref's hand before Ri'neref left, and claimed to our ancestors that it was his own. Thus was our new life begun in shame.

The gathered were angry, and cast this thief back to Garternay. His name was removed from all of our records and never to be spoken again. And thus has the claim over that which is not your own always been the most reviled of crimes for our people.

Our people were in confusion and were in grief. But Lahmahth, hallowed be his words, spoke before the multitudes. He said that we were born in shame, but we may choose not to dwell in shame. He said that we could be a jewel of many shapes. He said that we can bring our many skills together to build that which is right, and avoid that which is wrong. And he named this new Age Ahtimuru, which means "Fruit from the gathered", and the gathered the Ahtisholt, "those who prepare the fruit". And we, the Ahtisholt, were glad, for we had purpose.

Our ancestors planned and learned. They divided our endeavors into the thirteen Guilds that stand to this day. They explored this new Age and founded the great cities of Sko Prad, Sko Ahch, Sko Ahn, Sko Ril and Sko Tahm. They developed the Great Art in ways unknown to the Ronay, and they spread into many Ages with the words of Lahmahth in their hearts.