Special: Texts of the Jewels - From The Vashundinaya

Toward the beginning of our journey together, Tira, Bash, and Peter found an ancient text that pointed them to the four Jewels of Edelenn, cities of learning that contained more information to help fight against a growing evil in the world of Vardalon.

The fourth Jewel was the Red Castle in the Clouds, an ancient, abandoned fortress on a stone hill. It was once the center of a thriving city, but now lies in the midst of the lush jungles of Rahajmanath. After a tense chase, challenging puzzles, and a terrible ordeal, the party discovered the text surrounding the base of a stone altar atop a pyramid.

This special episode provides the text in a standalone format for easy reference. Here's the text:

From The Vashundinaya

Hymn I – Ramena-bindalar 

1 We hailed the light and sang its glory in olden days, 2 the light that once was whole but now is wrapped in dark, 3 for evil came and split it, though not without first causing harm to itself, 4 then giant pieces from the stars fell, three and three and three but one, 5 falling to this world and driving out before them the song that once infused all life, 6 the inner life ripped out even though the outer life remained. 7 For we who saw, for we who lived in this day, we wept; 8 we are but shadows in a darkened room, mere ghosts. 9 To truly live once more we must hope for the two to be restored. 

Hymn II – Unadeva 

1 Sing to me, my love—distract my sadness with memories, 2 or tell me where they lie, these godly shards, that I may desire no more. For in my mind your words have woven a cloth of red and yellow and blue, 4 these three and three and three but one that mean so much to us. 5 Well-scattered did they fall, and at their touch the world writhed; 6 to heal the break will mean pain before it ever means comfort. 7 So come to me now, beloved; I will fill your nostrils with perfume 8 even as you fill my ears and my heart. 9 Spin your tale—make my mind light once more. 

Hymn III – Ramena-bindalar 

1 Hear then, beloved. They fell, the three and three and three but one. 2 Of the light, one came to Kazara, a jungle land far to the east, 3 one rested in the golden sands of Kashara, a land that dwells in the very gate of the rising sun. 4 One fell in Daranda in the high lands north of us, where—laugh not, for it is truth—water turns to stone. 5 The last of the light we could not find—a fitting picture. 6 Of the dark, two brothers fell, one far north and east, in Randaz of the sky-reaching mountains. 7 Its twin came down not far to the south in Bindaida, a high place and remote. 8 The third fell to the center of this vast land, buried well. 9 The last of the dark we could not find—a fitting picture. 10 Now the tears fill my eyes and steal my voice. My tale is all too brief. I sorrow that I could not entertain you longer, my love. 

Hymn IV – Unadeva 

1 Alas, these places are all so far away. 2 Are you a prince of merchants that you can travel to them all, to sate your heart with looking on them? 3 Great peril, it seems, would be your lot, indeed the lot of any, who travel to such far-flung reaches, 4 where wild beasts dwell and the very land devours those who walk it. 5 The shards of divinity will always be out of reach, and we are forever changed. 6 Now is my despair darker than before. 7 Do you see my tears that flow for the music that has departed? 8 Yet well I know this tale is brief, nor could I blame your telling of it. 9 Be still, my love, and let us sleep, for only there will we find forgetfulness. 

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We used an excellent Battlebards music track. If you like what you hear, check them out at battlebards.com. If you sign up for a Prime account, be sure to use our special code, stack, and you'll get a 20% discount on your subscription.

Here are the sound effects we used in this episode:

• Prophecy of Scale - The Serpentine Prophecy - Score Music, by Shams Ahsan

And now, on with the show-- we're excited to tell a story with you.