The Stone God's Sword

The Stone God's Sword

Prologue

As servant to the mighty queen,
The light of day I've never seen,
My vision comes from deep within,
And from this sight my tale I'll spin.

And though my sight has toppled kings,
This one, I fear, will be supreme,
Thirteen cantos, nightmares all,
Within these lines the Stone God falls.

In time when darkness ruled the land,
Before the elves and dwarves and man,
The Stone God claimed the land his own,
The Elder Ones would serve his throne.

These ancient Ones whose power reigns,
Did make a sword to be his bane,
The Stone God laughed, his power true,
The sword was swung, his power flew.

The battle raged into the night,
The Stone God fled the weapons might,
And in the end, his throne stood bare,
The earth's deep bowels were made his lair.

Ages passed, the Gods defeated,
The sword was lost and never needed,
It lies there now for me alone,
Through thirteen portals made of stone.

And yet it calls my name so often,
My iron will begins to soften,
A portent of great coming need,
The world will end, lest I take heed.

Seek the ancient place of wine,
Beneath the city on the spine,
The entrance is a single door,
The stones of passage number four.

The door is marked with mystic runes,
Which kill defilers quick and soon,
Make this word and pass through fine,
Into the world of food and WINE.

Canto One: Food and Wine

Beyond the barley golden brown,
The second portal can be found,
My eyes are milky cloudy white,
I know there's danger out of sight.

Three paths lead to the promised door,
Bound in iron, gold and more,
Within the snake of largest size,
The crystal key of passage lies.

Beyond the stills and pots and vats,
An ancient temple long has sat,
A naga guards it true and good,
Her tests have many souls withstood.

But wait, my blood now runs cold,
Something's wrong, my sight's not bold,
The trick beyond my vision failing,
The naga's gold is ever paling.

And now the second arch of stone,
The secret lies with the mayor's bones,

Canto Two: Relics

Three kings lie here from ancient past,
These tests have held them long and fast.

The ancient hallway carved of stone,
Is empty yet is not alone,
Creatures black as hell's own pit,
From down below will loyally sit.

Defilers die, all others pass,
Into eight tests and down to mass,
A simple prayer and nothing more,
To the third and the God of War.

Canto Three: War God

Long ago the mighty prayed,
Brave strong souls in graves now laid,
Their god lives on in temples strong,
His tests will challenge mind and arm.

His boon he'll offer to the brave,
And though it's strange, you must say,
"To the balrog's pit of doom,
Must I go to reach the room."

Wherein lies the simple moan,
That sends me to the fourth of stone,

Canto Four: Begnt

The darkness spawn who long have lain,
Seeking food through mankind's brain.

Numbers hold their power certain,
For they seek to make a person,
In this temple long defiled,
Deep among the skulls high piled.

Seek the pool and the slab of black,
And send these monsters screaming back,
Before they finish task most foul,
Then set your path into the bowels.

Past the crackling wall of flame,
Into the lair of those they maimed,
A bubble of the molten rock,
Holds the fifth and its crystal lock.

My sight grows dim, my bones do ache,
At this haven, some rest I'll take,

Canto Five: Old City Gods

But lo my sight it does return,
The Stone God laughs, my sould does burn.

Of thirteen terrors pure and simple,
Number five is born of temples,
The avenue alone does stand,
Although its prayers are under sand.

Of love and dreams and snakes and wealth,
The key to six does lie in stealth,
Beware the plague called down anon,
It seeks men's blood to prey upon.

Into the lap of luxury,
Seven times the gods will call on thee,
Some quick and clever answers make,
Seek the rest, avoid the snake.

And past the dragon's sight so true,
Must you brave to see him too,
And to the sixth cold of deed,
Another voice will help you speed.

Canto Six: Ice Caves

The good lord Abernix, we're told,
Was a knight of great renown,
His sword and wit and sight were keen,
His wisdom knew no bounds.

The treasures of this knight were vast,
Beyond the king and queen,
When from this world his life did pass,
Bad fortune on his heirs did beam.

His wife, the peacock Jessica,
Showed vanity from dawn to dusk,
Her wisdom lacked the years she bore,
Her wit was not enough.

The sons who mourned their father's death,
Were strong and smart and light,
Their pettiness drove their demise,
Their wisdom lacked the sight.

And so his Orb of Lordly Might,
Broke into fours that day,
When wisdom joins his rotten heirs,
His fortunes will be gained.

And so the key stays in his home,
His sons and wife do fight,
The answer lies in strong and smart,
In darkness and in light.

Canto Seven: Bone Grinder

My voice returns, my sight does too,
My soul and words will guide you through,
The Seventh Portal holds no luck,
From icy Six down to the muck.

Bone Grinder waits for its next meal,
Without the sword your fate is sealed,
The switching souls is your only chance,
Send the meekest for death to dance.

The switch lies torn in sundered parts,
Make them whole and bare your heart,
The blade lies with the misfits old,
The handle with the rock god bold.

And though your quest lies always down,
A treasure sometimes wears a crown,
Temptation flares, you're not so strong,
The gods will slay you if you're wrong.

Down to the muck to meet your fate,
When all is clean you'll find the Eighth.

Canto Eight: God of Lightning

Thirteen pilgrims sing this song,
To flee from here they all do long.

The key lies with the altar high,
The sacred prism there does lie,
Seek it out and the name his name,
And riches follow wealth and fame.

Beware his bolts of flaming death,
Say his name with bated breath,
Seven words and gain his room,
A misspoke word will be your doom.

Two other routes can see you through,
One is clever, one you'll rue,
His people seek all treasures gold,
From thirteen pilgrims young and old.

The lightning ends, the rains do cease,
The answer in the sky does streak,
Solve this rhyme within your time,
And take the sword down into nine.

Canto Nine: Dark Druid

The druid dark lies in his den,
The blackened earth will be his sin.
The light of day he loathes to see,
The air so crisp, the bright blue sea.

Rejected from his bretheren fair,
His minions pour forth from his lair,
And though his seeds are tiny yet,
Air, earth and sea will turn to jet.

Beware the eye that watches all,
It's his power and his fall.
His spells are strong and still do harm,
But the eye controls his legs and arms.

Men and women greedy told,
Seek his cause and his gold.
Hurry now and make some haste,
Before the lands above are waste.

Beyond the waterfall it waits
The genius mind, the demon's gate,
Wish wisely with your truest vision,
Or your dream will be your prison.

Cleanse the blackened soul and then
Jump through the arch and down to ten.

Canto Ten: Mind and Matter

The next three portals are three keys,
Your fate is sealed, you cannot flee.

Within the bubble ancient most,
Float three tests that proudly boast,
No man nor beast nor god nor mortal,
Has passed by us and through the portal.

To where the sword is always kept,
And where the beast has always slept,
The door is closed, the keys are gone,
The way is barred, the path is long.

The swirling orb of red and white,
Boasts of magic and of might,
Defeat them both, survive the test,
Or slowly starve and then find death.

Canto Eleven: Taggoth

The orb of black is darkness pure,
Its swirling energy is yours,
Seek the source, but don't stay long,
The dark and death are always wrong.

Canto Twelve: Plainswalker

The orb of sand is the final test,
Its traps may be your endless rest,
Seek the tomb which long is sealed,
The travelling tools will be revealed.

My vision fades, three voices call,
My words return when the last test falls.

Canto Thirteen: The Sword and the Beast

My inner eyes, such sights have seen,
My time is near, my faithful queen.

One more vision comes my way,
How and why I cannot say,
Paramount 'bove all the rest,
Lies this last and final test.

Seek the sword the Stone God mocked,
Within three tests and firmly locked,
No beast nor man may enter there,
Another way must you prepare.

Sometimes the foe is the treasure,
A brilliant man takes a measure,
Of all of the tools that he can see,
Sometimes the dungeon is the key.

Pass through the tests, notice clearly,
Memories may pay off dearly,
Battle rages, swords swing gallant.
Life for all lies in the balance.

Be the one and faithful bearer,
Slay the god within his lair.
First seek the help of those who fight,
For justice, truth, and honor right,

They will guide you through the gloom,
My sight is gone, my life is too.

Epilog

And to my priests, I say farewell,
But first a prophesy fulfilled.

Wait for the sign when all seems gone,
Your saviors six will come anon.