Continuation of Introduction 4

Now there dwelt in the immortal world of Annwynh two beings, the Stewards of the whole of the lands and creatures; rulers they were, set as guardians and teachers of all other races by their Maker, the One Beyond the World. Their names were Mŷnn-trŷst the former head of the Wŷthý, and Jŷnnstŷbelerh the first created Unicorn. Together, they had been chosen to forsake the tasks given to their kin-brothers and sisters and to lead as care-takers under the dominion and sovereign Will of their Master, teaching their fellow creatures about His ways and Laws as well as tending to the sacred needs of the world. For they were most high among all others and bore a greater understanding than the rest of the exigencies and manners of living in obedience according to what the Master had willed; and because of their knowledge and insight into His mind, they had been made interpreters of His thoughts and desires so that good might come about more fully in the world (that is why the two were called the Märäsäthý or They Who Construe). And their knowing of the things of Annwynh was unmatched by any other beast in that land. Ruling happily, they aided their fellow creatures much in their duties and work, giving explanation and council to the land. For long days, the two would pass across the landscape, Mŷnn-trŷst riding upon the alabaster back of Jŷnnstŷbelerh her fellow and traveling around tending the ground and offering blessings to it and all that grew from it within the Will of the Master. And this was how many uncounted ages passed.1

But then there arose an unsettling attitude in the hearts of both Jŷnnstŷbelerh and Mŷnn-trŷst. As they read deeper and farther into the mysteries and Writings of their Maker, the thought occurred to them as to why their great creator was hidden from sight. But it was not only they who wondered upon this point, however. While the two went throughout the land counseling and dealing with the creatures under their dominion, the question was asked more than any other of them as to why the One Beyond the World was invisible and hidden in His great city on high, surrounded by Star Metal and enshrouded with light. Always, the former answered that His unseeable form was in place so that He might rule as the Supreme Being above them all, the Mighty One, the Michännunn of the Immortal world who was the Highest of Kings (Pennŷlwynn) of all the made expanses. At first, before He had any beings to rule, He had to appear to them so that they might worship Him and follow the lead of His commands before any Law had been written. But at the forming of the Great Golden City, Möncheärnabevönn, and His Laws, there wasn't the necessity for His constant physical appearance; His was a new and greater duty than before, as now He was to become the supreme Lord of all the created vastnesses. The Laws had been made so that they, the created ones, might still obey Him and feel His presence though He was of a different bodily composition. 2

And for a long while, this answering by Mŷnn-trŷst and Jŷnnstŷbelerh was sufficient for the creatures, as well as to the ears of they who answered. But after a time, the two Stewards became dissatisfied with this explanation of theirs. Thinking it incomplete, they went away to the vast libraries within the great Mönlŷthtærabevönn (or Great White City that lay in the North) and read more so than ever they had done, convinced that there was a deeper and more acceptable understanding to be had of the matter. And though they studied and slaved over page upon page of wisdom and thought over legions of days spent in the high holds of pale towers reading by the flickering illumination of the Light high above, no better reason for the Maker's hiddenness could be found. And so a great disquieting took hold of the hearts of Jŷnnstŷbelerh and Mŷnn-trŷst, a wondering that was dark; for no mere misunderstanding was it, like that of a strange dream made clear by the enabling of morning, but a hungering dissatisfaction and displeasure, unquenchable and relentless in its gnawing doubtfulness. Though it was soon in both their minds, they did not speak of it heedlessly but kept it unto them as a secret and told not a word to anyone of it.3

Around this time, the Master of all things made known a new vision among His creatures. It was an imagining wrought from the weave of a great dream that had long been in the forging of His mind; a reverie bearing infinite texture and beauty beyond all the other things made within the Immortal World that had been borne by Him since the Aenn had begun to bring shape to the Matter in the Dark Existence. As a favorable music it was, deep and vast as the cantos made by the Aenn in the heavens above, but far grander than any tune yet heard. Though unsung at first, it was nonetheless understood by all beasts and creatures as a wonderful, fragrant dream with the sensations of waking, the Light, and the dawning of the world. For no mere chorus floating through the air was it, but a perceived call of infinite tone and texture within the gaze of their minds; and there the music dwelt for a time rolling in ceaseless beauty. All things were filled with a joy beyond every other happinesses previously experienced, and each of the creatures who listened to the soft, granduous melodies knew that they foreboded a great act still to come. More, as they distinguished its tenor and magnitude, they longed to become a part of it and its ethereal theme.4

After a time of the Great Music being heard, the One Beyond the World descended from His holy mountain and sent forth an edict among all His creatures, summoning them to appear before His great city gates, the Læhärä. Soon, when every beast had assembled, the Maker of All Things appeared before them in the form in which He had resided before the crafting of the Green Throne (or Elend-thṳenn). Sitting upon the post of the great gate of the city of gold, He spoke unto them: “My people; creatures whom I have begotten from the thoughts of my mind: hear me! That song which ye hast heard within the confines of your minds is as ye all suspect. It is a music, a plainsong that echoes with the peace of my Spirit and the mystery of my Purpose. And, with regard to this music, I know that many of ye have not been content to merely listen and take pleasure in this my Great Adventure, and that ye would fain take part in this Song of Songs and Melody of Melodies so as to increase its beauty. Much have I perceived of this design of your hearts; and much consideration have I given to it in turning thought and arcane ponderment. But that hiddenness of my mind is to remain enshrouded no longer! Moreover, it is to be revealed unto ye so that the desire of your own minds might be brought into glorious fulfillment with my Purpose. Hear now, then, my Will and Design for this the unadorned, sincere aspiration of mine! Yes, listen with chary hearts and ears to what I have to say! For ye have all been permitted to apprehend this undulating harmony so that, through complete unity, ye might enter with it in song and deed and thus intensify its splendor. And, by your great Contribution, the Pattern to which ye have been but listeners uninvolved and witnesses glimpsing but a fraction of its weave shall attain what nothing in this world of the Immortal has yet been providden: a faultlessness that emanates from my Hands alone. The Will of my Mind in the matter, then, is this: if ye are predisposed in your hearts to accompany this Tune of Ages, thereby augmenting it with your own voices and designs, then I would fain let these inspirations and reflections of yours become part of the absolute image that shall come from the fulfillment of the music that even now flows through your minds. Let your song be interwoven with it! Attain the ultimate – join with this Benediction of Sound and bring it into Existence! And above all things make my Vision leap with the life of the Light! Send forth its radiant beams into the Pattern and infuse it within every fiber, every fragment. Pervade all Matter with its loveliness, and I promise ye this: Your song shall be counted as part of this great Dream of mine.”5

And with those words in their minds, the creatures left the presence of their Maker and went forth to do all things under their power in accordance with His vision. Not long after their dispersing, many soon discovered that there was no easy manner in which to gain perspective into the ways of augmenting the idea with song. For their song had no effect upon the form of the music or its colors of tone, and it seemed, after a time, that their song began to conflict with the artistry of the Master’s vision rather than aiding it as had been their intended goal. Returning to the Læhärä, the creatures craved audience with their Maker and expressed all that had been noted by them during their endeavors. After much had been said upon the matter, the One Beyond the World gave explanation for the discovery of His beings. To the amazement of everyone, it was proclaimed that the creatures had come upon not one theme but two – a duet of themes intricately woven amongst each other to such an extent that their differences had become apparent only when methods of accompaniment by the creatures with them had been attempted.6

The course of action wholly agreed upon, then, was that the themes interwoven should be treated separately. Only then, when their complete identification and isolation from each other was done, were there to be any methods of harmony produced in succession. This analysis was accomplished by the birds and the Ältønnøpä, who above every other beast have mastered the art of sound and its colors and ways. Indeed, they are eclipsed in their acute knowledge of the timbre of all things bearing music by the Wolves alone, who, through heritage most famed, boast the greatest understanding of song and melody beyond that of any creature in the known worlds of Eternality and Corporality. 7

After the long endeavors of the aforementioned races to bisect the themes so tightly entwined, the Jälmørh pondered the riddles and profundities of the translations made by them so that a way of accompaniment could be found for every creature despite the peculiarities and subtleties of its nature. Longest of all the trials was this, for the Jälmørh bear no urgency and prefer to decipher all questions without haste in their decisions. It was with no minute amount dislike from the other beasts that this task was done, and in the end many of the Giant folk had to be wakened from deep stupor by the Ärtänsi and Väthän who placed themselves right alongside them and bayed and cawed in a frenzy of noise. But invaluable were the thoughts of the Tømbäsøn; and their renderings of the patterns wrought by the Gälärh and Ältønnøpä were of the deepest meaning and intricacy. 8

These impressions of the Giants were then given to the Ṳncŷrhý or Unicorns, the wise ones and Law-readers who watched the events and happenings in the world and made judgment based upon all they discerned. They arranged a way in which the Music could be augmented to its fullest by each creature so that, through their knowledge of all the information collected with regard to the themes and their separation, devised a course of action that would allow each individual element and nuance to be harmonized with to its fullest potential. Once this was done, the real adventure began to unfold.9

It was learned through the harmonizations of the beasts that a great plane was unfurling beneath Annwynh. As the beasts continued singing with the great theme from the Vision of the Master, the plane grew to a mammoth proportion, thousands of miles wide and long and made of a stuff so tough that no creature knew its substance. At the completion of the huge plane, the creatures went before the Master and told Him all that had transpired. For some of them were apprehensive about the reason why the massive plane was to be hidden in the position it was beneath them, and felt strongly that the wonder just brought forth should be enjoyed by all things. But, after council, the creatures continued to accompany the wonderful music within their minds despite the many oddities that transpired from their singing. 10

Throughout their songs, they made their way towards the Sea of the Nṳräng, a great company making the most joyous song ever heard in the world at that time. The reverberation of the chanting made way through the ground to the Nṳräng’s ears as they swam in the blue waters. Intrigued, the sea-beasts surfaced and lumbered ashore, calling to their friends and asking them as to what they were singing about. Once informed, the peaceful, gentle Nṳräng were taken aback that the other creatures had not included them in the great translation of the Vision. Disheartened, they made their way out to their lovely sea foam, perplexed and full of frustration. But as they swam the water began to echo with the Image from their Maker’s mind. Loud and clear was it . . . like an echo in their minds, and yet audible to their ears as that of faint, tinkling cymbals and bells and the enchanting hum of voices; beautiful too, and by far filled with a transparency unlike anything interpreted or perceived upon the land. In it, they heard the design for the plane and its purpose . . . and what was to come next. 11

Overjoyed, the Nṳräng rushed to the surface, flopped onto the shore, and began to sing in their peculiar voices along with the theme in their minds. So excited and exuberant were they that their cries were heard for miles around and caught the attentions of the others who had already been long involved with the Vision of their god. From afar, the melodies of the Nṳräng’s soulful calls sounded as racket, and there was a great confusion among all of those who were apart of the unraveling of the themes. For in their minds was consternation sparked by the joy of the Masters of the Sea, and they thought for a time that their song so hard wrought was to be drowned out and made feckless. Thankfully, though there was talk of quieting the boisterous Nṳräng, all was made well when they were seen galloping clumsily ashore. For, through their happiness, the Nṳräng had decided to attempt to gain land and relate their knowledge to their friends about what had been made known to them in the Slivenŷvrŷnn. This proved to be the saving grace of the hour, for, just as their disturbed friends came over the ridges and valleys to the shore, the Nṳräng were just making their way out of the water and along the sandy beaches they had once roamed before the making of the sea. Before a word could be spoken by those who were offended, the Nṳräng made known what they had heard in the deeps. And what they told was of the most amazing and astounding of all the things that had presently passed.12

Before the others even had time to react to the unanticipated discovery, the Nṳräng dashed back to the sea, dived into its great blue face, and began to swim vigorously about while singing with their long necks held out of the water. And the reason for their song was this: they had heard within the complex themes the rumor of the purpose of the plane. It was the foundation for a new world that was to be made beneath Annwynh in the Timeless Void, a great dais upon which was to be set a perfect land. This land was to be special; so special, that it needed all of the craft pieces and arts the Rhŷnn possessed to help bring it to completion. Since the Aenn were retired from direct involvement with the affairs of the world now, they could not bring forth the needed elements to finish the Vision of the Master unless they were told of the most recent happening resulting from the Accompaniment of the Dream. What was more, the plane was to be named Lönd; and upon it was to be set the contribution of the Aenný that was foretold in the theme: that of a solid foundation of gold set upon four pillars of the purest, solid-hewn diamond. For these things to take place, however, there were needed messengers; but, as there were no formal heralds between them, the Nṳräng took it upon themselves to make tale of all their envisioning through song.13

Upon knowing these things, the Nṳräng were overwhelmed with the knowledge of this great preparation that they had been allowed to hear, so much so that they took it upon themselves to call out to the renowned gods and explain to them their part in the unraveling of the Vision of the Master’s Mind. This song of the Nṳräng was the first proclamation of the Dream of the Master to the Aenný, for they had, as of yet, been unaware of the Vision and its themes. And ever after it was known as Nṳrängṳké the Nṳräng’s Play, and the Nṳräng-ädäs, the Lay of the Nṳrängs. 14

And the Rhŷnn heard the cries of the creatures that created the waters within the immortal world and did just as the Pattern of the Vision of their Maker implied. Taking council among each other, they discussed what had been told to them at great length. For within their ranks was the thought that, if the whole of them put forth their powers, too much Star-Metal and diamond would be made. They saw that it was to be the donation of a few . . . or perhaps just one blessed member from among them. Communing with the One with whom they had resided in perfect bliss at the beginning of all things, they humbly asked as to what effort should be laid out for the accomplishment of the words of the Nṳräng. Great was the joy in their hearts when their head, the first and greatest Rhŷnn named Urṳ announced that his ward, Chambrŷmbør the Gilded was to take upon himself alone the duty of fulfilling all that had been told them. 15

And so it was done. The Rhŷnn under Urṳ’s charge humbled himself and sacrificed the whole of his wealth. To him alone was the first theme heard, and through its power he poured forth every amount of gold within his form; and from its founding he drew out all the vestiges of its making: the diamonds from his gilded halls. Under his supreme guidance, he fashioned the True Gold into a great base filled with the precision that the Master wished imbue His Vision. This he brought through the Timeless Void, and it was seen by those residing in Annwynh as a great shining beam, a bed of aurescence covered with the glow of the stars. He laid it to rest over the base named Lönd and under it he placed the pillars of diamond. When these were fast in place, the golden foundation was set upon their radiant ends with a mighty resounding. And when these remarkable things had been done, there came about the fulfillment of the first theme separated by the creatures of Annwynh. Great was the rejoicing in Geärnabevönn the city of the Master and his Green Mountain. The heavens erupted with light and displays as never seen before, and the happiness was beyond even the great feast held at the completion of the enrichment of Annwynh. For in everyone’s hearts was the inner feeling that what they were witnessing was the most wonderful gift ever to be given the world . . . and that it was only the beginning of things yet to come from the great Vision of the Master of all things.16