Post by Stingray888 on Aug 10, 2013 7:40:59 GMT
The Letter of John Prester (Read 127 times)
ppecena
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The Letter of John Prester
« on: December 07, 2007, 12:08:53 PM »
Hear and believe: I, John Prester, was the Lord of Lords, surpassing all under heaven in virtue, in riches, and in power; seventy-two kings paid me tribute. In far-off Aethiope my magnificence ruled, and my land reached towards the sunrise over the wastes nigh unto the gates of Paradise.
My land was the home of elephants, great apes, camels, crocodiles, baluctheriums, and birds with beaks like axes; griffins, tigers, ducks, hyenas, wild horses, wild oxen, and wild men also. It was the home, too, of the phoenix and the behir and the catoblepas and all manner of strange living animals. Seventy-two provinces were tributary to me, as I made war on the all whose lands were near me.
Whenever I rode at the head of my ever-conquering army, a plain wooden symbol of Avar, without gold or gems about it, was borne before me in order that I should meditate on the true source of my strength; also a golden bowl filled with earth to remind me of that whence I sprung and that to which I must return; but besides these there was borne a sliver bowl full of gold coins as a token to all that I was the Lord of Lords.
But many of my new-caught subjects and their Kings refused to acknowledge Avar. They were sullen pagans, blasphemous and cruel. One such King, the new ruler of a province steeped in paganism, asked for my daughter’s hand in marriage. Angered that this lowly heathen vassal would dare make such a request, I denied him. When he learned of this denial he led his people into open revolt. He was soon joined by the rest of the pagan Kings and people of other provinces, who cared not about any marriage but saw only an opportunity to strike at me and my place as Lord of Lords. In the war that followed, the pagans emerged triumphant. The palace of John Prester was burned; the faithful of the kingdom were slain or enslaved, and the altars of Avar were smashed and pagan idols set in their place.
I was wounded six and twenty times with saber and lance before escaping. It was Avar’s will that I should be thrown down and humbled and stripped of my powers as a priest-king. Long then did I wander, searching for a land that both knew Avar and was beyond the reach of the pagan Kings.
Thus I, John Prester, came to Lomar. I traveled first under other names and in other guises; until I was sure the pagan Kings had no knowledge of my new abode. I then declared myself openly and made public dedication to the service of Avar, although I have told no man or woman of my origins or my intentions, until now.
It has now pleased Avar that I should grow in power and wealth, but now I fight not for earthly conquest but with a humble spirit and desire to serve my brethren - the many brave adventurers who fight daily against evil in Lomar – and do only what Avar bids me to do.
One day, if I am granted strength enough for my mortal shell to bear the burden, my power and wealth will grow great enough that I can call for a great crusade. That day is very near.
On that day I will leave Lomar forever with a mighty host of warriors and priests behind me. I, John Prester, shall lead us to my beloved land of Aethiope far to the south, farther than any man of Lomar has ever traveled. There we shall free whoever remains of my long-suffering people from the barbarous heathens who rule by the yoke and the lash. Their pagan altars will be thrown down and a just and rightful reign of Avar shall be established and abide there forever.
ppecena
Administrator
Full Member
*****
The Letter of John Prester
« on: December 07, 2007, 12:08:53 PM »
Hear and believe: I, John Prester, was the Lord of Lords, surpassing all under heaven in virtue, in riches, and in power; seventy-two kings paid me tribute. In far-off Aethiope my magnificence ruled, and my land reached towards the sunrise over the wastes nigh unto the gates of Paradise.
My land was the home of elephants, great apes, camels, crocodiles, baluctheriums, and birds with beaks like axes; griffins, tigers, ducks, hyenas, wild horses, wild oxen, and wild men also. It was the home, too, of the phoenix and the behir and the catoblepas and all manner of strange living animals. Seventy-two provinces were tributary to me, as I made war on the all whose lands were near me.
Whenever I rode at the head of my ever-conquering army, a plain wooden symbol of Avar, without gold or gems about it, was borne before me in order that I should meditate on the true source of my strength; also a golden bowl filled with earth to remind me of that whence I sprung and that to which I must return; but besides these there was borne a sliver bowl full of gold coins as a token to all that I was the Lord of Lords.
But many of my new-caught subjects and their Kings refused to acknowledge Avar. They were sullen pagans, blasphemous and cruel. One such King, the new ruler of a province steeped in paganism, asked for my daughter’s hand in marriage. Angered that this lowly heathen vassal would dare make such a request, I denied him. When he learned of this denial he led his people into open revolt. He was soon joined by the rest of the pagan Kings and people of other provinces, who cared not about any marriage but saw only an opportunity to strike at me and my place as Lord of Lords. In the war that followed, the pagans emerged triumphant. The palace of John Prester was burned; the faithful of the kingdom were slain or enslaved, and the altars of Avar were smashed and pagan idols set in their place.
I was wounded six and twenty times with saber and lance before escaping. It was Avar’s will that I should be thrown down and humbled and stripped of my powers as a priest-king. Long then did I wander, searching for a land that both knew Avar and was beyond the reach of the pagan Kings.
Thus I, John Prester, came to Lomar. I traveled first under other names and in other guises; until I was sure the pagan Kings had no knowledge of my new abode. I then declared myself openly and made public dedication to the service of Avar, although I have told no man or woman of my origins or my intentions, until now.
It has now pleased Avar that I should grow in power and wealth, but now I fight not for earthly conquest but with a humble spirit and desire to serve my brethren - the many brave adventurers who fight daily against evil in Lomar – and do only what Avar bids me to do.
One day, if I am granted strength enough for my mortal shell to bear the burden, my power and wealth will grow great enough that I can call for a great crusade. That day is very near.
On that day I will leave Lomar forever with a mighty host of warriors and priests behind me. I, John Prester, shall lead us to my beloved land of Aethiope far to the south, farther than any man of Lomar has ever traveled. There we shall free whoever remains of my long-suffering people from the barbarous heathens who rule by the yoke and the lash. Their pagan altars will be thrown down and a just and rightful reign of Avar shall be established and abide there forever.
