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TESTAMENT OF THE SNAKE PEOPLE

NOTE This strange fragment was discovered in the ruins of a Nyissan temple during an exploratory expedition by the twenty-third Imperial legion into northern Nyissa following the Alorn invasion of the land of the Snake People during the early forty-first century. The antiquity of the fragment and the general condition of the ruins of the temple in which it was found indicate that both more probably date back to the time of the invasion of the Marags rather than the more recent Alorn incursion.

1. Once

lived we in caves,

beside still brooks

and in mossy dells,

and ISSA

was with us,

(dull-eyed ISSA with cold skin)

– Praise the glory of ISSA’s name –

2. Content

were we to bask in sun

on warm rocks

and to slither at night

into dens cool and dry

beneath the rocks,

and ISSA

moved among us –

(Slow the movements,

sinuous and subtle)

and touched our faces

with dry cold hand,

and lapped

our scent from

out of air with

flickering tongue

– Praise the glory of ISSA’s name –

3. Solitary

watched we

the turn

of seasons,

years, light as dust

lay upon us,

and uncaring we watched

and ISSA

Instructed us

(sibilant the

voice

of beloved

ISSA and wise) –

Glory to the wisdom of ISSA –

4. Coiled

we with our

brothers,

the serpents,

and kissed

the

sweet

venom from

their lipless smiles

while ISSA

watched

and guarded our

childlike play

– Praise the watchfulness of mighty ISSA –

5. But

Other Gods made war, and we knew not why.

Some trifle

that had no use or value was the cause of their contention.

Still lay we in timeless drowse, basking in sun’s

Warmth and the glory of ISSA’s gaze

– Adore the beauty of the scaled face of ISSA –

6. And

Shattered then the other Gods the earth herself, and the rocks of our dens fell in upon us, crushing the people of ISSA as they slept, and the seas rushed in, drowning the caves and the mossy dells, stilling forever the soft sibilance of our brooks and streams, engulfing the sweet land which ISSA had given us.

– Oh weep for the precious land of ISSA –

7. Journeyed

We then toward those lands where the sun makes his bed, and ISSA led us. Found we there a fair land of swamp and tangled thicket and sluggish rivers, dark beneath the trees. And our brothers, the serpents, dwelt there in abundance. And ISSA commanded us that we raise a city beside the holy River of the Serpent, and called we the name of the city Sthiss Tor in honor of the holy wisdom of ISSA.

– All praise to ISSA, cold and fair –

8. And yet

There came a time when ISSA called us to him and spake unto us, saying:

‘Behold, it has come to pass that I must depart from thee. The Gods have warred, and the earth may no longer sustain us.’

Loud were our lamentations at ISSA’s words, and we cried out unto him, saying:

‘We beseech thee, oh mighty God, absent thyself not from us, for who will lead and guide us if thou depart?’

And ISSA wept.

– Revere the tears of sorrowing ISSA –

9. Again

Spake ISSA unto us, saying:

‘Behold, I am thy God, and I love thee. In spirit shall I abide with thee, and from thy number will I select the one through whom shall I speak. Thou shalt hear and obey the one – even as it were me.’

– Hear and obey the word of ISSA –

10. Now

Of all the servants of ISSA, most beloved was Salmissra, the Priestess, and ISSA touched her and exalted her and spake unto the people again, saying:

‘Behold my handmaiden, Salmissra. Her have I touched and exalted. And she shall be queen over thee and have dominion, and her voice shall be my voice, and thou shall call her name eternal, for I am with her – even as with thee unto the end of days.’

– All praise to eternal Salmissra, handmaiden of ISSA –

11. Spake

Then eternal Salmissra, Queen of the Serpent People, saying:

(The remainder of the fragment has been lost.)^*