Ki'ur Valerian
Ashan anakarei, miterem aisun, ki anakh milo ve'atun. Atem kama seyarekhun etor? Kama ei'en mate'arun shi'or? Amar anakarei had'vur sheretakh batamun zakar, kihei banu'am ereszan, meizina vameikarav: salamun eliam, sakarei na anela shei kul'atem li'ein ana'ar milo.Lend me your grace, o valiantly blooming wildflower, for I am lost and afraid. Why must people fight and hurt one another? Why are there always widows and orphans? Tell me what you see from that pristine field, for it lies within the beauty of nature, unmarred by hatred and war: the divine serenity we must all seek, that none should ever be lost again.
"Keimon aveitakh, kiteith ba'ereszan mavur yihei aturam! Arise ye downtrodden, for hope dawns upon this tormented land!"
Ki'ur Valerian was once a normal person. Was he human? Was he an elf? He has long since forgotten. It no longer matters, for whatever he was then, he is no longer. His nature transcends that of normal mortals, and both his battle prowess and grace are legendary.
Ki'ur began life a noble, living near a placid lake, in a small estate in a peaceful village. His visions of grandeur, however, led him to desire a place beyond; a place on the battlefield, a valiant and adventurous knighthood.
He and his friend Sal constantly dreamed together, making believe they were knights on the field of battle. They played without a care in the world, not knowing that beneath their very feet lay the bodies of those lost to the very thing they were making light of -- the last remnants of the dead for whom there was no longer anyone left to mourn.
While Sal eventually settled down to earth and decided to study to become a doctor, Ki'ur went off to train in the capital of his land, an empire that has long since been lost to the ages. It was not long after he attained knighthood, however, that his home province erupted in rebellion.
He was sent in the battalion to quell the chaos, and in a cruel twist of fate, the location of the rebel stronghold was the village he had once called home.
The Emperor ordered none be left alive. But Ki'ur could not carry out such a task...he hesitated, and before his very eyes he saw the deaths of several hundred civilians...which was drowned out by the sight of his friend Sal's dead body, pierced by an arrow as he was attempting to treat the wounds of an elderly woman.
Few records exist of the events that followed; the ones that do exist describe a ringing noise, the sound of a small, hollow metal object striking on a thick stone surface, that drowned out the sounds of the battle, followed by the screams of countless imperial soldiers being laid low. They describe a figure moving through the ranks, almost as if dancing, his steps light and graceful and his figure that of a fey creature...but resembling that of the one known to his former companions.
Three days later, the body of the emperor was found, cleanly severed in twain in his chamber, the word Nikkum ("Justice") penned neatly in his blood on the wall.
For his part, this being was not seen again for some time...it turned out that, in the battle, he had actually died shortly after he saw his own friend murdered, after defying and striking down the regiment's commander. This act of mutiny, in its bravery, caught the attention of the freedom-loving elders of the Court of Stars, who immediately raised him as a petitioner. This being, though only an incomplete celestial, was far more powerful than the soldiers of the imperial armies. After he struck down the emperor and established a far less oppressive government, he became the Tulani known as Ki'ur Valerian, the Dawnflower.
| Twilight Proverbs 4.27:33-34: |
| Tihiyun alim, kikaszerem adamun. Tihiyun avon, kikaszerem sideram. Be humble, for you are made of earth. Be noble, for you are made of stars. |
"Ashan anakarei, miterem aisun, ki anakh milo ve'atun. Atem kama seyarekhun etor? Kama ei'en mate'arun shi'or?
Lend me your grace, o valiantly blooming wildflower, for I am lost and afraid. Why must people fight and hurt each other? Why are there always widows and orphans?"
--Ashan Anakarei, or The Dawnflower's Prayer
In religions beholden to the Court of Stars, few prayers are as solemn as Ashan Anakarei. Traditionally, an adherent recites this prayer in times of great need. The prayer in its entirety is also recited once a year on the Day of Remembrance (Zikuryon), during which the presiding clergy prostrate themselves before the Tree of Life the only such occasion in the tradition. It is said that it was first recited (or at least the initial line quoted above) by Ki'ur himself after seeing Sai killed. The solemnity of the prayer, and the hope-inspiring lines that follow the opening, are quite reflective of his personality, being calm, kind, and warm, with a love of freedom, a sense of justice, and a willingness to help those in need and uplift the downtrodden. His appearance, that of a tall, attractive, fey man of blue skin with hair, skin, and robes that twinkle like stars, is a welcome sight to any who are in need of help.
Annam Haya, Kinnam Yihei, Evalun Aturam Kei'ar.
As All has Always Been, So Shall it Forever Be -- Until Hope Intervenes.