Epic of Grakklarmosh

Epic of Grakklarmosh
Literature
Author	Gudat Dozon, with assistance from Manuel Bircham
Genre	Poetry
Printer	Daenshore Masters Limited

Following the success of “Prync Daen and Now”, Manuel Bircham chose to transcribe the “Epic of Grakklarmosh" into Common next, releasing it in 299 AC. Gudat Dozon assisted him again, and advised the junior scholar of how to arrange the story as an Epic is one of the most popular pieces of Eronidas writing in all their oral canon. Several episodes were kept out of this version, though Manuel later wrote a compilation of several of these, releasing it in 306 AC.

Epic of Grakklarmosh

Foreword

Here transcribed is the Epic of Grakklarmosh, about a legendary Eronidas of the Guldar Home Period who lived perhaps some 700 years ago. This story is one of the most complex to transcribe, and its poetic form has been retained as much as possible when copied into Common by the author and translator. Additionally, there are at least a dozen total episodes attributed to the Epic with different versions of each, but the version of the Epic here is the standard, most widely enjoyed version with the five central stories that defined the warrior’s life.

Malkur joins the Tuerak

In a time before this land, in a time before this world

The world stood in splendor

The Elements and Death overlooked all

But were apart in divided places

Though the arms of bonded warriors remained strong

In Anatokor in squalid nothing did sit Hebash

By the banks of the putrid Targardoc did rest Hebash

Her hands wrung hard, her features grim

Her daughter had been in pains for weeks

And now, she sat in the tent and strained to form new life

At last, the child did emerge, great Malkur

When he emerged, his cry spurned the Spogytor into flight

And awakened the snoring Shoiru with a squeal

He who would surmount Warrior Nikogral

Was born with a warcry into this world

His clan was meager, with a name lost on the tongue

His tribe was feeble, existing in tribute to the Tuerak

And so his birth arrose much shock and surprise,

For his blood was clearly of that tribe

And his mother faced an inquisition of her life

But he, prodigal son, was taught the Eron ways

And became a name known to the Tuerak

They came to fetch him with their weapons,

Only to find them bent and broken through his mastery of Panlomoc

So they found a better way to pull him away

Tashmatash, lady of private life, person of pleasure

She came to him and spoke of what lay beyond the banks of Targardoc

She came to him and spoke of what lay beyond the fringe of Anatokor

She whispered sweet promises and gone was his tie to his tribe

And he followed her exposed legs back to the Tuerak

Grakklarmosh and the Sumu

In Nothos on pleasant furs did lay Nansharg

By the banks of the clear Egargesh did lounge Nansharg

Her hands caressed the wood, her face a kindness

Her daughter had been in pains for weeks

And now, she sat in the tent and strained to form new life

At last, the child did emerge, great Grakklarmosh

When he emerged, his cry spurned the Spogytor into flight

And awakened the snoring Shoiru with a squeal

He who would surmount Warrior Urkadak

Was born with a warcry into this world

At the age of five, he entered training

And toppled his teacher to the dirt on the first day

At the age of seven, he entered the hunters

And toppled a crowing, vile Pakta-Yaz to the earth

And so by the age of ten, he was a master of Panlomoc

He was lauded, groomed, and beloved

Yet he sought out challenges worthy of his skill

Among his tribe, the normal hunt grew boring

Among his clan, the westling grew too simple

And so cunning or fate depending on your mind came to him

The Sumu of Avgar, prized Lug-Fousso of the Tuerak, broke free

It carved through the camp, it flattened the storehouse

It gored those who came against it, and it was unstoppable

It was this sight that first struck Malkur upon his arrival

And he grew disheartened at the sight

“Is this the greatness of Tuerak dirty Nothyto?”

“Is this the glory of Tuerak false Nothyto?”

He angrily stormed to leave, but then he saw him

The Eronidas of equal power, of worthy challenge

Who stepped up to face the rampaging Sumu

Grakklarmosh stepped behind the Sumu of Avgar

And prepared to grasp its haunch

He was joined by Malkur, who stepped behind the Sumu of Avgar

And prepared to grasp its thigh

Grakklarmosh turned and saw the Eronidas of equal power, of worthy challenge

Together, the pre-men each grasped a loin of the beast and flipped it

“I have not seen you before” grunted Grakklarmosh

“I have not seen one like you” strained Malkur

With a thunderous crash, the Sumu of Avgar lay on its back

Compressed beneath the grasp of the two warriors

It struggled mightily with a lowing to shake the air

Mt. Makronoc shook mightily and the battle neared its end

But Grakklarmosh maintained his pin, and his grasp was like iron

At last, the Sumu breathed its last, and all beheld the triumph

Glory was called for Grakklarmosh and his companion Malkur

The Contest of Dominance

Grakklarmosh was celebrated, and Malkur came to know him

They told of their deeds, and while Tashmatash remained near

Her task was finished and she returned to her former role

The men of Tuerak quickly saw who Malkur was, yet rejoiced

For now they had a strong man in their midst

For the remainder of their training, the two were inseparable

For their entire time together, they could never be pried apart

On hunts, in bouts, in eating and in sleeping

They were as close as brothers

And yet they never forgot the spark, the sense of competition

By the age of fourteen, they were mountains and ridges and caves

By the age of fourteen, they were oceans and rivers and lakes

They chose to set their household with the other,

And each claimed ten to serve them

And thus there came the feast

Drink was had in abundance, and Stoor-fish were eaten alongside Sumu

Pleasure flowed like water, and Stoor-swine were eaten alongside Sumu

Yet in this all, talk began, and talk continued

Who was the strongest of the two? Who had won more bouts?

The answer was equal, and then the two began to boast

“I could press ten Sumu with my arms and still lift a ladden cart!”

Grakklarmosh growled with a table slam

“I could press seven adult Pakta-Yaz with my arms, and still lift a ladden cart!”

Malkur snarled with a pole punch

And so the two stared hard at each other

Nansharg becalmed the room as was her role

“We shall settle it like always, in a final, ultimate contest!”

The entire jungle shook at the sound of joy this produced

A grand day again, another show of Grakklarmosh’s power!

A grand day again, another show of Malkur’s strength!

The day came at last, and both arrayed across from the other

Neither had talked to the other since that night

And much simmered in their searing looks

Chief Ebbabgrak sat and gave the command

And so the fight began

On the first day, Grakklarmosh shifted an arm

On the second day, Malkur moved a leg

For three more days, none adjusted

On the sixth day, headbutts were exchanged

But on the seventh day, the Tuerak had enough

“REST!” they moaned, but nothing shifted

“SLEEP!” they groaned, but nothing shifted

At last, Tashmatash was called and she raised her leg

But neither man faltered, and she raised her calf

But this time, kicked the water trough

Water spilled into the pit, and sand became mud

Suddenly, Malkur’s position shifted

Abruptly, Grakklarmosh’s stance changed

The two began to grapple in desperation

And finally, a pin was achieved

Malkur was humiliated, but the clan did not care

Grakklarmosh was victorious, but the tribe did not care

Heads hit earth, leaves, grass and hide in sleep

And the two men spoke long and reconciled in the night

And the two warriors lay long and reconciled under the moon

The Pursuit of Yeratza

Years passed, and both men grew

They faced down much together

And Grakklarmosh rose up to become the chieftain

And Malkur enveloped all his people into the Tuerak

And both men led them to glory for years

But then came warnings and at last, sightings

Of Yeratza, terrible and tall

Of Yeratza, broad and strong

Of Yeratza, impassable and cunning

Who gorged upon the herds and slaughtered all in wonton hate

Gybrak, great scout and tracker in the brush

Followed her to the edge of the Skotondashok

That vast place teemed with vile life, with hating scarlets

And Gybrak was forced to turn back, for he was one

But he soon returned with many

Grakklarmosh called all to him and proclaimed

“Silent Gybrak has found where the beast dwells”

“Stealthy Gybrak has uncovered where she makes her nest”

“Who will join me in her pursuit?”

Seventy men stepped forward, divided four, two and one

They marched twenty lengths, then thirty lengths

They crossed the Nothos, the Targardoc, and surmounted Mt. Makronoc

They traveled far, and came to the threshold of the Skotondashok

It was here a camp was made, and Grakklarmosh dreamed

He woke with a gasp and in nervous tones, told Malkur his dreams

“I found a field of Krytharc growing full under the sun.”

“But then, clouds came, and half the field died.”

“I moved on and beheld a herd of Sumu by the water.”

“But then, the river dried, and the herd moved on.”

“My friend, what does this mean?”

“You’ll suffer loss, you will see the wilting”

“You’ll see the world decay, but you will move on”

He gripped his long-time-friend’s shoulder

“But you’ll have me to help you thrive dear brother”

“And in a group this large, such losses are expected”

The next day they pushed on through the dark wood

They came upon prey rare in all of Guldar, yet focused on their task

The trees bent to form a path straight to Yeratza

And so the seventy and two walked with surety

And at least, came before her

Yeratza reeked of rotted carrion, and sat cloaked in malignant feathers

Yeratza stunk of death and perched on gnarled limbs

Compared to her, the host was glorious

Grakklarmosh gleamed with his oils and his form was that of granite

Malkur shone with his oils and his form was that of obsidian

She came down and bashed

She came down and crashed

She came down and slashed

She came down and mashed

She came down and slew beloved Malkur

He rose up and pushed

He rose up and grasped

He rose up and smashed

He rose up and squeezed

He rose up and slew reviled Yeratza

Grakklarmosh’s Lament

It had been ten years, and all his hair had grayed

It had been so long, and all his hearts had aged

Grakklarmosh never ceased his grieving, his deep sadness

At long last, his son Orbak came and demanded him to change

At long last, his daughter Mesk came and demanded him to change

To both he muttered this soliloquy

“When we are born, we are made with another half”

“If we never find it, we know no sorrow”

“If we do find it, we know great joy”

“If we lose it, we know great sorrow”

“Malkur was my Makkaru and me, his Vakkar”

“Let it never be said a warrior is weak to feel such sorrow”

“Let it never be allowed that men be punished for feeling for one’s deepest brother”

“Go now, and leave me to my grief”

“Go now, and let me ruminate”

But neither child accepted this answer and demanded change

The young men of the tribe were stirred and growled in defiance

The young women of the clan sat and made nothing in protest

The aged came to Grakklarmosh

“A new time comes, and you have been lost to it”

“A new world arrives, and you have been avoided by it”

Gybrak, bald and lean with age, rubbed the place of pain in soothing

“I know your pain my brother...we all have felt it.”

“Your dreams came true...and now it is time to move like you did then”

A weight left Grakklarmosh and he thanked Gybrak

And so at last, Grakklarmosh stepped down

And so at last, Grakklarmosh was laid entombed

Oh greak Grakklarmosh, greatest of the Tuerak

Oh beloved Malkur, inheritor of the Tuerak

Eos has surpassed you both, and knows the sorrow of your bond

He has felt it with each and every warrior to fall in his great conquest

Yet nothing has compared to your bond

Let it be forever known that the last Tuerak, the first Great Anaxon

Honored the Elements and Death you and him and so many have followed

He followed it to the end, and many thousands follow it now

Glory to Grakklarmosh, Malkur, and Eos

Translation Index

• Anatokor = A jungle in eastern Guldar
• Targardoc = A river in eastern Guldar
• Spogytor = A species of small bird from Guldar
• Shoiru = What is known in Common as the Bathogg
• Panlomoc = A unique term for war, combat, and fighting together as a concept
• Nothos = A region of southern Guldar, often enshrined as the birthplace of greatness given it was the purported birthplace of Eos and from where the Great Leaving Period began.
• Egargesh = A river in southern Guldar
• Pakta-Yaz = What is known in Common as the Ollivear
• Sumu = What is known in Common as the Aaltaar Bok
• Lug-Fousso = A term for a particularly large Aaltaar Bok, essentially, the alpha of a herd
• Nothyto = The Eronidas term for an individual of entertainment
• Stoor-fish = Stoor Root is a special plant used in seasoning, the contraction here suggests that the fish were seasoned by the plant
• Stoor-swine = See above translation. It should be noted that while Sumu lacks the contraction, the meat of Aaltaar Bok is rarely eaten without Stoor Root due to Eronidas digestive patterns today and this was also likely the case centuries ago
• Yeratza = A bird-like monster, often considered a particularly wild warrior Avarr
• Skotondashok = An extremely hostile region of central Guldar often claimed to be the homeland of the Avarr
• Krytharc = A form of grain native to Guldar that was abandoned in the exodus
• Anaxon = The Eronidas term for King

Trivia

• The last portion of the Epic is often considered a later addition, as it makes use of the more modern, three-verse format and features a call to Eos. However, the general structure is often retained in the few alternative versions which lack a mention of Eos, so it is still considered authentic (and also respectful).
• One of the more interesting episodes left out of this Epic are Grakklarmosh’s travels abroad, where he encounters several exotic things, such as a clan of lazy, fat Eronidas aggressively dominating a horde of small, lesser creatures. Grakklarmosh sets the balance of the situation right, allowing the creatures, called Jorak, to run rampant as punishment for the slothfulness of their masters.

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Accreditation
Writers HydraLana Processors FireFan96, AlphaInsomnia	Last Editor HydraLana on 07/30/2022.

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