The Mad Rantings of Titus McNubbins

It was a time of darkness and of light
A bishop tried to slay Bor's prelate
The arms of Morpheus had reappeared
and the time of Holten's Buchard had grown too late.

And so it was the I was forced to leave
the island Estlon and my humble home
and travel on the seas amid the waves
with Dathiest the Vain my servant lone.

We found a vessel bound for Vekmar's ports
a mighty ship of sturdy Shefings make
and powered by the iron Northmen's oars
the trip did but two score of days did take.

Upon the sores of Vekmar did we fall
close to the port of dark, old Vetulet
old capitol of Acherousia
and foul nursemaid of the corrupt, evil, and undead.

Our search proved fruitful and our hopes arose
we found the ancient path beneath the keep
that lead down deep into the underworld
where Drastin walk and the dead don't sleep.

Much adventure had we both endured.
My lackey Dathiest proved to be true
and soon our luck had brought us to the place
known to all as The Citadel of Eternity.

Trapped we were and nothing could we do.
Sick we were from journeying so long.
Awake we did upon a floor of stone.
Fear we did for "The Master" was so strong.

He called us seven from the future time
when Acherousia was fallen into ruin
to send us on a most disturbing quest
recover seven artifacts from time.

and so it was that Dathiest and me
set out upon the search for artifacts
along with this rude band of lunitics
armed only with this rhyme from Ambitrax.

-SEVEN YOU SEEK, AND SEVEN YOU NEED.
ONE LAYS BENEATH A BRILLANT PILE OF
GOLD, BUT BEWARE FOR THIS GOLD CAN
SLAY YOU. ANOTHER LAYS WHERE FEW
HAVE GONE AND NONE HAVE SEEN. SEEK
THE THIRD WHERE THE SUN ALWAYS SHINES,
BUT WILL SOON BE FOREVER DARK.
ANOTHER LAYS IN THE MIDDLE OF WHERE
THE DARK THINGS PLAY. A BRIGHT LIGHT IN
THE SKY IS WHERE YOU SHALL FIND ONE. SEEK
ANOTHER CLOSE AT HAND, BUT OUT OF REACH
FOR ONE SO CLOSE-MINDED. THEN THE LAST IS
EVEN CLOSER THAN THE LAST, BUT CAN NOT BE
SEEN, FOR IT IS HERE AND THERE BUT NOT EVERYWHERE.
THIS I DECREE!

The Harp of Persuasion, the Lyre of Summoning, the Horn
of the Damned, the Trumpet of Life, the Flue of Contagon,
the Pipes of Foul Blackness, and the Mandolin of Travel were to be found.

Many were given to us from the ancient and puissiant.
Others we took with our wits and our might as we wished.
Watchers they were who would fight to keep seven apart.
Seven we were who would see that the set would be finished.

The traveller is said to be known by the road that he travels
the road that he travels is said to be his destiny.
Midway through the journey some switched to the path of the law,
and threw off "The Master"'s cruel yoke with a show of much glee.

Prophets once spoke of us seven and our given quest.
The couplet we heard was confusing and vague at its best.

FROM THE SKY FELL A CELESTIAL KEY
SEVEN WERE MADE FROM ONE
SEVEN TO UNLOCK SEVEN SEALS
SEVEN TRAVELLERS TO WIELD SEVEN
ONE WILL BETRAY
ONE WILL FIND LIGHT
ONE WILL SACRIFICE
ONE WILL PROTECT
ONE WILL BE LOST
AND ONE TO LEAD THEM ALL

All seven were plucked from Ambitrax's prophetic rhyme.
Then let it be said that my servant will soon be with death.
For in darkness of night he slipped silent and cut us six deep
and stole all of the seven we had worked to acquire and left.

And now we have found that the instruments all pose a threat
for the seven as one is the key to an unspeakable valut
that houses a darkness that hungers to devour all Caedes
and the cause is because of a wizard named Whitefire's fault!