Bane of Lasambria!
Along the road from Anduz, hard-set for Anozel
A growing tide of Freeborn from Anduzjasse did swell.
A frightened band of farmers fleeing a wall of knives,
Seek refuge from a tribe of orcs who seek to take their lives.
Now up comes hakima Anne. “Why then such haste?" says she.
“Now who is it pursuing, whose anger do you flee?
You are all of Anduz, why seek you Anozel?
Are kohan no protection? Do they not heed call of bell?"
“Oh, Anne, hakima Anne, we flee now for our lives,
Lasambrians would enslave us, at least those who survive
They burned our plains to cinders, tis why we are eastbound.
The kohan cannot heed as they lie dead upon the ground."
Now up speaks hakima Anne. “Anozel is not far-
But you’re all of the Empire, the last I checked you are,
Segura lies forgotten -abandoned by the Throne-
But dammed if I will see you left so helpless on your own!"
So forth goes hakima Anne, and onward does she stride,
On Iron Plains she waits then, her coven at her side.
With Lasambrians approaching, she calls out from on high,
“You shan’t pass, Lasambrian! Nay, I shall not let you by!"
Now only eight hakima stand blocking the orcs’ way
“Now who are you, fool nothing, that dares to tell me nay?"
Now up speaks hakima Anne her voice like brittle glass;
“The hakima called Anne - and 'tis I you shall not pass!"
Now there stands 40 raiders, behind them Anduz burns,
Their warlord clad in armour steps forth and takes his turn-
“So you think to oppose me? This place is not your land.
So heed me, hakima Anne; and now turn aside your hand."
“Let be; I’ll give you silver, and I shall give you gold,
And I shall give you jewels fair that sparkle bright and bold,
And I shall give you pearls, all the treasures of the sea,
If you will step aside here, leaving these poor fools to me."
“What need have I of silver? Our coins are steel here.
And all the gold I cherish is sunlight bright and clear.
The only jewels I treasure is a bright and shining star,
And I protect all helpless that I find in Segura"
“I’ll give you loyal servants, and woods of finest grain,
And I shall give you power, you’ll never see again,
And I shall give you mansions and I shall give you land,
If you will turn aside this day, aside and hold your hand."
“Loyalty held in bondage is Loyalty that’s lost.
And land and mansions blood-bought come too high at the cost.
The power I have already, we wield Winter’s blade
So turn you back, Lasambrian, if of me you’re afraid!"
The warlord draws his weapon, and points it to the sky,
“Prepare yourself, bold Freeborn, you all shall surely die!"
The warlord calls his minions, the minions he commands,
And Anne, hakima Anne, she raises her staff in her hands.
The warlord calls his minions, they prepare to attack.
And Anne invokes her magic, her staff all wreathed in black.
Her coven all beside her, she calls upon their pledge,
Yes Anne she stands defiant and unleashes the Graves Edge.
With Death itself descending now, the orcish force despairs
The Freeborn charge into the fold their staves all brought to bare.
They shatter steel and rupture flesh, the orcs feel Winter’s wrath.
For Anne she calls the Wasteland down, and smites them to the grass!
“Now I’ve shown you, Lasambrian, the power that you seek
Take your gold and silver home, your life I let you keep.
I am Bane of Lasambria, Segura I defend
Tell your masters ‘Turn around!’ unless they seek their end”
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