Excerpts from The Antiquities War
Excerpts from The Antiquities War, by Kayla bin-Kroog: A New Translation and Commentary is a two-volume work by Taysir of Rabiah. It is a translation of the fourth and fifth volumes of The Antiquities War.
Excerpts from The Antiquities War, by Kayla bin-Kroog: A New Translation and Commentary is a two-volume work by Taysir of Rabiah. It is a translation of the fourth and fifth volumes of The Antiquities War.
Text
Excerpts from The Antiquities War,
by Kayla bin-Kroog.
A new translation and commentary
by Taysir of Rabiah.
Introduction
It is my purpose to provide a contemporary version of The Antiquities War, a classic in Argivian literature. Although "The Story of Urza and Mishra" is well-known throughout Terisiare, a modern interpretation was overdue. The text speaks for itself. I shall therefore confine my expository comments to footnotes.
"The Story of Urza and Mishra" takes place thousands of years after the fall of the mysterious Thran Empire. Some say that the Thran discovered a source of great power, but they were not ready to use this power properly-- and it destroyed them.
During the time of Urza and Mishra, Fallaji nomads routinely searched for Thran artifacts in the Western Desert. With caravans filled with bits and pieces of the past, the Fallaji traveled east-- to the edge of the desert, where they traded with various city-states and schools specializing in the study of Thran antiquities.
Sometimes, the nomads brought more than artifacts to the schools. Following the deaths of their parents, the two brothers came to one of the archeological schools. Here is where the tale of Urza and Mishra begins.
Volume 1: The Story of Urza and Mishra
Facet 1
Facet 2
Facet 3
Facet 4
This facet marks a turning point in the struggle between Urza and Mishra. Both have established themselves as leaders, and their personal conflict includes whole nations. Some historians credit this to their charisma and personal power. I believe that we must resist the temptation to believe that history is only carried on the shoulders of great men. While Urza may have been a resourceful and brilliant artificer, the picture we have of him is anything but charismatic. I think it safe to say that the King and merchants of Kroog would not have thrown their support behind Urza if his conflict with Mishra did not promise great wealth and the opportunity to expand the domain of Kroog trade.
However, history shows that the King and merchants of Kroog may have underestimated their ability to steer the conflict between the brothers in a profitable direction. The conference at Korliss proved that. But by this point, the war had begun and it was too late to turn back.
Thus ends the first section of The Antiquities War.
Volume 2: The Urza-Mishra War
Facet 1
Facet 2
Thus was born an alliance which would alter the course of the Urza-Mishra war-- one deserved of a volume all its own. -- Taysir of Rabiah