Lara documents/Lara 002.003
Translated by Whilyam
A D’ni man was travelling through another Age. He was a famous explorer and had enjoyed visiting other Ages. This Age had many offworlders who lived on a flood plain. One day, the man was exploring with his offworlders when the Age began to flood. It flooded so quickly that he could not get out and he did not have a Book so he was trapped. The waters continued to rise and soon the man would be washed away. The offworlders cowered and did nothing so the man prayed and God appeared before him.
"Please, my lord, save me from these waters." He said
"Did you not bring a Book?"
"I did not, my lord. I forgot."
"I gave to you the Gift[1] to protect you, to assist you, to make you wealthy and powerful, masters of all."
"I know, my lord. I forgot. I am sorry. I was traveling with many other people and believed I was safe with them."
"You are safe with me, they will not save you. Learn from this that you cannot trust offworlders."
"I will, my lord."Said the man.
And God moved the currents and the offworlders cried out as they felt they would be carried away, but the D'ni man felt the currents move around him and he stayed still in the water. And so God moved the currents more and the offworlders were swept away and died and then God let the waters recede. And so the man was saved and he returned to the off-worlder village and he told them of what had happened and the off-worlders found God and learned of his patience and wrath.
Footnotes[edit | edit source]
It's difficult to pin down the time when this document was made. There are credible reasons (ink type, paper type, writing style) this could come from the times of a variety of kings. The three times I was able to narrow it down to was the reign of Yablehshan, that of Asemlef, or some point just before the Pento War. I'm leaning towards it being written and published during the time of Asemlef, though, as a paper published during the time when outside groups were perceived to have been killing D'ni would have perhaps replicated that situation more (as in, the outsiders here harming the explorer instead of merely being of "no assistance". The weak and cowardly outsider/servant model seems to match more with Asemlef's reign. –Whilyam
- ↑ The use here of referring to the Art as 'the Gift' is significant here, as it underlines the idea that the author felt that the Art was a blessing from Yahvo. –J.D.
