A dark day it was in late Urlachmar, though the brilliant radiance
emanating from Avechna's Teeth did little to underscore the fact. Marani
Veloske, White Priestess of the Shallamurine Cathedral, declared that
the Basin of Life had too long been subject to the filth and debauchery
of life, and with her fellow priestesses and countless undead beauties
in tow, she descended into the Basin proper, magnanimously electing to
rid the people of the Basin of their troubles and return the glory of
Shallamar at once.

Marani took arms before the Silent Cathedral in Magnagora, while her
sisters spread across the remainder of the continent. Neinrin Tivreau
descended into the Ellindel Arboretum of Serenwilde, while Shihami
Aerlon stood before the Deep Blue Cathedral of New Celest. Ephrani Xala
basked within the lava gardens of Gaudiguch and Muut Nosherom bowed her
head before Glomdoring's Black Tower. Erigili Sunfar, proud as ever,
stood atop the Spire of the Lawgivers in Hallifax, each offering dire
portents of the Basin's so-called 'salvation' before raising their
voices in a combined song.

This song was more powerful than Veloske's single note, beautiful and
terrifying, slaying many who heard it and grievously wounding more
besides. Where or how or from whom Marani acquired this song was
unknown, but whatever the case, it gave her power unprecedented before.

Serenwilde was the first to oust the undead from their quarters,
dispatching the beauties and their leader, Neinrin, with ease. Hallifax
followed suit, with Glomdoring, Celest, and Gaudiguch respectively
dispatching Marani's priestesses amid grievous battles and the raging
song that threatened to lead all who heard it into death. At last, the
warriors of the Basin confronted Marani herself before the Silent
Cathedral. The White Priestess used every bit of cunning and strength
she possessed, yet fell still to the might of those she sought to
subjugate in her renewal of the lost plane of Shallamar.

Upon the demise of those controlling it, the song began to diminish.
However, instead of fading, it redoubled its own efforts, swelling
without any external source until it deafened those who heard it with
its vicious disharmonies. The guardians of the cities and communes cried
out in pain and faltered, though this was eclipsed by the pain of even
the Elder Gods themselves, whose injuries and irritation became known to
all as the song ran rampant.

In an effort to stem the effects of the berserk composition begun by
Marani Veloske, Lyreth, the Sidereal Prince, appeared, harp in hand, to
turn His own Song against it. Though the contest was close beyond
compare, the Sidereal Lord was soon divested of His harp and fell to the
earth, encased in a bubble of the berserk music kept at bay only by His
own voice, while His harp was cast to the Inner Sea, upon the Isle of
Light.

It soon became apparent, thanks to a despairing Auguste L'Fevre, that
the Lord's instrument had grown dim, and required essence of light in
order to restore it to its former power. Many set out to accomplish this
goal, trekking across planes to recover the energy needed to save Lord
Lyreth. In the end, it was Xenthos An'Ryshe of the Glomdoring who came
into possession of the Elder God's harp, though in a gesture of kindness
he returned it to Shulamit Lunarose, who played it before the trapped
Lyreth. The music freed Him, and He took up His harp once more, though
the malevolent music of the deadly song remained unabated, threatening
all Creation.

With a parting word to Shulamit, and to those gathered, Lyreth took to
the skies a final time. Armed once more with the Divine instrument, His
aria tore the song to shreds, though not without a cost of its own.
Following the song's dispersal, the exhausted God became surrounded by
infinite lights before breaking apart as a flock of lyrebirds, those
creatures that once marked the form of His Voice. To the despair of
those gathered, the lyrebirds winged about and soon vanished from sight,
sped onward by the distraught cries of the Lord Exalted.

Some days later, a lone lyrebird returned to the Basin of Life,
alighting at the entrance to the Temple of Lyreth. This serves as a
painful reminder of the absence of the Sidereal Prince, though some say
that a certain sparkle in the bird's eye offers hope for the future to
those who keep Him in their hearts.

Penned by My hand on the 12th of Dioni, in the year 298 CE.