By: Ellodin Posted on: March 31, 2015
Near fifteen hundred years ago,
great Nicator declared his dreams,
to share the visions none could see
of safer lands where all could grow.
And though we know he found that land
whence greatest of all empires spanned,
strife filled his journey's every step
and spun that story's complex webs.
For years, we had its first two parts
yet knew not why the empire fell,
but still the stories filled our hearts
as heroes' tales made spirits swell.
For I was one such wide-eyed child,
such stories made my thoughts run wild.
When we found ways to cross the peaks
that led to sites like Shadow's Mourn',
adventurous thoughts were soon reborn
and curiosities were piqued.
Like many, I saw Seleucar;
its ancient gates were tightly barred
but that was not enough to halt
the thirst for knowledge locked in vaults.
Discoveries that we thought were lost
were lost no longer - now we knew
the fate of those who could not cross
the Tears over the ocean blue.
And now, the trilogy compiled
could satisfy that curious child.
A new dream grew to fill the minds
of some who'd loved the tales of old,
a goal that would require boldness
and a spirit unconfined:
revival of a childhood view
and learning things that others knew,
presenting knowledge to the world,
discussing wondrous wisdom pearls.
And lo! The opportunity
to build a home on land unmarked,
a site for a community
where kindred fires could be sparked.
Meropian shores midst ocean brine
could be the intellectual's shrine.
This mission, as a public work,
would need support to meet success,
but luminaries with progressive
minds were not so easily marked.
By fortune, such stars did exist
and they agreed to lend assistance,
giving generous funds and time
to build the base for a sublime
creation that would stand for years
and share great works from many pens.
The efforts of these learned peers
may oft be seen as they defend
the right to learn free from regimes,
inspiring grand, new childhood dreams.